Developmentalism and Devotion: Tracing the Dual Logics of Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation in Pakistan, 1947–1967

Abstract

The colossal human displacement following the 1947 partition of India—a forced migration of approximately eighteen million people—created the most profound humanitarian crisis of the twentieth century. This study explores how the newly established Pakistani state navigated the subsequent refugee relief and rehabilitation processes, which revolved centrally around two distinct yet often intersecting logics: state-driven developmentalism and non-governmental, institutionalized charity. I propose that the state’s response transcended mere humanitarian aid, leveraging the refugee crisis as an opportunity for nation-building and resource management through large-scale development schemes. Concurrently, a robust, albeit managed, charitable infrastructure emerged, supported and legally channelled by the state, drawing upon both modern secular welfare principles and deep-rooted Islamic philanthropic traditions. Specific state projects, including the Thal Development Authority and the Gujranwala Development Scheme, serve as potent examples of the developmental impulse, while the systematized charity provided by organizations like Al-Khidmat and the establishment of institutions such as the National Council of Social Welfare underscore the role of devotion. I suggest these dual, managed processes were significant factors in accommodating, resettling, and attempting to stabilize the lives of the millions of muhajirs during the first two decades of Pakistan’s existence.