Bahawalpur State

BAHAWALPUR STATE

Princely State in Subsidiary alliance with British India 1758-1947

Princely State of Pakistan 1947 - 1955 

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 km² (17,494 sq mi).

It is divided into three districts: Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalnagar.

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 22nd 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.

Postage stamps and postal history of Bahawalpur

Before 1945, Bahawalpur used the postage stamps of British India. On January 1st 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 1st 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 1st 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 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

      Abbasi Emirs ("Nawab Amir" after 1739)

Current head of the house and nominal raja (on a social basis) Salar ud-din Muhammad Khan since 1988.

Prime ministers

References

1947

The above stamps No. B2, B4, B6, B8, B9, B11, B12, B15 ,B16, B 17 and B18 were overprinted in Red colour while  B 3, B5, B7, B10, B13,  and B14,were overprinted in Black colours.

1948

Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi of Bahawalpur