It is a little known fact nowadays that Bahawalpur State (the present districts of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan), only became a part of Pakistan on October 5, 1947, fifty days after the independence of Pakistan. While it is clear that Bahawalpur could neither remain independent nor accede to India, the absence of the ruler, Nawab Sadiq Mohammad Khan Abbasi led to a delay in accession.
Nevertheless, once Bahawalpur became a part of Pakistan, though initially only in terms of defence, foreign affairs and communications, it quickly picked up pace in various developmental fields. So much so, that soon Bahawalpur State along with Khairpur State in Sindh, were hailed as successful experiments in constitutional monarchy.
When Bahawalpur became a part of Pakistan, it was a complete autocracy. Thereafter, slow reforms, either led by the ruler or pushed by the central government, made it into a full constitutional democracy by May 1952. It is very interesting that at a time when the so-called ‘elected’ politicians in the centre and old British Indian provinces were not keen to call elections in their realms, a lot of pressure was put upon the princely states of Bahawalpur and Khairpur to democratise. Therefore, beginning with local bodies elections, both Bahawalpur and Khairpur became full constitutional monarchies within five years. As a matter of fact, the Khairpur Assembly, elected in November 1950, was the first assembly in Pakistan to be elected on the basis of universal adult franchise. Such rapid democratisation in the princely states — which naturally should have been against such change and the reluctance of ‘elected’ politicians, who claimed that they had created Pakistan — to go to the polls should have made us think then, and now, about their intentions in both the creation of Pakistan and their later policies.
As a constitutional state, Bahawalpur, like Khairpur, was a success story. Not only was there public involvement at every tier of government, the state’s economy was also developing at a good pace, with significant improvements in various social indicators. For example, the education budget of Bahawalpur increased fivefold between 1947 and 1955. As a result, school numbers doubled with enrolment rising from 35,000 in 1947 to 125,000 in 1955, with over 85 per cent students receiving free education.
However, this success story was abruptly cut short when in November 1954, the ruler of Bahawalpur was instructed by Iskandar Mirza, then governor-general of Pakistan, to dismiss the elected government of Chief Minister Hasan Mahmud, simply because it was clear that no popularly elected government would be agreeable to its merger with the proposed bureaucratically-dominated West Pakistan. Obviously, why would a state which had achieved so much in merely eight years, agree to be merged in a larger unit where they would simply be relegated to the position of a division and that, too, of marginal importance. The subsequent feelings of being ignored and patent economic, social and political stagnation in the erstwhile state are clear examples of the failure of large unsustainable units.
It is important to remember that Bahawalpur State only merged with the West Pakistan unit in 1955 and not with Punjab. Therefore, when West Pakistan was disbanded in 1969, it was legitimately expected that both Bahawalpur and Khairpur would regain their former provincial status. However, the powers of the time refused to recognise the utility in having smaller, better run and sustainable units and merged Khairpur with Sindh and Bahawalpur with Punjab.
It is high time that a historic wrong be corrected and the people of the erstwhile state, along with their kinsfolk in the adjoining districts, be given their own province.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2012.
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the present leadership if Bahawalpur cannot be compared with the leadership of those days. The one which is proposing the establishment of a new province is absolutely reckless. So plz Bangash sb give us a break.
I am sorry but a 'Historic Wrong' cannot be rectified with a "Contemporary Wrong". Since we already have too many troubles, it is nothing but kicking a hornet's nest with this discussion. And who really said that a 'system' can really change things when more than often it is the people who matter. Same people in a new system? Nah, just don't bother. Try and improve what you already have.
People of South Punjab have suffered so much at the hands of establishment. Bogey of Bhawalpur province is being raised by those who do want Seraiki province. Mohammad Ali Durrani does not even live in Bhawalpur. Raja Ranjit Singh is still alive and kicking.
Well researched and very balanced. How little we know about our history, political or otherwise.Kudos to the author.