Liberation struggle of the Muslims of the subcontinent that culminated in the emergence of Pakistan has a long history full of heroic events, valiant fights and marked by unprecedented sacrifices. Liberation struggle for Pakistan was, in fact, historical legacy and a step forward in the long struggle started by syed ahmed shaheed and his associates. Question arises why the Muslims of the subcontinent need their own separate homeland while they had been living in the same country for over centuries along with Hindus and other nations. They developed social ties with the non-Muslims and had frequent interaction. But they did their distinct socio-cultural entity and did not merge themselves into so –called common Indian nationhood. As a matter of fact, certain events took place in the last decades of the 19^th and early 20^th century.    

The basic reason for demanding separate homeland for Muslims is given below.

1. Separate Entity Muslims regard themselves as a

Separate nation held together by perfect faith in ‘Tawheed’, irrespective of any geographical, linguistic or racial discrimination. The nationhood for a Muslim is constituted on the basis of common religion and not on common territory. Hence Indian Muslims regarded themselves a distinct nation from that of the Hindus. The creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent was a collective need so that they could translate the teachings of Islam into routine life.

2. Creation of Islamic polity. Struggle for the creation of Pakistan did not merely aim at the attainment of a homeland as it was only a means towards an end. The real motive was the implementation of Islamic values so that Muslims can live their lives according to it. Demand for the implementation of collective program of Islam could not be met in a polity inhabitant by non-Muslim majority. It is possible only in a country where the majority professes the same faith and the government is also Muslim.

3.Hindus’ Attitude and its reaction. The demand for a separate state on the part of Muslim was also in nature of a reaction against Hindus’ attitude. In his early political life, sir syed Ahmad Khan always stood for Hindus-Muslim unity and gave equal consideration to safeguarding the interests of both the nations. But the incidence of Urdu-Hindi controversy, exposed Hindu mentality and imbued him to think otherwise. After this incidence Hindus started damaging Muslims openly.