Written by: M. Rashid Tabassum
Ideology is a complete set of beliefs and principles that shape the consciousness of individuals, groups, or societies. Pakistan was founded on a unique ideological basis known as the Two-Nation Theory, which asserts that Muslims and Hindus are two distinct nations with different religions, cultures, traditions, and ways of life. Despite coexisting for centuries in the Indian subcontinent, they never assimilated into one society.
The foundation of the Islamic State in the subcontinent was laid in 1206 by Qutb-ud-Din Aibak, a former slave of Shahab-ud-Din Ghori. Muslims ruled the region until 1857 and maintained a just and inclusive governance system. However, Hindus never fully accepted Muslims and their rule. When the British took control of India, Hindus aligned with them, conspiring against Muslims.
During Muslims’ rule, Urdu was the dominant language, but in 1867, Hindus launched a linguistic movement demanding the replacement of Urdu with Hindi and its Persian script with Devanagari. This move was motivated purely by hostility towards Muslims, as Urdu’s script closely resembled that of Arabic, the language of the Quran.
The British also devised strategies to weaken Muslims politically, religiously, socially, and economically. One such measure was the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885 by a retired British officer, Allan Octavian Hume. The Congress primarily worked in favor of Hindus while sidelining Muslims. It promoted the idea of nationalism to blur religious differences and advocated the concept of one nation, one country.
The Partition of Bengal in 1905 by Lord Curzon was a significant event. It was welcomed by Muslims but strongly opposed by Hindus. This opposition further disheartened Muslims, prompting them to organize as a separate community. Consequently, the All India Muslim League (AIML) was founded on December 30, 1906, in Dhaka during the Muhammadan Educational Conference. Its primary objective was to safeguard Muslim rights. Recognizing the growing hostility from both the British and Hindus, Allama Iqbal envisioned an independent Muslim state. On December 29, 1930, during the 25th annual session of AIML in Allahabad, he proposed: “I am not despaired of Islam as a living force. I would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sind and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State.”
The first provincial elections of 1937, held under the Government of India Act 1935, further exposed the Congress’ anti-Muslim stance. Congress secured power in seven out of eleven provinces and took systematic measures to suppress Muslims. Hindi was declared the national language, Vande Mataram was adopted as the national anthem, and Muslims were deprived of government jobs. In response, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah urged Muslims to unite and resist Congress’ dominance. Upon the resignation of Congress ministries in 1939, Muslims observed December 22, 1939, as the Day of Deliverance, to celebrate their freedom from oppressive rule.
The 27th annual session of AIML, held in Lahore from March 22–24, 1940, was a turning point in the struggle for Pakistan. In his speech, Quaid-e-Azam declared:“The Hindus and the Muslims belong to two different religions, philosophies, social customs, and literature. They neither inter-marry, nor inter-dine together. Their aspects of life are different.”
On March 24, 1940, the Lahore Resolution (later known as the Pakistan Resolution) was passed. It demanded that Muslim-majority areas in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped into independent states. Hindus and Congress strongly opposed this resolution, unaware that within seven years, it would become a reality.
Despite immense opposition and conspiracies, Pakistan was created on August 14, 1947, by the grace of Allah.
Pakistan was created in the name of Allah, and its enemies continue to conspire against its stability. Today, it is crucial to revive the spirit of Pakistan’s independence movement and work towards peace, security, and national unity. Political and religious organizations, along with the entire nation, must come together to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty from external threats and conspiracies.
Pakistan Zindabad!
Note: The writer is a freelance journalist based in Lahore, can be reached at [email protected]
