Journal of Languages, Culture and Civilization Volume 2, Issue 3, September 2020, Pages: 199-210 Homepage: http: jlcc.spcrd.org ISSN(P): 2708-3748 Pakpattan during the Twentieth Century: A Historical Study Muhammad Sajid Khan a, Zafar Mohyuddin b, Humera Naz c a Lecturer, Department of History, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad. b Lecturer, Department of History and Pakistan Studies, University of Sargodha. c Assistant Curator, Taxila Museum, Directorate General of Archeology, Punjab. Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] Received: 30 June 2020, Published 31 September, 2020 Abstract Pakpattan District is an important historical town and spiritual center. It had a rich historical legacy and witnessed many dynasties and regimes. During 20th century, the area remained a peripheral and underdeveloped region of British Punjab. The geographical and demographic features of the area are also highlighted with shifting trends in present study. The study is an attempt to understand the nature of colonial structure, reforms and political developments in the area. The working of colonial patronage structure through district bureaucracy and creation of local political elite among the loyalist classes is analyzed. The role of these local collaborates of Raj in maintaining law and order and collection of revenue also analyzed in the study. The local political elite and influential families are listed and evaluated to establish historical roots of political dominance of landed aristocracy and spiritual elite under British patronage system. The study also made an effort to understand the political transition in the area in relation to provincial and central governments and political developments in India. The regional and local study is aimed to understand grand narrative of history through localized case study. Keywords Pakpattan District, political development in Punjab, Colonial patronage, landed aristocracy of Punjab, Canal colonization. DOI Number: 10.47067/jlcc.v2i3.26 © 2021 The authors. Published by SPCRD Global publishing. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attributions-NonCommercial 4.0 199 Introduction The very first name of the Pakpattan was Ajudhan. Raja Ram Chander’s family gave this name to the city. This city remained a capital of “Chalukia Raj Dhani”. When Alexander the great entered in India, the city was also on the map of the world. At the time of battle of “Mahabharata” its name was “Dhara Nagri”. (Punjab District Gazetteers, 1932: 64). It was given many names during different spans of time. It was given names such as “Gurwa”, “Anheel Wara” and “Anit Pattan”. Ibn-i-Batuta had referred it as Ajodhan in his travelogue written around 1234 AD. Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great gave it the name of Pakpattan by keeping the sanctity of shrine of Hazrat Baba Fareed-ud-Din Masood Gunj Shakar in view.(Gazetteers of the Punjab, 1983: 69) The town of Pakpattan served as Tehsil Headquarter of the District Montgomery (Sahiwal) during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It also served as the headquarter of the Satluj Valley Project of canal colonization during the early half of twentieth century. In 1990, Pakpattan sub-division was declared as district with the merger of Arifwala sub- division.(District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 4). During nineteenth century, Arifwala was only a village named as Chak No. 61/HB. Later it was called Arifwala because of a landlord named ‘Arif’ having agriculture land in this village. In 1908, Lt. Governor ‘Hurbert’ founded a new city of Arifwala. (Punjab District Gazetteers, 1932: 76). In 1936 the Lt. Governor of Punjab inaugurated the Water Works Scheme. In 1987, Arifwala was raised to the status of sub- division and in 1995 it was attached to Pakpattan District. (District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 4). Location and Boundaries The district Pakpattan lies between 30-06 and 30-38 north latitudes and 73-03 and 73-36 east longitudes. Sahiwal and Okara Districts bound it on the north, on the east by Okara District, on the south-east by Bahawalnagar District separating the two districts by Satluj River and on the west by Vihari District. The district has natural boundaries of river Satluj and Sukh Bias, which depart it from Bahawalnagar District and Sahiwal, Okara Districts. (District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 1). The total area of this district is 2,724 square kilometers or 674, 212 acres. The cultivated area is 615, 693 acres while the un-irrigated area is 50, 519 acres. Pakpattan District is a flat plain. The general elevation of the area is about 150 meters above sea level. (District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 1). River Satluj lies on the south-eastern portion of Pakpattan District. Haweli Lakha is located on its east. On the south-east flows Satluj River that creates also a natural boundary here between Pakistan and India. The traditional name of Satluj River in Pakpattan District is ‘Nili’, which is on account of the colour of its blue water. (Gazetteers of the Punjab, 1983: 530) This district is not rich in mineral production. However, Salt petre is found in abundance here. This ‘Kallar’ is not that one called Kallar which is harmful for crops. The Tehsil Arifwala was famous for the production of melons throughout the country and even exported to other 200 countries i.e. Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, India and Iran etc. (District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 1). The major means of irrigation in the district are canals and tube wells. Depalpur Canal, originating from Gandasingh Wala Head Works in Kasur District, enters the district from east and irrigates the northern half of the district. Pakpattan Canal originated from Sulemanki Head Works. This canal and its branch namely Khadir branch irrigates a vast area of the district. (Punjab District Gazetteers, 1932: 130). Local fairs are held on different occasions at different places. People participate in these in jolly moods and draw leisure. Luddi and Jhumer are folk dances of Pakpattan District that are performed on marriages. In the villages, people are dressed in Chader, shirts or kurta (long shirt), pagrhi (turban) and locally made shoes are worn. Women folk wear ghaghra or long shirts, maghli or lungi, shirts and locally made shoes. The new settlers of canal colonies wear shalwar and long shirts. Men also wear achken or sherwani on important occasions. The dress code has gradually changed not only in settlers but in locals as well. (Punjab District Gazetteers, 1932: 130). Administrative Setup: Executive The Deputy Commissioner, Pakpattan is incharge of the district. One Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) and three Magistrates work under his command. Two Assistant Commissioners, two Tehsildars and eleven Naib Tehsildars on revenue sides also assist him. The colony Assistant / General Assistant Revenue also assists the Deputy Commissioner. (District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 7). The local government ordinance transformed the system of administration. It worked under the political authority of District Nazim, and District Coordination Officer assisted him in running the administrative affairs in the first decade of twenty first century. However, DCO now enjoys real authority after change in local bodies ordinance. Judiciary and Police The District and Sessions Judge Pakpattan under whom one Senior Civil Judge, eight Civil Judges and three Additional Sessions Judges and three Judicial Magistrates are working, leads judicial administration. (District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 7). In the department of Police, the Senior Superintendent of Police Pakpattan is assisted by four Deputy Superintendents of Police along with SHOs in their respective police Stations. Population After the colonization of the district Montgomery in the start of the 20th century, the population of district gradually increased. Detail of population growth in the District Montgomery including area of Tehsil Pakpattan Year Population 1891 417,000 201 1901 429,674 1911 481,965 1921 685,690 1931 999,772 1941 1329,000 (Punjab District Gazetteers, 1932: 82) Table of population growth in Pakpattan Year Population 1891 111,971 1901 121,776 1911 146,421 1921 *141,417 1931 237,013 1951 381,000 1961 440,000 1972 616,000 1981 844,000 1998 1,286,680 2017 1,823,687 (Noon, 1933: 2). There has been steady increased in the population since 1891 except in the period between 1911- 1921 due to two reasons i.e. (a) emigration on the advent of the adjoining Lower Bari Doab Colony. (b) Unprecedented Influenza epidemic in the winter of 1918-19. 202 Communal composition of the Montgomery District Communities 1881 1891 1931 Muslims 77.48% 72.45% 69.77% Hindus 19.69% 21.32% 10.44% Sikhs 2.8% 3.21% 14.82% Depressed classes --- --- 3.24% Christians 0.2% 0.2% 1.73% The above figure showed that although the area remained pre-dominantly Muslim, but the population of Sikh rapidly increased due to the colonization of the area. (Punjab District Gazetteers, 1932: 82). The total population of Pakpattan District was 1,286,680 as enumerated in March 1998 with an intercensal percentage increase of 52.5 since March 1981 when it was 843,623 souls. The average annual growth rate was 2.5 percent during this period. The total area of district is 2,724 square Kilometers, which gives population density of 472 persons per square kilometers as against 310 persons observed in 1981 indicating a fast growth rate of the district. (District Census Report of Pakpattan, 1999: 13). There were 573 Mauzas (a smallest revenue unit) in 1998. Of which 21 had population over five thousand, 209 had population 2500, 155 had population of one to two thousand, 186 head under 1000 persons while two were un-inhabited. As emerged from 1998 census the population of district is pre-dominantly Muslim i.e. 99.2 percent. The next higher percentage is of Christians with 0.8 % points.