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Encyclopedia > Khayrpur (princely state)

Updated 345 days 13 hours 47 minutes ago.
State of Khayrpur
Flag of State of Khayrpur Emblem of Pakistan

This article is part of the series:
Historical regions of Pakistan Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Emblem_Pakistan. ... The historical regions of Pakistan are former states, provinces and territories which mainly existed between 1947 and 1975 when the current provinces and territories were finally established. ...

Map of Pakistan with State of Khayrpur highlighted
Capital
Khayrpur
Area
15,730 km²
Main language(s) Sindhi or Saraiki
Established 1775
Abolished 14 October 1955
Historic regions of Pakistan
Original Provinces



One-Unit Provinces Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Khairpur (khÄ«r´poor) is a city in the Sindh province in southeast Pakistan. ... SindhÄ« (سنڌي, सिन्धी) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia, which is now a province of Pakistan. ... ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Chief Commissioners Province of Baluchistan was a former province of Pakistan located in the northern parts of modern Balochistan province. ... East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly included the modern state of Bangladesh. ... The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) around Karachi was the original capital territory of Pakistan. ... This article details the historical North-West Frontier Province. ... The Sind is a former province of Pakistan and British India which existed from 1936 to 1955. ... The Punjab/ پنجاب province of Pakistan is part of the larger Punjab region. ...

Former States
Other subdivisions
Local Government Department of Sindh

The State of Khayrpur was a princely state on the Indus River in what is now Pakistan, with its capital city at Khayrpur. Together with Bahawalpur, the state was counted amongst the Punjab states rather than the neighbouring Rajputana states (now Rajasthan) to the east. East Pakistan was a former province of Pakistan which existed between 1955 and 1971. ... West Pakistan was the popular and sometimes official (1955–1970) name of the western wing of Pakistan until 1971, when the eastern wing (East Pakistan) became independent as Bangladesh. ... Amb was a princely state in what is today the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. ... The State of Bahawalpur was a princely state of the Punjab in what is now Pakistan, stretching along the southern bank of the Sutlej and Indus Rivers, with its capital city at Bahawalpur. ... The State of Chitral, or Chitrāl (Urdu: ریاست چترال), was a former princely state of Pakistan and British India which ceased to exist in 1969. ... This article details the historical State of Dir Dir, see Dir The State of Dir was a small former princely state located in the modern North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan. ... This article is about the former State of Hunza, for the main article see Hunza Valley Hunza (Urdu: ہنزہ) is a former princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan, which existed until 1974. ... State of Kalat or State of Qalat (Urdu: ریاست قلات) was a princely state located in the centre of the modern province of Balochistan. ... The State of Kharan was an autonomous princely state of both British India and Pakistan, located in the southwest of modern Pakistan. ... This article is about the former State of Las Bela. ... The State of Makran was an autonomous princely state of both British India and Pakistan, which ceased to exist in 1955. ... The State of Nagar is a former princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan, which existed until 1974. ... The State of Phulra was a minor princely state of both Pakistan and British India, located in the modern North-West Frontier Province. ... The State of Swat (Urdu: ریاست سوات) was a princely state which existed in the north of the modern North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan until it was dissolved in 1969. ... This article details the former Pakistani region of the Baluchistan States Union. ... Gilgit Agency was the name of most of the area of northern Kashmir which formed a de facto dependency of Pakistan from 1947 to 1970, which was then merged into Northern Areas. ... Political division of Kashmir The Trans-Karakoram Tract is an area of nearly 5,800 sq. ... The Divisions of Pakistan were previously the third tier of government in Pakistan until they were abolished in 2000. ... Khairpur (khÄ«r´poor) is a city in the Sindh province in southeast Pakistan. ... A princely state is any state under the reign of a prince and is thus a principality taken in the broad sense. ... Satellite image of the Indus River basin. ... Khairpur (Urdu: خیرپور) (khÄ«r´poor) is the twelfth largest city in the province of Sindh in southeast Pakistan. ... The State of Bahawalpur was a princely state of the Punjab in what is now Pakistan, stretching along the southern bank of the Sutlej and Indus Rivers, with its capital city at Bahawalpur. ... The Punjab States Agency was an administrative unit of British India. ... Rajputana (or Raj(prut)tana), which means Land of the Rajputs rajput love old rotten cheese wanna see whitch cheese we like go to this web page http://home. ... , Rājasthān (DevanāgarÄ«: राजस्थान, IPA: )   is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area but encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert (Thar Desert) which has an edge that parallels the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

Contents

[edit] History

The history of the state of Khairpur is bound up with the history of the Talpur clan and its rule over Sind. The origins of the state date back to the disputes over the succession to the leadership of the clan, following the murder of its chief, Mir Bahram Khan in 1775. The clan then revolted against the Kalhoras of Sind, taking control of various parts of the kingdom and eventually replacing them as rulers.


Mir Sohrab Khan Talpur established his control over Upper Sind by 1783, established his capital at Burahan, which he renamed Khairpur in 1786. He extended his territories over a vast area, eventually helping his kinsmen from Hyderabad, in expelling the Afghans from the province by 1823. As early as 1811, he had divided his territories into three emirates, each ruled by one of his sons, but with his eldest invested as principal Amir. To them he left the day to day affairs of administration and retired to the Fort of Ahmadabad, in Diji. There, he took a new wife and raised a family, to whom he intended to bequeath a portion of his realm. This incurred the jealousy of his adult grandsons, especially those of his second son, Mubarak 'Ali.


The death of Sohrab in 1830, left his eldest son Mir Rustam 'Ali Khan, in full though precarious control over Upper Sind. His position had been little more than that of a regent during his father's lifetime, and this was to remain unchanged until his youngest half brother, 'Ali Murad, came of age. Unwilling to surrender power to him, Rustam sought to strengthen his position by entering into treaty relations with the British in 1832. He secured their recognition as independent ruler, but surrendered control over external relations to them in April 1838, followed by full British protection later that year. Nevertheless, this did not save him from internal family disputes, with which the British initially refused to treat or take sides. However, the contest between 'Ali Murad, the youngest brother and the sons of Mir Mubarak 'Ali, culminated in victory for the latter. Peace was finally established in 1842 through a negotiated settlement, resulting in Rustam abdicating in favour of his youngest brother.


Mir 'Ali Murad was a forceful personality, who mistrusted the British for siding with his eldest half-brother in 1832. Nevertheless, he imbued himself with a sense of realism and attempted to co-operate whenever his interests or inclinations did not supervene. He honoured the alliance by assisting the HEIC during the Turki Campaign in 1847, but blotted his copybook by intriguing against them in 1851-1852. Accused of deception and fraud, he was stripped of most of his territories in Upper Sind in 1852, being left with little more than his original emirate including Khairpur and surrounding lands. Despite this setback, he co-operated faithfully during the Indian Mutiny five years later. At his death in 1894, after a long reign of fifty-two years, he was an honoured and respected ruler of the empire.


The eldest son of 'Ali Murad having predeceased him, he was succeeded by his second son, Mir Faiz Muhammad Khan. His reign and those of his son and grandson were relatively short and uneventful. The last died in 1935 leaving an only son, Mir Faiz Muhammad Khan II, who had suffered from an unstable and nervous affliction for many years. So much so that he could not be trusted with the management of state affairs. The government instituted a council of regency under local ministers and ordered the Mir to live outside the state. After a period of twelve-years, and shortly before the transfer of power, he abdicated in favour of his minor son in July 1947. The state acceded to the Dominion of Pakistan in October that year, and merged into West Punjab in 1955. The young Mir having reached his majority and received full ruling powers, just four years earlier. The state had been the first place on the sub-continent to introduce full adult suffrage. His subjects enjoyed free education up to matriculation standard and free healthcare, there were no customs duties, property, income or wealth taxes, the crime rate negligible, and light industries flourished.


Mir 'Ali Murad Khan II remains one of the few surviving first class rulers of the old Indian Empire, still holding a public Majlis every Muharram at his sprawling palace, Faiz Mahal. He has long taken a keen interest in animal welfare and conservation, having established one of the largest private wildlife sanctuaries on the sub-continent. His younger son, Prince Mehdi Raza Khan, continues his father's passion and oversees his conservation interests since retirement.


[edit] Government

The form of government was traditional monarchy. However, in 1950 the Mir Ali Murad II introduced democracy with universal adult franchise. The rulers of Khayrpur were styled as Amir - thus the correct title of the state was the Emirate of Khayrpur. The royal privileges of the Amir were abolished in 1972 in violation of the merger agreement, along with those of most of the other sovereign princes that had acceded to Pakistan. Entrance to the emirs palace in Bukhara. ...

Tenure Amir of Khayrpur
1775 - 1811 Sohrab Khan
1811 - 20 December 1842 Rustam Ali Khan
1829 - 1839 Mubarak Ali Khan (challenger)
1839 - 1842 Nasser Khan (challenger)
20 December 1842 - 2 April 1894 Ali Murad Khan
2 April 1894 - 6 March 1909 Faiz Mohammad Khan I
6 March 1909 - 8 February 1921 Imam Bakhsh Khan
8 February 1921 - 25 June 1921 Interregnum
25 June 1921 - 25 December 1935 Ali Nawaz Khan
25 December 1935 - 19 July 1947 Faiz Mohammad Khan II
19 July 1947 - 14 October 1955 George Ali Murad Khan
14 October 1955 State of Khayrpur abolished

December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... July 19 is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... July 19 is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

[edit] See also

A princely state or native state was a feudal monarchy in British India ruled by a hereditary ruler, who was nominally sovereign. ... Khairpur (khīr´poor) is a city in the Sindh province in southeast Pakistan. ... The historical regions of Pakistan are former states, provinces and territories which mainly existed between 1947 and 1975 when the current provinces and territories were finally established. ...

[edit] References

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Some useful Information on the history of Khairpur, Sindh and the Talpur dynasty by Arsalan Kazi.


[edit] Introduction

The contents of this page reveals the hidden history of Khairpursindh (Khairpur State). As history is often rewritten by conquerors, the history of khairpur suffered firstly from imperial expansion of the British East India Company and secondly from the take over of the state by the Pakistan Military Establishment. It is to correct historical inaccuracies about Khairpursindh that this material has been placed here.


[edit] History of Khairpur State

Fort Ahmadabad (Kot Diji Fort)
Fort Ahmadabad (Kot Diji Fort)
Faiz Mahal Palace. Principle residence of The royal family of Khairpur.
Faiz Mahal Palace. Principle residence of The royal family of Khairpur.

Khairpur (formerly a village named Boira) was founded in 1786 by Meer Sohrab Khan Talpur as the capital of the Kingdom of Upper Sindh (founded 1783) which was part of the Confederacy of Talpur kingdoms ruled independently from Khairpur, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas. The Talpurs a noble clan of Baloch origin, had settled in Sindh for more than a century before attaining sovereignty. Prior to that they were settled in the Moghul province of Multan where Seraiki language became their mother tongue. This was gradually replaced by Sindhi as their primary language as all Talpurs speak no Balochi or Seraiki today. The Talpurs came to power by defeating the last Kalhora Sovereign Mian Abdunabi and foreign allies in 1783 after a period of war that began in 1775 with the murder of Mir Bahram Khan the chief of the Talpur clan. The son and grandson of Mir Bahram, who had succeeded him as chief, were also assassinated despite there pledge of allegiance to Abdunabi. The Kalhora ruler marched on the leaderless Talpurs with an army over 30,000 strong which included the foreign forces of Afghanistan, Baloachistan and Jodhpur along with native noblemen. In the turmoil that followed, Mir Fateh Ali, was elected by a council of elders as head of the Talpur tribe to organize a force of 6000 to meet the enemy at the battlefield of Halani. Mir Sohrab, who had been delayed in gathering his supporters, joined later in the thick of the battle with a surprise charge of 3000 men. The victory at Halani allowed Mir Fateh Ali to established himself at Hyderabad, the former Kalhora capital of Sindh. From this city he ruled the larger part of southern and western Sindh. His cousin Mir Tharah took over South-eastern Sindh from Mirpurkhas while Mir Sohrab marched north routing any remaining resistance and claiming northern Sindh for himself. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 254 pixel Image in higher resolution (1387 × 441 pixel, file size: 102 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 254 pixel Image in higher resolution (1387 × 441 pixel, file size: 102 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Kot Diji Fort, formally known as Fort Ahmadabad, dominates the town of Kot Diji in Khairpur, Pakistan about 25 miles east of the Indus River at the edge of the Nara-Rajisthan Desert. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 390 pixel Image in higher resolution (1500 × 732 pixel, file size: 136 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 390 pixel Image in higher resolution (1500 × 732 pixel, file size: 136 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Talpur is a Baloch tribe that conquered and ruled Sindh, and other parts of Pakistan, from 1783 to 1843 AD. Talpur army defeated Kalhora dynasty in the battle of Halani in 1783 to became rulers of Sindh. ... Sindh (SindhÄ«: سنڌ, UrdÅ«: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to the Sindhis, and Muhajirs and various other groups. ... Balochi may refer to: Baloch people Balochi language This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Seraiki is a language of great antiquity in Pakistan. ... Talpur is a Baloch tribe that conquered and ruled Sindh, and other parts of Pakistan, from 1783 to 1843 AD. Talpur army defeated Kalhora dynasty in the battle of Halani in 1783 to became rulers of Sindh. ... Kalhora dynasty ruled Sindh province of Pakistan from 1701 to 1783 AD. Kalhoras ruled Sindh for 85 years and there were twelve Kalhora rulers during this time. ...

His Majesty Mir Sohrab Khan Talpur.Ruled 1783-1830
His Majesty Mir Sohrab Khan Talpur.Ruled 1783-1830

Historians have often inaccurately stated that Mir Sohrab was a nephew of Mir Fateh Ali ruler of south-western Sindh. A study of the Talpur family tree reveals that Sohrab was actually the eldest son of Mir Chaker who was the older brother of the elected chief Mir Bahram and therefore a senior and not junior branch of the Talpur clan. It was for this reason perhaps, that Mir Sohrab disapproved of Mir Fateh's election as chief of the tribe and rejected the supremacy of Hyderabad. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 479 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (614 × 768 pixel, file size: 72 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 479 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (614 × 768 pixel, file size: 72 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...


While Mir Fateh Ali, a grandson of the assassinated Bahram, forced the ameer of Kabul to reject the Kalhora vassal, and recognise him as the ruler of Sindh in 1792 AD, he was unable to assert his authority over his uncle Mir Sohrab who offered violent opposition. Compromising with Sohrab and the Mir Tharah of Mirpurkhas a confederacy of three Kingdoms was formed. Mirpurkhas however acknowledged the supremacy of Mir Fateh Ali, letting him control all matters of foreign affairs, but Khairpur did not. Mir Sohrab established himself as the Rais-ul-ummarrah (Paramount Ruler in Arabic) of Upper Sindh maintained independent Sovereignty and his own currency separate from Lower Sindh (Hyderabad). To the north it possessed Kashmore and Subzalkot of Bahawalpur, and by 1791 it included the autonomous Mazari tribal area up till mithankot, now in the Punjab, while to the south it possessed Noushero Firoze and bordered the Kingdom of Jodhpur at its southeastern tip. At its greatest extent, Khairpur ranged from Gandava (now in Balochistan) to Shahgarh (now in India). Its area was well over 50,000 sq. kilometers.


In the initial period of Talpur rule the Afghan kings claimed suzerainty over and an annual 'tribute' from Sindh which the ameers rarely paid. The Afghans had no contribution in nation building such as road, schools, canals that were built by the Mirs. Indeed their claim on Sindh was a farce since they had absolutely no control over the ameers as Khairpur and Hyderabad established direct relations with foreign nations and empires. The Afghans had no representation in the administrative set-up or even any form of political or diplomatic representation in Sindh. Often when Sindh came under attack from its enemies not one Afghan soldier was there to defend their supposed interests as they had for the Kalhora. How could the Afghan king be even nominally suzerain of the Talpurs if he was never even allowed to set foot in their dominions and his armies either defeated or chased out?! The Talpurs had a closer relationship with the Persian empire then it had with the Afghans. Indeed they were provided with Persian engineers to build forts and irrigation systems. Historians today, not afflicted with an imperialist bias or a drive to over simplify the historical map of the world, have renamed afghan relationship with the ameers as that of Sindh being under Afghan "sphere of influence" although "sphere of plundering" would be more accurate.

Map of Sindh. Confederacy of Talpur Kingdoms
Map of Sindh. Confederacy of Talpur Kingdoms

The rulers of the Talpur Confederacy of Sindh jointly fended of Afghan aggression on Sindh by a combination of war and negotiated tributes - whenever such payment was the cheaper alternative to war. The Afghans could only claim tribute when attacking and pillaging villages in Sindh. Initially the King (Khan-e-Khanaan) of Balochistan assisted the Ameer of Afghanistan in the extraction of this 'tribute' for a share, but seeing the Afghan army defeated several times he abandoned his unscrupulous ally. Every battle that was fought with the Afghan invaders, however, resulted in their slaughter and victory for the Ameers of Sindh, but the cost to Sindh was very high. Thus a ransom would be paid to avert war, at times negotiated to a tenth of what was claimed by the Afghan king. These negotiations would often take place in the field with the armies ready and facing each other. This is what British historians term as ‘irregular tribute' although ransom would be the correct term. Nevertheless, by 1813, taking advantage of the troubles in Kabul incidental to the establishment of the Barakzai dynasty, this payment was completely stopped. In 1823 the joint forces of Mir Sohrab of Khairpur and the Rais of Hyderabad laid siege to the fort at Shikarpur, the last Afghan stronghold in Sindh. Although the Talpur forces suffered serious losses in the battle, they managed to take over Shikarpur after a settlement by which the Mirs paid a single payment of three hundred thousand rupees in exchange for which the Afghan king surrendered all claims on Shikarpur and Sindh forever, guaranteeing it in writing on the Holy Quran. Shikarpur City was brought under the joint control of Hyderabad and Khairpur, while areas immediately to the city's East, North and West belonged wholly to Khairpur. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 653 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1204 × 1106 pixel, file size: 183 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Arsalan R. Kazi I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 653 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1204 × 1106 pixel, file size: 183 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Arsalan R. Kazi I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...


In an effort to end the threat of future harassment from Afghanistan as well as other neighbours, the Rais of Hyderabad entered into treaty of ‘eternal friendship’ with the British Empire of the capricious East India Company, permitting them commercial access in 1832. Soon afterwards, in the same year, Mir Rustom, then Paramount Ameer of Khairpur, entered into a similar treaty with the British. With this began the downfall and conquest of the Talpur Confederacy (1843) as it led to the gradual increase of British preponderance. To make matters worse, Hyderabad disintegrated into petty states as the Paramount Ameer was unable resist British interference in his Kingdom. In 1838, Mir Rustom surrendered control over foreign affairs to the British Empire and came under British protection by treaty. This relationship of subordinate alliance brought Khairpur under British “paramountcy” and the empire began to recognize the kingdom as a “princely” state as it had the other countries of the Indian subcontinent.

The Khairpur One Rupee coin dated 1285 Hijri, composed of 12 ounces Silver, from the Period of Mir Ali Murad I.
The Khairpur One Rupee coin dated 1285 Hijri, composed of 12 ounces Silver, from the Period of Mir Ali Murad I.
PRINCES OR KINGS?
Of the lack of respect of native sovereigns Ed Haynes says it best;

“It should be pointed out that the habitual terminology of "Princely States" is significantly flawed. These states were not ruled by "princes", but rather by "kings", some of whom enjoyed a truly ancient heritage of political power. For the British -- and their ideology of imperialism -- there was but one significant "king" (and he lived in London); Indian rulers were (and had to be) "princes." Despite the unfortunate origins, this terminology has become common,….” Image File history File links Size of this preview: 611 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1569 pixel, file size: 238 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 611 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1569 pixel, file size: 238 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

("Indian Princely States" Winthrop University site maintained by Ed Haynes, Associate Professor of History, Winthrop University, South Carolina.)

The ruler the empire recognized as ‘king’ was the mughal ruler of Delhi, descendent of the emperors of the defunct mughal empire. Although mughal territory had shrunk so greatly that it didn’t even possess Agra and the Taj Mahal, the company, it seems, fancied itself to be the rightful inheritors of a long dead empire by deposing the last mughal king. States of the Indian subcontinent were lowered in stature to justify imperial expansion.



The only word the British translated as "king" was the persian term Shah or Badshah". In a subcontinent of over 30 languages their were certainly more titles for kings than one persian term adobted by an emperor. Furthermore the informality with which the same titles were used or granted amongst the nobility led perhaps to more confusion. The Nizam of Hyderabad, like his Moghul predecessors, would give the title of Maharaja ('Great King') to his a noblemen in order to elavate himself over a Hindu Soveriegn. The Khan (Balochi for 'king') would give the Title of Nizam to his nobleman etc. What should have actually been taken into account was the independence of the ruler from other rulers, for example could a foriegn ruler legaly apply a law in another state without the permission of the native ruler. Barbara N. Ramusack, in her book "The Indian Princes and their States"(Cambridge University Press, 2004), includes categorisation of princely states before 1800 as: 1) antique, including Rajput states; 2) successor, such as Hyderabad and Awadh; and 3) warrior or conquest states, such as Gwalior and Mysore. Later on, the British elevated many feudatories of the truly independent States to the 'rank' of "prince" as reward for their support of British expansion, raising the number of 'princes' from around 30 to an absurd 562 of which over a hundred were recognized as sovereign.



The rulers of Khairpur, were always addressed as either ‘aba’ (father) or ‘badhshah’ (king) by their subjects. In Sindh the Persian term "Shah" or "Badshah" is used for 'syeds'(descendents of the Prophet Mohummad) The ruling Mirs therefore, took for themselves the the same Arabic term as the Afghan King - "Ameer" or "Emir"(Commander-of the country). In 1792 the Afghan king recognized the Talpur ruler of Hyderabad as The "Rais" of Sindh in order to hold some claim on Sindh after he failed to restore his Kalhora Vassal to the throne. However, Mir Sohrab of Khairpur, who was independent of Hyderabad, declared himself as Rais as well. Sohrab divided his kingdom amongst three of his sons and established them as emirs, then declared himself 'Rais of the Emirs'. Currently, 'Rais' is used for president in the Middle East. In general Muslim kings did not use the Arabic term for king (Mallick) as the Quran used it to refer to God, furthermore, mallick became a commonly used term for zamindars (agricultural landlords)in some parts of India. Nowadays, some fifty years after the end of Khairpur state, the phrase ‘Mir His Highness’ has gained currency in Sindh as an address for the former sovereign by the young, while some still shout ‘badshahi barqarar’ (long live your kingship) at the sight of the Mir.

Map of India; showing the principal states which were either reduced or extinguished by the East India Company. Note: States such as Bhopal and Rewa, which had become or attained independence from the Moghuls before temporary subjugation under Maratha Kings are not shown.
Map of India; showing the principal states which were either reduced or extinguished by the East India Company. Note: States such as Bhopal and Rewa, which had become or attained independence from the Moghuls before temporary subjugation under Maratha Kings are not shown.

The “princely state” gradually lost most of its territory to the Company. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 387 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1400 × 2167 pixel, file size: 395 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 387 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1400 × 2167 pixel, file size: 395 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

Territory of Khairpur State in its reduced form shown within present day Pakistan
Territory of Khairpur State in its reduced form shown within present day Pakistan

By 1851 its territory was reduced to 15669 sq kilometers. It was under Mir Ali Murad I that Khairpur survived these dark times. In 1842, Sir Charles Napier arrived in Sindh with the predetermined objective to conquer Sindh on any pretext whatsoever. Mir Ali Murad had already established himself as the most powerful ameer in Upper Sindh much before the arrival of the British and apprehending the eventual fall of the Talpur Confederacy was determined to survive. Historical record reveals many times over the fact that Mir Ali Murad was against the alliance with the British but when no other Talpur ameer listened to him he allied with the British as well but remained steadfast. The rest of the Ameers of Sindh, despite all their submission to British demands, were provoked and conquered after a series of short battles between February 1843 to June of the same year. The first and most decisive battle was that of Miani (17 February 1843) at which the Ameers of Hyderabad surrendered while the Ruler of Mirpur was defeated later. At Miani, British force of only 2,500 soldiers crushed the Talpur force of about 30'000, where the Ameers surrendered after 6'000 Baloachies were killed, while the losses of the British were only 63! British victory was largely due to superior arms and a disciplined (strategically united) army as opposed to the disorganized Baloach forces. The primary weapon of the ameers was the sword and a limited number of primitive matchlock rifles while the British had the advanced musket. For the Talpurs, any hope of recovering their kingdoms was lost as the Baloach Sardars quickly shifted to the British side. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... February 17 is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1843 (MDCCCXLIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...


Mir Ali Murad survived the annexation of Sindh as the Rais-ul-ummarah of Upper Sindh. His Survival was due to his being organized and strong enough to be a serious, albeit short term threat to the British Empire during the annexation. He was the only ameer in Sindh with a standing skilled army of Afghan and Persian mercenaries and he was considered a "mortal threat" to the British army. It was for this reason that the British chose to have peace with Khairpur. The survival of Khairpur as a state was purely the result of Mir Ali Murad's tact in handling and understanding the hypocritical policies of the East India Company. By nature, he was a man of boundless ambition and cunning--the necessary ingredients for survival. He was unique amongst the ameers of Sindh in understanding the British empire, its strengths and weaknesses. He travelled to England and made or bought allies in the parliament. His capacity to understand and manipulate a system far more advanced and powerful than his own kingdom allowed for the continued survival of his dynasty.


After the first war for independence in 1857 led to the demise of the East India Company, the Indian empire came directly under the crown and parliament of Britain. A far more dependable and steadfast institution represented in the person of the viceroy. These changes led India into the most progressive phase in its history and Khairpur developed a fruitful relationship with the empire.


Correcting Misinformation!
It is important to note that vicious propaganda by the Congress party during and after independence (1947) has led many to believe that the princely states including Khairpur were a creation of the British. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Indian sub-continent is a large land mass which consist of many nations although it appears small on commonly available maps of the world. This is because these maps are flattened projections of the world where areas far north and south of the equator have been stretched to appear much larger then they actually are in order to show both sides of the planet on one page. In fact the distance between Rome and London can comfortably fit with in the subcontinent.

The creation of modern India as one state instead of several countries is primarily due to the policies of the British empire. Firstly, the uniting of the different peoples of sub-continent by the roads and railways built by the British empire. Secondly, the education provided to the natives introduced western ideas of freedom and democracy rather than inducing loyalty. Finally, the struggle to overthrow the British united all nationalities of the sub-continent providing them with a common Identity. With out the British influence there would have been no India today.


In actual fact, the term 'India' derives from the word hindustan which gets its name from the river Indus. India or Hindustan was the name given to the "mysterious" land east of the river, by western peoples in Medieval times. Like Europe, the sub-continent also consists of many nationalities and languages. It was only in the Mughal era that modern Hindi evolved as the language of the central Gangetic plain between the Punjab and Bengal. It was India and Pakistan that were the children of the British empire. One empire divided into two. To call India one country is like calling Europe or Africa one state and is a travesty of history. India is still an empire.

[edit] Recent history

Flags of Pakistan and Khairpur
Flags of Pakistan and Khairpur
Honour Guard at Faiz Palace 12-09-1951
Honour Guard at Faiz Palace 12-09-1951

In 1947, on 15 August, British paramountcy over the foreign affairs of the Princely States of India came to an end, leaving them fully independent but also surprised and unprepared. All sovereign rulers had the choice of remaining fully independent or accede to either of the newly formed dominions of India and Pakistan. The States were misled into believing that they would continue to exist in the same relations with the newly formed dominions as they did with the British Empire, if they acceded to either dominion. This they believed until the very last days before independence for India and Pakistan. It was this erroneous belief that led the vast majority of rulers to reject the proposal of a union of princely states such as the United Arab Emirates today, as put forward by the Nawab of Bhopal. After Accession however, the states lost everything except the Ex-Ruler’s titles, privileges and a privy purse which was promised to them by an agreement. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 486 pixel Image in higher resolution (1500 × 911 pixel, file size: 107 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 486 pixel Image in higher resolution (1500 × 911 pixel, file size: 107 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 566 pixel Image in higher resolution (4587 × 3245 pixel, file size: 475 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 566 pixel Image in higher resolution (4587 × 3245 pixel, file size: 475 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ...


As India failed as a large centralized state in maintaining the higher quality of life that the former subjects of the princely states were used to, there came a great resurgence in the popularity of the princes and they began to participate in politics. ( Even today 300 to 350 million people live below the 'poverty line' in India. The poverty line being 300 Indian Rupees or under 7 US Dollars per month! assuming those earning more than $7 a month are not poor! ) Foreseeing certain defeat in the upcoming elections, Indhira Gandhi (prime minister of India) violated the agreement made with the princes by treacherously abolishing all the privileges and privy purses on 28th December, 1971. These privileges were guaranteed by the Government of India, and her own father Nehru, the first prime minister of India. The princes were financially destroyed as most of them had not made personal investments during their reign. Suffering great economic hardships they were forced to abandon politics. Furthermore, Bollywood movies were used as propaganda tool with great success, to villianize and discredit the princes. In Pakistan too, in 1972, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto did the same to the rulers even though they had mostly stayed away from politics. The truth was that despite all the palaces and fabulous jewels that the princes had acquired, the cost of maintaining the government along with all the state institutions including the monarchy, was significantly less than the expenditure on comparable areas by the Indian government due to a much smaller bureaucracy. This spared more revenue to be spent on public welfare then the Indian districts could muster. Commissioners, majistrates, governors, even prime ministers and presidents of India could only dream of the legitimacy the Indian Monarchs had in the eyes of their subjects.


In 1947 accession was the only feasible option because the states were given absolutely no opportunity to organize their independence and while many had excellent military forces; their defenses had been completely crippled due to fighting the powerful armies of Hitler and the axis-powers, in alliance with the British in the Second World War. Ironically, it was the British, under labour party control, that were coercing the rulers to surrender to the new successor ‘empires’ of Pakistan and India. (The Kingdom of Bhutan is the only Princely State that survives to this day).

Final page of the Instrument of Accession 03-Oct-1947
Final page of the Instrument of Accession 03-Oct-1947

The Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had publicly declared that Pakistan “was not going to coerce, intimidate or put any pressure on any State making its choice. But those States which wish to join the Pakistan Constituent Assembly will find us ready and willing to negotiate with them an agreement for the mutual advantage of both the parties.” When India usurped the states Mr. Jinnah did not, although he did take over those functions of these states that might possibly have posed a threat to Pakistan in the future. These functions were foreign affairs, defense, and communications to some degree. It was a treaty called an “instrument of accession” signed by the rulers and Mr. Jinnah that permitted Pakistan to manage the above mentioned functions on the rulers behalf. However, the rulers were guaranteed sovereignty over all other matters. The instrument specifically promised no coercion to enter into any other agreement with or recognition of any constitution of Pakistan. Furthermore, by taking over the function of Defense from Khairpur for the sake of Pakistan’s security it became incumbent on Pakistan to protect the sovereignty of Khairpur. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 374 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (698 × 1118 pixel, file size: 147 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 374 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (698 × 1118 pixel, file size: 147 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... office: 1st Governor-General of Pakistan Term of office: August 14, 1947 – September 11, 1948 Succeeded by: Khawaja Nazimuddin Date of birth: December 25, 1876 Place of birth: Wazir Mansion, Karachi Wives: Emibai 1892–1893, Rattanbai Petit 1918–1929 Children: daughter Dina Wadia Date of Death: September 11, 1948 Place...

Liaqat Ali Khan giving speech at the Investiture Ceremony of the Mir of Khairpur
Liaqat Ali Khan giving speech at the Investiture Ceremony of the Mir of Khairpur
Pakistan without the States on the 14th of August 1947
Pakistan without the States on the 14th of August 1947

The States that successfully acceded to Pakistan were; Khairpur, Bahawalpur, Swat, Dir, Amb, Chitral, and Kalat with its sub-states, between 1947 to 1949. Junagarh and Manavadar were forcefully taken over by India on the grounds that the majority of their population was Hindu. Together, these states (not including Junagarh and Manavadar) contributed one third of Pakistan’s area. (After Junagarh, Khairpur and Bahawalpur were the first States to accede simultaneously to Pakistan on 3 October 1947. At a time when no other state including Baloachistan had joined Pakistan, Khairpur was essential because 1) The State bordered India; 2) Khairpur lay on the Indus River and India could easily nullify the Sukker Barrage had the State acceded to It. (The boundary of Khairpur lies just 40 yards from the Barrage.) ; 3) The canals Nara and Rohri, that water southern Sindh pass through Khairpur; 4) The Railway and the Grand Trunk Road which connected the capital of that time (Karachi) with the military base in the north, passed through Khairpur). Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 596 pixel Image in higher resolution (2000 × 1489 pixel, file size: 144 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 596 pixel Image in higher resolution (2000 × 1489 pixel, file size: 144 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Talpur Family Archives File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Liaquat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan Nawabzaada Khan Liaquat Ali Khan (October 1, 1896 - October 16, 1951) was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 554 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1134 × 1228 pixel, file size: 63 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Image by self: Arsalan R. Kazi 2006. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 554 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1134 × 1228 pixel, file size: 63 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Image by self: Arsalan R. Kazi 2006. ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ...


The Eighth Sovereign of Khairpur, Mir Ali Murad Khan Talpur II (the present Ex-Ruler) acceded to Pakistan on 3 October 1947 while in his minority through his Regent. October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ...

His Highness Sarkar Mir Ali Murad II, 1953. The Last Sindhi King.
His Highness Sarkar Mir Ali Murad II, 1953. The Last Sindhi King.

Even before accession, Pakistan Day (14th August) was celebrated by Khairpur although both the royal family and citizens of Khairpur greatly lamented the migration of fellow Sindhis who were Hindu. From 1947 till mid-1955, Pakistan was a soft amalgam of the paramount State with that of the dependent Sovereign States of the Princes who enjoyed the full support and friendship of the illustrious founders of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan. The States were part of Pakistan, although autonomous and sovereign. In other words they were not administered from the federal capital of Pakistan as the provinces are today. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Sindhi refers to an ethnic group of people originating in Sindh which is part of present day Pakistan. ... Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah (referred to in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam, or Great Leader, which is a legally defined title) (December 25, 1876 - September 11, 1948) was an Indian Muslim nationalist, who led the movement demanding a separate homeland for Muslims in... Liaquat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan Nawabzaada Khan Liaquat Ali Khan (October 1, 1896 – October 16, 1951) was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. ...


It should be noted that like other Princely States, Khairpur had also surpassed Pakistan in practically all fields of social development. Khairpur had made it its goal to match the economic development of the West and it had made more than sufficient advances towards this goal in the period after Partition, for example:

  • The State had the first democratic elections based on universal adult franchise in Nov.1950, before they were held in Pakistan. Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, and a personal friend of the Mir of Khairpur inaugurated the Khairpur Legislative Assembly. The Mir protected this fledgling democracy from dominance by feudal forces. It was his support of Mr. Kizilbash a non-Sindhi yet progressive administrator that allowed for his election as chief minister. The young monarch even forced his own relatives to wholly follow the policies of Kizilbash. Soon afterwards, following Khairpurs example and much to the chagrin of the dictatorship of Pakistan, the rulers of Bahawalpur and Kalat introduced democracy in their countries as well.
  • The State provided better quality free health care for its citizens, far superior than that provided in Pakistan. Free health care meant free consultations with doctors, free medicine, and free operations. Even food was provided free, both for the patient and his visitors! Eminent foreign doctors were invited to train local doctors by performing operations with them.
  • It had the highest per capita expenditure on education of all units that joined Pakistan. The state spent 22% of its budget on education. European teachers were employed to train local teachers of primary and high schools. The best and most qualified teachers were concentrated in Khairpur for college education. Primary education was compulsory while it was genuinely free up till metric, to all who came. The poorest students were provided with free books, housing, clothing and even food. After metric, scholarships were given generously. Many of these very students attained prominence not just in Khairpur but Sindh, Pakistan and abroad. Indeed, some of these very students that received free clothing and food later became ministers, chief ministers, justices and chief justices. (free education of dubious quality is just now being provided in the Punjab and still remains to become a reality in Sindh - 50 years later! ). After the merger with Pakistan this education came to an end and the children had no choice but to join the oppressive child labour force of Pakistan.
  • Adult education was given attention as well with the setting up of special schools. Furthermore, an industrial school for women was set up with a German lady as principal.
  • Khairpur had a post partition (1947-1955) revenue growth of 310%. The highest of any area in Pakistan was the Punjab at 40%, while Sindh had only 13%.
  • Despite having negligible taxes, its budget per capita was more than double than that of the highest found in Pakistan.
  • It had an extremely low crime rate due to the expeditious disposal of criminal and civil cases, while there were widespread complaints about such in adjoining regions.
  • The State had a swiftly growing industrial base, which formed the main part of its revenue. It was the state’s heavy investment in its human resources through education that provided it with a concentration of skilled labour force technicians and engineers. This allowed for its industrial development as private enterprises began to invest in Khairpur as it provided the necessary workforce. Perhaps the greatest testimony of Khairpur's economic success was that there were negligible agricultural taxes such as dhull etc. despite it being deep in the rural interior of Sindh! Mir Ali Murad had personally toured Europe and chosen the machinery for industry. Khairpur had only built one industrial zone that had led to so much economic growth and welfare. It had developed a new 5 year program to build eight more industrial zones for which roads and power houses were already being built. Loans were being provided to private industry to set up in the new zones, plots of land were already taken over by private firms. God only knows what was in store for the next five year plan after that. But alas it was not to be.
To provide information to the people, Khairpur State published every act, and procedure of government and judiciary. The work was not copyrighted and was available at a nominal price and this allowed for the preservation of its history. One such publication is the Budget Speech 1955
To provide information to the people, Khairpur State published every act, and procedure of government and judiciary. The work was not copyrighted and was available at a nominal price and this allowed for the preservation of its history. One such publication is the Budget Speech 1955

A few years after the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan (1951), facing a brutishly aggressive government of Pakistan, the Mir, now at the age of 22, was forced to “merge” Khairpur with the “One Unit” of West Pakistan, a political reorganization designed to support dictatorship. Khairpur and Bahawalpur were the first states to be annexed in 1955 through a Merger Agreement which their rulers were forced to sign in 1954 on threat of military invasion. This threat was made by then defense minister, General Iskander Mirza (Dictator-Governor General 1955-1958) while his right hand man, General Ayub (Dictator-President 1958-1969) was the chief of the armed forces at the time. The Khan of Kalat who had simultaneously received this threat, refused to accept any such illegal agreement and this lead to a military invasion beginning on 6 October 1958, causing a massacre of unarmed civilians in Kalat city along with numerous other human rights violations, mass murder and atrocities throughout Balochistan. Curiously enough, none of the other states, which had not introduced democracy, were asked to merge and surrender their sovereignty to the 'One Unit' until 1969; a fact about which most historians are unaware. Liaquat Ali Khan Liaquat Ali Khan Nawabzaada Khan Liaquat Ali Khan (October 1, 1896 – October 16, 1951) was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1200 × 1600 pixel, file size: 58 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Published By defunct Khairpur State Government of Sarkar His Highness the Mir Ali Murad Khan Talpur II of Khairpur. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1200 × 1600 pixel, file size: 58 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Published By defunct Khairpur State Government of Sarkar His Highness the Mir Ali Murad Khan Talpur II of Khairpur. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


The merger agreement violated the very agreement that the rulers had with the founders of Pakistan. The people of Khairpur offered to fight for their independence but the odds were impossible. Mir Ali Murad refused to accept the suggestions that he move abroad to Britain or Switzerland with his personal assets and government and not sign the agreement; thereby not giving Pakistan even the pretext of legitimacy and letting the people fight. However, it was to spare his subjects the horrors of a military invasion that the ruler signed agreement after taking guarantees for their welfare and continuance of the benefits that the state provided to its people as well as his royal privileges.


After the merger of the State, this agreement too was violated and all developments were brought to an end, retarded into non-existence. To the corrupt military controlled government of Pakistan of that time, social and economic development of these states was seen as a threat, particularly because development of the provinces bordering the states was pathetic and this eventually would have led to unrest. Inside Pakistan, Khairpur was relegated to the backwaters. (By 1985 the real income of this area fell to a 50th of what it was!!) Virtually every promise of the merger agreement was broken. During the regime of general Ayub Khan, dictator of Pakistan, practically all the industrial units were shut down as soldiers marched into factories and stole their assets. The suddenly unemployed workforce, under great duress, fled to Karachi and Lahore, while many were reduced to starvation and begging.


The devastating “one unit” fiasco officially came to an end on the 1st of July, 1970. It had led to the genocide of over a million Pakistanis of Bengal, the break up of Pakistan and the formation of Bangladesh. Soon afterwards, the remaining provinces were allowed a mock existence, however, the States were not even permitted that. The catastrophe brought on by the Pakistan government not only destroyed the well-being and once bright future of the citizens of Khairpur of that period but also that of following three generations of their children as well. What is worse there seems to be no end in sight to their miseries.


Pakistan reduced the people of Khairpur to a worse condition than even its own miserable citizens. Unemployment rose limitlessly and the law and order situation became a nightmare with corrupt Pakistani officials being complicit in crimes, a condition that remains to this day, unabated. Rather than securing his own future, Ali Murad, apprehending such treachery from the Governments of Pakistan, established the Khairpur Welfare Trust with the last remains of his personal wealth in the hope of providing a little relief to his former subjects. This Trust was usurped and its assets handed over to a military fund. With out any provocation whatsoever, Ali Murad's personal revenue providing assets such as agricultural lands and factories were seized by the Pakistan government. Having been already deprived of his jewels he had spent the remains of his wealth on his former subjects as they turned to him for aid when economic and social catastrophe was brought on by the Pakistan government. Soon Ali Murad was financially destroyed. Embarrassed to face his own people as he was unable to help or protect them he became a hermit in his own palace where he lives to this day in isolation.


Today his once beautiful palaces are crumbling and on the verge of collapse. Mir Ali Murad refuses to meet anyone except one or two friends and that too very rarely. He has two sons, prince Mir Abbas Raza Talpur and prince Mir Mehdi Raza Talpur. The younger son, prince Mehdi, is in charge of his father’s estate and is trying to convert it into revenue producing assets against considerable odds. Much to the discomfort of established polititians the younger son has become the public face of the last royal family of Sindh, and has recently started to give audience to people. Of his family's present situation he says:

"It is one thing to surrender crown and country and then to live a life of an ordinary citizen in ones homeland, but another of having to live in Pakistan that is one of the most corrupt states of the world. What ever personal assets remain are mainly in Sindh, our homeland and we have no desire to leave it, but life inside of Pakistan is full of uncertainty and constant political and economic instability bringing misery to the vast majority of the population. This is thanks primarily to the military establishment that rules Pakistan directly or indirectly. Our personal wealth has been taken from us by one means or other, and we live on earnings which would be considered as middle class income in an industrially developed country. We are now in financial crises and find ourselves unable to protect our heritage. The lawlessness in Sindh is such that benefiting from tourism is out of the question. What is very painful is the fact that attacks on the meagre remains of our private property continues, unabated, to this day causing us to live in constant fear for our livelihood. My family has continuously lived in a constant state of traumatic tension and I have found that it has affected both their physical and mental health as they suffer from severe depression."

[edit] Bibliography

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By the Late Vincent A. Smith, C.I.E., Edited by Percival Spear. Fourth Edition. Oxford University Press Karachi.


Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde


Henry Pottinger with an introduction by Rosie Vaughan. First published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown Peternoster-Row, 1816. Oxford University Press , Karachi. 2002.


INSIDE BALUCHISTAN.


Political Autobiography of Khan-e-Azam Mir Ahmed Yar Khan Baluch, Ex-Ruler of Kalat State. Publishers Royal Book Company P.O Box No. 7737 Karachi-3, 1975. First Edition 1975 Printed at MAAREF PRINTERS Karachi (Pakistan.)


A JOURNEY TO DISILLUSIONMENT


Sherbaz Khan Mazari. As told to Shehryar Khan Mazari. Oxford University Press 1999. Second Impression 2000.


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