Resolution adopted by the All-India Muslim League at Lahore in its twenty seventh Annual Session on 23rd March 1940, commonly known as “Pakistan Resolution’:
While approving and endorsing the action taken by the Council and the Working Committee of the All-India Muslim League, as indicated in their resolutions, dated 27th of August, 17th and 18th of September and 22nd of October 1939, and 3rd of February 1940 on the Constitutional Issue, this Session of the All-India Muslim League emphatically reiterates that the scheme of federation embodied in the Government of India Act, 1935, is totally unsuited to and unworkable in the peculiar conditions of this country and is altogether unacceptable to Muslim India.
It further records its emphatic view that while the declaration dated the 18th of October 1939 made by the Viceroy on behalf of His Majesty’s Government is re-assuring in so far as it declares that the policy and plan on which the Government of India Act, 1939, is based will be reconsidered in consultation with the various parties, interests and communities in India, Muslim India will not be satisfied unless the whole constitutional plan is reconsidered di novo and that no revised plan would be acceptable to the Muslims unless it is framed with their approval and consent.
Resolved that it is the considered view of this Session of the AllIndia Muslim League that on constitutional plan would be workable in this country of acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principles, viz., that geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such territorial re-adjustments is may be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute ‘Independent States’ in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.
That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in these units and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them and in other parts of India where the Musalmans are in a minority adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for them and other minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them.
This Session further authorizes the Working Committee to frame a scheme of constitution in accordance with these basic principles, providing for the assumption finally by the respective regions of all powers such as defense, external affairs, communications, customs, and such other matters as may be necessary. Proposed by – The Hon’ble Molvi A. K. Fazlul Huqe, Premier of
Bengal. Seconded by – Choudhuri Khaliquzzaman Saheb, M. L. A. (U. P).
Supported by – Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Saheb, M. L. A (Central).
“ Sardar Aurangzeb Khan Saheb, M. L. A. (N. W. F. Province).
“ Haji Sir Abdoola Haroon, M. L. A. (Central)
“ K. B. Nawab Ismail Khan Saheb, M. L. C. (Bihar).
“ Qazi Mohammad Isa Khan Saheb, President of Baluchistan Provincial Muslim
League.
“ Abdul Hammed Khan Saheb, M. L. A. (Madras).
“ I. I Chundrigar Saheb, M. L. A. (Bombay).
“ Syed Abdur Rauf Shah Sahib, M. L. A. (C. P.)
‘’ Dr. Mohammed Alum. M. L. A. (Punjab).
“ Syed Zakir Ali Saheb, (U.P.).
“ Begum Sahiba Maulana Mohammad Ali.
“ Maulana Abdul Hamid Saheb Qadri, (U. P.).
Reference: পাকিস্তান মুভমেন্ট -হিস্ট্ররিক ডকুমেন্টস, পৃষ্ঠা ১৭২