Liaquat-Nehru Pact 1950
Communal riots, which broke out in different areas of India and Pakistan at the time of Independence, had a great impact on the status of minorities in the two countries. A huge number of Muslims from India and Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan, due to the brutal killing by the majority community, migrated to the countries where their co-religionists were in majority. Yet, the mass migration failed to solve the minority problem. Even after the migration, almost half of the Muslims living in the subcontinent were left in India and a sizable number of Hindus in Pakistan. Those who were left behind were unable to become an integral part of the societies they were living in. They were always looked upon by the people and government of their country, as suspects. Their loyalty was never been beyond doubt but they have been unable to assure their countrymen of their loyalty.
This problem of religious minorities aggravated a lot during late 1949 and early 1950 and it seemed as if India and Pakistan were about to fight their second war in the first three years of their independence. At this critical moment of the history of South Asia, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan issued a statement and emphasized on the solution of the problem of minorities in the two countries. He also proposed a meeting with his Indian counter part to determine how to end the communal riots and the fear of war.
The two Prime Ministers met in Delhi on April 2, 1950 and
discussed the matter in detail for six long days. On April 8, the
two leaders signed an agreement, which was later given the name
‘Liaquat-Nehru Pact’. This pact provided a ‘bill of rights’ for the
minorities of India and Pakistan. It was divided into three parts.
a) to put to rest the fears of the religious minorities on both
sides
b) to elevate communal peace
c) to create an
atmosphere in which the two countries could resolve their other
differences.
According to the agreement, ‘the government of India and Pakistan solemnly agree that each shall ensure, to the minorities throughout its territories, complete equality of citizenship, irrespective of religion; a full sense of security in respect of life, culture, property and personal honor’. It also guaranteed the fundamental human rights to the minorities, such as freedom of movement, speech, occupation and worship. The pact also provided for the minorities to participate in the public life of the country, to hold political or other office and to serve in their country’s civil and armed forces.
Liaquat Nehru Pact provided for the mechanism to deal with the oppressive elements with iron hand. Both the governments decided to set up minority commission in their country with the aim to observe and report on the implementation of the pact, to ensure that no one breaches the pact and to make recommendations to guarantee its enforcement. Both Minority commissions were to be headed by a provincial minister and were supposed to have Hindu and Muslim members among it’s ranks. India and Pakistan also agreed to include representatives of the minority community in the cabinet of the two Bengals and decided to depute two central ministers, one from each government, to remain in the affected areas for such period as might be necessary. Both the leaders emphasized that the loyalty of the minorities should be for the state in which they were living and for the solution of their problems they should look towards the government of the country they were living in. Liaquat-Nehru Pact was broadly acknowledged as an optimistic beginning to improved relations between India and Pakistan.