Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar
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Reproduced by Sani H. Panhwar SARDAR ABDUR RAB NISHTAR A POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY SYED MUJAWAR HUSSAIN SHAH REPRODUCED BY SANI H. PANHWAR CONTENTS Foreword .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Preface .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Acknowledgements .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 CHAPTER I Family, Early Life and Education .. .. .. .. .. 7 CHAPTER II The North West Frontier Province - A Retrospect .. .. .. 17 CHAPTER III Nishtar's Career as a Politician .. .. .. .. .. .. 34 CHAPTER IV Nishtar and the Freedom Movement Part I .. .. .. .. 47 CHAPTER V Nishtar and the Freedom Movement Part II .. .. .. .. 66 CHAPTER VI Nishtar and the Freedom Movement Part III .. .. .. .. 76 CHAPTER VII Nishtar and the Young Country .. .. .. .. .. .. 102 CHAPTER VIII Nishtar as an Ideologue .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 116 CHAPTER IX Nishtar - Champion of Democracy .. .. .. .. .. 122 CONCLUSION .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 135 FORWARD The present work is a revised version of an M.Phil dissertation submitted to the Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. The book is a political biography of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, a very prominent name amongst the galaxy of the close associates of the Quaid-i-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah in the latter's struggle for the achievement of Pakistan. The author deserves our congratulations and thanks for bringing together a host of source-material scattered in various places. He has attempted to cover almost every detail regarding Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar's personality. The book is not only a portrayal of Nishtar's political and literary activities but also an attempt in highlighting the various features of the Frontier politics of his times. Apart from enlightening the readers on Nishtar's role in the Pakistan Movement, the book will certainly of value for future researchers and writers interested in this field. Dr. M.A. Syed Department of History Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad May 6, 1985. Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar - A Political Biography; Copyright © www.sanipanhwar.com 1 PREFACE The early half of the present century is a water-shed in the history of the young nation that makes most of the present-day Third World. The nationalist movements from these ex-colonies were led by the elites who stood firm against the legacy of the European colonialism. These people either created the freedom movements in their respective areas or such movements created them. In South Asian sub-continent, the quest for identity on the part of the Muslims is a historical phenomenon. The establishment of the All-India Muslim League in 1906 and the subsequent developments under the able guidance of Quaid-i-Azam make a unique phase in the history of the contemporary world of Islam. Along with the Quaid quite a few other Muslim leaders hailing from different backgrounds played their historic role for the achievement of Pakistan. Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar has been one of the select few, whose active political career is spread over the most decisive years of the Pakistan Movement. It is ironical that such a great national leader was never studied by any scholar or Institute in Pakistan for so many years. Lamentably there is a paucity of written materials on the subject which is the main hindrance in research work. However, the author has endeavored to fill that gap by collecting relevant factual information including speeches, statements and debates held in assemblies, Jinnah's papers and the critical account appeared simultaneously in the press. In addition, the author also managed to interview different important political personalities who had been directly or indirectly associated with Nishtar in their joint venture to get independent homeland for the Muslims. It is hoped that the readers will find this piece of work stimulating and informative which will also open the door for further study. Syed M. H. Shah Islamabad 25 April, 1985 Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar - A Political Biography; Copyright © www.sanipanhwar.com 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I express my deep sense of indebtedness to my supervisor, Dr. Iftikhar Haider Malik, from whom I sought invaluable advice and encouragement to complete the work. I also owe a great personal debt to Dr. M. Rafique Afzal, Dr. Aslam Syed and Prof. S. Hassan Shah for their suggestions and advice. I had the privilege of interviewing the late Abdul Qayum Khan, Mr. Abdul Ghayur (youngest brother of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar), Mr. Abdur Raoof Seemab, Syed Jawad Hussain Gilani, Mr. Sher Mohammad Khan and Haji Malik Shad Khan. I am highly thankful to all of them for providing me valuable information. I am also thankful to Mr. A. Jamil Nishtar and Dr. Tariq Nishtar for their kind assistance. I am grateful to Mr. Khurram Qadir, Lecturer, Department of History, Bahauddin Zakariya University and all of my colleagues and helpers especially Qazi Ashraf, Mr. Akbar Awan, Mr. Mohammad Iqbal, Mr. Mohammad Shafi, Mr. Shahnawaz Pasha, Mr. S. U. Khan, Mr. Nisar Sheikh, Mr. Mofeez Ahmad, Malik Khisro and Miss Veena Gill for their assistance. I must also express my gratitude to Mr. Mohammad Riaz Qadri, Chief Librarian, International Institute of Islamic Economics, Islamabad, for revising the manuscript, proof reading and finally preparing comprehensive index to the book. I wish to record my deepest thanks to the Library Staff of Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan Information Department and the National Archives of Pakistan for their cooperation during this study. Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar - A Political Biography; Copyright © www.sanipanhwar.com 3 INTRODUCTION The Muslim Imperial State of India was at the apex of its glory in the sixteenth century. Akbar the great Mughal impelled by his imperial needs started a policy of appeasement with the Hindu feudal lords and compromised on the basic Islamic tenets of polity. This resulted in an erosion of the charter and concept of an Islamic state and the supremacy of Shariah. Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi, a scholar saint and reformer spearheaded a movement for the revival of Islam as the ideology of the state and gave a clarion call for obedience to Quran and Sunnah in state-craft and individual life of believers. It electrified the mind of nobility, military leaders, statesmen, Ulema and the commoners alike who rolled round the Sheikh in alarmingly large numbers. Jehangir reacted sharply and the Sheikh was imprisoned in the fort of Gwalar forthwith. Iqbal has rightly said: The tide of secularism was reversed and thus firm foundation of a movement for the establishment of an Islamic State based on the eternal principles of Quran and Sunnah was laid. It is this great revolutionary movement to which the genesis of Pakistan can be attributed: The policies of Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb underwent atangible change under the influence of this movement. The Mughal court was no longer a place for free thinkers and libertines to jeer at Islamic values or disregard the imperatives of Shariah in government or private life. Internecine wars, rebellions and resurgence of the Hindu Marathas, Jats and Sikhs and the inroads of colonial powers of Europe hastened the disintegration of the empire. At this critical juncture Shah Wali Ullah, a spiritual successor of, Sheikh Ahmad of Sirhind, regrouped the elements of Islamic revolutionary movement and heroically tried on the intellectual front to stem the tide against Muslim supremacy in India. Ahmad Shah Abdali, at his request, marched against the Marhathas and shattered their dream of establishing a Hindu empire on the ruins of the Mughal state in India. On the battle field, the struggle was pushed forward by Mir Qasim in Bengal and Sultan Tipu in South India. However, the British Imperialists and their Hindu collaborators sounded the knell of the Mughal empire and in the - first phase Islamic revolutionary movement came to an end. Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar - A Political Biography; Copyright © www.sanipanhwar.com 4 Shah Abdul Aziz, the illustrious son of Shah Wali Ullah did not lose heart and looked beyond the borders of India for international support of the Muslims in his struggle for the restoration of Muslim supremacy in India. The rise of Sikh empire in the north and of the East India Company in Bengal threatened the complete annihilation of Muslims in India after a thousand years rule. He evolved a new strategy for social reconstruction of Muslims and revival of Jehad. Preaching and training in the use of weapons were his main instruments. Syed Ahmed of Brailey, Shah Ismail and Maulana Abdul Hai joined him. It was agreed that the Mujahideen should avoid an immediate direct confrontation with the far superior weaponry of the East India Company and the Jehad should be started from the traditional Muslim homeland of Afghanistan and the cis-Indus region for the liberation of the Muslim majority areas of Kashmir and the Punjab from the shackles of the Sikh usurpation This ultimately resulted in the great trek of Mujahideen through Sindh and Baluchistan to Kabul and Peshawar It was in Peshawar that the great Syed Ahmad and his companions declared the establishment of an Islamic state in accordance with Quran and Sunnah for 'Tatheer-i-Hind' i.e., purification of India in the words of Syed Ahmad a concept which gave us the name of Pakistan for the Muslim Homeland in the sub-continent Feudal reactionaries and selfish elements, however, joined the counter revolutionary camp of traitors propped up by Sikh bribes with further enticement of big reward for betrayal Syed Ahmad decided to march on to liberate Kashmir but met the tragedy of Balakot in 1831 at the hands of Sikhs Their mission was carried on in various parts of India by Ulema and ultimately the second stage ended with the upheaval of 1857. The remnants of this movement established their centre at Deoband which became a fort of resistance against British Imperialism while Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and the Loyalists chose the path of social reconstruction through scientific education and constitutional struggle for the defence of Muslim interests Establishment of All India Muslim League in 1906 started the new phase of the struggle.