Changes

====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====

====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====

[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]

[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]

The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref> <ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millenia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".'' East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971.  

The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref> <ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millenia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".''<ref>https://indiafacts.org/partition-why-britain-created-pakistan/</ref> East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971.  

The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.

The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.