Geographical and Political Challenges of Pakistan

Geographical Challenges of Pakistan

• Pakistan was divided into East Pakistan (Bengal & Sylhet) and West Pakistan (Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan, and NWFP).
• Princely states like Swat, Chitral, Dir, Amb, Hunza, Gilgit, and Bhawalpur also joined Pakistan.
• The two parts were geographically distant (nearly 1000 miles apart) with India in between.
• This separation made controlling East Pakistan from the capital in Karachi very difficult.
• There were significant cultural and regional differences between the eastern and western parts beyond religious similarity.

Formation of Pakistani Government

• Pakistan had to establish a government from the ground up, unlike India, which inherited existing structures.
• India's government had experienced administrators, while Pakistan's Constituent Assembly included primarily landlords unfamiliar with administration.
• India retained many skilled individuals after partition, hindering Pakistan's early development.
• To address this, Jinnah arranged special transport to bring skilled individuals from India to Pakistan.
• An agreement with Tata Air of India assisted in this transfer.
• Government offices were temporarily housed in private buildings.
• Jinnah became Governor-General and Liaquat Ali Khan became Prime Minister.

Division of Armed Forces and Assets

• British Field Marshal Auchinleck initially advocated for unified Indian armed forces.
• Despite this, the armed forces and assets were divided based on a 36% (Pakistan) and 64% (India) arrangement.
• Pakistan received significantly fewer military factories and equipment than India.
• The Muslim Regiment was transferred to Pakistan, the Hindu Regiment to India.
• Pakistan's army had 150,000 men but lacked sufficient officers (only 2,500 Pakistani officers).
• Jinnah temporarily recruited 500 British officers.
• The equipment provided was often damaged or obsolete.
• Pakistan received 60 million rupees and established an ordinance factory in Wah Cantt.
• Pakistan's military training programs were expedited, reducing the timeframe needed to train officers.
• The delayed and inadequate delivery of military assets negatively affected Pakistan's defense capabilities.
• Pakistan received a smaller share of armed forces (6 armor, 8 artillery, 8 infantry divisions) compared to India (14 armor, 40 artillery, 21 infantry divisions).

Challenges Related to Division of Armed Forces

• A significant shortage of Muslim army officers existed, given the smaller size of the Muslim officer corps within the British army compared to the Hindu officer corps.
• India retained extensive military stores and supplies that were critical to an effective army.
• The military equipment provided to Pakistan was often in poor condition (obsolete, damaged, unusable).
• Field Marshal Auchinleck's early resignation further complicated the transfer process, hindering Pakistan's capability.

Financial Issues After Partition

• A significant amount of cash (4 billion rupees) was held in the Reserve Bank of India.
• Pakistan was allocated 750 million rupees.
• The first installment of 200 million rupees was received, but the remainder was withheld due to the Kashmir dispute.
• India delayed the remaining funds due to the ongoing conflict in Kashmir.
• India suspected that Pakistan would use the funds for weapons to be used against India.
• India essentially wanted to bankrupt Pakistan by withholding the remaining financial aid.
• Gandhi intervened, threatening a hunger strike to ensure a fair financial settlement with India.
• 500 million rupees were eventually freed due to Gandhi’s pressure.

This quiz explores the geographical challenges faced by Pakistan during its formation, including the separation of East and West Pakistan and the cultural differences inherent to both regions. Additionally, it examines the difficulties in establishing a new government compared to India's transitional experience after partition.