The Making of Pakistan (Book Review) - Irfan Farooq

Book Review of “The Making of Pakistan”
Book Review of
"Making of Pakistan By Richard Symonds"
For the course of
"Pre-Partition Constitutional Reforms"
Submitted by
Irfan Farooq
MA Political Science 1st Semester
Roll No. 38
Submitted to
Dr Mubeen Adnan
Department of Political Science
University of Punjab, Lahore
1
The Making of Pakistan
Richard Symonds
About the Book
This book, "The Making of Pakistan," is written by Richard Symonds. It was first published in the 1950s
by the famous publishing house of London Faber and Faber, and awarded as the best seller.
This book divided into two parts
 Part 1: The Growth of the Nation

 Part 2: The Creation of a state
Further, this book consists of 13 chapters.
Part 1 has five chapters in which the writer discusses the pre-partition events, starting from the evolution
of the Muslim empire to the birth of Pakistan. Also discussed were the roles of different Muslim Leaders
who played an essential role in making Pakistan.
Part 2 has eight chapters in which the writer discusses post-partition events and issues faced by the
Muslims and discusses the basic formation of the state. Also discussed are the problems of West
Pakistan in this part.
Context of the Book:
The central theme of "The Making of Pakistan" describes the rise of Muslim nationalism in the sub-
continent and its government. The movement passes through, how in what stage and why the Muslim
and Hindu divide and Pakistan came into existence.
The writer has divided this book into two parts; the first part of this book is named "The growth of a
Nation." In this part of the book, the writer describes the development and evolution of Muslims in
India. In this part of the book, he focuses on the earlier aspects of how Muslims came to India in Sindh
as invaders. Then he enlightens the side of how Mughals came into power in India and how they
declined and defeated by the British forces. At the end of the first part, he described how Muslims
defeated in the Independence war of 1857. And told the role of the Muslim League and Muslim Leader
who took part in the independence movement. In the first part, he gave the details of occasions till the
creation of Pakistan. In this context, he focuses on the how Muslims evolved as a Nation after the
2
independence war, the role of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in the development of Muslims in the field of
education, the role of Allama Iqbal and other Muslim Leaders in developing the thoughts about getting
the separate state and position of Muslim League in the area of Politics and the initial incidents of the
birth of Pakistan.
The second part of this book is "The creation of the state". In this part, he describes the conditions of the
Muslims after the creation of Pakistan. He describes the issues faced by Pakistan: financial problems or
lack of resources. First, he discussed the issues faced by the Muslims during Migration. Then the major
issue faced by the Pakistani government was the residence of the Millions of families who travelled
across the country just to become a part of Pakistan. Then there were economic issues, as the divisions
of India's Assets and services were unfair. Then there was the disastrous situation of Refuges was also
the main issue as Pakistan was a new state, so it needed a working constitution, Political units and
Cabinet. So, the writer has discussed all these matters.
Analysis:
This book provides a magnificent crossing over a hitherto unbridged political chasm. It represents a
serious attempt to provide an accurate account of the new State of Pakistan in its political, economic,
and cultural aspects and to give some idea of the historical roots and modern soils from which it has
sprung. With his official and otherwise experience of relief work in united India and on the United
Nations Commission in Kashmir, the author has had good opportunities to gather his material firsthand,
and he has made good use of them. His style is clear and readable, the temper judicial, and the tone
conciliatory. Comparisons with India are avoided as far as possible, and the facts are allowed to speak
for themselves. The book is divided into three sections. The first gives a brief historical outline of the
Muslim record in India and a somewhat fuller sketch of the renaissance, culminating in the Pakistan
movement. The second and significant portion accurately describes the current position in East and West
Pakistan. The third is a most interesting essay on the culture of Pakistan contributed, as an Appendix, by
Professor Ahmed Ali of Karachi. The historical chapter contains some slips that do not affect the main
argument. Mr Symonds has neatly prefaced his book with a gallery of false prophets. The prophets of
woe came from all parties and sides of the Atlantic and have been signally discomfited. Pakistan has
made a far better start than even its friends expected. But it is too early to assert with any confidence
what the future may bring. There are many unsolved problems, such as Kashmir and the integration of
east and west Pakistan, and many unknown factors, such as the effect of the infusion of 6' million
3
refugees into the population of West Pakistan and developments of the jute industry. Mr Symonds has
wisely refrained from confident soothsaying; instead, he has given his readers the material for assessing
the present position and prospects of the largest and youngest Muslim State. In so doing and by the
manner of his doing, he has rendered a signal service to all students of the Middle East and the Indian
sub-continent
Conclusion:
Suppose the analysis of the first part of the book is correct. In that case, it appears that Pakistan came
into existence because, despite the safeguards which were from time to time offered them, the majority
of Indian Muslims did not eventually feel that their religious, economic, social and political rights would
be secure in an independent India. The tragic quarrel between India and Pakistan was damaging to both
and helpful only to communism and anarchy. Since the collapse of China, the Western powers have
shown marked interest in defending the Indian subcontinent. In 1947 Pakistan should now be
established, and an attempt made to understand her struggle for security and her aspirations towards a
better standard of living and a better way of life.

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Book Review of “The Making of Pakistan”

"Making of Pakistan By Richard Symonds"

For the course of

"Pre-Partition Constitutional Reforms"

MA Political Science 1st Semester

Department of Political Science

University of Punjab, Lahore

The Making of Pakistan

About the Book

This book divided into two parts

 Part 1: The Growth of the Nation

Further, this book consists of 13 chapters.

Context of the Book:

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