Confidential Correspondence from the Nawab of Bhopal to Qaid-e-Azam M.A. Jinnah

Sub title : Strategic, Diplomatic, and Administrative Planning for Pakistan

Subject: Pakistan's Founding Strategy | Diplomatic Outreach to Whitehall | Governor and Adviser Appointments

Date of publication: 1947

Language: English

Page: 11p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27919

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- Nawab of Bhopal -- Hamidullah Khan -- Pakistan Strategy 1947 | Whitehall Diplomacy -- Governor Appointments -- Karachi Capital | Princely States -- Partition Administration -- Secret Correspondence -- World Food Organisation

Abstract: A collection of top-secret personal letters from Nawab Hamidullah Khan of Bhopal to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, written in the critical months surrounding the Partition of India (June-October 1947). The correspondence covers high-level strategic advice on presenting Pakistan's case to the British government and international bodies (like the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation), suggestions for key appointments (Governors of Bengal and NWFP, military advisers, States Department officials), practical arrangements for Pakistan's temporary capital in Karachi (including the use of the Nawab's properties), and reflections on the disappointing response from Whitehall to Pakistan's appeals for support during the Punjab disturbances. The letters reveal the Nawab as a deeply invested ally, offering both political counsel and personal resources to the new state.

Description: This set of documents provides an extraordinary insider's view of the confidential strategizing and nation-building efforts undertaken by M.A. Jinnah and his close allies in the immediate pre- and post-Partition period. The Nawab of Bhopal emerges as a pivotal figure, acting as an unofficial advisor on international diplomacy, security, economic policy, and governance. The letters are rich with specific recommendations for personnel, arguments for Pakistan's strategic importance to the Commonwealth, and practical steps to secure the nascent government's operational needs. This collection is vital for understanding the multifaceted challenges faced by Pakistan's founders and the network of support from Muslim princely states during this tumultuous historical juncture. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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