Pakistan Origins Identity and Future

Thousands of Years Ago

Cultural and linguistic identities were forming in ancient India, but the concept of a 'nation' as we know it today did not exist. Numerous groups with multiple internal identities existed.

Around 3500 to 5000 Years Ago

Slow migration of Indo-European speaking peoples from the north (possibly the Pontic-Caspian region) to India, leading to the development of Vedic Sanskrit/Hindu-Aryan.

Indus Valley Civilization (Mohenjo-daro and Harappa)

Existence of ancient civilizations in the Indus region.

5th Century BCE

Zeno, the Greek philosopher, addressed the concept of space through motion in space.

622-632 CE

The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) conquered the Arabian Peninsula and established a faith-based community in Medina.

632-661 CE

The Rashidun Caliphate expanded the eastern borders of Islam to Iran and Afghanistan.

712 CE

The first Muslim invasion of India by Muhammad bin Qasim. Beginning of Arab-Muslim contact with India. (The legend of Muhammad bin Qasim founding Pakistan was later created by Pakistani historians).

Around 700 CE

The beginning of Muslim invasions of India aimed at acquiring land and wealth, under the guise of religious justification.

973

1052 CE: Al-Biruni, a Muslim scholar, spent 13 years traveling and studying in northern India, describing the local people, including local Muslims with different customs.

13th Century CE

The jagirdari system was likely developed by the Rajputs.

1483

1530 CE: Zahir-ud-din Babur, the first Mughal Emperor, conquered India and defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat (1526).

1542

1605 CE: Emperor Akbar, during whose reign conservative Muslim clerics and missionaries like Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (1564-1624) opposed the integration of Hindu beliefs into Islam.

1550 CE

Robert Orme (historian of the empire) described India as one of the richest empires in the world.

1656

1668 CE: The journey of François Bernier, a French physician, during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb.

1658

1707 CE: Emperor Aurangzeb ascended the Mughal throne, supported by conservative religious figures like Shah Waliullah.

1680

1757 CE: Bulleh Shah, a mystic and Sufi poet, lived.

1703

1762 CE: Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, the most prominent religious reformer of the Mughal era, known for his influence on political-religious movements like Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and Jamaat-e-Islami, and the jihad movement of Syed Ahmad Barelvi.

1750 CE

The fall of three major Muslim empires: Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal.

1757 CE

The Battle of Plassey where the British East India Company emerged victorious.

1760 CE

The beginning of the Mughal decline and the entry of the British East India Company.

1761 CE

Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat, aiding local Muslim allies.

1764

The Battle of Buxar, which secured the East India Company's complete victory over Indian rulers.

Circa 1760

Robert Orme wrote that European merchants came to India for wealth and sailors for work.

1772

1833: Raja Ram Mohan Roy, founder of Brahmo Samaj, campaigned against sati, dowry, and child marriage, and supported English education and thought.

1781

1840: Haji Shariatullah led the Faraizi movement in Bengal.

1786

1831: Syed Ahmad Barelvi, a Wahhabi preacher in India, initiated a holy war against the Sikhs.

1793

The new land ownership system was introduced by Britain, allowing Hindus to become landowners.

1799

Tipu Sultan, the Sultan of Mysore, was killed by the British in battle.

1800s

Britain imposed heavy taxes on the Indian people, leading to famine, poverty, and suffering.

1806

Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II was deposed, and Emperor Shah Alam II passed away.

1806

The East India Company established Haileybury College in England.

1820 - Hindu Revival Movements

The emergence of Hindu revival movements like Shuddhi and Sangathan.

1822 - Introduction of Mahalwari System

The Mahalwari system was introduced by the British, imposing heavy tax burdens on farmers and landowners.

1824 - Syed Ahmad Barelvi's Holy War

Syed Ahmad Barelvi initiated a holy war against the Sikhs after returning from Mecca.

1833 - Removal of Mughal Emperor's Name

The East India Company removed the name of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II from the rupee coin.

1835 - First Coin with British Monarch's Head

The first coin featuring the head of the British monarch was issued. English education was introduced.

1840s

1850s: The Ottomans allied with Britain in the Crimean War and did not support the Caucasian Muslims against Russian expansion.

1841 CE

The number of Muslim students in Bengal's colleges and government schools was 751 compared to 3,188 Hindus.

1849 CE

Punjab was annexed by Britain, ending the Sikh Kingdom.

1849 CE

The first eight-volume edition of "The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians" by Sir Henry M. Elliot and John Dowson was published.

1851 CE

The scene changed regarding the number of Muslim and Hindu lawyers in the Calcutta High Court.

1856 CE

The Ottoman Empire established the first bank in a Muslim country (Ottoman Imperial Bank). The number of Muslim students in Bengal's colleges and state schools decreased to 731, while Hindus increased to 6,448.

1857 CE

End of centuries of Mughal rule and the War of Independence (Great Rebellion). Muslims were targeted more than Hindus for British retribution.

1858 CE

The East India Company was dissolved, and King's College London took on the responsibility of conducting competitive exams.

1858 CE

Pakistan was born only 90 years later.

1859 CE

Syed Ahmed Khan established the Muradabad Panchayat School.

1860 - Bishop Wilberforce's Controversial Speech

Bishop Samuel Wilberforce spoke in Parliament, offending Hindus and Muslims.

1861

Start of railway expansion in India.

1863

Start of the American Civil War (which led to the abolition of slavery in the USA).

1865

Child marriage and sati were still prevalent in India.

1870

Syed Ahmad Khan published the book "Taleefat Ahmadi, Volume 1, Part 1, Page 135."

1870

The Papal States came to an end.

1872

The first British census in India categorized the population by religion.

1876

Scottish historian William Hunter highlighted the poor condition of Muslims in Bengal.

1877

Immanuel Kant wrote the book "Critique of Pure Reason."

1880

The Arab Land Bank of Egypt, the second bank in a Muslim country, was established.

1880

Syed Ahmad Khan expressed his view of Bengalis as an "effeminate race."

1882

The Indian Education Commission report depicted a bleak picture of Muslim education.

1885

Establishment of the Indian National Congress.

1887

Syed Ahmad Khan delivered a speech in Lucknow warning about the rule of "Bengalis or other Hindus similar to Bengalis."

1887

The Michelson-Morley experiment disproved the ether hypothesis.

1888

1958: Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed Azad was alive.

1890s

Syed Ahmad Khan proposed the 'Two-Nation Theory' and discouraged Muslims from joining the Congress.

1892

The Ziarat Residency was constructed.

1893

Muslims had a very low representation in educational positions in Bengal.

1899

Mahatma Gandhi called for the defense of the British Empire during the Boer War.

End of the 19th Century

A sense of orphanhood and search for a new identity among Muslims.

1902

India had the fourth largest railway system in the world by track length.

1903

1979: Maulana Abul A'la Maududi was alive.

1905

Norway separated from Sweden.

1906

Einstein's theory of general relativity.

1907

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, an Indian Muslim scholar, was introduced as "Syed, Mirza, and Afghan."

1908

Major Shia-Sunni riots in Lucknow.

1909

The Young Turks forced Sultan Abdul Hamid II to free his personal slaves.

1911

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan wrote about his college in the Aligarh Institute Gazette.

1912

Al-Hilal, the monthly magazine by Abul Kalam Azad, was published with unprecedented circulation.

December 1916

Jinnah supported separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims in the Lucknow Pact.

1918

1932: Fisher, Haldane, and Wright introduced their views on social evolution and population dynamics in population genetics.

1919

Jallianwala Bagh massacre in India by the British.

1920

Jinnah resigned from Congress.

1922

The Soviet Union was established.

1923

Chaudhry Rehmat Ali coined the name "Pakistan" at Cambridge University.

1924 - Abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate

Kemal Atatürk abolished the Ottoman Caliphate in Turkey.

1925 - Establishment of RSS

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded.

1926 - Turkey Ratifies Slavery Abolition Convention

Turkey ratified the League of Nations Convention on the abolition of slavery.

1927 - Publication of Rangila Rasul

Rajpal published the controversial book Rangila Rasul, leading to the Ilm-ud-din case.

1929 - Assassination of Rajpal

Rajpal was assassinated by Ilm-ud-din.

1930

Major Shia-Sunni riots in Lucknow.

1930

Iqbal delivered his presidential address at the Allahabad session, calling for an autonomous Muslim state in northwest India.

1930

1932: The Round Table Conferences, known as the 'Collective Prize', were held in London.

1930

Britain estimated that there were 50,000 or more members of the Khudai Khidmatgar.

1933

Pakistan formally ratified the League of Nations Convention on the Abolition of Slavery.

1934 - Iqbal's Article

Iqbal wrote the article "Qadianis and Orthodox Muslims."

1935 - Shia-Sunni Riots

Major Shia-Sunni riots in Lucknow.

1937 - Elections

Elections where the Muslim League performed poorly.

1937 - Jinnah's Stance

Jinnah changed his stance on partition.

1938 - Iqbal's Death

Death of Iqbal.

1939

Start of World War II.

1940

Adoption of the Lahore Resolution calling for a separate state for Muslims.

1941

Jinnah gave a speech at Aligarh University, calling it the 'arsenal of Pakistan'.

1942

Jinnah responded to Abdul Hafiz Siddiqui about the fate of remaining Muslims in India.

1942

Congress announced the 'Quit India Movement'.

April 1943

The League meeting was held in Delhi.

1944

1945: The Communist Party of India instructed Muslim communists to join the Muslim League.

1945

The Muslim League meeting was held in Karachi.

March 1946

Jinnah accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan.

August 16, 1946

The Muslim League declared 'Direct Action Day', leading to the 'Week of the Long Knives' and violence.

June 1947

Jinnah urged that Muslims in the NWFP should first identify as Muslims, then as Pathans.

August 11, 1947

Jinnah's famous speech on citizenship and the separation of religion from the state.

August 14, 1947

Creation of Pakistan.

August 16, 1947

5,000 people killed in Bengal (due to massacres).

August 25, 1947

Jinnah spoke about "freedom, brotherhood, and equality as mandated by Islam."

October 30, 1947

Jinnah called for the creation of 'Pakistan as the fortress of Islam'.

1947

The First Kashmir War began, leading to the establishment of the Line of Control (LOC).

August 12, 1948

The Babra massacre occurred in the North-West Frontier Province.

1948

Death of Jinnah.

February 1948

Liaquat Ali Khan declared Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan.

February 21, 1948

Jinnah spoke about 'Islamic democracy, Islamic social justice, and equality of men'.

March 26, 1948

Jinnah spoke about 'the foundations of our democracy based on true Islamic ideals and principles'.

August 1948

Babra massacre in the Frontier.

August 14, 1948

Jinnah spoke about 'the foundations of our democracy based on true Islamic ideals and principles'.

1950

Liaquat Ali Khan announced that Urdu would be the official language of Pakistan.

1950

The population of East Bengal was 42 million, and West Pakistan was 33.7 million.

1952

Discovery of natural gas in the Sui area (Balochistan).

1953

Violent anti-Ahmadiyya riots in Lahore.

1955

Only one Bengali was among the high-ranking military officers of Pakistan.

March 1956

Pakistan was officially renamed the "Islamic Republic of Pakistan."

1956

Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy became the fifth Prime Minister of Pakistan.

1957

UN report suggested Islamabad's population could grow from 179 million in 2000 to 400 million by 2047.

October 8, 1958

Iskander Mirza declared the first martial law in Pakistan.

1958

Ayub Khan's military coup.

1962

The idea of 'Pakistan Ideology' was proposed by a Jamaat-e-Islami member during political party law discussions.

1965 - Second Kashmir War

The Second Kashmir War began (Operation Gibraltar).

1965 - India Attacks Pakistan

India launched an attack on Pakistan.

1968 - Bhutto Advocates Nuclear Bomb

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto first called for a nuclear bomb for Pakistan.

1972 - Karachi Police Shoot Workers

Karachi police opened fire on workers, killing several.

1973 - Bhutto Dismisses NAP Government

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto dismissed the National Awami Party (NAP) government in Balochistan and ordered military action.

February 22, 1988

Abul Kalam Azad's confidential documents were made public.

1973

Arab-Israeli War.

1974

India tested a nuclear device in the Pokhran desert. Ahmadis were officially declared non-Muslims by parliamentary decree.

December 1974

Earthquake victims were deprived of emergency aid (due to diversion of funds to the nuclear program).

1977

Military coup by General Zia-ul-Haq.

1979

Death of Abul A'la Maududi. Zia-ul-Haq introduced the Hudood Ordinance. U.S. Embassy siege in Islamabad.

1982

Report of the Indian Education Commission.

1983

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Indian physicist, won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

1984

Operation Blue Star and the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

1986

Pakistan had a deliverable nuclear warhead.

1989

Start of the uprising in Kashmir.

1991

Collapse of the Soviet Union.

1992

Demolition of Babri Mosque by Hindu mobs.

1995

Ban on student unions.

September 1998

Nawaz Sharif attempted to pass the Sharia implementation bill in parliament.

May 1998

India tested its nuclear weapons. Pakistan did the same 18 days later.

1999

Kargil Operation, the fourth Kashmir war.

2000

Parts of the Hamoodur Rahman report were leaked to Indian and Pakistani newspapers.