1937 ELECTIONS AND NWFP and SIR ABDUL QAYUMS MINISTRY

Introduction
The august 1947 saw the creation of two largest empires in the world, one represented the

Muslims that known as Pakistan and other represented the Hindu Community known as India.

Unfortunately the nationalist historians including both the Indian and the Muslims tried to distort

some facts about some particular personalities. Such type of distortions made the heroes as the

villain. One such personality is the Abdul Ghaffar Khan which declared our nationalist historians

as anti-Pakistani and pro-Indian National Congress as well. This is however a fact that there are

good number of leaders including both Hindus as well as the Muslim who obtained extraordinary

fame and popularity during the freedom movement in South Asia, including Muhammad Ali

Jinnah (d.1948), Allam Muhammad Iqbal (d.1938), Muhammad Ali Jouhar (d.1931), Maulana

Zafar Ali Khan (d.) Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi (d.1948), Gokhale (d.1915), Moti Lal

Nehru, Jawahar Lal Nehru (d.1963) Abu Kalam Azad and many other. Abdul Ghaffar Khan,

among them was one of the most important and paradigmatic leader who emerged a dominated

political figure in the political history of North West Frontier Province under the British Raj as

well.

Even before its creations, the baraderi culture (kinship) and ethnic element remained a

dominate factors in the election campaign in history of Pakistan. However, 1937 elections

particularly in NWFP it seemed that voters preferred a candidate that had mutual similarities like

religion, social-economic position, and background. Although it is also a fact that on that

particularly election Muslim league was lost its confidence and one can imagined that a person

like Liaquat Ali Khan did not accept the League ticket 1 on that case the Indian National Congress

was the only main political player in that election.

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 Abdul Ghaffar Khan did not take part in the election campaign of 1937 as the British

government banned him as well as congress in NWFP because their civil disobedience

movement2 however, on his absence, his brother Dr. Khan participated in the election. Although

both of these brothers were failed to convince many important personalities as large number of

Khans stood as independent candidates. The leading one among them was Major Nawab Sir

Akbar Khan (Nawab of Hoti). Other prominent Khans standing for election were Nawab of Teri,

K.B Arbab Sher Ali Khan, Nawab Zada Nasrullah Khan, Nawabzada Allah Nawaz Khan and

Nawabzada Mohammad Said Khan. It was also a fact that the majority of the Khans did not liked

the Congress representation as well as constancy to the British, on the other hand, they were

unable to form any party of their own or to find some other form of cooperation during the

election campaign. On the towns level the lawyers including Malik Khuda Baksh and Pir Baksh

remained dominated figures during the election of 1937. They made their own political party

named, Independent Party.3 Although Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar and Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan

were also lawyers by profession but the former two were more important when we talking about

the election of 1937.

Hindu-Sikh Nationalist Party was another political party which took active part in that

election. Muslim league did not appointed any candidate in NWFP 4 while the most powerfull

party was the Frontier Congress of Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Frontier Congress enjoyed the full

support of Indian National Congress. Elections for a 50-member Provincial Assembly were held

in February 1937 while the total number of the voters were 179,529 and 36 seats were reserved

for the Muslims. Finally congress won 19 seats, Independent Muslims 21, Hindu-Sikh

Nationalist Party won seven seats, and Independent Hindu won only one seat, and Independent
2

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Party won two seats. Sir Abdul Qayyum formed his own party “United Nationalist Party”. The

elected 23 independent Muslim legislators grouped themselves into three parties: Progressive

Party headed by Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Khan, Hazara Democratic Party and Azad

Party in which rest of the Muslim and even some non-Muslims were included. These parties

allied with each other and formed the NWFP Ministry headed by Nawab Sir Sahibzada Abdul

Qayyum KhanIn NWFP, all the “progressive forces” united round the Congress. Sir Abdul

Qayyum Khan appointed Chief Minister, Malik Khuda Baksh appointed speaker while Rai

Bahadur Mehr Chand Khanna and Sadullah Khan as Ministers. Dr. Khan Sahib, the opposition

leader, with the help of Hindu-Sikh Nationalist Party and of Hazara Democratic Party, got

strength to put a No-Confidence Motion on 3 September 1937; it was passed by 27 votes to 21.

He formed a coalition government with Lala Banju Ram Gandhi, Qazi Atta Ullah Khan and

Muhammad Abbas Khan, who was a member of Democratic Party, the rest were Congress

nominees. In this way Frontier Congress successfully made their ministery in NWFP but Abdul

Ghaffar Khan did not accept any ministry5 this was because he concentrated fully on the Khudai

Khadamatgars.

In the end we can say that NWFP politics was turned into mature shape after 1930s but

Muslim due to its weak policies remained aloof and unstable due to the charismatic leadership of

Khan Brothers although Bacha Khan failed to get high majority in 1937 election but Dr. Khan

sahib finally made their ministry due to successful coalition.

GOVERNORS RULE IN NWFP 1939-1943

The World War II broke out in 1939. South Asian leadership especially the Indian national

Congress made a plan to make their homeland free from the foreign rule. It was before them, the

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golden chance as the British had not in a position to tackle such a huge population if on that very

time started to rise against them. Muslim League, however, did not show too much aggression as

it focused to attain popularity and revival within the Muslim. After the Second World War that

broke out in September 1939, Congress provinces including NWFP as well as their Frontier

Ministry, passing the anti-war resolution on 6 November, 1939 and presented its resignation. It

was all this just to pressurize the British Government. As Gandhi declared that it was the golden

time for swaraj as well. In this way governor rule was imposed in the province 11 November

1939. Sir George Cunningham was appointed its governor as well.

LAHORE RESOLUTION 1940 AND NWFP

Maulvi Fazl-ul-Haq, who was known as Sher-e-Bengal a very prominent leader and chief

Minister of Bengal, moved the famous Lahore Resolution. It was also the 27th Annual Session of

the Muslim League. The Resolution was seconded by Chaudhri Khaliq-uz-Zaman from UP,

Maulana Zafar Ali Khan from Punjab, Sardar Aurangzeb Khan from NWFP, Haji Sir Abdullah

Haroon from Sindh, Nawab Ismail Khan, Qazi Muhammad Isa Khan from Baluchistan, Mrs.

Muhammad Ali Jauhar from Bombay, I.I.Chundrigar and Dr.Muhammad Alam. Not only the

majority provinces but the Muslim Minority provinces also took active part in the Resolution.

Madras was represented by Abdul Hameed Khan, C.P. by the Abdul Rauf Shah and U.P. by

Syed Zakir Ali. The session started on 22nd March, 1940 and continued until 24th March. The

Resolution consisted of 400 words and four paragraphs and was presented in English by the

Chief Minister of Bengal, Maulvi Fazl-ul-Haque. Its Urdu translation was made by Maulana

Zafar Ali Khan. The Quaid-e-Azam delivered his speech in English for one hour and forty

minutes to 100,000 people from all over the Sub-Continent who had gathered for the occasion.
During the session, Mian Bashir Ahmed's famous poem "Millat Ka Pasban hay Muhammad Ali

Jinnah" was sung.

In that resolution Jinnah demanded that the Muslim-majority areas of India be made a

separate state when the British moved toward full independence for India. The Hindu majority

areas would, of course, become another separate state.

The Muslim Leaguers of NWFP fully participated in the Lahore Resolution and boosted

the moral of All India Muslim Leaguers who gathered in Lahore for the noble cause. When the

Lahore Resolution was passed and all delegations went back to their respective areas, the NWFP

contingent came back with a new enthusiasm. The NWFP Muslim Leaguers worked day and

night in every nook and corner of the Province and took the Muslim League’s message from

door to door. The Congress was sure that NWFP was under the control of the Khan Brothers. But

when Pandit Nehru, the external affairs and Common Wealth relations; minister of the interim

Government of India visited NWFP he himself realized that the Congress had lost the Province.

As everywhere he was received with black flags and anti-Congress 69 slogans, and even pelted

with stones, in spite of the fact that there was a Congress ministry in the Province. In1947

referendum, the people of NWFP voted in majority against the Congress ministry and

consequently a Muslim League ministry, under Abdul Qaiyum Khan, was formed and the

Congress Ministry of Dr. Khan Sahib was dismissed. If the Lahore Resolution had not been

passed, the fate of the sub-continent of Indian would have been quite different from the present

one.

Finally we can say it was Lahore resolution or Pakistan resolution which changed the

history of the Indo-Pak Subcontinent as well. The 27th session of league united its leadership on a
single theme and that was creation of a sovereign state. The NWFP leadership also go side by

side with Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The people of NWFP welcomed the demand of separate

homeland and proved their affiliation with Jinnah during the referendum when they casted 99%

in the favor of Jinnah’s Pakistan.

LEAGUES FIRST MINISTRY IN NWFP MAY 1943 MARCH 1945

Frontier Muslim League was founded in NWFP in 1912. But due to the lake of enthusiasm and

certain very important events including out broke of the First World War did not performed well.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah visited that province first time during 1936. Surprisingly said this that

only four hundred people received him also including the Hindus and the Sikhs. It is the

charismatic leadership of Jinnah that when he visited the same province after a decade almost

five lac people were waiting for him.

The League claimed to be the sole representative body of the Muslims while the non-

Muslim political forces did believe in the meagre support by Muslims for the League. On the

other hand, Congress leadership claimed a tremendous influence in the Sikh constituencies

therefore, any position could affect the Sikh position. The Congress sensed the time and “made

an all-out bid to divide the Sikhs to eliminate them as a forceful separate entity” but the Sikh

leadership could not learn the lesson. The Second World War broke out in September 1939. In

common with

the rest of the Congress provinces the Frontier Ministry, after passing the anti-war

Resolution on 6 November, 1939, tendered its resignation and governor rule was imposed

in November 1939.

George Cunningham the than governor of NWFP invited Sardar Aurangzeb to form a

league ministry. He was a famous NWFP league worker appointed as Chief Minister in that
Muslim League ministry with the help of twenty Muslim seats. Besides chief minister other

important minister in this ministry was Samin Jan Khan who was appointed as minister of

education and prison. On the other hand Indian National Congress had twenty-two seats but

unfortunately their almost twelve members were in prison. The rest of ten were unable to

compete Aurangzeb as there were only fifty seats were belonged to the NWFP constituency.

Saradar Aurangzeb, however, proved to the most corrupt and incompetent political leader in the

political history of NWFP. During his ministry of May 1943 to March 1945 famine was started

and the situation of starvation and hunger became out of control. On the other hand Aurangzeb

did not made any satisfactory measures to control the worse condition of the whole province.

People were started to raise slogans due to his very high level of corruption. At last he become so

notoriously popular that Jinnah compelled him for his resignation on March 1945.

In the end one can conclude that Muslim League had a good chance during its almost two

years of rule in NWPF to evolve its image. Paradoxically the league leadership in that period of

time created an image that was too bad and surprising. We can also say that it was the utmost

incompetency of Aurangzeb that Muslim League received a foremost defeat in the last election

of united India.

1945-46 ELECTIONS AND NWFP

The Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon separated NWFP from the Punjab in 1901 and named it as

the North West Frontier Province. The majority of its population was belong to Muslim faith,

while its people are more religious as compare to any other province of South Asia. After the end

of World War II in 1945, following the Simla Conference, the Viceroy Lord Wavell announced

that the Central and Provincial Legislature elections would be held in the winter of 1945-46, In

the elections of 1946, the Congress won a majority in the NWFP and formed her Ministry under
Dr. Khan Sahib. The Muslim League candidates were selected by the provincial Selection Board.

The President of the board was the Nawab of Mamdot from the League High Command but the

selection of candidates was in the hand of board convener.

Elections were held between 26 January and 14 February on the same franchise

qualifications as were laid down for 1937 election. The results of all constituencies were

announced by 18 February 1946. The Congress won an absolute majority, or in all 30 out of 50

seats. The Muslim League in this Muslim majority province disappointingly captured only

seventeen seats. In the Pakhtun dominated areas the Congress won almost all seats, whereas it

could not show its popularity in non Pakhtun areas. In D.I. Khan the Congress’s ally, the Jamiat-

ul-Ulema succeeded. Following table shows the distribution of the Muslim rural seats by

districts. All General and Sikhs seats except one went to the Congress. Seven out of nine general

seats were uncontested.

District Congress Muslim League Jamiat-ul-Ulema

Hazara - 1 8 0
Mardan 4 1 0
Peshawar 6 1 0
Bannu 2 2 0
D-I- Khan 1 1 2

Ghaffar Khan was very successful in articulating the Congress political philosophy in

Pakhtun society using the sentiments of Pakhto. As pakhto is the code of life of Pakhtun society

in which honour, dignity, spirituality, nationalism (here nationalism means Pakhtuns group

feelings) are the main ingredients. Pakhtuns possess hatred for all those who threaten their
Pakhto. So in all statements Ghaffar Khan projected Pakhto feelings in order to popularize the

Khudai Khidmatgar appeal.

However, the Muslim population did not appreciate the victory of a non-Muslim party.

During the crucial period, after the elections, Jawaharlal Nehru visited Peshawar and the Tribal

Areas. But his tour turned out far from successful. His reception in the province was quite cold.

The League workers staged demonstrations against him. “When Jawaharlal landed at 70 the

airport, he found thousands of Pathan massed there with black flags and shouting anti-slogans.

Dr. Khan Sahib and other Ministers who had to receive Jawaharlal were themselves under police

protection and proved complete ineffective. As Jawaharlal came out, slogans were raised against

him and some people in the mob wanted to attack his car. Dr. Khan Sahib was so worried that he

took out his revolver and threatened to shoot. Only under this threat did the crowd give way and

the cars had to come out under police escort.

DR. KHANS THIRD MINISTRY AND NWFP MARCH 1946

Abdul Jabbar Khan popularly known as Dr Khan Sahib was the elder brother of Abdul Ghaffar

Khan the later was known as Bacha Khan. He was born in 1883 in Utmanzai village of

Charsadda. Dr. Khan Sahib was among the pioneer freedom fighter leadership. He joined his

brother’s Khudai Khidmatgar (Red Shirt Movement), which later developed close contacts with

the Congress.  During 1935, he was elected as the NWFP's representative alongside Peer

Shahenshah of Jungle Khel Kohat to the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi. After 1937

elections, in the beginning Sir Abdul Qayyum formed the ministry, as the Congress Party refused

to accept office until they were allowed to use their special powers. In September 1937 when the

matter was finally settled, Dr. Khan Sahib formed the government after getting support of
Congress and some members from other groups. He became Chief Minister of N.W.F.P. three

times, first from 1937-39, then in 1943 and lastly in 1946 till he was dismissed on August 22,

1947 by the Governor George Cunningham on the advice of Quaid-i-Azam the than Governor

General of Pakistan.

Like 1937 election the League again performed very badly when we talking about NWFP

election 1946. It was because the charismatic leadership of Khan Brothers and more importantly

the conflict and rivalry within the league itself. Although later on the league retaliated this defeat

during referendum but Jinnah remained in tension due to their biggest loss in the last election of

united India. It was because in NWFP there was almost 93% population was belong to Islam

more ratio as compare to any other province of united India. Even Jinnah insulted the NWFP

leadership over their shameful performance.

However, his ministry did not show any well-organized policies toward their people did

not discussed their programmed neither with each other nor even with the party leadership. Such

inactive and indolent behavior proved to be very dangerous for him as well as his frontier

congress as well. The struggle was however against the Raj as well. There was no third force.

Those who were opposed to the Khudai Khidmatgars were those who had always supported the

British.

In the end we can demonstrate that Muslim league did not achieve much even in the last

election of united India when we talk about NWFP. Although it was a Muslim majority province

but due to certain clashes within the league leadership and Bacha khan’s much popular

personality proved to be the main hurdle in the way of its progress. Dr khan sahib did not try to
improve the provincial socio-economic as well as educational and administrative set up that is

why he did met a decisive defeat in the referendum.

THIRD JUNE PLAN 1947

3rd June plan was basically a division plan of the British India. The British tried their utmost to

hand over power to the Indian National Congress and avoid to divide Hindustan into two parts.

The charismatic leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah however, curtail all their efforts and they

finally prepared a divide plan known as 3rd June plan in the history of Indo-Pak Subcontinent as

well.

The 3rd June plan was not very bad if Nehru and his Congress did not distort it. When

Mountbatten shown the plan approved by the British government at Whitehall he did not

appreciate it and force Mountbatten to make several changes in it. 6 Paradoxically the Muslim

leadership had not such cordial relation with the viceroy as the congress have had. On the other

hand Mountbatten had a high hope that he will be appointed a mutual governor 7 General or the

head of the both sovereign states when Jinnah rejected his claim he, like congress leadership,

also tried to damage the map of newly born country.

On the reaction of Nehru, Mountbatten asked V.P Menon to prepare another plan as early

as possible as he already called a meeting of parties leaders to take their viewpoint on that

particular plan. Thus V.P Menon, with only four hours prepared a new plan and submitted to

Mountbatten, the latter presented to Nehru and now he shown his satisfaction on it because it

was totally neglect the Muslim interest as well.

However the main theme of the plan is as under. The existing Constituent Assembly

would continue to function but any constitution framed by it could not apply to those parts of the

6
Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Struggle for Pakistan. Karach: University of Karachi, 1965. P. 247-48.
7
Ibid. 252.
country which were unwilling to accept it. The procedure outlined in the statement was designed

to ascertain the wishes of such unwilling parts on the question whether their constitution was to

be framed by the existing Constituent Assembly or by a new and separate Constituent Assembly.

After this had been done, it would be possible to determine the authority or authorities to whom

power should be transferred. The Provincial Legislative Assemblies of Bengal and the Punjab

(excluding the European members) will therefore each be asked to meet in two parts, one

representing the Muslim majority districts and the other the rest of the Province.

The members of the two parts of each Legislative Assembly sitting separately will be

empowered to vote whether or not the Province should be partitioned. If a simple majority of

either part decides in favour of partition, division will take place and arrangements will be made

accordingly. For the immediate purpose of deciding on the issue of partition, the members of the

Legislative Assemblies of Bengal and the Punjab will sit in two parts according to Muslim

majority districts and non-Muslim majority districts. This is only a preliminary step of a purely

temporary nature as it is evident that for the purposes of final partition of these Provinces

detailed investigation of boundary questions will be needed; and, as soon as a decision involving

partition has been taken for either Province, a Boundary Commission will be set up by the

Governor General, the membership and terms of reference of which will be settled in

consultation with those concerned. Moreover, it was stated that the Legislative Assembly of

Sindh was similarly authorized to decide at a special meeting whether the province wished to

participate in the existing Constituent Assembly or to join the new one. If the partition of the

Punjab was decided, a referendum would be held in the North-West Frontier Province to

ascertain which Constituent Assembly they wished to join. Baluchistan would also be given an
opportunity to reconsider its position and the Governor General was examining how this could

be most appropriately done.

In the end we can say that due to the shortsightedness and partiality of Mounbatten the

newly born country suffered much more but it was Jinnah who proved to be a hero for the Indian

Muslim and tried to resolve all issues and problem created by his rival. 3 rd June plan is totally

against the League interest but Jinnah had not any option but to accept it.

REFRENDUM IN NWFP JULY 1947

According to Abu Kalam Azad when Indian National Congress accepted the 3rd June Plan

Abdul Ghaffar Khan was so much surprised that for a movement he was unable to speak a single

word8. It was a biggest treachery that done by congress leadership. Paradoxically, Gandhi, at the

last movement assured him for the utmost support of Indian National Congress. Abdul Ghaffar

Khan had no option but to accept the plan.

With the full moral and financial support of Indian National Congress, Abdul Ghaffar

Khan declared that he was going to establish a separate state of NWFP with a name of

Pathanistan which will be an independent state of all Pathans. He boycotted the upcoming

referendum. On the other hand Muhammad Ali Jinnah started to activate his team to win the

referendum. Jinnah and his team played so well that they made outclass the legendary Pashtun

hero Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

The Red shirts held public meetings and urged the people not to vote for Pakistan and

urged them to demand for the holding of referendum on the question of Pakistan or Puktoonistan.

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The poets sang anti-referendum poems. The League started its pro-referendum campaign in favor

of Pakistan, Quaid Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah appointed a committee to plan for the

campaign. The committee included Pir of Manki, I.I. Chundrigar, Ghazanfar Ali Khan and Sayed

Wajid Ali. Muslim League leaders and Muslim students from Oligarch Muslim University,

Islamic College Peshawar and other institutions spread in the length and breadth of the province.

The Referendum Commissioner Brig. J.R Booth announced that two boxes, one red and

other green, will be placed in the polling stations. Of these boxes, the green was for the Pro-

Pakistan vote and the red box was for the Pro-Hindustan votes. 

The Referendum started on 20 July and was completed in ten days. The turnout was 50.11

percent as out of the total 572799 electorate 292118 cast their votes. Of these, 289244 votes were

cast in favor of Pakistan and 2874 went to red boxes. Thus of the polled votes Pakistan got 99.02

percent while India got only 0.98 percent.

At the end we can conclude that it was the great leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and

full trust of his people upon him, he and his team got a very clear victory Abdul Ghaffar Khan

although did not expecting such a great victory, however, his red shirts did not accept the result

and blamed that League did a very high level of ragging as well.