BRIEF HISTORY
The
Dominion of Pakistan came into being with the lapse of
British rule on the Indian sub-continent at midnight on
the 14th of August 1947. Twelve princely states in
western India acceded to the Dominion according to the
formular devised by the British. There were no Muslim
princely states in Eastern India.
Over time, the princely states were amalgamated into
larger federations and provinces. This process culminated
in the establishment of two large provinces, East and
West Pakistan. Most of the princely states in the western
part of the country merged into the Province of West
Pakistan on the 14th of October 1955. The country was
declared a republic within a year.
Although some of the frontier states continued to be
administered as separate units, these were eliminated in
1971. The styles and titles enjoyed by the former ruling
families ceased to be officially recognised by the
Government of Pakistan in January 1972. However, most of
the former ruling families continue to exercise
considerable influence, as well as, political and
economic power.
The gun salutes enjoyed by the states that acceded to
Pakistan, and as a consequence the precedence of their
rulers, were as follows in 1968:
Rulers of Salute States (Group I):
Hereditary salutes of 19-guns:
H.H. the Amir of Bahawalpur.
H.H. the Khan of Kalat.
Hereditary salute of 15-guns:
H.H. the Mir of Khairpur.
H.H. the Wali of Swat.
H.H. the The Nawab of Dir.
Hereditary salute of 13-guns:
H.H. the Nawab of Junagadh
Hereditary salute of 11-guns:
H.H. the Mehtar of Chitral.
Rulers without gun-salutes (Group II):
The Nawab of Amb.
The Jam of Las Bela.
The Ruler of Mekran.
The Nawab of Kharan.
The Khan of Manavadar.
Rulers without gun-salutes (Group III):
The Mir of Hunza.
The Mir of Nagar.
Copyright©Christopher Buyers, June 2002 - Augus 2018