The day celebrates the adoption of the Pakistan resolution by the Muslim League at the Minar-e-Pakistan (lit. Pakistan Tower) that called for establishing an independent federation comprising provinces with Muslim majority located in north-western and north-eastern region of British controlled territories in India (excluding autonomous princely States) on 23 March 1940. In this day a resolution was passed saying that Muslims in India wanted independence and separate homeland and they were persecuted in India.[4][5][3][6] Since then, the day is celebrated annually throughout the country as a public holiday.