Highlight the four major difficulties faced by both India and Pakistan due to the process of partition in 1947.

The Partition of British India is a legacy of the horrible British rule. The people in the subcontinent have different religions and beliefs but we are one. The Partition occurred in 1947 and East Pakistan was further separated from West Pakistan as Bangladesh in 1971 with the help of India. The effects were: India: India lost a large part of the fertile plains of the Punjab and also a large part of the skilled labour. There was food shortage initially, which led gradually to the Green revolution and White revolution. The Indian Army was bisected and the bureaucracy as well. The biggest effect is definitely the Kashmir issue. India was able to solve it's tussles with the states of Junagadh and Hyderabad, but Kashmir was tricky as it lay on the border. The issue is still unsolved today and has become a major propaganda instrument for terrorist organisations in Pakistan and India. India is constantly hampered by the unhealthy environment prevalent in the subcontinent. The issue of the Most Favoured Nation and China helping Pakistan crops up every now and then. Without Partition, we could have less terrorism, more peace and brotherhood and fast economic development in India. Kolkata was badly affected by the creation of East Pakistan. It had thriving industries such as textiles which needed raw materials from Bangladesh. After Partition, the industry withered and died. The issue of the border with Bangladesh is complicated. It is only now that the Modi Government has secured enclaves from Bangladesh and given them enclaves in Indian territory. Another issue which is probably much ignored is that the North East lost contact with Indian mainland. It only after many years of rail and air development that we can ensure goods and troop movement to the people of North East India. This is was perhaps a factor in the sectarian movements in the North East which have reduced in recent years. Pakistan: It was created as a secular state with Muslim majority, but it started atrocities on non-Muslims pretty early in it's life. Today the minorities in Pakistan are oppressed and helpless, and Pakistan is the birthplace of many terrorist organisations. Due to Partition, Pakistan had to maintain military presence in Kashmir and the Afghanistan border. This was definitely a drain on their economy more than it was for India. Also they had to manage East Pakistan which was far from West Pakistan with hostile India in the way. In the Cold War, the United States enticed Pakistan as a response to the Russian involvement in Afghanistan. This would not have been possible had India and Pakistan been the same nation because of the stable policymakers in New Delhi. Pakistan faces a lot of problems in the tribal dominated Khyber region. Before Partition, the Muslims of the region showed solidartity with Gandhi and the Indian Nation under Gaffar Khan. They even did not follow the Islamic law. They would have been cared for in an United India. read less