Role of Provinces in the Making of Pakistan
Pakistan was created in 1947. It was due to a long and untiring effort of the Muslims living in all parts of South Asia. Muslims from all the provinces of South Asia sacrificed for the creation of Pakistan.
The role of various provinces in the Pakistan movement is given below.
What is the role of Punjab in the Pakistan Movement? - Punjab was a Muslim-majority province. After the death of Aurangzeb Alamgir it went into the hands of Sikhs and in 1849 Punjab was taken over by the British. Punjab produced a number of Sufis, scholars, and thinkers who contributed a lot to the Pakistan Movement. Allama Iqbal, the thinker of Pakistan for the first time gave the idea of a Muslim state in South Asia. Lahore/Pakistan Resolution was presented in Lahore in 1940. This resolution paved the way for the creation of Pakistan. During the Disobedience Movement Sugar Aftab, a brave girl from Lahore hoisted the Muslim Leagues’ flag on the Punjab Secretariat. Students all over Punjab worked day and night to convey the message of the Muslim League.
What is the role of Sindh in the Pakistan Movement? - Sindh is popularly known as the gateway of Islam in South Asia as Islam entered the sub-continent through Sindh. It was taken over by the British in 1843. The British made it an administrative part of Bombay. It regained the status of a separate province in 1935. The first annual session of the Muslim League was held in Karachi in 1907. The Muslim League Sindh branch demanded for the first time the establishment of a Muslim Govt. in Muslim-majority provinces. Syed Sibghatullah Shah, commonly known as the Pir Sahab Pagaro, started an armed movement against British rule during the 2nd world War. The people of Sindh actively took part in the Pakistan Movement. Students of Sindh Madrassa Tul Islam and Noor Mohammed School also actively took part in the Pakistan Movement.
What is the role of Balochistan in the Pakistan Movement? - The brave people of Baluchistan maintained their independent identity even during British rule. They gave a positive response to the appeal of Quaid-e-Azam. Kazi Muhammad Isa established Muslim League in Baluchistan. Other well-known leaders such as Mir Jaffar Khan Jamali, Mir Kadir Bux Zehri, Sardar Baz Khan, and Nawam Muhammad khan Jogezai also worked a lot to convey the message of the Muslim League in Baluchistan. On 21 March 1941, Pakistan Day was celebrated in Quetta. In 1947, the Shahi Jirga of Baluchistan decided to join Pakistan.
What is the role of NWFP in the Pakistan Movement? - The people of NWFP are famous for their bravery and love for Islam. The British deliberately kept this province backward. In 1928, Quaid-e-Azam demanded reforms in NWFP. Initially, NWFP was a stronghold of Congress. Due to the efforts of Sardar Aurangzeb Khan Muslim League Conference was held at Abbottabad in 1939. The Muslim League started the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1947. The students of Islamia College and Edward College were on the frontline of the Pakistan Movement. Due to these sacrifices and efforts, Congress lost its control over NWFP, and in 1947; it became a part of Pakistan.
Conclusion:
The provinces played a significant role in the Pakistan Movement, which was a political and cultural campaign that sought to create a separate Muslim-majority state in the region of British India which is now Pakistan. The provinces of British India, including Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), were home to a diverse array of Muslim communities, each with their own unique histories, cultures, and political aspirations.
During the Pakistan Movement, the provinces were a key battleground for competing visions of what the future state of Pakistan would look like. Many Muslim leaders from the provinces, including Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, argued for a federal system of government that would allow the provinces to retain a measure of autonomy and self-determination. Others, however, advocated for a more centralized and unified state in which the provinces would play a subordinate role.
Ultimately, the provinces played a crucial role in the creation of Pakistan in 1947, as the majority of Muslim voters in these regions supported the demand for a separate Muslim state. However, the relationship between the provinces and the federal government has been a source of tension and conflict in Pakistan's history, as different provinces have often had competing interests and demands. The role of the provinces in Pakistan's political and constitutional development continues to be a topic of debate and discussion to this day.