Wahid Baksh Bhutto
Encyclopedia
Sardar
Wahid Baksh Bhutto (Wahid Bux Bhutto) (born 1898, died 25 December 1931) was a landowner of Sindh
, and an elected representative to the Central Legislative Assembly
of India. G.M Syed and Pir Ali Muhammad Rashidi have both mentioned in their biographical accounts on Wahid Baksh that judging by the progress he made during the short time he was alive, had Wahid Baksh not expired at such an early age, he would have undoubtedly dominated the political landscape of Sindh. They are of the view that at this young age he had shown a great deal of promise and was well on his way to distinguish himself amongst not only the landlords and politicians of Sindh, but also amongst entrepreneurs and businessmen alike.
, Bhutto was the son of Wadero Illahi Baksh Bhutto, a landowner and honorary magistrate
of Larkana District
, who died under mysterious circumstances in 1910 at the age of twenty-eight. He was educated at the Sindh Madressah, with such men as Mohammed Ayub Khuhro, Omar Bin Mohammed Daudpoto and Khan Sahib Kehar.
Bhutto's father, Illahi Baksh Bhutto, was the youngest son of Doda Khan Bhutto, brother of Khuda Baksh Bhutto and uncle of Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto, who became the father of Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto
and the grandfather of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
.
In the light of his father's untimely death, the responsibility of looking after the family estates fell on Bhutto at a very young age. An enterprising young man, the family estate increased considerably under the management of late Wahid Baksh Bhutto. He grew to be very popular and close ties and friendships developed with prominent families not only in Sindh, but all over India, particularly the Maharajas of the princely states. These friendships were further cultivated by 'shikar' (hunting) parties which are a common practice in Sindh, and Village Pir Baksh Bhutto was considered to be the 'wado ghar', the prominent home of the Bhutto family.
Being in close contact with the grass-roots and resolving the problems and disputes of tribesmen and people of his 'raj', the late Wahid Baksh Khan earned the trust and respect of the people. Seen as an up-and-comer, Wahid Baksh was made a Sardar by the people of the Bhutto tribe from all over India in 1924. Nobody in the family was Sardar before Wahid Baksh, and therefore the process of selection was egalitarian (democratic) in nature, and not hereditary, essentially a matter of who would lead the tribe, represent it, make decisions on behalf of it, and settle disputes within it, and also a question of who the tribesmen felt they could put their trust in. Sardar Wahid Baksh Bhutto was also the first individual from the Bhutto family to be elected to government by the people, in 1926.
The Morley-Minto Reforms, followed by the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
of 1919 paved the way for increasing native participation in the politics of the subcontinent. Indians could now be elected to the Central Legislative Assembly
, the law-making body of India. 1926 saw the first ever election in Sindh, a constituency of the Bombay Presidency
. Wahid Baksh Khan contested as the representative of the zamindars and jagirdars of Sindh, and in his campaigning was helped by G. M. Syed. Since Sindh was a constituency and not a province, this meant that campaigning needed to be done across the entire province, from the distant Upper Sindh Frontier region to the far reaches of the Thar desert. Travel was on horse-back and by camel. Wahid Baksh Bhutto won the election by a wide margin. Aged 28, he was the first elected representative from Sindh to the Central Legislative Assembly of India. From 1926 until his untimely death in 1931, Wahid Baksh would gain the highest number of votes in Sindh, while Abdullah Haroon would gain the second highest number of votes.
In the 1930 elections to the Legislative Assembly, Sardar Wahid Baksh contested against Honourable Ali Bux Mohammed Hussain and won. In the same year Wahid Baksh was elected to the Bombay Council, of which Mohammad Ayub Khuhro and Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto
were already members. Wahid Bux was nominated to the Council on the reference of Khan Bahadur Ghulam Mohommad Isran, who was already emember of the Bombay Council and stepped down so that Wahid Bux could be nominated. While Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto was at the Round Table Conference, late Sardar Wahid Baksh organised a reception at Gandhi Garden in Karachi on the 1st of October 1930, attended by 500 guests. Late Sardar Wahid Baksh opened a maternity home in Naudero and gave many scholarships to the poor in his constituency. Throughout the Larkana District
, there were a chain of Madressahs that were on the payroll of Wahid Baksh, providing free education to the locals. Teachers appointed to these Madressahs were distinguished academics and scholars.
Sardar Wahid Baksh Bhutto died on the 25th of December 1931, immediately upon his return from the sessions of the Bombay Council in Poona. He had fallen suddenly ill whilst in Poona and was suffering from a case of double pneumonia. He returned to Sindh, and died in his Larkana house, immediately after receiving injections as form of treatment for the illness. Elderly members of his family and friends believed that he was poisoned by political opponents or even cousins/ distant family members, who saw him as a threat to their own advancement. They believed that it was these same individuals who were responsible for poisoning his father. According to G. M. Syed, if he had lived a full season, he would have had distinguished place in the politics and history of the Subcontinent. After his death, his younger brother, Nawab Nabi Baksh Bhutto, father of Mumtaz Bhutto
was the elected representative of Sindh in the Legislative Assembly from 1935 until Partition. Nawab Nabi Baksh Bhutto then gave this constituency (NA 207) to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
when he first entered politics, and then Benazir Bhutto as well.
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Sardar
Sardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
Wahid Baksh Bhutto (Wahid Bux Bhutto) (born 1898, died 25 December 1931) was a landowner of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, and an elected representative to the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
of India. G.M Syed and Pir Ali Muhammad Rashidi have both mentioned in their biographical accounts on Wahid Baksh that judging by the progress he made during the short time he was alive, had Wahid Baksh not expired at such an early age, he would have undoubtedly dominated the political landscape of Sindh. They are of the view that at this young age he had shown a great deal of promise and was well on his way to distinguish himself amongst not only the landlords and politicians of Sindh, but also amongst entrepreneurs and businessmen alike.
Life
Born in 1898 in the village Pir Baksh Bhutto, the family home in SindhSindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Bhutto was the son of Wadero Illahi Baksh Bhutto, a landowner and honorary magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
of Larkana District
Larkana District
Larkana or Larkano is a district of Sindh province of Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, it had a population of 1,927,066 of which 28.70% were urban. Its main city is Larkana...
, who died under mysterious circumstances in 1910 at the age of twenty-eight. He was educated at the Sindh Madressah, with such men as Mohammed Ayub Khuhro, Omar Bin Mohammed Daudpoto and Khan Sahib Kehar.
Bhutto's father, Illahi Baksh Bhutto, was the youngest son of Doda Khan Bhutto, brother of Khuda Baksh Bhutto and uncle of Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto, who became the father of Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto
Shah Nawaz Bhutto
Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, CIE, OBE, OBI was a politician hailing from Larkana in Sindh province of British India, which is now part of Pakistan.-Early life:Bhutto, the son of Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto, was born into Arain family of Sindh...
and the grandfather of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
.
In the light of his father's untimely death, the responsibility of looking after the family estates fell on Bhutto at a very young age. An enterprising young man, the family estate increased considerably under the management of late Wahid Baksh Bhutto. He grew to be very popular and close ties and friendships developed with prominent families not only in Sindh, but all over India, particularly the Maharajas of the princely states. These friendships were further cultivated by 'shikar' (hunting) parties which are a common practice in Sindh, and Village Pir Baksh Bhutto was considered to be the 'wado ghar', the prominent home of the Bhutto family.
Being in close contact with the grass-roots and resolving the problems and disputes of tribesmen and people of his 'raj', the late Wahid Baksh Khan earned the trust and respect of the people. Seen as an up-and-comer, Wahid Baksh was made a Sardar by the people of the Bhutto tribe from all over India in 1924. Nobody in the family was Sardar before Wahid Baksh, and therefore the process of selection was egalitarian (democratic) in nature, and not hereditary, essentially a matter of who would lead the tribe, represent it, make decisions on behalf of it, and settle disputes within it, and also a question of who the tribesmen felt they could put their trust in. Sardar Wahid Baksh Bhutto was also the first individual from the Bhutto family to be elected to government by the people, in 1926.
The Morley-Minto Reforms, followed by the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms were reforms introduced by the British Government in India to introduce self-governing institutions gradually to India. The reforms take their name from Edwin Samuel Montagu, the Secretary of State for India during the latter parts of World War I and Lord Chelmsford,...
of 1919 paved the way for increasing native participation in the politics of the subcontinent. Indians could now be elected to the Central Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
, the law-making body of India. 1926 saw the first ever election in Sindh, a constituency of the Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
. Wahid Baksh Khan contested as the representative of the zamindars and jagirdars of Sindh, and in his campaigning was helped by G. M. Syed. Since Sindh was a constituency and not a province, this meant that campaigning needed to be done across the entire province, from the distant Upper Sindh Frontier region to the far reaches of the Thar desert. Travel was on horse-back and by camel. Wahid Baksh Bhutto won the election by a wide margin. Aged 28, he was the first elected representative from Sindh to the Central Legislative Assembly of India. From 1926 until his untimely death in 1931, Wahid Baksh would gain the highest number of votes in Sindh, while Abdullah Haroon would gain the second highest number of votes.
In the 1930 elections to the Legislative Assembly, Sardar Wahid Baksh contested against Honourable Ali Bux Mohammed Hussain and won. In the same year Wahid Baksh was elected to the Bombay Council, of which Mohammad Ayub Khuhro and Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto
Shah Nawaz Bhutto
Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, CIE, OBE, OBI was a politician hailing from Larkana in Sindh province of British India, which is now part of Pakistan.-Early life:Bhutto, the son of Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto, was born into Arain family of Sindh...
were already members. Wahid Bux was nominated to the Council on the reference of Khan Bahadur Ghulam Mohommad Isran, who was already emember of the Bombay Council and stepped down so that Wahid Bux could be nominated. While Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto was at the Round Table Conference, late Sardar Wahid Baksh organised a reception at Gandhi Garden in Karachi on the 1st of October 1930, attended by 500 guests. Late Sardar Wahid Baksh opened a maternity home in Naudero and gave many scholarships to the poor in his constituency. Throughout the Larkana District
Larkana District
Larkana or Larkano is a district of Sindh province of Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, it had a population of 1,927,066 of which 28.70% were urban. Its main city is Larkana...
, there were a chain of Madressahs that were on the payroll of Wahid Baksh, providing free education to the locals. Teachers appointed to these Madressahs were distinguished academics and scholars.
Sardar Wahid Baksh Bhutto died on the 25th of December 1931, immediately upon his return from the sessions of the Bombay Council in Poona. He had fallen suddenly ill whilst in Poona and was suffering from a case of double pneumonia. He returned to Sindh, and died in his Larkana house, immediately after receiving injections as form of treatment for the illness. Elderly members of his family and friends believed that he was poisoned by political opponents or even cousins/ distant family members, who saw him as a threat to their own advancement. They believed that it was these same individuals who were responsible for poisoning his father. According to G. M. Syed, if he had lived a full season, he would have had distinguished place in the politics and history of the Subcontinent. After his death, his younger brother, Nawab Nabi Baksh Bhutto, father of Mumtaz Bhutto
Mumtaz Bhutto
Sardar Mumtaz Ali Khan Bhutto is the first cousin of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, chief of the Bhutto clan and chairman of the Sindh National Front and Sindh Qaumi Itehad...
was the elected representative of Sindh in the Legislative Assembly from 1935 until Partition. Nawab Nabi Baksh Bhutto then gave this constituency (NA 207) to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
when he first entered politics, and then Benazir Bhutto as well.
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Sources
- Proceedings of the Central Legislative AssemblyCentral Legislative AssemblyThe Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
, 1926-1931 - Bombay Council Debates 1931
- Indian Annual Register 1927-1931
- Pir Ali Muhammad Rashidi, Uhay Deehan Uhay Sheehan
- List of members the Legislative Assemblies of 1927 and 1935
- Stanley Wolpert, Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan, Chapter 1: 'Sindhi Roots'