Bahawalpur State

The State of Bahawalpur was a princely state[?] of the Punjab in Pakistan, stretching along the southern bank of the Sutlej[?] and Indus Rivers, with its capital city at Bahawalpur. After two centuries of varying degrees of independence, the state became part of Pakistan in 1947. In 1941, the state had a population of 1,341,209 living in an area of 45,911 sq km (17,494 sq mi).

The state was founded in 1701 by a family that was reputed to be of Arabic origin.

Mohammad Bahawal Khan III[?] became Nawab in 1825. He signed the state's first treaty with the British on 22 February 1833, guaranteeing the independence of the Nawab.

The state acceded to the Dominion of Pakistan 7 October 1947 and was merged into the state of West Pakistan 14 October 1955.

Stamps and postal history of Bahawalpur

Before 1945, Bahawalpur used the postage stamps of British India. On 1 January 1945, it issued its own stamps, for official use only, a set of pictorials inscribed entirely in Arabic script and thus legitimate for use only within the state (as were all the stamps of Bahawalpur).

On 1 December 1947 it issued its first regular stamp, a commemorative[?] for the 200th anniversary of the ruling family, depicting Mohammad Bahawal Khan I[?], and inscribed "BAHAWALPUR". A series of 14 values appeared 1 April 1948, depicting various nawabs and buildings. A handful of additional commemoratives ended with an October 1949 issue commemorating the 75th anniversary of the UPU[?]. At this point stamps of Pakistan came into into universal, they having already been required on mail leaving Bahawalpur.

Nearly all of the 60-odd stamps of Bahawalpur are readily available and inexpensive, having been printed in large numbers. The most expensive is the 10 rupee of 1948, at around US$30. Most are attractively designed and finely engraved. As usual for stamps of limited valid use, examples on cover are much less common.

Rulers of Bahawalpur

Emirs ("Nawwab Amir" after 1739)

• Mobarak Khan I[?] (1701 - 1723)
• Sadeq Mohammad Khan I[?] (1723 - 1744)
• Mohammad Bahawal Khan I[?] (1744 - 1749)
• Mobarak Khan II[?] (1749 - 1773)
• Mohammad Bahawal Khan II[?] (1773 - 1809)
• Sadeq Mohammad Khan II[?] (1809 - 1825)
• Mohammad Bahawal Khan III[?] (1825 - 1852)
• Sadeq Mohammad Khan III[?] (1852 - 1853)
• Fath Mohammad Khan[?] (1853 - 3 October 1858)
• Mohammad Bahawal Khan IV[?] (1858 - 25 March 1866)
• Sadeq Mohammad Khan IV[?] (1866 - 15 February 1899)
• Mohammad Bahawal Khan V[?] (1899 - 15 February 1907)
• Sadeq Mohammad Khan V[?] (24 March 1907 - 14 October 1955)

Prime ministers

• Richard Marsh Crofton[?] (1942 - 1947)
• John Dring[?] (1948 - 1952)
• A. R. Khan[?] (1952 - 1955)

References

• Nazeer 'Ali Shah[?], The History of the Bahawalpur State (Lahore: Maktaba Jadeed, 1959)