History of Pakistan: Formation to Wars and Constitutional Change

History of Pakistan from 1947 to 1969: From Formation to Wars and Constitutional Change

On August 15th, 1947, just months after India became independent from British rule, the State of Pakistan was formed. It was initially divided into two parts separated by more than 1,000 miles—East Pakistan (which later became Bangladesh) and West Pakistan. This region represented areas with significant Muslim populations, which had been ruled by the British Raj since the mid-nineteenth century. In total, it consisted of over half a billion people across the Indian Subcontinent, making it one of the most populous regions ever to experience decolonization.

Formation of Pakistan

The partition of India along religious lines led to the creation of Pakistan, a homeland for Muslims based on the Two Nation Theory advocated by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. However, the process of formation was tumultuous, marked by riots between Hindus and Muslims, massacres, and forced migrations. Overnight, millions of Hindu landowners lost their property, and hundreds of thousands of Muslim families were displaced. Violence erupted throughout the Punjab, Bengal, Bihar, and elsewhere. By enduring these trials during Partition, the new nation Pakistan demonstrated its resilience.

Indo-Pakistan Wars

After gaining independence, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated quickly into conflicts known as the Indo-Pakistani War:

1. First Kashmir war (also called the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–48), where hostilities broke out when Pakistani troops marched into Jammu & Kashmir in October 1947.

2. Second Kashmir war (or Operation Grand Slam), launched by Pakistan in January 1965.

These conflicts stemmed from disagreements over control of the disputed territory of Kashmir, resulting in multiple military confrontations and nuclear threats.

The Constitution of Pakistan

In terms of constitutional development, despite inheriting a constitution drafted during colonial times, Pakistan made progress towards an independent legal system. Its aspirational first constitution was adopted in 1956—the Objectives Resolution—following General Ayub Khan's coup d'état on October 7, 1958. Afterward, several constitutions followed, each reflecting changing political circumstances and leadership changes within the country.

Political Landscape

Politically, Pakistan underwent various stages. Initially, the country operated under a parliamentary system until Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan took power through a bloodless coup in 1958. He declared martial law and suspended the constitution. By the late 1960s, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to prominence, eventually leading the country to become a republic and establishing a presidential form of government. Throughout this period, military interventions played a crucial role in shaping the political landscape of Pakistan.

Despite facing numerous challenges including Partition violence, ongoing conflict with neighboring India over territories like Jammu and Kashmir, and internal struggles over governance structures and democratic processes, Pakistan continued to evolve politically and socioeconomically. These developments set the stage for further change and growth in the decades ahead.

Explore the history of Pakistan from its formation in 1947 to the constitutional changes and conflicts it faced until 1969. Learn about the partition of India, Indo-Pakistan wars over Kashmir, and the evolution of Pakistan's political landscape during this period.