Correspondence Between M.A. Jinnah and Princely State Rulers Regarding Pakistan and State Relations

Sub title : Lahore Resolution, Non-Interference Policy, and Negotiations

Subject: M.A. Jinnah | Princely States | Lahore Resolution (Pakistan) | Muslim League Policy

Date of publication: 1941

Language: English

Page: 4p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 28017

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah -- Lahore Resolution -- Pakistan -- Princely States | Jam Sahib of Las Bela -- Las Bela State -- Kalat State -- Diplomatic Correspondence -- March 1941 -- July 1947 | Muslim League Policy -- State Accession

Abstract: This collection features confidential diplomatic correspondence between M.A. Jinnah and rulers of princely states, notably the Jamsaheb and the Jam Sahib of Las Bela. The central document is a detailed letter from Jinnah dated March 1941, explaining the Lahore Resolution (Pakistan) to a princely ruler, assuring non-interference in state affairs, and outlining the proposed relationship between Muslim-majority zones and adjoining states. The later letters from July 1947 show the Jam Sahib of Las Bela urgently seeking an audience with Jinnah to secure sympathy and clarity on Las Bela's position vis-à-vis Kalat and Pakistan, followed by Jinnah's brief, non-committal response due to overwhelming pre-Partition commitments.

Description: This file contains pivotal letters that reveal M.A. Jinnah's diplomatic strategy towards the princely states in the context of the Pakistan demand. The 1941 letter is a key document where Jinnah personally articulates the vision of Pakistan to a ruler, emphasizing that the scheme did not envision a strong central Indian government but rather direct relations with the British Crown, and inviting states in the Muslim zones to join on fair terms. The 1947 exchange with the ruler of Las Bela illustrates the practical, last-minute dilemmas faced by smaller states seeking guidance and reassurance from Jinnah amidst the chaos of Partition, and Jinnah's constrained capacity to address individual state concerns at that critical juncture. Together, these documents highlight the diplomatic outreach, assurances, and limitations of the Muslim League's engagement with the princely order. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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