Allah Bux Soomro
Encyclopedia
Allah Bux Muhammad Umar Soomro (1900- d. May 14, 1943) , (Khan Bahadur Sir Allah Bux Muhammad Umar Soomro OBE
till September 1942) or Allah Baksh Soomro, was a zamindar
, government contractor, Indian independence activist and politician
from the province of Sindh
in British India. He is considered to be amongst the best premiers of the province. He was referred to as Shaheed or "martyr
".
Allah Bux Soomro was born in 1900 in Shikarpur in the Bombay Presidency
in an affluent family. He founded the Sind Ittehad Party and served as the Chief Minister of Sindh
from March 23, 1938 to April 18, 1940 and March 7, 1941 to October 14, 1942. He was assassinated, allegedly by Muslim extremists, in 1943. His son Rahim Bux Soomro
was also a politician in pre-partition India and later, Pakistan. His nephew, Elahi Bux Soomro
was the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan
and is a Veteran Politician
Allah Bux Soomro was a Gandhian and patronized khadi
. He was also noted for his simplicity.
Rajputs. He completed his matriculation examinations in 1918 and joined his father's contact business. He joined politics at an early age and was elected to the Jacobabad
municipality
.
Soon after taking over as Premier, Soomro overruled the banishment
of Ubaidullah Sindhi
, thereby allowing him to return to his homeland. He reduced the salary of ministers to Rs.500 per month and prohibited the practice of nominating members to local bodies.
Soomro also introduced reforms in religion. In 1938, he prohibited Ziwal-Haj. He also banned the Om Mandali, predecessor of the Brahma Kumari organisation.
Manzilgah was the name of a couple of old buildings near the Sadh Belo temple
in Sukkur
which were used as a government godown. It was variously claimed to be a mosque
and an inn. The Hindus opposed Muslim claims that the building was a mosque as the presence of a mosque so close to a Hindu temple would trigger communal tensions in the area. The Ghulam Hussain Government responded by rebuffing the extremist elements by claiming that the buildings were government property. When Allah Bux became Premier, he sent a commission which reported that Manzilgah was an inn. Unconvinced, in June 1939, the Muslim League launched an agitation. Senior League leaders G. M. Syed
, M. A. Khuhro and Sir Abdullah Haroon forcibly occupied Manzilgah from October 3, 1939 to November 19, 1939. The government, initially, tried to quell the movement through use of force. However, when the tactic proved unsuccessful, the government yielded and allowed Muslims to pray in Manzilgah.
At about the same time, the Sufi poet, Bhagat Kanwar Ram
was assassinated. Communal riots broke out in Sukkur and there was a total strike which lasted 15 days. In November 1939, the Sind Hindu Provincial Conference, presided over by Dr. Moonje of the Hindu Mahasabha threatened Muslims with retaliation if the mosque was not recovered by the government. While some sources claim that 17 Muslims and 40 Hindus were killed in the riots another claims that the toll of Hindus killed was over 60.
A compromise was reached in February 1941, when Manzilgah was handed over to Muslims but not before the Muslims had agreed not to obstruct the playing of music in the nearby Saadha Belo temple.
was started. In September 1942, Soomro renounced his knighthood and the Khan Bahadur title which the British government had bestowed upon him. He also resigned from the National Defence Council.
Allah Bux Soomro was briefly elected back to power in March 1941 and served as Premier for about a year. However, he was dismissed by the Governor due to his support for the Quit India Movement.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
till September 1942) or Allah Baksh Soomro, was a zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
, government contractor, Indian independence activist and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the province 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...
in British India. He is considered to be amongst the best premiers of the province. He was referred to as Shaheed or "martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
".
Allah Bux Soomro was born in 1900 in Shikarpur in 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...
in an affluent family. He founded the Sind Ittehad Party and served as the Chief Minister of Sindh
Chief Minister of Sindh
The Chief Minister of Sindh is elected by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh to serve as the head of the provincial government in Sindh, Pakistan. The current Chief Minister is Qaim Ali Shah, who belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party...
from March 23, 1938 to April 18, 1940 and March 7, 1941 to October 14, 1942. He was assassinated, allegedly by Muslim extremists, in 1943. His son Rahim Bux Soomro
Rahim Bux Soomro
Rahim Bux Soomro was a politician in Sindh, Pakistan. Rahim Bux Soomro was leader of the Soomro tribe and as the last surviving member of the 1946 Sindh assembly, the son of Allah Bux Soomro who was the first premier of Sindh after provincial autonomy was attained in 1935...
was also a politician in pre-partition India and later, Pakistan. His nephew, Elahi Bux Soomro
Elahi Bux Soomro
Elahi Bux Soomro or Illahi Bukhsh Soomro , is a Pakistani Senior Politician and legislator. He was the 16th Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan. He is from the most influential political family of Sindh...
was the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan
National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
and is a Veteran Politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
Allah Bux Soomro was a Gandhian and patronized khadi
Khadi
The term khādī or khaddar means cotton. khādī is Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha. It is a versatile fabric, cool in the summer and warm in the winter...
. He was also noted for his simplicity.
Early life
Allah Bux Soomro was born in the family fief of Shikarpur in Northern Sindh in 1900. His father was the hereditary chief of the SoomroSoomro
Soomro or Soomra is a Sindhi tribe in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan, Pakistan.- History and origin :The Soomra Dynasty was established by the Soomro tribe of Sindh. The Soomra ruled Sindh from 750-1351. Following the 985 CE expulsion of the Qarmatian Muslim sect from Iraq and Egypt, the...
Rajputs. He completed his matriculation examinations in 1918 and joined his father's contact business. He joined politics at an early age and was elected to the Jacobabad
Jacobabad
Jacobabad or Yaqubabad is the capital city of Jacobabad District, Sindh, Pakistan. The city is also the administrative centre of Jacobabad Taluka, an administrative subdivision of the district, the city is subdivided into 8 Union Councils...
municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
.
Tenure as premier
Soomro served as the Premier of Sindh for two terms, starting from March 23, 1938 to April 18, 1940 and March 7, 1941 to October 14, 1942 and held the portfolios of finance, excise and industries.| Allah Bux Soomro's Cabinet (March 23, 1938 - April 18, 1940) | |
|---|---|
| Minister | Portfolio |
| Allah Bux Soomro | Home, Finance |
| Pir Ilahi Bux Pir Ilahi Bux Pir Ilahi Bux or Pir Ilahi Buksh was born at Pir Jo Goth near Bhansyedabad in 1890 in a spiritual family of Dadu District, Sindh, Pakistan. He was only 9 years of age when his father Pir Nawaz Ali Shah died. He was brought up by his maternal uncle Pir Lal Muhammad... |
Revenue |
| Nichaldas C. Vazirani | Public Works Department, Public Health, Medical |
| Allah Bux Soomro's Cabinet (March 7, 1941 - October 14, 1942) | |
| Allah Bux Soomro | Finance |
| Ghulam Hussain Hidayat Ullah Ghulam Hussain Hidayat Ullah -Career:Hidayatullah served as the Chief Minister of Sindh for two separate terms. The first term was April 28, 1937 to March 23, 1938. The second term was March 7, 1941 to October 14, 1947, and served the longest tenure that any chief minister has till current History. After the Partition of... |
Home, Parliamentary Affairs, Law |
| Pir Ilahi Bux | Education, Industries, Labour, Excise, Forest and Rural Development |
| R. S. Gokaldas Mewaldas | Local Government and Agriculture |
| Pirzada Abdul Sattar | Public Works Department, Medical, Public Health |
Soon after taking over as Premier, Soomro overruled the banishment
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
of Ubaidullah Sindhi
Ubaidullah Sindhi
Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi was a noted pan-Islamic leader a political activist of the Indian independence movement...
, thereby allowing him to return to his homeland. He reduced the salary of ministers to Rs.500 per month and prohibited the practice of nominating members to local bodies.
Soomro also introduced reforms in religion. In 1938, he prohibited Ziwal-Haj. He also banned the Om Mandali, predecessor of the Brahma Kumari organisation.
The Manzilgah controversy
Sadh Belo
Sadh Belo , or Sat, is an island downstream of Bukkur island and separated from it by a short stretch of river. On it is a Hindu religious establishment founded in 1823 by Swami Bakhandi Maharaj Udasi; the gaily-painted buildings are, however, more or less modern. The place is held in high esteem...
in Sukkur
Sukkur
Sukkur, or Sakharu , formerly Aror and Bakar, is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River in Pakistan in Sukkur District. However, the word Sakharu in Sindhi means "superior", which the spelling of the city's name in Sindhi suggests is the origin of the...
which were used as a government godown. It was variously claimed to be a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
and an inn. The Hindus opposed Muslim claims that the building was a mosque as the presence of a mosque so close to a Hindu temple would trigger communal tensions in the area. The Ghulam Hussain Government responded by rebuffing the extremist elements by claiming that the buildings were government property. When Allah Bux became Premier, he sent a commission which reported that Manzilgah was an inn. Unconvinced, in June 1939, the Muslim League launched an agitation. Senior League leaders G. M. Syed
G. M. Syed
G. M. Syed was a political leader who pioneered the Jeay Sindh movement for the freedom of Sindh from Pakistan. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Sindhi nationalism...
, M. A. Khuhro and Sir Abdullah Haroon forcibly occupied Manzilgah from October 3, 1939 to November 19, 1939. The government, initially, tried to quell the movement through use of force. However, when the tactic proved unsuccessful, the government yielded and allowed Muslims to pray in Manzilgah.
At about the same time, the Sufi poet, Bhagat Kanwar Ram
Bhagat Kanwar Ram
Bhagat Kanwar Ram was Sindhi singer and Sufi poet. Bhagat Kanwar Ram was assassinated in communal riots in Sukkur in 1939.-References:* * *...
was assassinated. Communal riots broke out in Sukkur and there was a total strike which lasted 15 days. In November 1939, the Sind Hindu Provincial Conference, presided over by Dr. Moonje of the Hindu Mahasabha threatened Muslims with retaliation if the mosque was not recovered by the government. While some sources claim that 17 Muslims and 40 Hindus were killed in the riots another claims that the toll of Hindus killed was over 60.
A compromise was reached in February 1941, when Manzilgah was handed over to Muslims but not before the Muslims had agreed not to obstruct the playing of music in the nearby Saadha Belo temple.
Later life
In 1940, a no-confidence motion was passed against Allah Bux Soomro. The Indian National Congress joined hands with the Muslim League and voted against him. Following the dismissal of his government, Soomro appointed member of the National Defence Council in which he served till 1942, when the Quit India MovementQuit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
was started. In September 1942, Soomro renounced his knighthood and the Khan Bahadur title which the British government had bestowed upon him. He also resigned from the National Defence Council.
Allah Bux Soomro was briefly elected back to power in March 1941 and served as Premier for about a year. However, he was dismissed by the Governor due to his support for the Quit India Movement.