Dominion of Pakistan

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Dominion of Pakistan
مملکتِ پاکستان
পাকিস্তান অধিরাজ্য
Dominion
←
1947–1956[1] →
Flag National Emblem
Motto
Iman, Ittehad, Tanzeem
ایمان ، اتحاد ، تنظیم
"Faith, Unity, Discipline"
Anthem
Qaumī Tarāna
قومی ترانہ
The Dominion of Pakistan in 1956.
Capital Karachi
Languages Urdu, Bengali, English
Religion Islam, Hinduism
Government Constitutional monarchy
Monarch
 -  1947–1952 George VI
 - 1952–1956 Elizabeth II
Governor-General
 - 1947–1948 Muhammad Ali Jinnah
 - 1948–1951 Khawaja Nazimuddin
 - 1951–1955 Malik Ghulam Muhammad
 - 1955–1956 Iskander Mirza
Prime Minister
 - 1947–1951 Liaquat Ali Khan
 - 1951–1953 Khawaja Nazimuddin
 - 1953–1955 Muhammad Ali Bogra
 - 1955–1956 Chaudhry Muhammad Ali
Legislature Constituent Assembly
Historical era Cold War
 -  Indian Independence Act 15 August 1947
 - Indo-Pakistani War 22 October 1947
 -  Constitution adopted 23 March 1956
Area
 -  1956 943,665 km² (364,351 sq mi)
Currency Pakistani rupee
Today part of  Pakistan
 Bangladesh

The Dominion of Pakistan (Bengali: পাকিস্তান অধিরাজ্য, Pakistan Odhirajya; Urdu: مملکتِ پاکستان, Mumlikāt-ē Pākistān ‎), also usually called Pakistan; was an independent federal Dominion in South Asia that was established in 1947 on the Partition of India into two sovereign countries (the other being the Dominion of India). The Dominion, which included modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, was intended to be a homeland for the Muslims of South Asia. It became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956;[1] and East Pakistan seceded from the union to become Bangladesh in 1971.

Formation

Section 1 of the Indian Independence Act 1947 provided that from "the fifteenth day of August, nineteen hundred and forty-seven, two independent Dominions shall be set up in India, to be known respectively as India and Pakistan." India was treated by the United Nations as the successor-state to the former British India. As it was already a member of the United Nations, it continued its seat and did not apply for a new membership. However, Pakistan was a newly independent country and had to apply to join the international organisation. It was admitted as a UN member shortly after its independence on 30 September 1947.

Territory

Main article: Partition of India

The Dominion of Pakistan was a federation of five provinces: East Bengal (later to become Bangladesh), West Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). In addition, those Princely States which were enclaves within those provinces also joined the federation: these included Bahawalpur, Khairpur, Swat, Dir, Hunza, Chitral, Makran and the Khanate of Kalat. Each province had its own governor, who was appointed by the Governor-General of Pakistan, the representative of the king of Pakistan.

Radcliffe Line

The controversial Radcliffe Award, not published until 17 August 1947, specified the Radcliffe Line which demarcated the border between India and Pakistan. The Radcliffe Boundary Commission sought to separate the Muslim-majority regions in the east and northwest from the rest of India with a Hindu majority. This entailed the partition of two provinces which did not have a uniform majority — Bengal and Punjab. The western part of Punjab became West Punjab and the eastern part became the Indian state of Punjab. Bengal was similarly divided into East Bengal (in Pakistan) and West Bengal (in India).

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Timothy C. Winegard (29 December 2011). Indigenous Peoples of the British Dominions and the First World War (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-1107014930. Retrieved 11 August 2013. 

Further reading

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