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 Rahim
Yar khan was
declared as a
separate
administration
district in 1943.
The district derives
its name from its
headquarter city
Rahim Yar Khan. The
previous name of
this city was
Naushehra which was
built in 1875 A.D by
Fazal Elahi Halani
on the ruins of the
ancient Pul-Wadda
during the Sumra
supremacy in Sindh.
In the year 1881,
the Railway
Authorities desired
to change the name
of railway station
in the name of a
town called Nowshera
situated in Peshawar
district.
Consequently in 1881
to avoid any
confusion because of
similar
nomenclature, Nawab
Sadiq Khan-IV of
Bahawalpur changed
the name of the
sub-division
Naushehra after the
name of his first
son crown prince
Rahim Yar Khan.
Location
The district lies
between 27.40' -
29.16' north
latitudes and 60.45'
- 70.01' east
longitudes.
Area
The total area of
the district is
11,880 square
kilometers. The
district comprises
four Tehsils namely
Rahim Yar Khan,
Sadiqabad,
Liaquatpur and
Khanpur. All the
Tehsils are Tehsil
Municipal
Administration (TMA).
Boundaries
Rahim Yar Khan is
bounded on the north
by Muzaffargarh
district, on the
east by Bahawalpur
district, on the
south by Jasilmir
(India) and Ghotki
district of Sindh
province and on the
west by Rajanpur
district.
Physical Features
& Topography
This district is
divided into three
main physical
features i.e. (a)
Riverine area. (b)
Canal irrigated area
and (c) Desert area
which is called
Cholistan. The
Riverine area of the
district lies close
on the southern side
of the Indus river
mainly falling in
the river bed. The
canal irrigated area
lies on the South
and is separated by
main Minchan Bund.
The approximate
height of the
irrigated area is
150 to 200 meters
above the sea level.
The third part of
the area called
Cholistan lies in
the south of the
irrigated tract upto
the Indo-Pak border.
The surface of the
desert consists of a
succession of sand
dunes rising at
places to a height
of 150 metres and
covered with the
vegetation peculiar
to sandy tracts.
Weather
The climate of the
district is hot and
dry in the summer
and cold and dry in
the winter. The
summer season is
comparatively
longer. It starts in
April and continues
till October. The
winter season goes
from November to
March. However, the
months of March and
November are
pleasant. Dust
storms are frequent
during summer
season. The average
rain fall is about
100 millimetres.
History
When Alexander
gained victory over
Multan. he appointed
General Phillipos to
rule Multan and Uch
and advanced himself
towards Alor. The
country remained
under Phillipos, who
\vas afterwards
driven out by Poros
after the death of
Alexander. This part
of the country is
also said to have
been a part of the
Buddhist empire
ofAshoka.
Authenticated
history of the
district begins by
about 493 A.D. when
Raja Divaji of Rai
dynasty came to the
throne. In the Rai
dynasty dominions
were vast, extending
from Kashmir and
Kanauj to Kandhar
and Seistan and on
the west to Mekran
and a part of Debal.
while on the south
to Surat. '! heir
capital was Alor and
during their rule
Sindh was divided
into four provinces
of Bahmanabad. Siw
istan. Chachpur
(which comprised the
greater part of
Bahaw'alpur
Division) and the
province consisting
of Multan and West
Punjab. The Rai
dynasty governed
Sindh for 137 years
and met its fate
when the king Rai
Saliasi II. allowed
a Brahman Chaeh to
gain influence in
his kingdom. On the
death of Rai Sahasi
II. Chaeh married
his widow and
established himself
on the throne after
killing the rightful
heir of 111 e Rai.
After a reign of 33
years, Chaeh died
and was succeeded by
his brother Chandar
who after ruling for
eight years was
succeeded by his
nephew Raja Dahir.
During Dahir's reign
some Arab ships
carrying
merchandise were
attacked and
plundered by his
subjects. Arabs
demanded
compensation and on
refusal bv Raja
Dahir. Muhammad Bin
Qasim invaded this
area in April 712
A.D. and conquered
the whole territory
upto Multan. Dahir
was killed in the
battle at Pawar. The
territory remained
under the various
governors appointed
by the Abbassides
and the LImmayyids
from 712-870 A.D. In
871 A.D. the power
of Caliphs declined
and the province of
Sindh slipped from
their control and
went under the Baikh
dynasty when two
principalities.
Multan and Mansura (Bahawalpur
Division) were
founded. In 985 A.D.
the Baikh ruler \vas
over-thrown by
Karamatian (a
Persian sect). In
978 A.D.
 when Subaktagin invaded
the sub-continent,
he left the
territory under the
sovereignty ofH'amid
Khan Lodhi. who
ruled till 1004 A.D.
when Ahdul Fateh son
ofHamid Khan Lodhi
revolted against
Ghaznavids and was
Jailed by Mahmud Gha/navi.
Fourteen years later
Mahmud again visited
Multan and marched
to Somnath passing
through Bahawalpur
territory and on his
way visited Moujgarh
Fort (in Bahawalp.ur
Tehsil). On his
return from the
conquest of Somnath.
Mahmud placed a
Karamatian prince on
the throne in this
area. The reign of
Karamatian was
followed by Sumaras
and Samas who ruled
it for nearly 500
years. In 1578 A.D.,
the territory was
invaded and
conquered by the
Ghori Sultans of
Delhi, who were
succeeded by the
Mughals.
The exodus of the
Abbassides nobles of
Egypt to India had
already started in
the reign of
Muhammad
Taughlak-Bin-Ghiasuddin.
This Tughlak emperor
of India recognised
the Abbassides
Caliph, Abdul Abbas-AI-Hakim
in Egypt and
accepted his
spiritual
leadership. He even
got the name of the
caliph inscribed on
the Indian coinage
of his reign.
In 1366 A.D. Amir
Sultan Ahmed II,
Abbasi. fiftieth
direct descendant
from Abdul Qasim
Ahmed (the first
Abbasside Caliph
ruled in Egypt)
migrated to India
with his family and
a few hundred of
followers entered
into Sindh through
Balochistan and
settled down in
Sindh. Those Arabs
who had already
settled in Sindh
rallied round the
Amir. In the course
of time the Amir's
family gradually
moved north-ward
losing much of the
Sindh territory, but
finally settled down
at Fort Derawar.
which they captured
from the ruler of
Jaisalmir.
In 1540, Duddees a
well-known tribe
rose to considerable
power in the eastern
part of Bahawalpur.
In the same period.
Amir Channi Khan
Abbasi was made
Ranjhazari by Prince
Murad. the son of
emperor Akbar the
Great. After the
death of Amir
Mohammad Channi
Khan. quarrels arose
between the two
sections ofAbbasis.
the Kalhora and
Daudpota tribes. The
Arab tribes settled
in Bahawalpur sided
with the latter who
were destined to
create and rule
Bahawalpur State.
Amir Bahadur Khan
Abbasi, the chief of
Daudpota then came
to power he and his
descendants wielded
small principalities
of Bahawalpur State
into a united
kingdom. Amir
Muhammad Mubarik
Khan I, Abbasi. who
came to power in
1702. was an able
commander and
leader. Throughout
his reign he had to
fight many battles
against Kalhoras. He
abdicated in 1723
A.D., in favour of
his son Sadiq
Mohammad Khan I.
Sadiq Mohammad Khan
I (1723-1746) was
killed in a battle
with Khuda Yar Khan
Kalhora. Amir
Mohammad Bahawal
Khan I, (1 746-1
949) ascended the
throne in 1 746.
During his short
rule, he built the
towns of Bahawalpur,
Qaimpur, Hasilpur,
Tranda Ali Murad
Khan, Shahbazpur and
Mohammadpur Laman.
During his reign
three canals namely
Khan Wah. Qutab Wah
and Wahi Qaidr Dina
were dug. As a
result the
agriculture of the
state improved
considerably and the
people became
prosperous. Amir
Muhammad Mubarik
Khan II Abbasi (1
749-1 772) succeeded
Amir Muhammad
Bahawal Khan 1
Abbasi. In 1 750, he
captured Marot,
Jaisalmir and
Madwala and its
dependencies west of
the Sutlej and
Panjnad, now part of
Muzaffargarh
district from Nahrs.
Bet Doma territory
which belonged to
Makhdum Sheikh Raju
of Sitpur was also
conquered. Later a
part of the country
including the
important towns of
Dunyapur and Kahror
were occupied. In
1766, the Sikh
confederates Jhanda
Singh. Ganda Singh
and Hari Singh
invaded the Amir's
trans-Sutlej
territories but were
repulsed. Pakpattan
was fixed as the
boundary between
Bahawalpur and the
Sikh State. Amir
Muhammad Mubarik
Khan II Abbasi was
an able
administrator and a
powerful ruler. He
took keen interest
in building his
army. Many of the
forts on the border
of the state were
built during his
reign. He kept the
Sikhs in check. Many
canals on which the
prosperity of the
district depend were
constructed during
his time.
Amir Muhammad
Bahawal Khan II,
Abbasi succeeded him
and ruled from 1772
to 1809 A.D. He
assumed the title of
Muhammad Bahawal
Khan II. In 1777.
the Sikh captured
Multan. From 1785 to
1788, Amir had to
encounter Taimur
Shah, the powerful
Durrani monarch of
Kabul. Bahawalpur
was plundered by
Durranis, the town
was burnt and
destroyed. The fort
of Derawar was also
occupied and Taimur
Shah garrisoned it
with troops under
his general Shah
Muhammad Khan
Badozai, but
eventually the Amir
drove out the
Durranis after
fighting many fierce
battles. In 1802
Shah Muhammad of
Kabul sent a
valuable Khilat and
title of
Mukhlis-ud-Daula. A
mint was started at
Bahawalpur in 1802.
where gold. silver
and copper coins
were made. The first
treaty between
Bahawalpur and the
British government
was affected in 1833
which remained in
force till the 14th
August, 1947 when
the state acceded
to Pakistan. After
Muhammad Bahawal
Khan II. prince
Abdullah Khan under
the title of Sadiq
Muhammad Khan II
(1809-1825) was
proclaimed Amir of
Bahawalpur. The
greater part of his
reign passed in
repelling the
attacks of the Amirs
of Sindh, in
suppressing the
rebellions of his
own Umaras and
protecting his
conquered
territories.
On the death of Amir
Sadiq Mohammad Khan
II in 1825 A.D..
Amir Bahawal Khan
ill ascended the
throne in 1825 at
Derawar. He ruled
from 1825-1852 A.D.
On his accession to
the throne Amir sent
presents to Maharaja
Ranjit Singh. In
response Maharaja
sent his
congratulations and
some presents to
Amir.
As some dues for the
lease of Dera Gha/i
Khan had not been
paid for several
years. Ranjit Singh
sent a force under
General Ventura to
expel the governor
appointed there by
the Amir of
Bahawalpur without
giving him any
opportunity for
parley. General
Ventura occupied
Dera Ghazi Khan.
Muzaffargarh and
 Multan. and they
thus passed from the
rule of the state.
The Amir was very
upset at this loss.
Alliances with the
neighbouring states
Sindh. Bikanir or
Jaisalmir were out
of question for they
were already hostile
to Bahawalpur
Ranjit Singh sent a
large force under
Sham Singh Atariwala
to Kahror to invade
the state on any
pretext. There upon
the Amir sent an
envoy to the British
Governor General at
Simla to invoke his
intervention. Lord
William Bentinck,
the then British
Governor General,
accepted the
proposal and Ranjit
Singh was warned not
to cross the Sutlej.
In 1833 Nawab
negotiated a treaty
of friendship arid
alliance with the
Britishers.
In 1842 Parganas of
Kot Sabzal and Ghung
Bhara lost by the
state in 1807, were
conquered by the
British from the
Mirs of Sindh and
resorted to
Bahawalpur state by
Sr. Charles Napier.
In 1 848 the Amir of
Bahawalpur assisted
the British in the
battle of Multan. As
a result of
Bahawalpur British
alliance Multan fell
and was made part of
the British Indian
territory
On the death of Amir
Bahawal Khan 111.
Sadiq Mohammad Khan
III, (1852-1853) was
crowned as Amir. On
assuming rulership
he confined prince
Haji Khan and his
brothers and treated
them harshly. A
large number of
Bahawalpur army was
demobilised. All the
grants, rights and
claims of Daudpotas
and other usual
expenses were
diminished and
abolished. These
events made the Amir
unpopular. On the
29th of Rabi-ul-Sani,
1269 A.H, Fateh Garh
Fort was attacked at
night. Prince Haji
Khan, who was kept
as prisoner, was
freed and brought to
Khanpur. Haji Khan
entered Ahmedpur
East without any
resistance and Sadiq
Muhammad Khan III
was imprisoned.
Prince Haji Khan who
assumed the title of
Fateh Khan ruled the
state from I 853 to
I 858 A.D. Prince
Rahim Yar Khan
succeeded his
father, the late
Amir Fateh Khan
Abbasi, as Muhammad
Bahawal Khan IV (I
858-1 866). He was
poisoned and died on
the 25th March. I
866. On the death of
Amir Bahawal Khan
IV, Sir Sadiq
Muhammad Khan IV was
crowned when he was
four and half year
old. He was
installed in I 879.
when he attained
maturity. In the
interim period from
I 866 to I 879. the
state was supervised
by British
Officers. Amir
Muhammad Bahawal
Khan V, the next
successor was about
I 6 years of age at
the time of his
father's death in
1907. Amir Sadiq
Mohammad Khan Abbasi
V (I 907-1955), was
proclaimed Amir
ofBahawalpur on the
death of his father
in 1907. He was then
a child of three
years old. He ruled
the state till 1955
when it was
integrated in the
Punjab province of
Pakistan. |
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