میرا نقطہ نظر

[emanParticipant]

Question:
The initial years of Pakistan were very crucial for existence. Discuss.

Answer:
Pakistan came into existence on 14th August 1947. The initial years of Pakistan were very crucial for its existence because soon after it faced multiple problems. Most of the problems of Pakistan were related to Pakistan’s disputes with India, such as the accession of princely states, canal water dispute, refugee’s problems and distribution of arms and military assets. In fact, most of these problems were deliberately created by India itself so that Pakistan would not maintain its independent status and soon merged with India.
As Nehru told General Sir Frank Messervy in 1945,
“His deliberate plan would be to allow Jinnah to have his Pakistan, and gradually makes things so impossible economically and otherwise for Pakistan that they have to come on their bended knees and asked to be allowed back to India.”

Initial Challenge of Pakistan for its Existence:

I. Choice of Capital and Establishment of Government:
The first problem that Pakistan had to face was to choose a capital to form a Government and to establish a secretariat. Thus, Karachi was chosen as the capital of Pakistan. Quaid-e-Azam took the office of Governor of Pakistan and a cabinet of experienced persons was selected.

II. Lack of Administration body:
It is impossible to run the affairs of a state in the absence of an administrative body and a higher civil servant. No administrative structure can be devised without civil servants. At the time of partition, a lot of civil servants migrated toward India because they were Hindus. So, Pakistan had to face the absence of an administrative body. Thus, Pakistan had to hire higher people from outside the country.

III. Unfair body Distribution:
A boundary commission was set up under a British Chairman, Sir Cyril Redcliff. He misused his powers and handed over Muslim majority areas like Gurdas Pur, Ferozpur and Junagadh to India, hence providing them a gateway to Kashmir. Thus, it resulted in the refugee problem. Quaid-e-Azam called “it an unjust, incomprehensive and even perverse award”.

IV. The Influx of Refugees:
The biggest problem faced by Pakistan Immediately after it’s coming into existence was the refugee problem. The refugee crisis generated economic, political, social and administrative problems in Pakistan; even Pakistan had to face the lack of shelter homes and accommodation units.

V. Unequal Division of Assets for Survival (financial issues):
At the time of division, there was a cash balance of 4 billion rupees in the reserve bank of India which was to be divided between India and Pakistan in the ratio of 17 and 5 respectively. Pakistan was to receive 750 million rupees, which was initially delayed by the Indian Government for creating a crucial environment in Pakistan. After the protest of Pakistan, India had to pay 700 million rupees. However, 50 million rupees are still not paid because India hoped that Pakistan would become bankrupt.

VI. Canal Water Issue:
The boundary of India and Pakistan in a way that it cut across the rivers and canal making India the upper beneficiary and Pakistan the low beneficiary. In 1948, India stopped water supply to Pakistan canal (those rivers had origin in India) to damage the Pakistani agriculture. So, in the initial years, Pakistan had to face the lack of a major need for survival of the water. However, on 9th September 1960 on agreement called Indus Basic tragedy was signed between the two countries.

VII. Lack of Arms and Military:
It was announced on July 1, 1947, that the Indian Army would also be divided into ratio 65 to 35 in India’s favor it was with reference to communal balance present in the British Indian army. Pakistan has received nothing but scrap and out of order machines, broken weapons, unserviceable artillery, and aircraft. There were 6 ordnance factories and all were located in India. Pakistan was given 60 million rupees towards its share in the ordnance factories. Pakistan did not receive the due share of the military assets till now. Thus, this dishonest attitude put Pakistan into great security issues and difficulties.

VIII. Foreign Policy and Foreign Relations Establishment:
According to one of the decisions of the partition of the Subcontinent, the rights and duties of the membership of international agencies were awarded to India. Pakistan was required to put up a fresh application to gain membership of the United Nation and other agencies. Moreover, in order to establish diplomatic ties with other countries, Pakistan also had to open separate embassies, which was an economic, political and administrative problem.

Other problems:
Despite above all mentioned problems, Pakistan had to face many other issues in initial years of Pakistan existence like lack of resources, Kashmir conflict, language clash, hostile design of Indian leaders, hostile behavior of British Government, the problem of Pakhtoonistan, industrial issues as well as lack of educational institutions.

Conclusion:
Pakistan came into being as a free Muslim state quote unfavorable circumstances, it had no resources, and it had to build up its administrative machinery from a scratch. Efforts could be made to prove somehow that a religion-based state cannot be established in modern times. Many tactics were used to sabotage Pakistan, from inside and outside the country. So, the above discussion proves that the initial years of Pakistan were very crucial for existence.

1

0

• This topic was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by  eman.

[Author]

Posts