User:Green Giant/sandbox/Khairpur State
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Basically this shows the main contents of the former page Khairpur State. I have started rewriting it to give a better flow and avoiding the use of insulting terms or sabre-rattling. Feel free to change it in line with Wikipedia rules and we can dd it to State of Khayrpur.
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[edit] History
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 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 elected head of the Talpur tribe, Mir Fateh Ali had established himself at Hyderabad the former Kalhora capital of Sindh from where he ruled the larger part of southern and western Sindh. His cousin Mir Tharah took over South-eastern Sindh from Mirpurkhas.
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. His contribution in the conquest allowed him to claim Northern Sindh. While Mir Fateh Ali, a grandson of the assasinated Bahram, forced the ameer of Kabul to reject the Kalhora vassal, and recognise him as the ruler of Sindh, he was unable to assert his authority over his uncle Mir Sohrab who offered violent opposition. Compromising with Sohrab and the ameer of Mirpurkhas a confederacy of these Kingdoms was formed. 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 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 the Ameers of Sindh established independent relationships 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. 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".
The rulers of the Talpur Confederacy of Sindh jointly fended of Afghan aggression on Sindh by a combination of war and negotiated tributes - whenever a tribute was the cheaper alternative to war. The Afghans could only claim tribute when attacking and pillaging villages in Sindh. 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 tribute would be paid to avert war, at times negotiated to a tenth of what was claimed by the Afghan king. This is what British historians term as ‘irregular’ tribute, nevertheless, by 1813 this tribute 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.
In an effort to end the threat of future harrassment 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 sovereign of Khairpur, entered into a similar treaty with the British. With this began the downfall of the Talpur Confederacy as it led to the gradual increase of British preponderance. 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.
Of this 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,….” 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. However, the rulers of Khairpur, were always addressed as either ‘aba’ (father) or ‘badhshah’ (king) by their subjects. 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 buy the young, while some still shout ‘badshahi barqarar’(long live the king) at the sight of the Mir.
The “principality” gradually lost most of its territory to the Company. By 1851 its territory was reduced to 15669 sq kilometers. It was under the leadership of Mir Ali Murad I that Khairpur survived these dark times.
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.
[edit] Recent History
In 1947, on the 15th of 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 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.
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. 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 priviliges 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 invested abroad during their reign. Suffering great economic hardships they were forced to abandon politics. In Pakistan too, in 1972, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto did the same to the rulers even though they had mostly stayed away from politics.
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 arm-twisting 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).
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.
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 the 3rd of 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).
The Eighth Sovereign of Khairpur, Mir Ali Murad Khan Talpur II (the present Ex-Ruler) acceded to Pakistan on the 3rd of October 1947 while in his minority through his Regent.
Even before accession, Pakistan Day (14th August) was celebrated by Khairpur to discourage its considerable Hindu Minority. 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.
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 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 simultaneousely recieved this threat, refused to accept any such illegal agreement and this lead to a millitary invasion beginning on the 6th October 1958, causing a massacre of unarmed civilians in Kalat city along with numerous other human rights violations, mass murder and atrocities throughout Balochistan. Curiosly enough, none of the other states, which had not introduced democracy, were asked to merge and surrender their soveriegnty to the 'One Unit' untill 1969. A fact about which most historians are unaware.
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. 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 schools for grown ups. 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.
After the merger of the State, all these 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. 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 Khairpur Welfare Trust was usurped and ruined. By 1985 the real income of this area fell to a 50th of what it was!!
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.
