Firestorm in Punjab: Rawalpindi, Colonial Rule and the Mayhem of Partition

Description

The partition of India in 1947 was marked by brutal violence and mass migration, with Punjab at its epicentre. The Rawalpindi division experienced an early and brutal eruption of violence in the month of March. The “Rawalpindi massacre,” with killings, arson, looting, and violence-induced migration as prevalent forms of violence against Sikhs and Hindus, constitutes a crucial yet unexplored chapter in partition studies, as it significantly shaped the subsequent political and communal landscape of the Punjab. By examining the socio-political organisation of the Rawalpindi division, including the role of rural-military elites as British allies in providing military manpower and maintaining local authority, this research demonstrates how the dissolution of the link between the state and these rural-military elites contributed to the unprecedented escalation of violence. The study argues that the “Rawalpindi massacre” is not a peripheral occurrence but rather a constitutive episode of violence that set the stage for further gruesome bloodshed in August and September 1947. The Sikhs were greatly agitated and began mobilisation of their community to avenge the “Rawalpindi massacre.” The dispossession of land following the Punjab’s partition intensified their resolve for revenge and retaliation. Amid the chaos of partition, this mobilisation culminated in organised and dreadful attacks on Muslims in East Punjab, thereby forcing them to flee westward. Through detailed archival analysis, this research situates the Rawalpindi division as a critical flashpoint, whose events were integral to the broader narrative of violence in the Punjab in 1947.

Author Biography

Misbah Umar is an accomplished historian with a distinguished academic record, holding an M.Sc. (Gold Medal), M.Phil. (Gold Medal), and PhD in History from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. She is currently serving as an Assistant Professor of History at Quaid-i-Azam University. Her teaching and research focus on the regional history of Punjab, the British Indian Army, and the social and political dimensions of the partition of India. Dr. Umar was awarded a research fellowship by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, where she conducted her doctoral research in Partition Studies. Her research examines the partition of Punjab, identifying the Rawalpindi division as a significant flashpoint, with events that are essential to understanding the broader narrative of violence in Punjab during 1947. Dr. Umar’s work has been published in various HEC-recognised journals, exploring a range of themes pertinent to her research interests. Her research not only bridges academic scholarship and regional history but sheds light on the lived experiences of communities affected by violence and migration during the tumultuous period of 1947.