Ehson's My Pakistan Page

Brief History of Pakistan

Pakistan, a country in south Asia. The land of this beautiful country was the main route of ancient invasions by different warriors. It is the home of the Indus Valley civilization, which flourished by Aryans 1500 BC It is the land of Great Mogal Emperors, being conquered by numerous rulers and powers, and passed to the British rule as part of India. It became a separate Muslim majority state in 1947 after great sacrifices. The country originally included East and West Pakistan, separated by India (Bharat). East is now Bangladesh (initiated by India), which declared its independence in 1971. Islamabad is the capital, Lahore is the cultural center and Karachi is the largest city and trade, industrial and economical center.

Pakistan shares the 7,000 to 5,000-year history of the India-Pakistan subcontinent. Harappa, Taxila and Mohenjo Daro, the Indus Valley Civilization, with large cities and elaborate irrigation systems, flourished c. 4,000-2,500 BC.

Aryan invaders from the North conquered the region around 1,500 BC, forging a Hindu civilization that dominated Pakistan as well as India for 2,000 years. Before Aryans the North West of Pakistan was the center of Budhist Gandhara civilization and Peshawer, Swat, Takhtbahai were major centers.

With the Persians in the 6th century BC and continuing with Alexander the Great and with the Sassanians, Arabs, Moguls and successive nations to the west ruled or influenced Pakistan and India.

The first Arab invasion by Moahammad Bin Qasim, in 712, introduced Islam. Under the Mogul Empire (1526-1857), Muslims ruled most of India, yielding to British rule.

After World War I the Muslims of British India began agitation for minority rights in elections. Quaid-e-Azam (Great Leader) Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948) was the founder of Pakistan. A leader of the Muslim League from 1916, he worked for dominion status for India and advocated a separate Muslim state.

When the British left Aug. 14, 1947, the muslim majority areas of India acquired self-government as Pakistan, with dominion status in the Commonwealth. Pakistan was divided into 2 sections, West Pakistan and East Pakistan. The 2 areas were nearly 1,000 mi. apart on opposite sides of India. Pakistan became a republic in 1956. Millions of people migrated from India to both sides of Pakistan till 1956, and it is so far the largest known human movement in the history.

Divison of British India was not simple. In 1949 and 1948, India captured pro-Pakistani states (waiting for accession approval from Pakistan) Junagadh, Kathiawar and Hyderabad Deccan. While on Mar. 25, 1971, government troops launched attacks in the East. The Easterners, aided by India, proclaimed the independent nation of Bangladesh. In months of widespread fighting, countless thousands were killed. Some 10 million Easterners fled into India. Full-scale war between India and Pakistan had spread to both the East and West fronts by Dec. 3. Pakistan troops in the East surrendered Dec. 16; Pakistan agreed to a cease-fire in the West Dec. 17. On July 3, 1972, Pakistan and India signed a pact agreeing to withdraw troops from their borders and seek peaceful solutions to all problems. Still the future of the state of Jammu and Kashmir is to be decided. Kashmiris voted for Pakistan in 1947 but their rulers accessed Kashmir with India. India still occupies the 2/3rd of Kashmir, UN promised Kashmiris for their right of self determination. Kashmir is the focal point of nuclear and conventional arm buildup of the both countries.