The Hijrat movement of 1920-21 the by-product of the khilafat movement, where the Muslims of the subcontinent fearing the break up of the Ottoman Khilafah decided to migrate away from the subcontinent under British rule coining it the land of the enemy Dar-ul-Harb for the Muslim country of Afghanistan, however when they arrived in the millions they were not allowed to enter by the Afghans and force to turn away, when they got back they found their lands, property and wealth occupied by some-one else.
The Khilifat movement (1919 - 1922) was a mass movement launched by the Muslims of the subcontinent primary led by the Ali brothers (Moulana Muhammad Ali Johar, Moulana Shoukat Ali), after the first world war when it became publicly known that the british and her allies would break up the Ottoman empire and divide the territory within themselves and this movement had three primary aims:
(a) To protect the Holy place of Turkey
(b) To restore the Territories of Turkey
(c) To restore the prestige and might of the Ottoman Empire.
H. Qureshi appraises the Khilafat Movement thus:
“Though the Khilafat Movement achieved no ostensible success, yet it was of considerable value as an instrument of creating public consciousness in the Muslim masses. It provided a broad -based leadership and taught the techniques of organizing a mass movement to the Muslims. These proved great assets in the struggle for Pakistan.”
Many would read our history and laugh at our fore-fathers for going for such impossible endeavours or for striving to realise such impossible dreams, but these outsiders will never realise that this is who we truly are, it is in our blood, a one hundred fifty year struggle that lead to the realisation of Pakistan, a dead nation would not have been able to accomplish such an impossible dream.