Mumbai Attacks in Historical Context: India-Pakistan Relations

Richard KaminskiIntelligence Research Specialist

Counterterrorism Bureau

Background: India-Pakistan

Geography

Land of Infinite Diversity• Religions: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Other• Major Languages: Hindi, Bengali,Telugu,

Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Maithili

• Population (as of 2008): 1,147,995,904• 35% Under the age of 14; Median age: 25.1

Muslim Rule• Late 12th Century Sultanate of Delhi• Expansion to South establishing the

Deccan Sultanate• 1526 Babar Defeats Delhi Sultanate• Mughal Dynasty Established• From 12th Century Until British

Conquest Muslim Minority Ruled Hindu Majority

Circa 1400

Jewel In The British Crown• 1757 British East India

Company Defeats Nawab of Bengal

• Government of India Act 1858 Ratifies Transfer of Power to British Government

• British ‘Raj” Rules from 1858 to 1947

British Indian Empire

Freedom at Midnight• End of Empire• Sectarian Violence Breaks Out• Dominion of Pakistan Includes

East and West Entities• Union of India• 15 Million Refugees

Pakistan• 1947 Ali Jinnah’s Dream of

a Secular State• 1956 Islamic Republic

Established• 1971 Secession of West

Pakistan• 1972 First Democratically

Elected President

Kashmir• Sikh Ruler given right to

choose• Population 77 per cent

Muslim• Pakistan Initiates

Insurgency To Force Issue

• Indian soldiers enter

Islamization of Pakistan• Ali Bhutto Turns To Islam in

Face of Opposition• General Zia Finalized Process

by Making Sharia Law of The Land

Interservices Intelligence Directorate• Lt. Gen Hamid Gul• Government within a

Government• Support to Kashmir and

Afghanistan Mujahedin