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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 Pakistan & People痴 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,
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