Dominion of Pakistan

Dominion of Pakistan مملکتِ پاکستان পাকিস্তান অধিরাজ্য
Dominion
← 1947–1956 →
Flag National Emblem
Motto Iman, Ittehad, Tanzeem ایمان ، اتحاد ، تنظیم "Faith, Unity, Discipline"
Anthem Qaumī Tarāna قومی ترانہ Royal anthem God Save the King
The Dominion of Pakistan in 1956.
Capital		Karachi
Languages		Urdu, English, Bengali
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; Urdu: مملکتِ پاکستان‎), 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 the Indian sub-continent. It became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956; the eastern part of the country became the independent People's Republic of 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 treated as though it were a new country and had to apply to join the international organisation. It was admitted as a UN member shortly after its independence 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, Makranand, 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

Main article: Radcliffe Award

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

• Governor-General of Pakistan
• Republic Day (Pakistan)

Further reading

• Chester, Lucy P. (2009) Borders and Conflict in South Asia: The Radcliffe Boundary Commission and the Partition of Punjab. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
• Read, A. and Fisher, D. (1997). The Proudest Day: India's Long Road to Independence. New York: Norton.