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India Pakistan - lecture notes for unit

World Regional Geography (University of Colorado Boulder)

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India-Pakistan
Locations: Bangalore, Varanasi, Mumbai, Baluchistan, Punjab, Kashmir, Sindh, Karachi,
Khyber Pass, North-west frontier provinces, N and S Waziristan, Mumbai and Dharavi ,
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Vranasi, Durand line, North and South Waziristan
**Durand line exists as the border between afghanistan and Pakistan

Division of British colonies in South Asia in 1948 – what countries resulted?

 Pakistan (Muslim) and India (Hindu)
 split due to religious and cultural differences

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 India/Pakistan: 1947 British Partition colonies in South Asia (India and Pakistan [E and
W] but still only one state) **Bangladesh didn’t exist at first
Consequence of partition
 population transfers: huge minorities on both sides
 Left millions people on the wrong side of the line
 displacement: 17 million people moved to the other side (Muslims to Pakistan, Hindu to
India)
 numbers killed: 2 million (violence along the border)


Radcliffe commission 1947

 Created the border between India and Pakistan

*Background on the conflict over Kashmir – why is there conflict? Line of control in
Kashmir
 Kashmir is predominantly muslim, however the Prince of Kashmir was sympathetic
towards India. The territory has been contested with the muslims favoring Pakistan and
the authorities loyal to India. Large armies occupy this region.
 Peters out at Kashmir (foothills of Himalayas)
 Both sides claimed it that it was the territory to the respective side
 Prince of Kashmir wanted it in India (Hindu) even though most people
wanted to be in Pakistan
 Went to war (violence) especially Indian side
 1971, most recent war over the independence of Bangladesh
 Neglect of the west, the east by 1971 was mobilized to a more separate state
o Pakistan army added brutally and India got involved for B’s independence

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*East Pakistan exclave – Bangladesh

 East Pakistan was a predominantly Muslim region that was controlled from West
Pakistan from 1947 to 1971.

*1971 Pakistan division

 East Pakistan broke away from West Pakistan to form Bangladesh
 Formal lines drawn up during the Radcliffe partition
 Separated and alienated a large group of ethnic Pakistanis.
 Bengali rebellion that – independence of Bangladesh after win of the India war

*Mughal (Mogul) Empire – where was it? Legacy

 1526-1857 An Muslim Empire based out of modern day Delhi
 politically united a majority of modern day India till British colonization.

Congress Party – Gandhi/Nehru vision

 Dominant political party from 1948 to 1977 led by Gandhi.
 The party has a social liberal secular policy.
 Gandhi had a vision for a united India that would be accepting of a religions and
ethnicities.
 Gandi hated the caste system

Dalit (untouchable) caste

 Predominantly Muslim, poorest, least educated, lowest members of society, populate the
slums
 While recently renamed to promote social equality, these members of this caste are still
highly discriminated against.

Dharavi as an “entrepreneurial slum”

 recycling centers (15,000 factories are for recycling)
 one of two sides of india (diverse settlement)
 Mumbai, India
 Big disparities within the city
 1 million people crowded into the slum
 Benefit: is everyone is working hard and moving up

FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas e.g. Waziristan) go to kevin

 Located in Northwest Pakistan
 semi-autonomous
 location of many drone states

Muslim states in South Asia

 Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghnistan)

1947 partition of South Asia

 With independence from Britain south Asia was divided into Pakistan (predominantly
Muslim) and India (predominantly Hindu)
 British and Indian Empire Division
o Where a lot of British families sent their kids to make a fortune
o After WW2, said they were going to leave and give them independence
o All the India - Pakistan - Bangladesh would be a union of independent state

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 Pakistan (Muslim minority) mobilized and led by Jinnah

 Successful to be a Muslim and Hindu state (convince British)
 Geographically mixed (especially northwest India)

Exclave – definition – (Bangladesh)

 A portion of territory of one state completely surrounded by another state or states
 portion of the country that is geographically separated from the main part by a
surrounding alien territory

India-Pakistan balance of power

Separatism and fundamentalism as challenges to India’s democracy – four cases

Events of Ayodhya 1992

***challenge to Indian democracy

 1948 aftermath of partition, 1mil dead 17mil refugee
 Punjab- Sikh majority- 3000 killed in Delhi in 1984 after Gandhi assassination- army
control; rich state; uneasy relations
 Assam- lowland -highland tribal conflicts- Hindu core vs periphery; Muslim migrants from
Bangladesh
 Kashmir
 BJP led events of Ayodhya and ascended to power in 1996
______________________
1948- 1 million dead; 17 million refugees
1. Punjab (northwest): wealthy area-Sikh majority- 3000 killed in Delhi in 1984 after
Gandhi assassination-army control; rich state; uneasy relations
2. Assam: lowland-highland tribal conflicts-Hindu core against periphery; Muslim
immigrants from Bangladesh
o Far northeast
o Completely separated from rest of India (Tiny sliver connected)
o Hundreds of different small groups who are not Hindu or Muslim, but they feel
neglected (separate from rest of country) [tea plantations/poor and isolated]
 Numerous attempts to claim separation/ but lots of attacks against them
3. Kashmir: see earlier in lecture***
o The ongoing conflict between Pakistan and India
 Peters out at Kashmir (foothills of Himalayas)
 Both sides claimed it that it was the territory to the respective side
 Prince of Kashmir wanted it in India (Hindu) even though most people
wanted to be in Pakistan
 Went to war (violence) especially Indian side
4. Maxilites: active in Orissa
o Modest organization
o Represent the interests of the poor in India

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 Pressures on food supply, livelihood because of climate change in this

region
 Unpredictability of rainfall/ frequencies of drought
 Fight against Indian army

BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and philosophy-Narendra Modi (current PM)

 BJP- led destruction of Barbi mosque in Ayodhya (Utter Pradesh)
 BJP in ascendency 1996mid 200s
o New Hindu orientated party
 BJP philosophy
o India nationalism (move it away from civic nation—more religious)
o Hindu practice
o Liberal in economic matters (don’t believe in state controlling economy)
 More neo-liberal (open up economy and remove restrictions)
o Higher-caste dominate the party  recently branching to other castes
 Realized cannot build the majority with a poor country
 Turned their backs on 15% of population who are Muslims
o Strongly opposed to Pakistan/ in favor it nuclear India
 Want to build up India’s military power (presence on the border)
o Non-aligned/ leans wards Russia as a balance
 Asserting their military and politics in Asia
 Started in the late 1950s, avoiding confrontation between great powers
 Watching what Pakistan is doing (What if they align with US? They then
go to Soviet)
 Narenda Modi:
o Prime minister of Gujarat
o Rapid economic growth
o he is charged with complicity in a state sponsored massacre against Muslims
in 2002 that left over 2,000 dead
o extremist within his own party
o Hindu who is against Muslims

Main political parties – BJP and Congress – what kind of India does each want?
 BJP wants an implementation of traditional Hindu practices, want a more involvement in
the world economy, favor greater military state, conservative

 Congress- desire a united India regardless of religion and ethnicity, desire keep Indian
economy to be self-contained, liberal

Hindutva
 Hindu Nationalism, adopted ideology of BJP
 Hindu based politics in the BJP
 HINDU EXTREMISM/ FUNDAMENTALISM
 Guiding agenda for the BJP
 Examples:
o **want to impose Hindu curriculum in schools

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o And forge an India for non-Hindus

Congress – Gandhi party - mostly in power since independence

 1948 to 1977 (corruption during this time period)
 1981 to 1996
 USUALLY in power
 Overtime, congress elections stopped

Shift to neoliberalism in 1991 – effect on “Hindu growth rate” (slow Indian GDP growth)
 shift led to higher GDP growth rate, nearly catching up with China
 trade barriers came down, state companies were privatized, and foreign investment was
encouraged.

INDIAS “SILICON PLATEAU” (Bangalore)

 shift to back-office center to a technological hub, wealthy part of India

- nickname of Bangaldore
o information-technology center of India
o growing software-producing complex that reaches world markets

Nature of enterprise in Dharavi – “entrepreneurial slum” – mostly recycling (REPEATED)

 around 15,000 recycling huts in Dharavi, Mumbai creating income

ETHNIC GROUPS IN PAKISTAN- LOCATIONS

 Sindis population is the minority (Southeast Pakistan)
 Baluchi is in large area but small group (Southwest Pakistan)
 Punjabis (North East Pakistan)
 Pashtuns (North West Pakistan_
****Pakistan’s four major ethnic groups and their relative geographic locations (Balochis,
Sinds, Punjabis, Pashtuns)3

Significance of NWFP – tribal areas

- NORTHWEST FRONTEIR PROVINCES
- was a former province created by the British in their controlled territories in then called British
India
- subdivision of Pakistan/ established in 1901-‘47
- strategic importance because of Khyber Pass
- 1800 people were killed in this area because they were hit by the floods in 2010 the
worst
- Pakistan government wasn’t able to provide relief to the nation
- IMPORTANCE:
o Divided into 7 provinces that each had some degree of autonomy
o Isolate mountain region
o Between Afghanistan and Punjab
o From Afghanistan, the Khyber pass allowed a path to Peshwar (capital)
 Had fertile valley land for corn and wheat
o This frontier is important to the US and their war in Afghanistan bc:

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 Difficult to monitor the movements of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda

 This area has terrorist activity and training camps

Wars India-Pakistan – 1971 independence of Bangladesh

1971, most recent war over the independence of Bangladesh
Neglect of the west, the east by 1971 was mobilized to a more separate state
o Pakistan army added brutally and India got involved for B’s independence
1971 Bengali rebellion – independence of Bangladesh after war
with India

Cleavages resulting in internal turmoil in Pakistan****

Conservative religious attitudes in Pakistan***

Durand line – bisecting Pashtun region

 Border between Afghanistan and Pakistan between Pashtun areas

Location/concentration of drone strikes – where and why?

- Concentration on NW Frontier and Afghanistan
- Terrorist activity and training camps
- Islamic Terrorism
o Taliban and Al-Qaeda
o Important for US during their war in Afghanistan
o Trying to secure the Province
o Drones killed dozens of militants in North Waziristan
 Taliban immediately retaliated and attacked the US consulate in Peshwar
o Ended up finding and attacking Usama bin-Laden hiding spot

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