M.A. Jinnah and the Dawn of Pakistan: The Immediate Post-Partition Transition (1947)

Sub title : Correspondence, Invitations, and Early Administrative Decisions

Subject: Partition of India | Creation of Pakistan | M.A. Jinnah as Governor-General

Date of publication: 1947

Language: English

Page: 11p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 27336

Keyword: M.A. Jinnah | Lord Mountbatten — Partition 1947 — Pakistan — Governor-General | Sir George Cunningham — Sir Hubert Rance — Governorship of East Bengal | Post-Colonial Administration — Transfer of Power

Abstract: This collection captures the pivotal moment of Pakistan's creation and its immediate aftermath through the correspondence between M.A. Jinnah and Lord Mountbatten. It begins with formal acknowledgements in the weeks before Partition and includes a personal gift from Mountbatten to "Miss Jinnah" (likely Fatima Jinnah). The core of the collection deals with the practicalities of the transfer of power in August 1947, including the handover of charitable organizations and the logistical arrangements for Sir George Cunningham, the appointed Governor of the North-West Frontier Province. A significant and confidential segment details the vetting process for the Governorship of East Bengal, featuring extensive, glowing recommendations for Sir Hubert Rance, the outgoing Governor of Burma, highlighting the international dimensions of staffing the new state and Jinnah's direct involvement in high-level appointments.

Description: This set of documents provides a ground-level view of the birth of a nation, transitioning from high politics to the practical tasks of governance. It shows M.A. Jinnah in his new role as Governor-General of Pakistan, dealing with matters ranging from the ceremonial (hosting guests) to the critically administrative (selecting a governor for a major province). The confidential dossier on Sir Hubert Rance, complete with telegrams and personal minutes from Mountbatten and Lord Killearn, is a particularly remarkable record of the trust placed in Jinnah by the British establishment and his methodical approach to building the institutions of Pakistan. It complements the earlier collections by showcasing the culmination of the political struggle: the immense responsibility of building a state from scratch. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

Total Views: 165        Favorites : 0