Pakistan Resolution
23 March 1940
Uzma Zafar
O’levels Pakistan Study
Contents
Objectives
Main leaders of the Muslim League Annual Session
Reasons
Main contents of resolution
Significant moments
Importance of Lahore Resolution
Reaction on Lahore resolution
Conclusion
Objectives
To understand the circumstances in which the
‘Pakistan Resolution’ was moved and passed.
To study the main content of the resolution
To study the Reaction on Lahore resolution
Annual session of Muslim league 23
March1940
Liqat Ali Khan Presented the
annual report of Muslim League
Resolution moved by Molvi fazal
–Ul- Haq
Resolution seconded by Ch.
khaliquzaman
Session presided by Quaid i Azam
From different regions
The Resolution was seconded by Maulana Zafar Ali
Khan from Punjab,
Sardar Aurangzeb from the NWFP.
Sir Abdullah Haroon from Sindh, and
Qazi Esa from Baluchistan, along with many other
Reasons for passing Pakistan Resolution
Two nation theory ( Sir Syed Ahmed khan )
Muslim quest for political, economic and cultural safeguard
Allam Iqbal and Chaduhary Rehmat Ali :The idea of separate homeland
The experience of Congress Rule (1937-1939) compelled the Muslims to
launch the movement for separate homeland.
The Muslims’ disappointment from the Congress leadership decided to open a
new phase of history.
Quaid-i-Azam’s article in Time and Tide concluded that Muslims are a nation.
No Constitution can be enforced by ignoring Muslims. His comments on
March 13, 1940 are remarkable: “If some satisfactory settlement cannot be
found for Muslims in united India, the Muslim will have to demand for division
of the country.”
Significant Moments of Resolution
Resolution
They decided that the Federal system under Government of India
Act, 1935 was not acceptable for the Muslims.
No revised constitutional plan would be acceptable unless it was
framed with their approval and consent.
Adjacent units where Muslims are in a majority, as in Northwest and
East, should be constituted as Independent States where the
constituent units will be autonomous and sovereign.
Protection of minorities would be given priority
Importance of Resolution
The passing of the resolution was a huge step for the Muslim League.
The Pakistan Resolution offered a fair and attractive solution to the Problem,
the Muslims had grappled with constant strain of being refer to second-class
status.
Had Given the enthusiasm to Muslims
This resolution was passed unanimously and soon became known as ‘Pakistan
Resolution’.
The Muslims of subcontinent had finally got their rallying call.
The years of oppression from British and Hindus were to be put behind them
and it was ML which was undisputed leader of Pakistan Movement.
It joined all the Muslims together to demand for a separate homeland.
Reaction on Lahore resolution
1. The Hindu press published news that the Muslim league had a
dangerous design to disintegrate the country by the creation of
Pakistan.
2. Congress, which was dreaming to establish ‘Hindu Raj’ had
manipulated Lahore resolution as ;
i. ML creating problems in the way of independence and wanted to
retain the British predominance over the subcontinent.
ii. Raised slogan that people of India wanted to form one United
Nation
iii. Congress hostility grew towards Muslim league.
1. Gandhi instigate prejudice against partition by calling it
the ‘vivisection of motherland’ ‘cutting up a baby into
two halves’ (Anwar.M,PakistanStudies,volume1,whiterose publisher
Lahore,pg 99)
2. The British’s did not oppose it openly because it was
based on Two Nation Theory and British had accepted
Muslims a separate nation on various occasions .
3. World war II had put the Britain in a very critical
situation. She did not want to invite trouble by openly
opposing the cause of Muslim League.
Conclusion
The British had been compelled to recognize the
Muslim League as the sole representative of the
Muslims of India by 1940 and Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad
Ali Jinnah as its undisputed leader.
The resolution passed in Lahore on March 23, created a
scare in the minds of the Congress and the Hindus.
They could see that the Muslim League had now openly
advocated the division of India into "Independent
States”
He, Quaid knew that without a well-defined goal that
could be understood even by the simplest Muslim, there
could be no real awakening of the Muslims. The Pakistan
Resolution gave them a legible, objective and reachable
goal: Pakistan.
Expected question
Explain the reasons for the passage of the Lahore Resolution in March
1940.
Why was Pakistan resolution passed?
How important was Pakistan resolution in the history of Pakistan
movement from 1920-1940?Explain your answer
Why was Lahore Resolution passed in 1940?Explain the content of
Lahore resolution .
How successful were attempts to find solutions to the problems
facing the subcontinent in the years 1940 to 1947?
Thank you !
