The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar

in Pre and Post-Partition Eras:

An Analysis

Altaf Ullah
Khalid Mahmood

ABSTRACT

Epoch making sages and personages appeared on the

Indian political scene at the turn of twentieth century not only
enjoyed great influence on the hearts and minds of the
people, but also exercised decisive command on the
movement and direction of history. Quaid-i-Azam, Ghandi,
Jawaharlal Nehru, Liaquat Ali Khan and Sardar Abdur Rab
Nishtar represented a great response of Indian masses to
the challenge of colonial servitude and subjugation. Their
roles as men’s leaders, freedom fighters, political organizers
and statesmen formed a paramount part of that age. In all
the above mentioned capacities, they could be placed in a
significant position and rightly deserve special place in
history without which the stories of freedom movement may
be deemed incomplete. Nishtar was one of those
personalities who played their due role for the socio-
economic and political uplift of the Muslims not only prior to
the partition of subcontinent but also after the creation of
Pakistan he served the nation for a considerable span of

 Senior Research Fellow, NIHCR, QAU, Islamabad.

 Lecturer, Department of Pakistan, Studies, Allama Iqbal Open, University,
Islamabad.
176 Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XLI, No. 2, 2020

time. The present study, however, pinpoints the efforts and

contribution of Nishtar and critically evaluates his role and
political career both in the pre and post-partition periods.
Introduction
Prior to the partition, the social, economic and political
condition of the Indian Muslims was miserable. On the one
hand, they were exploited by the Imperialist policies of
British, while on the other; they were encircled by a powerful
Hindu majority who had their own line of action regarding the
independence of Indian subcontinent. The wise leadership
and intelligentsia of Hindu community remained efficacious
in bridging the gulf between the Hindus and the British
government immediately after the War of Independence.
Hence, they benefited from the British government which
pushed them towards economic well-being and political
awareness. The 1857 War of Independence consequently
changed the political scenario of India. The British ascended
the Indian throne and the direct British rule was imposed.
The East India Company ceased to exist from the day the
British Crown took over the political reign of India. The War
of Independence had amply manifested the temper and tone
of the local people to the new rulers who had though realized
that it was no more possible to keep away the natives from
the affairs of the country yet they were still reluctant to hand
over power to them. It was really the political leaders and
reformists of the Muslim community of India who took the
responsibility to make the Muslims community politically
aware in order not to be exploited by the other communities
of the subcontinent. Like the leaders of the other provinces,
a host of political leaders from the North West Frontier
Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) took active part under
the dynamic leadership of Quaid-i-Azam for the achievement
of Pakistan. Among those was Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar
who proved himself worthy of the Quaid’s confidence.
Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar was born in Peshawar on June
13, 1899 in Mohalla Rampura, Kocha Kakran. His father
Abdul Hannan was a prominent figure of the Afghan tribe,
The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar 177

Kakar who opposed the British government.1 He completed

his early education in Mission High School and later in
Sanatan Dharram High School Peshawar. He completed his
B.A. from the University of Punjab and then was sent to the
Aligarh Muslim University from where he got the degree of
Bachelor in Law. The Aligarh Muslim University proved to be
the breeding ground for the Indian Muslim political leaders of
the All-India Muslim League in the post-1857 War era and
also the source of inspiration of the leaders of League.
Besides studies, Nishtar had the opportunities of meeting
Maulana Jauhar and other leaders of the Khilafat Movement.
He had been trained and prepared by this great institution of
learning to take active part in the freedom struggle for the
Muslims.
The Role of Nishtar in Pre-Partition Era
Nishtar’s active political career started from the hectic
Khilafat days when he started participating in Khilafat
Movement. He could not tolerate to see the Muslim
community of India to be bifurcated in groups as he knew
that such sort of fiction would divide the socio-political power
of the Muslims. That strong spirit of support and sympathy
for them led him to join the Khilafat Movement and strived for
the unification of Muslim community across India.2 In 1929,
he joined the Indian National Congress (INC) and was one of
the founding members of the Provincial Congress
Committee.3 Almost the whole region of the NWFP at that
time was dominated by the Congress, the then leading
political organization of India while the All-India Muslim
League was not so organized and influential. Jinnah’s
absence also gave a setback to it as many Muslims joined
the Congress due to the lack of sound leadership in the
League. The Congress tried to show that it was the only

1 Syed Mujawar Hussain Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar: A Political

Biography (Lahore: Qadria Books, 1985), 3-4.
2 Daily The Nation, Islamabad, 13 June 2010, Azeem Ali, “Remembering
Abdur Rab Nishtar”.
3 Daily Dawn, December 30, 2006, Sharif al Mujahid, “Sardar Abdur Rab
Nishtar: An Appreciation”.
178 Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XLI, No. 2, 2020

political organization of representing all the people of India.

The League in NWFP was not well-organized due to the
local political rivalries and factions among the Provincial
League. On the other hand, the Congress was influential
enough having a strong representative in the person of Khan
Abdul Ghafar Khan.
Nishtar was a keen observer of matters and always
remained a man of practice. When he perceived that the
Congress was serving only the Hindu cause, he put his
resignation to the Congress, stating, “Separation from the All
India National Congress was because of the fact that I had
known that Hindus were prejudiced against the Muslims and
would never be sincere to them. The success of Indian
National Congress in the freedom movement would mean
that the Muslims getting them unchained from the British
should enslave themselves to the Hindus.”4
It was actually the Khilafat Movement that motivated Nishtar
to concentrate wholeheartedly on politics. At the outbreak of
the Movement, the young Nishtar at the age of 20 started
composing verses, which expressed his attachment with the
Khilafat Movement. The movement for extension of
constitutional reforms to the NWFP, Rangila Rasool
Agitation, movement for induction of elected representatives
of the people to the local bodies of NWFP and agitation
against Simon Commission added new dimensions to the
politics of NWFP. Nishtar participated in all these
movements under the banner of Local Khilafat Committee. In
one of the gatherings in Peshawar City, he moved the
following resolution:
This meeting of the citizens of Peshawar strongly protests
against the proposed address to be presented to the viceroy on
behalf of the Municipal Committee of Peshawar for its omission

4 Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, Muslim League in NWFP (Karachi: Royal Book
Company, 1992), 33.
The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar 179

in full or in part of the aspirations of the Frontier people for the

extension of the reforms scheme to NWFP.”5
During 1929-38, Nishtar was involved with the local bodies in
Peshawar. In the first local bodies elections held in
November 1929, Nishtar contested the election from Ward
No. 5 Peshawar City and stood successful. He served his
people as Municipal Commissioner till the end of 1938. The
1935 Government of India Act provided for the first general
elections in India. Nishtar contested the election as an
independent candidate and elected to the provincial
legislature of NWFP. The Quaid sent him a letter when he
became member of the assembly:
Dear Mr. Nishtar,
Many thanks for your letter of the 11th August. Yes I know that
you have been returned to the assembly. Let me congratulate
you for it. I am in Delhi till the 21st March and shall be very glad
to see you if you happen to be in Delhi.6
Nishtar had formally joined the League in 1936 as he wrote
the Quaid, “In 1936, I was taken on the council of the
League and since then I have been formally connected with
it.”7 On the invitation of Jinnah, Nishtar participated in the
twenty sixth Annual Session of All India Muslim League,
which was held at Patna.
Being an independent candidate in the provincial assembly,
Nishtar not only took part in the assembly proceedings but
also freely expressed his views on different legislative
matters. He was the first one to move the NWFP Repealing
and Amending Bill 1937 in the Assembly. The bill was meant
to curtail the power of feudal class in the administration of
the state affairs. The bill was presented in the NWFP
Legislature with the object of amending and repealing certain

5 Naushad Khan, “Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar”, In Celebrities of NWFP Vol. I &
II, ed., Parvez Khan Toru and Fazal-ur-Rahim Marwat (Peshawar: Pakistan
Study Center, University of Peshawar, 2005), 151.
6 Khan, “Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar,”154.
7 Khan, “Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar,”155.
180 Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XLI, No. 2, 2020

feudal power by bringing it into the consideration of the

Governor General.8
The status of Provincial Muslim League was not remarkable
till 1937. Mr. Jinnah though accepted the League’s defeat in
the provincial elections of 1937 yet since then the Muslim
League had won every by-election and the Quaid was
confident enough that if the general elections were held in
this province, the League would succeed. The Frontier
League was formally affiliated with its central organization
(AIML) on April 17, 1938 at Culcutta Session of the League
in which Ziauddin moved a resolution urging upon the
Muslims of India to take special steps to combat the
Congress anti-Muslim activities in the NWFP. That session
was attended by a large number of prominent figures of the
province. The Quaid also promised due assistance to be
provided to the League in Frontier.9
When the Congress Ministry in NWFP resigned on
November 7, 1939, it created a favourable situation for the
League in NWFP. The then Governor of the province invited
Sardar Aurangzeb Khan10 to form the ministry. Aurangzab,
however, was in trouble as he could not command a majority
in the assembly.11 He asked Nishtar (who was then an
independent candidate) to join the ministry, but Nishtar was
not in favour of forming a ministry with the help of Hindu-Sikh
Nationalists. He knew that such a ministry would meet the

8 National Archives of India, Home Political NA-1937, NA-F-13-3-37.

9 Riaz Ahmad, ed., Papers Presented at the Three Days International
Conference on All India Muslim League (1906-1947), 18-20 December
2006 (Islamabad) Vol. I (Islamabad: National Institute of Historical and
Cultural Research, Quaid-i-Azam University, 2006), 176.
10 Sardar Mohammad Aurangzeb Khan pertained to a famous Pakhtun tribe
“Gandapur” of Dera Ismail Khan. He was born in a Zamindar family and got
his early education in Karachi and Dera Ismail Khan and then went to
Peshawar where he completed his B.A. from Missionary College. He
obtained his L.L.B. degree from Aligarh University where he was the
President of Muslim Student Union. He started his legal practice at
Peshawar and remained in close contact with Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayum
Khan. He formed the first Muslim League Ministry in NWFP during 1943-45.
11 Riaz Ahmad, Papers Presented at the Three Days International Conference
on All India Muslim League, 176.
The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar 181

same fate as that of Sir Qayum. According to Nishtar, “I

opposed the idea of forming a Muslim League Ministry
because of the unfavourable circumstances like high prices
and shortage of food and cloth etc.”12 However, Nishtar was
convinced by Aurangzeb to join the ministry. Thus on May
23, 1943 the Muslim League Ministry in NWFP was sworn in
with Sardar Aurangzeb Khan as Chief Minister. His cabinet
was consisted of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, M. Samin Jan,
Abdur Rehman Khan and Sardar Ajit Singh. The portfolio of
Finance was handed over to Nishtar.
It was the first Muslim League Ministry in NWFP which
started functioning under the premiership of Aurangzeb
Khan. The Muslim League got rid of the Congress rule. The
formation of this ministry was regarded as a new ray of hope
for the Muslims of India in general and for the Muslims of the
NWFP in particular. The Congress blamed the authorities of
conspiring against the people of province by installing the
League ministry without popular support. Though the
formation of this ministry was an extraordinary achievement
in the political career of the Provincial League but it could
work only for about two and a half years. The failure of this
ministry had already been predicted by Nishtar which proved
his deep foresightedness and insight.
In 1944 when the struggle of League entered into its decisive
phase, Nishtar was appointed as member of the AIML
Working and Planning Committees.13 The Quaid himself
chose him to represent the AIML at the Second Simla
Conference 1946 and the June 3, 1947 Leader’s Conference
with Viceroy on partition plan. On October 14, 1946 the
Quaid nominated him for the Interim Government in India on
behalf of the League. In the interim set up he was given the
portfolios i.e. Post and Air. Indeed Nishtar constantly
remained on various responsible positions throughout his
life. He made it clear that Pakistan would be a permanent,
independent state with no possibility of future or union with

12 Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar: A Political Biography, 104.

13 Khan, “Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar”, In Celebrities of NWFP, 155.
182 Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XLI, No. 2, 2020

India. The myth of United India was ultimately exposed when

the political mission of Muslim League reached to its logical
consequence in the shape of two separate states i.e.
Pakistan and India.
Role of Nishtar after the Creation of Pakistan
Nishtar did not abandon his political struggle rather he
accelerated his activities to serve the nation more. In the
initial phase it was necessary for the country to have a
government consisting of veteran statesmen and
experienced administrators in order to face the new
challenges. The Quaid, who had become the first Governor
General of Pakistan, had to choose members for the cabinet
from amongst those whom he considered competent to steer
the ship of the country skilfully through the hot waters. In the
meanwhile, Nishtar was taken as communication minister in
the first cabinet headed by Liaquat Ali Khan.14
After the commencement of Pakistan, one of the mega
projects was framing of future constitution of the country.
During the first meeting of the Assembly Sardar Nishtar
moved a resolution proposing special rule for the election of
the president of the Constituent Assembly. With a minor
amendment proposed by Mr. Dhirendra Nath Datta, rules
indicated by Nishtar were adopted by the Assembly. Nishtar
also proposed to appoint a committee consisting of a
chairman to be nominated by the president of the Assembly
to report on the rules of procedure of the assembly, powers
of the president and procedure for declaration and filling of
vacancies in the assembly. The resolution of Nishtar was
adopted by the assembly without any amendment.15 It
demonstrates Nishtar’s interest in the procedural formalities

14 The swearing-in ceremony of the cabinet members took place on August

15, 1947 and the Governor General, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
administered the oath. Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar: A Political
Biography, 162. See also, Jamil-ud-Din Ahmed, Quaid-i-Azam as Seen by
his Contemporaries (Karachi: United Publishers, 1976), 240.
15 The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held in the Assembly
Chamber, Karachi, on Sunday, August 10, 1947. Government of Pakistan,
Constituent Assembly of Pakistan Debates, Karachi, August 10-14, 1947.
The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar 183

before some matters were to be initiated. Indeed, he

believed that everything should be decided in the light of
certain principles and one should not implement policies
without making the plans.16
Due to his honesty, Nishtar was appointed as chairman of
the committee that had to submit its report on the matters
related to minorities. Besides his preoccupation with so
many hectic tasks, he had to divert his attention towards
other matters as well. During September 1947, communal
riots took place in East Punjab on a large scale. Nishtar and
Liaquat Ali Khan visited Gujranwala, Sialkot, Ferozpur,
Jullundar, Moga and Ludhiana and tried to create amicable
atmosphere.17
As Jinnah proceeded to Quetta in May 1948 due to his
severe illness, a committee of twelve persons was
constituted to perform the duties of the President of the
Constituent Assembly. Nishtar was also appointed as
member of the said committee. On the death of Quaid-i-
Azam, Nishtar expressed his condolence in these words:
“The father of our nation, the founder of our dear infant state
is no more in our midst. That is an event too tragic for words.
He was one of the greatest contemporaries and the greatest
among the Muslims of his age. Our nation was much
fortunate to have the Quaid-i-Azam period in our history.
Though not physically present, the Quaid-i-Azam’s spirit will
constantly inspire us to serve the state more than ever and
to complete the task of building up Pakistan. We feel so
helpless, almost like orphans, yet in the hour of our greatest
loss and deepest grief, let me remind the nation that our

16 Liaquat Ali Khan moved that a committee consisting of the president and 15
members be appointed to advise the Assembly on fundamental rights of
citizens of Pakistan and on matters relating to the minorities with power to
the president to nominate not more than seven members who need not be
members of the Constituent Assembly. Nishtar was included in this
committee. The committee was subdivided into two committees, to report
on the matters relating to the minorities. Sir Zafrullah Khan and Nishtar
became the chairmen of the committees respectively. Shah, Sardar Abdur
Rab Nishtar: A Political Biography, 164.
17 Mohammad Haneef Shahid, Quaid-i-Azam ke Dast-e-Rast, [Urdu: Right
Hand of Quaid-i-Azam], (Lahore: United Publishers, 1976), 4.
184 Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XLI, No. 2, 2020

Quaid-i-Azam never faltered in the darkest hour of our

struggle. As his humble followers we should also bear this
sudden calamity with fortitude and strive hard for the
attainment of the goal that he set before us. This is the best
way to pay our homage to our departed leader. Let us not
forget the great motto of Unity, Faith and Discipline which
the Quaid-i-Azam gave us”.18
Nishtar believed that framing of a constitution was one of the
most sacred duties of the Constituent Assembly. He clarified
the beginning of the preamble of the Objective Resolution to
those who opposed it. He was of the view that the sentence
“the authority which He has delegated to the State of
Pakistan through its people for being exercise within the
limits prescribed by Him”19 means that “Pakistan does not
believe in a chaotic land, a land where there is no
government, where there is anarchy – Islam believes in an
organized existence – and therefore, when we say in this
Resolution that authority has been conferred upon the
people but to be exercised by the people through their own
organized will and in an organized manner.”20
Nishtar believed in a society based upon the Islamic
principles of freedom, equality and social justice for the
Muslims and non-Muslims, believers and non-believers, men
and women, poor and rich. He thought that the constitution
of Pakistan should not only be framed but practiced in order
to foster socio-economic and political stability. He held a firm
conviction that the constitution of Pakistan based on Islamic
principles would succeed and prove a panacea to the
ailments which the world was suffering from. He appealed to

18 Ahmed, Quaid-i-Azam as Seen by his Contemporaries (Karachi: United

Publishers, 1976), 241. Also see; Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar: A
Political Biography, 168.
19 "Whereas sovereignty over the entire universe belongs to Allah Almighty
alone and the authority which He has delegated to the State of Pakistan,
through its people for being exercised within the limits prescribed by Him is
a sacred trust". Government of Pakistan, Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
Debates, Official Report Vol. V, Karachi, 07-12 March, 1949, 1.
20 Government of Pakistan, Constituent Assembly of Pakistan Debates,
Official Report Vol. V, Karachi, 07-10 March, 1949, 56-63. See also, Shah,
Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar: A Political Biography, 170.
The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar 185

the Muslim members of Constituent Assembly, “If my non-

Muslim friends do not believe in these principles (Islamic
principles) as a matter of faith, accept them on the basis of
reason. If you are not ashamed of borrowing phrases from
Abraham Lincoln, if you are not ashamed of quoting from
Marx, Lenin, Rousseau and others, why should you be
ashamed of borrowing something form Islam.”21
The situation in Punjab became fragile during August 1949
that eventually led to the imposition of governor raj. Nishtar
succeeded Sir Francis Mudie as the first Muslim governor of
the Punjab province on August 2, 1949. Though the
prevailing situation at that time was much crucial but he was
hopeful of solving the problems of the province. He kept a
direct contact with the general masses and major
stakeholders of the province for the sake of socio-political
cohesion and unification. He made a stirring call to the
people to help him in the sacred task of uniting the different
groups of people in order to bridge the gulf among them.
Such an unprecedented approach on behalf of Nishtar
demonstrates that he considered himself to be the servant of
the people and he knew that without the cooperation of the
general public it would be very difficult to resolve the
problems the province was facing that time. He disliked
factional rivalries and believed in unity, which in his view was
necessary for the well-being of the country in general and
the province in particular.22

21 Nishtar opposed all the amendments proposed by Mr. Prem Hari Barma,
Mr. Sris Chundra Chattopadyaya and Mr. Mohammad Iftikharuddin to the
Objective Resolution presented by Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan. Nishtar’s
contribution for Islam was admirable. He considered the success of the
Objective Resolution one of the great deeds of his life. When there was a
controversy in the Assembly that the head of the State of Pakistan should
be Muslim or non-Muslim, it was due to the courageous efforts of Nishtar
that made it essential for the president of the state to be a Muslim. Civil and
Military Gazette, Karachi, August 2, 1949, 1. See also; Shah, Sardar Abdur
Rab Nishtar: A Political Biography, 170-171.
22 While referring to the adverse prevailing situation in the Punjab, Nishtar
declared, “Unfortunately the situation in Punjab province had deteriorated to
a great extent. The Assembly and Ministry of the province had ceased to
exist and Muslim League had also been divided into many groups. There
186 Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XLI, No. 2, 2020

Indeed, the province was encircled by so many problems

which needed immediate attention and proper surveillance.
The foremost among them was the rehabilitation of refugees.
Nishtar insisted that proper attention should be diverted to
the well-being of refugees and he gave more time to the
problems of refugees during his governorship. He
considered refugees as one of the strongest forces during
the freedom movement. He was aware of the fact that if
considerable heed was not paid to their problems, the anti-
state elements would exploit the issue and would make the
refugees play havoc. Nishtar advised the masses that there
should be no distinction between refugees and non-
refugees. He warned the refugees against indulging in party
squabbles and asked them to extend their fullest cooperation
to the fellow people to live amicably. He wished that peace
should prevail in every corner of the province.23
While eradicating the palpable chances of corruption from
the province he established an anti-corruption department in
the Punjab province under the home secretary, who was
directly responsible to the governor. Moreover, he had all
sympathies for the tenants. A large number of tenants were
ejected by the land-lords in certain areas of the province.
Nishtar enforced a law stropping the ejectment of the
tenants.
Nishtar was in favour of establishing a representative
government in the Punjab. He made his efforts in this
connection and strived to bring unity among the people and

were a large number of refugees in the province and it had become a home
of economic, political and social problems. I told the Prime Minister that the
province had so many problems and whoever went here would bring bad
name for him. But he advised me to accept this assignment. I took over as
Governor of the Punjab with a view to save this province as its further
decline could be dangerous for Pakistan”. Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar:
A Political Biography, 171. Also see, Agha Masood Hussain, Azadi ki
Kahani Meeri Zabani, [Urdu: Story of Freedom by me], (Lahore: Sang-e-
Meel Publications, 1976), 175-176.
23 Daily Dawn, Karachi, 01 November, 1949. See also, The Daily Gazette,
Karachi, November 01, 1949, 1. See also, Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar:
A Political Biography, 174.
The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar 187

prepare them for the elections of the provincial assembly. An

enquiry was conducted against those members of the
legislative assembly who were allegedly corrupt. He knew
that there were some anti-state elements which were playing
in the hands of enemy and were trying to create
disturbances in the province. For an effective control of
‘gundas’, he insisted the central government for the
implementation of ‘Gunda Act’24 in the Punjab. When the
general atmosphere of the province became little bit normal,
the elections for the provincial assembly were held in March
1953. Nishtar had given a stern warning to all the
government servants not to interfere in the elections and
advised them to remain impartial. The elections were held on
adult franchise basis for the first time in the province and the
Muslim League won an overwhelming majority. Although
some reports of malpractices were received from some of
the constituencies yet no politician held the governor
responsible for such allegations.25
In the aftermath of the Liaquat Ali Khan’s assassination,
Khawaja Nazimuddin formed the cabinet. As no one could
question the honesty and patriotism of Nishtar, again his
services were requisitioned by the central government and
he, in the new cabinet, was given the portfolio of industries.
He wished that industries in the country should be promoted
to such an extent that the country could become self-
sufficient in every walk of life in the coming days. He was
very eager in the development and promotion of coal mines
in Balochistan and Punjab. He deputed experienced
surveyors to submit a comprehensive report on the coal
bearing regions in both the provinces. He insisted upon the
adoption of proper measures to safeguard against the
extensive damage of coal mines in Balochistan. He deemed

24 For strict legal action against gunda elements indulging in illegal acts like
bootlegging, gambling, cow slaughter, dealings in narcotic substances,
human trafficking, sexual harassment of children, spurious drugs
manufacturing, land grabbing, usury, kidnapping, selling illegal weapons,
etc., this Act was implemented. For details of the Act see, The Punjab
Control of Gunda Act, 1959.
25 Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar: A Political Biography, 178.
188 Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XLI, No. 2, 2020

that if the scientists of the country work honestly, they could

play a vital role in the development of industries and in the
proper utilization of natural resources. He believed that
factories should not be established with the sole object of
earning more money by a few investors, but the workers who
produce this wealth should also be given a proper share in
the dividends and be provided with all amenities. To him, the
trouble of the industrialists and workers was that a
discontented labour was always pitched against the
management. He insisted that there should be cordial
relations between the workers and industrialists and advised
both of them for mutual cooperation because it would
eventually lead the country towards progress and
prosperity.26
He strongly opposed the dismissal of Nazimuddin’s cabinet
and termed this act as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
He expressed in his poetical language as “bas itni khata per
rahbari cheeni gayee hum say, kay hum say qafilay manzil
pay lutwayay nahi jatay, [Urdu: the leadership was snatched
away from us merely on the ground that we can not abandon
the masses at the mercy of dacoits], and nairangeay siyasat-
i-dauran to dekhiyay, manzil unheeh mili jo shareek-i-safar
na thay, [Urdu: look at the irony of contemporary politics,
those who shunned the caravan, have reached the
destination].”27 He had also a strong affection with poetry
and since his school days he took the pen name of ‘Nishtar’.
He was inspired from Akbar Allahabadi who for three years
corrected Nishtar's poetry. Although most of his early poetry
was lost in a house fire yet he wrote in a typical devotional
style of the time. Occasionally, he wrote to shake the
slumbering Muslim masses from their lethargy and

26 Nishtar as Minister for Industries directed the Industrial Finance

Corporation, Government of Pakistan to extend its support to the private
companies and individual industrialists. It was due to his efforts that
Finance Development Corporation of Pakistan also installed some
industries in the country. Shah, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar: A Political
Biography, 180.
27 Daily Dawn, December 30, 2006.
The Role of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar 189

complacency. In some of his poems there is an echo of Iqbal

as well.
During his tenure as president of the Pakistan Muslim
League (1956-58) he took the responsibility to infuse a new
life in this political organization. He organized, reactivated
and transformed it into a live organization and remained its
president till his death. He died on February 14, 1958 in
Karachi due to heart failure. Nishtar Medical College in
Multan, Nishtar Park in Karachi, Nishtar Hall and Nishtar
Abad (a town) in Peshawar are named after him.
Conclusion
To sum up, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar’s role both in the pre-
partition period and after the creation of Pakistan was unique and
unprecedented. His services, contribution and political struggle
were duly acknowledged by Jinnah himself. He was a camp
follower of the All-India Muslim League and never dissociated
himself from the fold of the League once he joined it. He occupied
a place of eminence in the history of Pakistan. He was one of the
top ranking leaders of the freedom movement. He plunged into
politics since the Khilafat days and his socio-political activities
helped him in formulating his ideas and his career as a noble and
honoured person. His life was an unremitting service to this
people and to his country. He associated himself first with
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar and then with the Indian National
Congress, not for his individual purpose but for the sake of his co-
religionists. However, soon he realized that the INC was
promoting mostly the interests of Hindu community and thus he
separated himself from it and worked independently for the
betterment of his people. He joined the All-India Muslim League in
1937 when it was reorganized under the leadership of Quaid-i-
Azam and till his demise he worked for the Muslim cause under
the umbrella of League. With same energy and will, Nishtar
served his nation when Pakistan appeared on the world map as
an independent state. When he died, on that day the flags were
flown at half-mast on all the state buildings as a mark of respect to
the great leader.