Proposals for creating a Muslim-dominated nation greatly increased in popularity among Indian Muslims after 1936, when the Muslim League was defeated in the first elections under India's 1935 constitution. The Muslim League endorsed the Pakistan Resolution on March 23,1940, which called for an independent state that would consolidate all local regions that held a Muslim majority. Following World War II, Britain came under considerable international pressure to reduce its overseas empire and moved with increasing urgency toward granting independence to India.
When the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League could not agree on terms for a constitution, Britain granted full dominion status to both India and Pakistan in June, 1947. Pakistan was to consist of the contiguous Muslim majority districts
Of western British India in addition to parts of Bengal. These and other actions resulted in the establishment of a Muslim nation split into two regions that were geographically separated by more than 990 miles of independent India.
The next several years saw Pakistan experience considerable political and economic instability, causing its dominion status to be rejected in favor of an Islamic republic within the Commonwealth in 1956. Following several failed attempts to move in the direction of civilian rule, martial law was imposed between 1958 and 1962 and 1969 and 1972.
World History
