FORCED MIGRATION, COMMUNAL VIOLENCE AND REFUGEE CHALLENGES IN WEST PUNJAB AFTER THE PARTITION OF 1947

Abstract

This study examines mass migration, communal violence, and forced population displacement during the Partition of Punjab in 1947 in British India, with particular emphasis on the demographic, administrative, social, and psychological consequences in West Punjab. It focuses especially on Montgomery (Sahiwal), one of the important canal colony districts that played a significant role in the settlement and rehabilitation of Muslim refugees arriving from East Punjab and other parts of India. The study traces the processes of forced displacement, communal violence, political uncertainty, and administrative decisions that contributed to the rapid movement of populations across the newly created international boundary. Particular attention is given to the delayed public announcement of the Radcliffe Award, which intensified uncertainty and insecurity among communities living in the affected districts. The research also explores the humanitarian consequences of Partition, particularly for vulnerable groups including women, children, and elderly people who experienced family separation, loss of property, displacement, violence, disease, and psychological trauma. The Walton Refugee Camp in Lahore is examined as a major transit and rehabilitation centre that reflected the administrative and humanitarian challenges faced by the newly established government of Pakistan. Furthermore, the study investigates the demographic transformation of West Punjab resulting from the large-scale influx of refugees and the departure of Hindu and Sikh populations. It also examines the processes of land allotment, property redistribution, agricultural settlement, and rehabilitation in the post-independence period. Overall, the study demonstrates how Partition transformed the demographic, socio-economic, agricultural, and social structure of West Punjab and left lasting effects on collective memory and regional identity.