Muslim League was elitist party & Pakistan as State protected elite’s interests for 75 years: Pak political economist
July 19, 2025
  • Read Ecopy
  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • South America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • International
  • Opinion
  • Op Sindoor
  • More
    • Analysis
    • Sports
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Special Report
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • G20
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • Vocal4Local
    • Web Stories
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Law
    • Health
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
MAGAZINE
  • ‌
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • South America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • International
  • Opinion
  • Op Sindoor
  • More
    • Analysis
    • Sports
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Special Report
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • G20
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • Vocal4Local
    • Web Stories
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Law
    • Health
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
Organiser
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Culture
  • Defence
  • International Edition
  • RSS in News
  • Magazine
  • Read Ecopy
Home Bharat

Muslim League was elitist party & Pakistan as State protected elite’s interests for 75 years: Pak political economist

A Pakistani political economist with a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, has stated that " If the unstated objective (of Muslim League) was to protect elite interests, the state (Pakistan as a nation) has faithfully lived up to these birth aims for 75 years"

by Nirendra Dev
Jan 25, 2023, 11:30 am IST
in Bharat, Delhi
Founders of the All India Muslim League (led by an eminent Ismaili Muslim, Sultan Agha Khan) after announcing the party’s formation in Lucknow in 1906

Founders of the All India Muslim League (led by an eminent Ismaili Muslim, Sultan Agha Khan) after announcing the party’s formation in Lucknow in 1906

FacebookTwitterWhatsAppTelegramEmail

A Pakistani political economist with a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, has stated that ” If the unstated objective (of Muslim League) was to protect elite interests, the state (Pakistan as a nation)has faithfully lived up to these birth aims for 75 years”.

In his piece for the Pakistani newspaper ‘Dawn’, Dr Niaz Murtaza says, “Ten of the 20 founding parties (across the globe) are still dominant ruling parties, decades later, while six to seven are still major parties. The Muslim League was perhaps the only one to largely cease to be a major power within a decade, with the current parties using that name having no direct links or continuity from the original one”.

There have been ‘freedom parties’ in various parts of the world, including Bangladesh, Sudan and India.

But he says, “In Pakistan’s case, our poor progress is linked to the Muslim League’s flaws despite its non-militant, professionally skilled leadership. The key shortcoming was the concerns of many of those driving the freedom quest who belonged to the elite. These concerns, according to Hamza Alavi, included the fears of elite Muslim salariats about their interests under Hindu rule. Elite Muslim landed and commercial elites had the same fears, fed by Congress’s socialist talk”.

The article argues that the Muslim League gave little thought to political and economic issues.

“The Lahore Resolution gave a sound vision for a decentralised democratic state under the pressure of the regions. But not much work was done in seven years to operationalise it further, and, in 1947, the Muslim League found itself poorly endowed to govern or produce sound institutions and policies,” says Dr Murtaza.

He also says, “The early exit of the two main founding leaders harmed the party and exposed its poor organisation”.

In the article, he talks about two unique cases of both together, plus a split later (Pakistan and Sudan) and one eviction case (Singapore).

At least in 10 countries, there has been high or moderate progress: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka in Asia and Mauritius, South Africa and Botswana in Africa.

There have been, of course, nations which have remained “stagnant” – Timor, Myanmar and Pakistan in Asia and Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Algeria and Ghana in Africa.

According to Dr Murtaza, there are 13 cases of freedom from colonialism and four from larger states (Bangladesh, Eritrea, South Sudan and Timor).

It may be stated here that the All-India Muslim League (AIML) was a political party established in Dhaka in 1906.

The party arose out of the quest for power and authority for the political representation of Muslims in British India, especially during the Indian National Congress-sponsored massive Hindu opposition to the 1905 partition of Bengal.

During the 1906 annual All India Muslim Education Conference meeting held in Israt Manzil Palace, Dhaka, the Nawab of Dhaka, Khwaja Salimullah, forwarded a proposal to create a political party.

Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi, a prominent Muslim leader from Lahore, had suggested the political party be named the ‘All-India Muslim League’.

In the 1930s, the idea of a separate nation-state and influential philosopher Sir Muhammad Iqbal’s vision of uniting the four provinces in North-West British India supported the rationale of the two-nation theory leading to the partition of India in 1947.

In Bangladesh, the Muslim League was revived in 1976, but it was reduced in size, rendering it insignificant in the political arena. In India, a separate independent entity called the Indian Union Muslim League was formed, which continues to have a presence in Kerala.

In 1946, Direct Action Day was one of the grave and highly ‘condemnable’ steps taken under the aegis of the Muslim League and its leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The Direct Action Day (16 August 1946) was when the Muslim League decided to take “direct action” for a separate Muslim homeland after the British exited India. Also known as the 1946 Calcutta Killings, it was a day of nationwide attacks on Hindus and Sikhs, especially in Calcutta.

Topics: PakistanAll-India Muslim LeagueAll India Muslim Education ConferenceSir Mian Muhammad ShafiMuhammad Ali JinnahDirect Action Day
Share5TweetSendShareSend
✮ Subscribe Organiser YouTube Channel. ✮
✮ Join Organiser's WhatsApp channel for Nationalist views beyond the news. ✮
Previous News

BBC documentary row: Delhi Police starts inquiry into complaint of stone pelting at JNU campus

Next News

Maoist commander Vishal killed in Jharkhand; A woman Maoist along with associate nabbed in Odisha

Related News

Attack on public transport buses in Balochistan (File Photo)

Pakistan insecurity on display as Balochistan’s public transport doubles as army convoy with new security directives

Representative Image

Post-Operation Sindoor: India faces new swarm drone challenge from Sino-Pak Border

Digital India Foundation flags security threat over Pakistan bid to join global AI Alliance Network (AIANET)

Digital India Foundation flags security threat over Pakistan bid to join global AI Alliance Network (AIANET)

Baloch Liberation Front claims responsibility for 17 attacks under 'Operation Baam' on Pakistani military facilities

Baloch Liberation Front claims responsibility for 17 attacks under ‘Operation Baam’ on Pakistani military facilities

Pakistan SC acquits 72-year-old Christian Anwar Kenneth after 23 years on false blasphemy charges

Pakistan: After 23 years of detention, Supreme Court acquits 72-year-old Christian Catholic man accused of blasphemy

ISI spy invited by Kerala Govt? RTI reveals Jyoti Malhotra promoted tourism under minister Muhammed Riyas

Kerala: RTI reveals ISI spy Jyoti Malhotra invited by CPI(M) Govt, promoted tourism under minister Muhammed Riyas

Load More

Comments

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Organiser. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.

Latest News

Pramukh Sanchalika Shanta Kumari lighting the traditional lamp at the bi-annual meeting of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti

Nagpur: Rashtra Sevika Samiti Meet focusses on 300th birth anniversary celebrations of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar

How Tauseef Badshah, Instagram’s ‘King of Patna’ became a most chilling ICU Assassin in Bihar? Know all about him

IIT Roorkee unleashes world’s 1st AI to decode Modi script in Devanagari, digitise 40 mln forgotten Indian manuscripts

Inauguration of Shodhshala at IIIT Prayagraj with the lighting of the traditional lamp 'Shodhshala'

IIIT Prayagraj hosts ‘Shodhshala’, calls for research rooted in ‘Swa’ and Indian ethos

ED Summons Meta and Google in betting app case

Betting App Case: Google, Meta to face ED on July 21

Bengaluru Stampede Tragedy: BJP blasts Congress for negligence, politicising RCB victory and dodging accountability

US designates TRF as global terror group, indicts Asim Munir; Unmasks Pakistan Army role in J&K terror plot

Representative image of an airport

Karnataka govt’s reversal on farmland acquisition leaves aerospace dreams up in the air, Andhra grabs opportunity

Representative Image

Bihar Voter List Revision: 94.68 per cent of voters covered in electoral roll revision exercise,” confirms ECI

“TRF killed my son”: Pahalgam victim family welcomes US move declaring Lashkar proxy a terror group

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Cookie Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation
  • Delivery and Shipping

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

  • Home
  • Search Organiser
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • North America
    • South America
    • Europe
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Defence
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Business
  • RSS in News
  • Entertainment
  • More ..
    • Sci & Tech
    • Vocal4Local
    • Special Report
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Law
    • Economy
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
  • Subscribe Magazine
  • Read Ecopy
  • Advertise
  • Circulation
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Policies & Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Refund and Cancellation
    • Terms of Use

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies