Although India and Pakistan were both born in 1947 under the same British Indian Independence Act, the two neighboring countries mark their independence days on different dates. India celebrates its independence day every year on August 15, while Pakistan observes it a day earlier, on August 14.
August 15 was chosen as India’s independence date largely based on a personal decision by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last British viceroy. He selected the date to commemorate Japan’s surrender to Allied forces in World War II, which had occurred on August 15, 1945.
The transfer of power had originally been scheduled for as late as June 1948. However, due to intense conflict between the Congress and the Muslim League and growing political instability, Mountbatten hastily moved up the final transfer of power to August 1947 — nearly a year ahead of the original timeline.
Pakistan’s independence day falls a day earlier largely due to administrative logistics and Mountbatten’s own schedule. Power was formally transferred to Pakistan in Karachi on August 14, 1947, with Mountbatten in attendance.
The following day, August 15, he was required to be sworn in as the first governor-general of independent India in New Delhi. Since it was impossible for him to be physically present in both capitals on the same day, the main ceremony in Karachi was held on August 14, and Pakistan has observed that date as its independence day since 1948.
Some religious significance has also been attributed to Pakistan’s choice of August 14. According to some historians, August 14, 1947, corresponded to the 27th night of the holy month of Ramadan on the Islamic calendar — Laylatul Qadr — a date of deep significance for the Muslim-majority nation.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report