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Pakistan traces its history back
to 2,500 years B.C., when a highly developed civilization flourished
in the Indus Valley. Excavations at Harrappa, Moenjodaro, Kot Diji
and Mehr Garh have brought to light, the evidence of an advanced
civilization existing even in more ancient times. Around 1,500 B.C.,
the Aryans overwhelmed this region and influenced the Hindu
civilization, whose centre moved to Ganges valley, further east.
Later, the Persians occupied the northern region in the 5th century
B.C. up to the 2nd century AD. The Greeks came in 327 B.C., under
Alexander of Macedonia, and passed away like a meteor. In 712 AD,
the Arabs, led by Muhammad Bin Qasim, landed somewhere near modern
Karachi and ruled the lower half of Pakistan for 200 years. During
this time, Islam took roots in the soil and influenced the life,
culture and traditions of the people.
In the 10th century AD, began the systematic conquest
of South Asia by the Muslims from Central Asia, who ruled here up to
the 18th century. Then the British came and ruled for nearly 100
years over what is Pakistan now.
Independence Movement
The Muslim
revival began towards the end of the last century when Sir Syed
Ahmed Khan, a renowned Muslim leader and educationist, launched a
movement for intellectual renaissance of the Muslims of South Asia.
In 1930, the well-known poet-philosopher, Allama Muhammad Iqbal,
conceived the idea of a separate state for the Muslims of South
Asia. In 1940, a resolution was adopted by the All-India Muslim
League, demanding a separate independent home land for the Muslims.
After 07 years of un-tiring struggle under the brilliant leadership
of Quaid-e-Azam (the great leader) Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan
emerged on the world map as a sovereign state, on 14th August,
1947. |
CHRONOLOGY OF IMPORTANT HISTORICAL
EVENTS
This is the summary of important historical events of
the subcontinent.
Ancient Empires
3000-1500 B.C. Harappan culture in the Indus Valley
and elsewhere
500-500 B.C.Migrations of Aryan-speaking tribes; the
Vedic Age
550-486 B.C.Life of Gautama Buddha, founding of
Buddhism
320-180 B.C.Mauryan Empire; Asoka most famous emperor;
spread of Buddhism
180 B.C - 150 A.D.Saka dynasties in Indus Valley and
northwest
78-200 A.D. Kushan Empire; Gandharan art
flourishes
300-700 A.D Gupta Empire; Classical Age in northern
India
Coming of Islam
711Arab Muslims in Sindh
998-1030 Mahmud of Ghazni raids into the subcontinent
from Afghanistan
1192 Muhammad of Ghor defeats
Rajputs
1206 Establishment of Delhi
Sultanate
1398 Destruction of Delhi by Timur
Mughal Period
1526 Babur victorious in first Battle of
Paniput
1530-1556 Wars of succession
1556 Akbar victorious in second Battle of
Paniput
1556-1605 Reign of Akbar the Great
1605-1627 Reign of Jahangir; in 1612 East India
Company opens first trading center
1628-1658 Reign of Shah Jahan
1658-1707 Reign of Aurangzeb
1761 Third Battle of Panipat; an Afghan victory over a
Maratha army
1707-1858 Decline of the Mughal
Empire
British India
1757 Battle of Plassey - British victory over Mughal
forces in Bengal; conventional date for beginning
of
British rule in India
1784 William Pitt's India Act
1799-1839 Sikh kingdom in the Punjab under Maharaja
Ranjit Singh
1830s Institution of British education and other
reform measures
1838-1842 First Afghan war
1843 British annex Sindh, Hyderabad and
Khairpur
1845-49 Sikh Wars; British annex the Punjab and sell
Kashmir, Gilgit, and Ladakh "Package," known as
Kashmir
1857-1858 Uprising, variously known as the first war
of independence, the Mutiny,and the Sepoy
Rebellion
1858 British Raj begins
1878-1880 Second Afghan War
1885 Indian National Congress
formed
1893 Durand Line established as boundary between
Afghanistan and British India
1905 Partition of Bengal
1906 All-India Muslim League
founded
1911 Partition of Bengal annulled
1919 Montague-Chelmsford Reforms; Third Afghan
War
1935 Government of India Act of
1935
March 23, 1940 Muslim League adopts Pakistan
Resolution
Pakistan
August 14, 1947 Partition and independence;
Mohammad Ali Jinnah becomes Governor General;
Liaqath Ali Khan becomes Prime Minister
September 11, 1948 Jinnah dies; Khwaja Nazimuddin
becomes Governor General
October 1951 Liaqath Ali Khan assassinated; Ghulam
Mohammad becomes Governor General
August 1955 Ghulam Mohammad dies; succeeded by
Iskander Mirza
October 1955 One Unit established, incorporating the
four provinces of West Pakistan
March 23, 1956 Constitution adopted; Mirza becomes
President
October 7, 1958 President Mirza abrogates
constitution, declares martial law
October 27, 1958 Mirza sent into exile; General
Mohammad Ayub Khan begins rule
September 1965 War with India over KASHMIR
ISSUE.
March 25, 1969 Ayub resigns as result of public
pressure; General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan assumes
power.
July 1, 1970 One unit abolished, four provinces
reestablished in West Pakistan
December 1970 First general elections; Awami League
secures majority in East Pakistam & People’s Party in West
Pakistan.
March 25, 1971 East Pakistan attempts to secede; civil
war begins
December 1971 Indo-Pakistani War; East Pakistan
becomes the independent state of Bangladesh; Yahya resigns;
President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto takes charge as the Civilian Martial
Law Administrator.
July 2, 1972 Bhutto and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
conclude Simla Agreement
August 14, 1973 New Constitution goes into effect with
Bhutto as Prime Minister
February 22-25, 1974 Islam Summit Conference held in
Lahore
March 1977 General elections; massive victory by
Bhutto's party evokes widespread rioting and
protest
July 5, 1977 Marial law proclaimed
September 1978 Mohammad Zia ul Haq becomes
President
April 4, 1979 Bhutto hanged
March 4, 1981 Provisional Constitutional Order, which
in effect suspended 1973 Constitution
August 12, 1983 President Zia announces that martial
law will be lifted in 1985,
To be
continue...
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