March 23, 1940: Lahore (Pakistan) Resolution (23March1940)

Adil Najam

March 23 commemorates the passage of what was originally the ‘Lahore Resolution’ (Qarardad i Lahore) and later became better known as the ‘Pakistan Resolution’ (Qarardad i Pakistan). If there is a single most important founding document of Pakistan, it has to be this Resolution passed at the annual session of the All India Muslim League at its 1940 meeting (22-24 March) at Minto Park (now called Iqbal Park), Lahore (by the way, what a wonderful idea - for political parties to have annual, open, meaningful, annual sessions where real decisions are taken in a transparent and democratic manner!). In 1941, this Lahore (Pakistan) Resolution became part of the Muslim League constitution and in 1946 it became the basis of the demand for Pakistan.




 Most Pakistanis know what the resolution says; or, at least we think we do; in most cases rightly so. But because we are so very sure that we know what it says, we usually do not take the time to actually read it. Maybe we should. And there cannot be a better day to do so than today.
It is, like many of the most important documents in history, a fairly short text. I reproduce it here in full. The first two paragraphs are contextual related to the then discussions on federation within the Government of India Act 1935. The third and the fourth paragraphs are the key operational content which is usually cited in textbooks. However, my view is that the final short paragraph is also key; especially in that it talks in the plural about “respective regions” (as do previous paragraphs).

While approving and endorsing the action taken by the Council and the Working Committee of the All-India Muslim League, as indicated in their resolutions dated the 27th of August, 17th & 18th September and 22nd of October, 1939, and 3rd of February, 1940 on the constitutional issue, this Session of the All-India Muslim League emphatically reiterates that the scheme of federation embodied in the Government of India Act 1935, is totally unsuited to, and unworkable in the peculiar conditions of this country and is altogether unacceptable to Muslim India.
It further records its emphatic view that while the declaration dated the 18th of October, 1939 made by the Viceroy on behalf of His Majesty’s Government is reassuring in so far as it declares that the policy and plan on which the Government of India Act, 1935, is based will be reconsidered in consultation with various parties, interests and communities in India, Muslims in India will not be satisfied unless the whole constitutional plan is reconsidered de novo and that no revised plan would be acceptable to Muslims unless it is framed with their approval and consent.
Resolved that it is the considered view of this Session of the All-India Muslim League that no constitutional plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principles, viz., that geographically contiguous units’ are demarcated into regions which should be constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority as in the North Western and Eastern Zones of (British) India should be grouped to constitute “independent States” in which the constituent units should be autonomous and sovereign.
That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in these units in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultations with them and in other parts of (British) India where the Mussalmans (Muslims) are in a majority adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in constitution for them and other minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them.
This session further authorises the Working Committee to frame a scheme of constitution in accordance with these basic principles, providing for the assumption finally by the respective regions of all powers such as defense, external affairs, communications, customs and such other matters as may be necessary.

Apart from the fact that the Resolution talks clearly about “respective regions” (words that have import in the context of the events of 1971), I find the 4th paragraph particularly important. The complex structure of the language notwithstanding, the sentiment is clear as is its emphasis on the rights of minorities - not just of Muslims as a minority but of non-Muslim minorities in areas where they envisaged Muslim sovereignty. In such a short document, for the founding fathers to have devoted so much space to this issue would suggest that they - having lived as a minority themselves - considered the subject of minority rights to be of particular importance. This is one of the many areas where we were unable to live up to their aspirations.

Thx for pakistaniat.com/2007/03/22/march-23-1940-pakistan-day-resolution-lahore-qarardad-minto-park/comment-page-3/



 

Speech of Quaid - e - Azam (23rd March 1940)

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, also known as Quaid-e-Azam in the history of India, is not only a great leader of Muslims of Indian sub-continent but he also holds an important position in the row of world politicians. The thing that distinguishes him from others leaders of the world is that he used Britains constitution to defeat Britains and won independence for his nation although he had to face stiff resistance from British government and great opposition from the Hindus' Indian National Congress. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born in Karachi on 25th December 1876. His father's name was Poonja Jinnah, who was a merchant. He received his primary education from Sindh Mudrasatul-Islam in Karachi. After completing his primary education, he left for England, where he got admission in law and soon become a barrister. After completing his education, he came back to India and helped his father to overcome financial crises. Once Jinnah decided to give up his education but then he realized his mistake and started his education again. After coming back to India, he went to Bombay to start his practice. In the beginning, he faced some problems in getting cases but even at that time he refused to accept anyone's help and soon overcome this crisis. In the begging Jinnah was a great supporter of Hindu-Muslim unity, so, he joined All India National Congress. In 1913 Jinnah joined Muslim League and took an active part to make it effective. It was through his efforts that Muslim League and Congress Party agreed to a political settlement in 1916. This agreement is known as Lucknow Pact. According to this pact, Congress for the first time recognized a separate position of the Muslims and accepted the Muslim demand for a separate electorate. As the time passes and Jinnah realized that Congress is only for Hindus and only protecting Hindus rights, Jinnah left Congress and devoted all his energies for the welfare of Muslims of Indian Sub-Continent. In 1928, when Nehru put forward his report also known as Nehru Report in the history, in which he rejects the fact that Muslims are a separate nation in the India. In his report, he insisted that there is only one nation in the India i.e. Hindus (although Congress agreed in Lucknow Pact that Muslims are a separate nation). Jinnah put forward his fourteen points in 1929, in which it is clearly said that there are two big nations in the India i.e. Muslims and Hindus not one as it was claimed in Nehru report. Jinnah fourteen points also includes demands for some constitutional reforms. Jinnah was very anxious about the future of Muslims of India. He wished that the Muslims should emerge as an effective force but Muslim League suffered from internal problems. In 1934, Jinnah took over control of the Muslim League and made it strong and organized party within few years. In 1940, at the 27th annual session of the Muslim League, held in Lahore, Jinnah with other Muslim leaders analyzed the political problems of Muslims in great deal. A resolution was passed unanimously which is known as Lahore Resolution. In this resolution it was demanded that Muslims of the Indian Sub-Continent should have a separate homeland comprising the regions of the Sub-Continent having a Muslim majority. After the Lahore Resolution passed on 23rd March, 19940, the Muslim League entered into a new phase and under the presidency of Jinnah soon become a popular party. Jinnah put his best to made Muslim League a true representative party of Muslims. The results were obvious in 1945-46 elections, when Muslim League enjoyed a landslide victory both in central assembly as well as in provincial assembly elections. The Muslims continued their organized efforts under the guidelines provided to them by Jinnah. As a result of these efforts Pakistan came into being on 14th August, 1947.Jinnah was the first governor general of Pakistan. The establishment of Pakistan was the result of the constant struggle and great sacrifices of the Muslims of the Sub-Continent. It was due to determined and shrewd leadership of Jinnah that the Muslims of Sub-Continent had a homeland of their own. Jinnah passed away on 11th September 1948. He was given the title of Quaid-e-Azam (The greatest leader) by his nation for his services for his nation.