NATIONALISM OR ‘ISLAM’ AS AN IDEOLOGY IN THE MAKING OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Division of the Indian Subcontinent during the year 1947 still holds significance in the South Asian history. The demand for Pakistan as a separate State during the pre-partition period was based on the ‘Two-Nation Theory’ upheld by the leaders of the Muslim league who were speculative about the distinct identity of the Muslims within India. Accordingly, ‘Pakistan’ as a State was projected as the political expression for the Muslims in India. Towards this end, the very basis of demand for ‘Pakistan’ as a separate nation, was not so much on ‘Islam’ as an ideology as much on the Muslim Nationalism. But, after the dream of creation of Pakistan was fulfilled it couldn’t stick to the unity, integrity and secularity of the State as upheld by its then Governor General Mohammad Ali Jinnah. After his death, the political leaders, bureaucracy and military started playing with the very idea of Pakistan in the name of religion i.e. Islam whenever they felt their legitimacy as a leader is questioned.