COURSE NAME : PAKISTAN STUDIES (SS113)

Topic : Social effects of ethnic politics on Pakistan

Teacher Name : Maimoona Rasool

Student Name : Ali Zafar

Roll No. : 15-0200

Date of submission : August 30,2016

Social effects of ethnic politics on Pakistan

It is an old and recurring phenomenon that every ethnic group battles for its recognition. The
creation of our beloved country is based on ethnic politics. In many cases some groups gain
privileges over others on the basis of their ethnic differences .The primary simulators of the
ethnic differences are often economic, social or political power. The notion that ethnicity
generates conflict is very true. Cause of the ethnic conflicts is, people prefer members of their
own group and have active antipathy towards out-group members making conflicts the inevitable
result. If the antipathies due to ethnic diversities are so deep that they cannot be resolved, then
separation is the only workable solution left. We demanded a partition because we had our own
values our own culture our own vision of life(two nation theory). We perceived that there is no
else solution to it yet we failed to settle our own differences. After the creation of Pakistan east
Pakistan was socially and politically suppressed. Their rights were exploited. Consequently
critics started to question it. Awami league was formed with the agenda of reducing the economic
disparity between east Pakistan and west Pakistan. The situation reached its climax when Awami
league won majority of the seats (160 seats out of 300 ) while the second major party was
Pakistan people party who win 80 seats in the election of 1970. But PPP secured seats in west
Pakistan and Awami league secured seat only in east Pakistan. Thus having larger population of
east Pakistan Awami league had won majority of the seats.[1]

The situation became very critical for west Pakistan because now having won majority Awami
league has the constitutional right to form an absolute government. Shaik Mujibur Rehman went
to west Pakistan to inaugurate the national assembly. But there he faced great opposition and the
leader of PPP suggested the coalition to form government. At the heightening of sectional
tensions, he outlined a 6 point autonomy plan and was jailed by the regime of Field Marshal
Ayub Khan for treason. Despite gaining the majority of the voters league was not welcomed by
military junta. As a result civil disobedience erupted across east Pakistan. Pakistan
army responded to the mass protests with Operation Searchlight, in which Prime Minister-elect
Rahman was arrested and flown to solitary confinement in West Pakistan, while Bengali
civilians, students, intellectuals, politicians and military defectors were murdered as part of
the 1971 Bangladesh genocide.[2]

The results were devastating east Pakistan demanded India for help and they wanted to get their
liberty. As the influence of west Pakistan had them loose their identity. Everything was imposed
on them which was against the idea of very creation of Pakistan. India took advantage of the
situation and attacked East Pakistan on December 03, 1971. The Mukti Bahni supported them,
which was the military wing of Awami League. Due the poor management of the military junta
of West Pakistan, Pakistani army surrendered before the Indian army on December 16, 1971. On
the same day, East Pakistan got independence from West Pakistan and became Bangladesh.[3]

1)Rober Legwold, Review of The Foundations of Ethnic Politics,

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/capsule-review/2009-03-01/foundations-ethnic-politics-
separatism-states-and-nations-eurasia
2)Shaikh Aziz,1970 polls: When election results created a storm,
http://www.dawn.com/news/686541/1970-polls-when-election-results-created-a-storm, Jan
8,2012

3)Munawar Ali Khan, Why did east Pakistan separate from west Pakistan,
http://aboutpak.blogspot.com/2012/03/why-did-east-pakistan-separate-from.html

REFERENCES

Henry E. Hale,The Foundations of Ethnic Politics, George Washington University, 2008

WIKIPEDIA