PAKISTAN STUDIES

‘’LAHORE RESOLUTION’’

SUBMITTED TO :
MISS AQSA SHAFIQUE

SUBMITTED BY :
AMMARA AKHTAR
NOOR HAMID
MAHNOOR
MASOOMA MUSHTAQ
AFIFA KALSOOM
Perspective:
The background of Pakistan Resolution is that in 1937, provincial autonomy was introduced
in the Sub-continent under the Government of India Act, 1935. The elections of 1937
provided the Congress with a majority in six provinces, where Congress governments were
formed. This led to the political, social, economic and cultural suppression of the Muslims in
the Congress ruled provinces. The Congress contemptuously rejected the Muslim League’s
offer of forming coalition ministries. The Muslims were subjected not only to physical
attacks but injustice and discriminatory treatment as regards civil liberties, economic
measures and employment and educational opportunities. The Congress Ministries introduced
the Wardha scheme of education, the object of which was to de - Muslimise the Muslim
youth and children. According to the British historian Reginald Coupland, “It was not only
the Working Committee’s control of the Congress Ministries that showed that a ‘Congress
Raj’ had been established. It was betrayed by the conduct and bearing of Congressmen. Many
of them behaved as if they were a ruling caste, as if they owned the country.”

Mr. Ian Stephens, former editor of the newspaper ‘Statesman’ and an eyewitness to the
working of the Congress Ministries, says:

”The effect of these simultaneously on many Muslim minds was oF a lightning flash. What
had before been but guessed at now leapt forth in horridly clear outline. The Congress, a
Hindi-dominated body, was bent on the eventual absorption; Westem-style majority rule, in
an undivided sub- continent, could only mean the smaller community being swallowed by
the larger.”

The animosity shown by the Hindus to the Muslim and their own experience of two-and-a-
half year Congress rule strengthened the Muslims belief in their separate Nationality .The
discriminatory attitude coupled with attempts by the Hindu dominated Congress to suppress
the Muslims impelled the Muslims to finally demand a separate sovereign state for the
Muslims. However, the Muslim demand was violently opposed both by the British and the
Hindus; and the Congress attitude towards the Muslims led to the hardening of the Muslims
belief that only a separate homeland -Pakistan -can guarantee their freedom. This demand
was put in black and white on 23rd March, 1940. After adoption of the Pakistan Resolution,
Quaid-e-Azam had a clear objective before him and he struggled hard to achieve it

In one of the meetings, he said:

“We are a Nation of a hundred million and what is more, we are a Nation with our distinct
culture and civilization, language and literature, art and architecture, legal laws and moral
codes, customs and calendar, history and traditions, aptitudes and ambitions. In short, as
Muslims we have our own distinctive outlook on life”.

He further said that by all cannons of international laws, we are a nation. In 1945, Quaid-e-
Azam proclaimed that only Muslim League represented the Muslims, and proved it to the hilt
during 1946 polls, winning 100 per cent seats at the Centre, and 80 per cent in the provinces.
Nothing could have been more conclusive to shatter the Congress claim of being a national

body. If the British had read the writing on the wall in this verdict, Pakistan could have come
into existence two years earlier without bloodshed. With his charismatic personal Quaid-e-
Azam turned the dream of a separate homeland into reality on 14th of August 1947
Fast Facts :
Passed on: 23 March 1940

Passed at: Lahore, Punjab, British India

Written by: Muhammad Zafarullah Khan

Presented by : A.K Fazlulhaq

Objective: Creation of a separate state for Muslims

The Lahore Resolution was a formal statement, which sought the creation of a separate
Muslim state. The political statement, written by Zafarullah Khan and other prominent
members of the ‘All-India Muslim League,’ proposed the creation of an ‘independent state’
based on predominantly Muslim population. When the resolution was put forth by the then
Chief Minister of undivided Bengal, A. K. Fazl ul Huq, people started using the word
‘Pakistan’ quite frequently as the Hindu leaders described the resolution as a demand to
create Pakistan. Hence, the ‘Lahore Resolution’ is considered as a landmark document in
Pakistan’s history. A monument called ‘Minar-e-Pakistan’ stands at Lahore to commemorate
the famous resolution. March 23 is observed as a national holiday in Pakistan to celebrate
their Republic Day and to commemorate the ‘Lahore Resolution.’
Leaders of Pakistan Resolution

Huq AK Fazlul Allama Iqbal Sir Syed Ahmad Liaqat Ali Khan Ra’ana Liaqat ali

Fatima Jinnah Shaukat ali Abdur Rab Nashtar CH. Rehmat ali Quaid-e-Azam

EVENTS OF LAHORE RESOLUTION :

The events of Lahore resolution are listed below:
I. Government’s resistance in holding the meeting
II. Arrival of Quaid-e-Azam in Lahore
III. Address of Quaid-e-Azam
IV. From Lahore resolution to Pakistan resolution

Government resistance in holding the meetings:

The 27th annual meetings was to be held in Manto park Lahore in 22nd march 1940.
Government of Punjab on the advice of British rulers and agriculture demanded eight
thousand rupees as a rent and tries to postpone the meeting but unsuccessful.

Arrival of Quaid-e-Azam:
Address of Quaid-e-Azam:
On the first day of the session, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah narrated the events of
the last few months. In an extempore speech he presented his own solution of the Muslim
problem. He said that the problem of India was not of an inter-communal nature, but
manifestly an international and must be treated as such.To him the differences between
Hindus and the Muslims were so great and so sharp that their union under one central
government was full of serious risks. They belonged to separate and distinct nations and
therefore the only chance open was to allow them to have separate states.

From Lahore resolution to Pakistan resolution:

The Lahore Resolution was a formal statement, which sought the creation of a separate
Muslim state. The political statement, written by Zafarullah Khan and other prominent
members of the ‘All-India Muslim League,’ proposed the creation of an ‘independent state’
based on predominantly Muslim population. When the resolution was put forth by the then
Chief Minister of undivided Bengal, A. K. Fazl ul Huq, people started using the word
‘Pakistan’ quite frequently as the Hindu leaders described the resolution as a demand to
create Pakistan.
The Hindu press and leaders were quick to describe the resolution as the demand for the
creation of Pakistan; some people began to call it the Pakistan Resolution soon after the
Lahore session of the Muslim League. It is landmark document in history of Pakistan.

Additionally, it stated:

That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the
constitution for minorities in the units and in the regions for the protection of their
religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights of the minorities.

The Lahore Conference :

In 1940, the ‘All-India Muslim League’ held its three-day annual general session from March
22 to 24 at Iqbal Park, Lahore. The welcome speech was delivered by the chairman of the
reception committee, Sir Shah Nawaz Khan. The session was then taken over by Muhammad
Ali Jinnah, who spoke in favor of creating two independent nations. Jinnah, who was in favor
of Gandhi’s policies until recently, had started speaking against co-existing with the Hindus.
In his speech on the first day of the three-day session, Muhammad Ali Jinnah explained how
Hindus and Muslims cannot co-exist peacefully. He said that the differences between
Muslims and the Hindus were so great that forming a central government to govern both the
sects under one law could pose serious risks. He further said that Muslims and the Hindus
belong to two disparate civilizations, based on conflicting ideas. Jinnah believed that Hindus
and the Muslims belong to two different nations as the two groups had different epics and
different history to derive inspiration from. He even warned by saying that clubbing Muslims
in a country dominated numerically by Hindus would lead to destruction and that it is only
fair to create two major dominions, based on religion.

After Liaquat Ali Khan finished presenting his annual report, the then Chief Minister of
undivided Bengal, A. K. Fazl ul Huq, moved the resolution in the general session, which
came to be known as the ‘Lahore Resolution.’ The resolution, which was primarily written by
Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, quickly gathered the support of many prominent Muslims
leaders like Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, Qazi Esa, and Sir
Abdullah Haroon. The resolution stated that no constitutional plan will be accepted by the
Muslims until geographical units are demarcated, so as to constitute independent states. It
also stated that Muslims living in Eastern and North Western zones of British India should be
allowed to form an independent state with autonomous and sovereign constituent units. The
resolution rejected the proposal of a ‘United India,’ which stood against the division of India,
and recommended the creation of a separate state for the Muslims. According to the
resolution, the new state should comprise of Muslims from regions like North-West Frontier
Province, Punjab, Bengal, Assam, Sindh, and Baluchistan. The resolution, which is
sometimes referred to as the ‘Pakistan Resolution’ holds great significance in Pakistan’s
history. In 1941, the resolution was made a part of the constitution, framed by ‘All India
Muslim League.’

Text Of The Resolution:

The Lahore Resolution embodied the demand for a separate Muslim State in these words:
“No constitution plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims
unless it is designed on the following basic principles, namely that the geographically
contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such
territorial readjustment as may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are in
majority as in the North Western and Eastern Zones of India should be grouped together
in independent states in which the constitutional units shall be autonomous and sovereign.
Adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the
constitution for minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic,
political, administrative and other rights.”
Importance of Lahore Resolution:

The Lahore Resolution carries a great importance in the history of the Pakistan Movement
because it marked a turning point in the Muslim attitude towards the future constitutional
arrangements in the Sub-continent. The Muslims changed their demand from a federal system
to a sovereign independent nation, Pakistan. Thus after the adoption of the resolution,
Pakistan became a magic word for the Muslims throughout the light and breadth of country.
This spirit was carried forward to the general elections of 1945-46, in which the Muslims
gave their verdict clearly in the favour of Pakistan.

According to I.H Qureshi:

“The passing of the Lahore Resolution was a historic event in retrospect.

At the time when it was passed its significance was not completely app-
-rehended by many observers. In I India, of-course, there was a
hue and cry among the Hindus……..In fact, it was the Hindu press
which dubbed the Lahore Resolution as a demand for Pakistan.”

Throwing the light on the implications of the Lahore Resolution

Dr. Waheed-uz-Zaman writes in his book entitled “Towards Pakistan.”

“The Lahore Resolution was inspired by mixed motives in

the minds of those who framed it but there can be no
reasonable doubt that it was presented as a practical
solution of the communal problem. The Resolution
was at once subjected to severe represent
-tative Congressmen on various grounds.”

For his position and influence Mr. Gandhi’s criticism may be considered to be most
important. One passage of the article published shortly after the adoption of the Lahore
Resolution contained the gist of his comments:

“The Two-Nation Theory is an untruth. The vast

majority of Muslims of India are converts to
Islam or are descendants of converts. They
did not make a separate nation, as soon as
they become converts. The Bengali Muslim
speaks the same tongue that a Bengali Hindu
does, eat the same food and has the same
amusements as his Hindu neighbour.”
According to k.k Aziz :
“With the adoption of the Pakistan ideal by the Muslim League in 1940, Muslim
nationalism had come into its own. It had taken the Muslims three quarters of a century
finally to decide what they wanted. They had tried everything; a revolt in 1857, friendship
with Britain, opposition to the Congress, extremist agitation, co-operation with the
Congress, belligerent neutrality, negotiations, appeals and threats. First as dethroned
rulers they resented the overlordship of the British. Then as a weak minority they sought
friendship with the governing power. Then for a time they made a common cause with the
Hindus and led the Khilafat agitation. Then once again their separatism came to the
surface and they fought for communal safeguards. When these safeguards failed to give
them the protection they needed or expected the latent nationalism triumphed. The march
of history had made a nation of a community. No longer did they eat out their heart in
sullen impotence, trusting in the beneficence of the British or the goodwill of the Hindus.
To the Congress claim that India was a national state, that it was neither plural nor
multinational the Muslims answered with the brand new idea of a separate Muslims
nationalism.”

IN THE VIEWS OF I.A QURESHI :

“At its annual session historic in retrospect at Lahore the League for the first time adopted
the idea of partition as its final goal. Jinnah’s presidential address to the session is a
landmark in the history of Muslim nationalism in India, for it made an irrefutable case for
a separate Muslim nationhood and for dividing India into Muslim and Hindu States.”

Aims and Objectives of Lahore Resolution:

The Muslim majority areas of India should be merged so that the Indian Muslims may have
an area where they could establish their independent state.The Muslims, who are in minority
in the independent units and areas, should be consulted with and their interests should be
provided with the protection in the constitution.

Since the present constitution does not provide protection to the Muslims’ interests, is not
acceptable to the Indian Muslims at all.The Muslims of India cannot accept the amendments
proposed by the British government in the present constitution so long the entire
constitutional plan is not revised from the scratches.

Prior to implementation of the amended constitution, the Muslim leaders should be invited to
extend their view about the amendments and this constitution should not be implemented
before the consent of the Muslims.

The executive committee of the Muslim League should be advised to prepare an action plan
in the light of the principles mentioned above making arrangements to take over all the
matters and controls in both the wings; proposed East Wing and West Wing of Pakistan.
Quaid-e-Azam Speech on Lahore Resolution:
The venue of the session was Minto Park near Badshahi Masjid and Lahore Fort. The
inaugural session was planned at around three in the afternoon on March 22. People started
coming from the morning and by the afternoon the park was jam packed. According to a
rough estimate around 100,000 attended the public meeting. In the beginning of the session,
the welcome address was presented by the Nawab of Mamdot. This was followed by the
historical speech of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Quaid claimed,

“Mussalmans are a nation according to any definition of a nationhood. We wish

our people to develop to the fullest spiritual, cultural, economic, social and
political life in a way that we think best and in consonance with our own ideals
and according to the genius of our people”.

During his speech the Quaid quoted the letter written by Lala Lajpat Rai in 1924 to C.R. Das
in which he clearly mentioned that the Hindus and the Muslims were two separate and
distinct nations which could never be merged into a single nation. When Malik Barkat Ali
claimed that Lala Lajpat Rai was a “Nationalist Hindu leader”,

Quaid responded;

“No Hindu can be a nationalist. Every Hindu is a Hindu first and last.”

However, Quaid-e-Azam defended strongly the Lahore Resolution in the sense that it was the
only solution of the communal problem. He said:

“The Hindus and the Muslims belong to two different

religious philosophies, social customs and literatures.
They neither intermarry nor interdine together, and
indeed they belong to two different civilizations, which
are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions.
…….. To yoke together two such different nations
Into a single state, one as a numerical minority and
other as a majority, must lead to the growing dis-
-content and final destruction of any fabric hat be
may be so built up for government of such a state.”
REASONS BEHIND THE LAHORE RESOLUTION:

Islam was the sole purpose behind the creation of Pakistan because the Hindus began to get
domination on the political horizon of India after the downfall of the Mughal empire.
In connivance with the British, they left no stone unturned to harm the Muslims.
This sense of deprivation compelled the Muslims to remain united at the political forum of the
Muslim League for the the Aims and Objectives of Lahore Resolution:

The Muslim majority areas of India should be merged so that the Indian Muslims may have an
area where they could establish their independent state.The Muslims, who are in minority in
the independent units and areas, should be consulted with and their interests should be provided
with the protection in the constitution.Aims and Objectives of Lahore Resolution:

The Muslim majority areas of India should be merged so that the Indian Muslims may have an
area where they could establish their independent state.The Muslims, who are in minority in
the independent units and areas, should be consulted with and their interests should be provided
with the protection in the constitution.safety of their religious, social and legal rights.

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was the first man who realised that the Hindus and the Muslims were
two different nations and as such they could not live together. His Two-Nation Theory was
later adopted by the prominent Muslim leaders like Chaudhry Rahmat Ali, Liaquat Ali Khan,
Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah for starting the Pakistan Movement.
According to record, the Congress ruled in seven provinces of India between 1937 and 1939
wherein the bigoted Hindus gave the worst treatment of injustice and humiliation to the
Muslims.

The British had planned to transfer power to the Congress at the end of the World War II,
leaving the oppressed Muslims at the mercy of the Hindu majority. It was the foresight of the
Quaid-i-Azam that he had seen this danger situation for the Muslims at the appropriate time.
This critical phase forced the Quaid to carry out the valuable advice of Allama Iqbal, which he
gave to him before his death in 1938, that the Muslim League should struggle for the division
of India into Muslim and Hindu majority areas.

These were the major factors, which directed the Muslim League to use a proper platform to
raise its voice at that time for a separate homeland. This platform in known in our history as
"Lahore Resolution" This honour goes to a prominent leader of Bengal, A.K. Fazlul Haq, who
moved this resolution in the 27th session of All India Muslim League, held on 22nd March,
1940 at Minto Park, Lahore, which was largely attended by the Muslims and their prominent
leaders from all over the India. The session was presided over by the Quaid-i-Azam
Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The Resolution was approved by the All India Muslim League on 23
March,1940 after being seconded by Chaudhry Khaliquz Zaman, a veteran leader of the
Muslim League.

The Muslim League declared through the Lahore Resolution that it will not accept any plan for
India which did not allow the Muslims to form an independent State in those parts of India
where they were in majority, so that they could lead their lives in accordance with the teachings
of Islam.

The Hindu leaders of the Congress bitterly opposed the demand of the Muslim League for an
independent Muslim State through division of India. They declared it as "great sin" and
dissection of "Mother India".

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah pleaded the case of the Muslims at every in accordance
with the framework of the Lahore Resolution and defeated the opponents of Pakistan through
his valid arguments and able political strategy for the partition of India. Porf. Mumtaz Ahmed
Qureshi writes about this capability of Jinnah in his book "Current English composition at
places:

1) Speaking on the rationale of Pakistan, the Quaid said:

"The Pakistan Movement had started when the first non-Muslim was converted to Islam
in India long before the Muslims established their rules".

2) The Quaid gave the idea of Muslim separatism in a positive orientation by saying,

"Pakistan means not only freedom from British and Hindus tutelage; it also means
Muslim ideology".

The Quaid-i-Azam was a man of firm determination. He wanted to see the same spirit from
his nation in the implementation of any plan or policy after its adoption, particularly with
reference to the Lahore Resolution. Professor Mumtaz Qureshi, writes about this spirit of the
Quaid in the same book at another place:

"Think a hundred times before you take the decision but when the decision is taken, stand
by it as one man".

The Pakistan Movement spread all over India through this spirit of the Quaid like a wild fire.
Thus, the oppressed Muslims of the sub-continent gathered under the able and dynamic
leadership of Jinnah for acquisition of a separate homeland for them.

The experience of the Hindu-Muslim unity had totally been a failure during the tenure of the
British Government after witnessing communal riots, lawlessness and disturbance on a
number of occasions in India. The Quaid, therefore, advised the British that partition of India
was necessary for the solution of all problems.

At last, after the strenuous struggle of the Quaid-i-Azam, Pakistan appeared on the horizon of
the world as an independent State on 14th August, 1947.

The day reminds us that Pakistan has been acquired after a prolonged struggle of our
forefathers. It is due to their unprecedented sacrifices that Pakistan is now enjoying good
reputation as an independent State among the Islamic countries in particular and international
community in general. The day also gives us message to exercise our best efforts in every field
of life for the progress, prosperity and upgrading the image of our country.
Impact of Lahore resolution :
Impact of Lahore Resolution was mainly felt with the high level criticism made by Indian
Congress, Hindu Mahasabha and Sikh leaders. There had been number of allegations over the
demand for new state of Pakistan made by Jinnah. The Lahore resolution came at a time
when the Indian politics was going through a period of political stalement All the league
leaders were engaged their own local politics .As far as Jinnah's position was concerned the
congress had ignored its relevance during its Patna and Ramgarh session and even Linlithgow
was tired of Jinnah's political thrills and suggested Jinnah to find some constructive methods
for political settlement in India.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah's demand for the state of Pakistan was heavily rejected and
condemned by the Indian National Congress, Hindu Mahasabha and the Sikhs. The demand
for Pakistan directly affected the entire Indian union of India particularly the states which
were claimed to be divided within two nations. The most prominent among them was the
state of Punjab which had half of its population living in west Punjab to be divided towards
Pakistan and Bengal with a huge number of people staying in east Bengal. The state of
Bengal had a majority of Muslim population living in West Bengal. Hence, it was heavily
condemned by the Sikhs who would have to surrender their place of holy land to Muslim
domination. Rajagopalachari condemned the resolution as a mischief mainly intended to
threaten India of the consequent destruction to be followed on. Hindu Mahasabha rejected the
resolution by claiming that it was a step closer towards a civil war within two nations on the
basis of religion. While the British kept silent on the issue as it would serve to their policy of
divide and rule, Congress under Jawaharlal Nehru declared that it had nothing to do with mad
proposals of Muslim League.

The name Pakistan was not used in the resolution and the official name of the resolution was
Lahore Resolution. It was the Hindu newspapers including Partap, Bande Matram, Milap,
Tribune etc., who ironically coined the name Pakistan Resolution. However, the idea was
appreciated by the Muslim masses and the Resolution is more known as Pakistan Resolution.
Secondly, the Government and people of Pakistan wrongly celebrate March 23 as a national
day in Pakistan. The actual day when the resolution was passed was March 24. It was only
presented on March 23. Lastly, it the word “states” and not “state” was mentioned in the
Resolution. It means that the authors of the Resolution were foreseeing two separate states in
the north-western and eastern zones of India. But if one has a good look at the developments
that followed, he or she would come to the conclusion that either the word “states” was included
as a mistake or the League leadership soon had a second thought to their idea. A Resolution
passed at the 1941 Madras session of the League stated,

“Everyone should clearly understand that we are striving for one independent and
sovereign Muslim State.”

In all the speeches that Quaid delivered, he also used the word “an independent homeland”
or “an independent Muslim state”.

Hindu Reaction:
The Hindu reaction was, of course, quick, bitter and malicious. They called the “Pakistan”
demand “anti-national.” They characterized it :

“vivisection; above all, they denounced it as imperialist – inspired to obstruct India’s

march to freedom.”
In denouncing the demand outright, they, however, missed the central fact of the Indian
political situation; the astonishingly tremendous response of the Pakistan demand had elicited
from the Muslim masses. They also failed to take cognizance of the fact that a hundred
million Muslims were now supremely conscious of their distinct nationhood and were
prepared to stake everything to actualize their self-perceived destiny – the creation of an
independent Muslim state in the sub-continent.

British Reaction:
The British were equally hostile to the Muslim demand for at least two important reasons.
First, they had long considered themselves as the architects of the unity of India and of an
Indian nation. Second, they had long regarded the super-imposed unity under tax Britannica
as their greatest achievement and lasting contribution in history. And the Pakistan demand
threatened to undo these presumed achievements on which the British had long prided.
However, despite the Hindu denunciation and the British alarm, the course of Muslim, indeed
Indian, politics was from now on firmly set towards Pakistan.

Lahore Resolution & the Partition of India:

During the ‘Second World War,’ the ‘All-India Muslim League’ started gathering support
from South Asian Muslims and their ‘two-nation theory’ started getting momentum.
However, the then Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, assumed that the ‘All-India Muslim
League’ wanted non-federal government sans Hindu domination. Hence in order to assuage
the fear of being dominated by the Hindus, Lord Linlithgow announced that future
constitution would take into account the views of the minorities as well. But the proposal was
rejected by both the ‘Indian National Congress’ and the ‘All-India Muslim League.’

Referring to the Lahore resolution, President of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Rajendra
Prasad stated that neither Hindus nor the Congress wanted partition, but Muhammad Ali
Jinnah and the ‘Muslim League’ were clear in their pursuit to create a separate state for the
Muslims. Also, the notion of creating a separate state for the Muslims eventually became an
integral part of the All-India Muslim League’s political discourse in India.

After the partition of India in 1947, the ‘Lahore Resolution’ was credited for having played
an important role in the partition. It was said that the resolution was a decisive step towards
finding cultural, economic, social, and political future for the Muslim populace in British
India. Though there were many proposals in the past that sought a homeland for Indian
Muslims, the ‘Lahore Resolution’ played a key role in the subsequent partition of India.

Lahore Resolution & Minorities:

 1. A vital part of the Lahore Resolution on the minorities was ignored. After independence,
none exerted himself more for the minorities than H.S. Subrawardy. He laid his heart bare in a
letter to Chaudhary Khaliquzzaman on 10 September 1947 (Khaliquzzaman; Pathway
to Pakistan; pp. 397-9). He wrote to Jinnah and Gandhi and proposed a Draft Declaration which
reads thus: We hereby solemnly and sincerely declare that it is the aim of the Dominions of
India and Pakistan to promote peace and friendship between the Dominions and its inhabitants
and to cooperate for the well-being of each other and to assist each other in every possible way
so that the prosperity of each may be promoted and the relationship of the two Dominions be
based on neighbourliness and mutual reliance.

2. We further declare that we consider peace and unity amongst the various communities
within the two dominions essential for the preservation of independence and for
reaping the full fruit thereof; that all the communities together go to make a nation,
that they have to live with each other as one family within each State, pledging
unstinted and unswerving loyalty to the State in which they live.
3. It is our considered opinion that separate communal and theocratic States are
undesirable and in course of time are bound to lead to a perpetual conflict; that
disunity and disorder amongst the peoples make economic progress impossible and is
bound to impoverish the Dominions to such an extent that they will not be able to
improve the lot of the common man. The Dominions are likely, under these
circumstances, to lose their independence and will stand eternally disgraced in the
eyes of the world.
4. We further declare that we renounce war for all time as the method of settling
disputes between us. We deprecate the issue of provocative statements and aspersions
attacking the bona fides of each other and containing charges and counter-charges
which only tend to embitter feelings and give an incorrect impression that the
relationship between the two Dominions are strained and may at some future time
lead to an armed conflict.
5. We further solemnly declare that it shall be our endeavour to put down disorder and
lawlessness with a firm hand. We demand impartiality and a high sense of duty from
the officials of both the Dominions and shall take the strongest measures against
 officers and other Government personnel who do not perform their duties with
absolute impartiality and without fear or favour.
6. We hereby guarantee to the minorities within our Dominions fullest protection of life,
property, culture, religion, language and customs and declare that there shall be no
discrimination between the communities by virtue of their caste, creed or religion, that
we shall deal with all the people within our Dominions equally and justly.
7. We call upon the people of the Dominions to shed any tendency towards militancy or
violence, to rid themselves of mutual hatred and distrust, to live in friendliness with
their neighbours, and for the majority to assume responsibility for protecting the
minorities and their rights.
8. We hereby call upon the press to cooperate with us in stressing the need for peace and
unity, cooperation and trust, and cease to publish stories and accounts – factual or
otherwise – of incidents that may tend to excite communal hatred and bitterness. Only
such accounts of incidents should be printed as have had the imprimatur of a Joint
Board set up by the Dominion Governments.
9. In order to ensure cooperation between two Dominions as well as to minimize
occasions for misunderstanding we have decided to set up joint committees of
representatives of the two Dominions, which will be stationed in various important
places in the country and whose duty it will be to promote peace and harmony
between the communities, acquaint themselves with the difficulties and complaints of
the majority and minority communities, keep themselves informed of incidents and
remove all causes of suspicion and mistrust, not only between the peoples but also
between the two Dominions. These representatives will be given diplomatic privileges
and assured the safety of their person by the Dominion or State in which they happen
to discharge their duties.
10. In order to obviate misunderstandings and to enable us to take joint and quick decisions, and
to cooperate on all matters which may promote our mutual welfare, we have decided to
maintain constant contact with each other, and for this purpose the Ministers of the
Dominions as well as of the Provinces of the Dominions shall meet together as often as
possible and shall visit any part of any Dominion as they may deem advisable.

11. For the purpose of instilling confidence in the minorities we have decided to ensure
that the services are not exclusively manned by the personnel of one community but
that we have therein an adequate mixture of all communities. This shall, as soon as
possible, be made applicable to all the branches of the service including the Police
and the Army.
12. We also desire, in order to give further confidence to the minorities and to recognize
their right to participate in the administration that the Ministries should include
representatives of the more important minorities.
13. The events that have occurred in both the Dominions have been a stain on civilization.
We greatly regret that we have not been able to afford that protection to the people,
which it is the duty of all governments to ensure, and we extend our deepest
sympathies to those who have suffered. It is not easy for people who have been
 victims of atrocities or have lost their near and dear ones, whose lives have been
scared and dislocated, to forgive and forget, but we have to urge upon them to do so,
as any other alternative will lead to a continuance of untold miseries on innocent and
unoffending persons who desire to live in friendship and amity with each other. We
assert that there is no other alternative and we must not allow lawlessness to spread
further and invade new territories. We must now proceed to establish a brighter future
for the people of the two Dominions. For those who have had to leave their homes, it
shall be our endeavour to re-settle them in their original homes and to protect them
fully; but where such re-settlement is not desired then to rehabilitate them in new
surroundings. We strongly disapprove of migrations from one part of the country to
the other or of transfer of populations from one part of the country to the other or of
transfer of population as being detrimental to the future welfare of the two
Dominions.
14. We strongly condemn the acts of brutality which have been perpetrated by various
sections of the people against each other and in particular we condemn forcible
conversion and abduction of women. We consider that forcible conversion is no
conversion at all and is not sanctioned by any religion. We call upon all persons
forcibly converted to go back to the religion which they professed, and the people
around them to see that they are in no way molested, but are allowed the fullest liberty
to practice their religion, consonant with the common law of the land and good
manners. We declare that we shall take the strongest action against those who put any
impediments in this way. We consider it shameful and cowardly to attack defenceless
women and desire that all women abducted should be returned to the members of their
community as soon as possible.
15. For the better attainment of peace, unity, and harmony and toleration among the
peoples of our Dominions, and for putting down disorder and lawlessness and ensure
impartial and just administration, we consider it not only highly desirable but
necessary to enlist the cooperation of the public. We urge upon them to form Peace
Committees in all cities and villages which would be composed of such members of
all communities as feel the urge to secure peace and harmony and are ready to make
sacrifices in this cause. Such Committees should be set up as early as possible and
will form a meeting ground whereby constant contact [and] mutual confidence may be
restored, cooperation ensured and the forces of lawlessness and disorder effectively
checked. Each of these Communities should have under their control a number of
peace volunteers who will prevent miscreants from creating mischief and carry on
constant propaganda in favour of peace and goodwill and toleration and brotherliness.
Such peace volunteers should be drawn from members of all communities pledged to
work with each other in amity and discipline. We trust that the members of the public
will respond to our request, give us their cooperation and lay the foundations of
peaceful and progressive States that will find an honoured place in the comity of
nations.”

Later Developments:
August 1940 offer:
The World War II started in 1939 that required heavily men powered battlefield. The British
who always believe in bargaining announced an offer in August 1940:

 Expansion of the Viceroy’s Executive Council and the setting up of National Defense
Council.
 Special importance to the views of minorities in the revision of the constitution.
 Power could not be transferred under a system that will not be acceptable to large and
powerful minorities in India.
 Dominion Status: the ultimate goal
 Cooperation of Indians for the war.
 Congress rejected it and started Non-Cooperation movement 1940-41. And the Lahore
Resolution remained the ultimate goal for the Muslim League.
 The Cripps Mission (March 1942):
 The constitutional proposals for seeking Indian cooperation for war efforts:
 Dominion status
 Indian constitutional body to frame constitution
 Princely states would be represented.

The Cripps Mission negotiated with Indian leaders and issued the proposals. The Congress
rejected the proposals and demanded that a responsible government would be set up
immediately after the war. The defense affairs should be under the Indian control. The
Muslim League also rejected the proposals and repeated its stand that the Muslims could not
live in Indian Union. The Hindus started Quit India Movement in August 1942 seeing British
in trouble. The Muslim League stayed aloof and responded by saying that divide and quit
India.

Gandhi-Jinnah Talks (September 1944):

MK Gandhi did not accept the Hindus and Muslims as Two Nations and emphasized on the
freedom of united India. Jinnah told him that the Muslims could never budge even a single
inch from their ideological and constitutional demand.

Interpretation of the Lahore Resolution :

The proposed ‘Lahore Resolution’ attracted varied interpretations. Abdul Hashim, one of the
members of the ‘Bengal Muslim League,’ interpreted the resolution as a demand for two
distinctive countries. After several other interpretations, it was widely believed that the
resolution was a call for a separate Muslim nation. However, many argued against this
interpretation, claiming that the words ‘independent states’ referred to the liberation of
Muslim-dominated provinces, such as Punjab and Sindh, which would be autonomous and
sovereign. This interpretation too was accepted by many as popular Muslim political leaders
had spoken about creating four Muslim homelands in India in the late 1930s. However, the
‘All-India Muslim League’ leadership later stated that the call was for independence and
creation of a separate state for the Muslims. The resolution also became popular as the
‘Pakistan Resolution’ as many considered it to be a proposal to create Pakistan. Though the
term ‘Pakistan’ was put forth by Choudhary Rahmat Ali in 1933, the resolution was
responsible in making it famous as the word ‘Pakistan’ was now being used throughout India.
The term had become so famous that the name Pakistan was eventually used for the
envisaged state.

Interestingly, many years after the creation of Pakistan, the ‘Lahore Resolution’ is still open
for interpretation as different individuals view it differently. Though many might think that
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was clear in stating that he wanted a separate state, which in turn
implies that he wanted the partition of India to happen, a Pakistani-American historian and
sociologist named Ayesha Jalal claimed in 2012 that Jinnah never actually wanted the
partition to happen. She went on to say that the leader of the ‘All-India Muslim League’ had
rejected the idea of creating Pakistan twice. She further argued by saying that the resolution
had no mention of ‘Pakistan’ and that all Jinnah wanted was control over Punjab and Bengal.

Analysis:
The Resolution draws attention towards the following important points in the text.

First, the phrase “independent states” is used instead of “independent state” in the
content. The presence of “s” with the word state in the original text becomes significant in
context of 1971 secession of East Pakistan to become Bangladesh. It has been argued that the
initial intention was to form many individual states in the areas where Muslims are in
majority rather than single state for the Muslims of India. The fact that the resolution was
presented by a Bengali nationalist, Fazal-ul-Haq, adds weight to the argument that according
to the resolution East Pakistan was never supposed to be the part of Pakistan.

Second, mandating the “safeguards” to be enacted to protect the minorities in the

“regions” that later will become Pakistan and presence of a whole paragraph in a very short
document addressing the issue of minority rights shows that how concerned the founding
fathers were about the subject.

Has enough been done to achieve what the founding fathers wanted for the minorities
living in Pakistan?

But what strike most is the democratic and the revolutionary nature of the resolution. The
resolution came after thrashing of the Muslim League in 1937 elections where it only won
few seats which were reserved for Muslims in Sindh, Punjab, Bengal, Balochistan, and
NWFP and within 6 years of time it changed the whole scenario with the overwhelming
success of Muslim League in 1946 elections (425 out of 496 seats reserved for Muslims)
which the League ran on the platform of creating a state of Pakistan. The momentum
generated by the passage of the Lahore Resolution actually allowed the Muslims to build a
huge support and rally the Muslims of the sub-continent for the demand of independent state
of Pakistan.

Third, Lahore Resolution is allegedly in clear about the areas to be included in the states. In
response to Beverly Nicholas’s question that why Pakistan has not been defined in detail,
Jinnah replied,

“All details were left to the future and future is often an admirable arbitrary.It is
beyond the power of any man to provide in advance a blue print in which every detail is
settled.”

The resolution was deliberately kept vague to take full advantage of elements of uncertainty
and the power of manipulability. It also distracted the congress from targeting a visible goal
set by the league. Muslim League purposely left this matter ambiguous to get as many
Muslim majority areas as possible, including some in the Muslim minority provinces.

Fourth, a question is usually asked as to why the word Pakistan was not mentioned in the
Resolution and why there is no reference to the princely stats like Kashmir.The word
Pakistan as coined by Chaudhary Rehmat Ali was used in specific context in which he
proposed the idea of Bengal and Assam to constitute a separate Muslim state of Bang-i-Islam.
The Lahore Reolution pointed to the areas of both North-western and eastern India. The
resolution did not favor the exchange of population. The word was not used as it could give
the impression of pan-Islamism and scare the British and provoke Hindu propaganda. But
when the Hindu press regarded the Lahore Resolution as the Pakistan demand, the Quaid
owned it without hesitation. Madras session of the league in April 1941 formally adopted
Pakistan Demand as the goal of the Muslim League.
As for making any reference to the princely states, they did not lie within the constitutional
jurisdiction of the British India and the League’s interest was confined to Kashmir whose
ultimate fate depends on the league’s strength in the British India. Other important issues
were, the resolution did not mention of an Islamic state based on the rule of Shariah. And it
also visualized territorial adjustments.

CONCLUSION:

The All India Muslim League Resolution of March 1940, commonly known as the Pakistan
Resolution, is undoubtedly the most important event that changed the course of Indian history
and left deep marks on the world history. With the passage of this Resolution, the Muslims of
the sub-continent changed their demand from “Separate Electorates” to a “Separate
State.” This Resolution rejected the idea of a United India and the creation of an independent
Muslim state was set as their ultimate goal. It gave new energy and courage to the Muslims of
the region who gathered around Quaid-i-Azam from the platform of the Muslim League to
struggle for their freedom. The dynamic leadership of the Quaid and the commitment and
devotion of the followers made it possible for them to achieve an independent state within
seven years of their struggle, and that too when the odds were against them.