Editing Pakistan (section)

=== Colonial rule ===
{{main|British India|British Raj|Aligarh Movement|Two-nation theory}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| width1            = 146
| image1            = Sir Syed1.jpg
| caption1          = Sir [[Syed Ahmad Khan]] (1817–1898), whose [[Two-nation theory|vision]] formed the basis of Pakistan.{{R|Wolpert-1984|Sengupta-2023}}{{sfn|Holt|Curta|2016}}
| alt1              = Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817–1898), whose vision (Two-nation theory) formed the basis of Pakistan
| width2            = 170
| image2            = Jinnah1945b.jpg
| caption2          = [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] (1876–1948) served as Pakistan's first Governor-General and the leader of the [[Pakistan Movement]].{{sfn|Wolpert|1984}}
| alt2              = Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876–1948) served as Pakistan's first Governor-General and the leader of the Pakistan Movement
}}
None of modern Pakistan was under British rule until 1839 when [[Karachi]], a small fishing village governed by [[Talpur dynasty|Talpurs]] of [[Sindh]] with a mud fort guarding the harbour, was [[History of Karachi#Company rule|taken]],{{sfn|Rustomji|1952}}{{sfn|Walbridge|2012}} and used as an enclave with a port and [[Karachi Cantonment|military base]] for the [[First Afghan War]] that ensued.{{sfn|Gayer|2014}} The remainder of [[Sindh]] was acquired in 1843,{{sfn|Sharma|D'Angelo|Giri|2020}} and subsequently, through a series of wars and treaties, the [[British East India Company|East India Company]], and later, after the post-[[Sepoy Mutiny]] (1857–1858), direct rule by [[Queen Victoria]] of the [[British Empire]], acquired most of the region.{{sfn|Pirbhai|2009}} Key conflicts included those against the [[Baloch people|Baloch]] [[Talpur dynasty]], resolved by the [[Battle of Miani]] (1843) in Sindh,{{sfn|Harjani|2018}} the [[Anglo-Sikh War (disambiguation)|Anglo-Sikh Wars]] (1845–1849),{{sfn|Cook|1975}} and the [[Anglo-Afghan War]]s (1839–1919).{{sfn|Khan|2022|page=119}} By 1893, all modern Pakistan was part of the [[British Indian Empire]], and remained so until independence in 1947.{{sfn|Cavendish|2006|page=365}}

Under British rule, modern Pakistan was primarily divided into the [[Sind Division]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], and the [[Baluchistan Agency]]. The region also included various [[princely state]]s, with the largest being [[Bahawalpur (princely state)|Bahawalpur]].{{sfn|Law|1999}}{{sfn|Hussain|2015}}

The major armed struggle against the British in the region was the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|rebellion]] known as the [[Sepoy Mutiny]] in 1857.{{sfn|Malleson|2016}} Divergence in the [[Hindu–Islamic relations|relationship]] between [[Hinduism]] and Islam resulted in significant tension in [[British Raj|British India]], leading to religious violence. The [[Hindi–Urdu controversy|language controversy]] further exacerbated tensions between Hindus and Muslims.{{sfn|Holt|Curta|2016}}{{sfn|Hali|Akhtar|1993}} A [[Aligarh Movement|Muslim intellectual movement]], led by Sir [[Syed Ahmed Khan]] to counter the [[Bengali Renaissance|Hindu renaissance]], advocated for the [[two-nation theory]] and led to the establishment of the [[All-India Muslim League]] in 1906.{{R|Wolpert-1984|Sengupta-2023}}{{sfn|Holt|Curta|2016}}

In March 1929, in response to the [[Nehru Report]], [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], the founder of Pakistan, issued his [[Fourteen Points of Jinnah|fourteen points]], which included proposals to safeguard the interests of the Muslim minority in a united India. These proposals were rejected.{{R|Hardy-1972|Wuthnow-2013|Singh-Shani-2021}} In his 29 December 1930 address, [[Muhammad Iqbal|Allama Iqbal]] advocated the amalgamation of Muslim-majority states in [[Northwest India (pre-1947)|North-West]] India, including [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–55)|North-West Frontier Province]], [[Sind Province (1936–55)|Sind]], and [[Baluchistan (Chief Commissioner's Province)|Baluchistan]].{{R|Singh-Shani-2021}}{{refn|name="Iqbal"}} The perception that Congress-led British [[1937 Indian provincial elections|provincial governments]] neglected the Muslim League from 1937 to 1939 motivated Jinnah and other Muslim League leaders to embrace the two-nation theory.{{sfn|Pandeya|2003}}{{sfn|Basu|Miroshnik|2017}} This led to the adoption of the [[Lahore Resolution]] of 1940, presented by [[Sher-e-Bangla]] [[A.K. Fazlul Haque]], also known as the Pakistan Resolution.{{sfn|M. H. Khan|2016}}

By 1942, Britain faced considerable strain during [[World War II]], with India directly threatened by Japanese forces. Britain had pledged voluntary independence for India in exchange for support during the war. However, this pledge included a clause stating that no part of British India would be compelled to join the resulting dominion, which could be interpreted as support for an independent Muslim nation. Congress under the leadership of [[Mahatma Gandhi]] launched the [[Quit India Movement]], demanding an immediate end to British rule. In contrast, the Muslim League chose to support the [[United Kingdom in World War II|UK's war efforts]], thereby nurturing the possibility of establishing a Muslim nation.{{R|Tucker-2020}}{{sfn|Chandra|2008}}