Good Old Karachi

ANNEXATION OF KARACHI AND BATTLE OF HYDERABAD—- A CATALYST OR A GAME CHANGER

By Dr. Adnan Zuberi

Corruption of East India CompanyB: Politics between British Establishment and East India CompanyC: Role of Major James Outram and Charles Napier It was the last day of 1600 AD when Queen Elizabeth I granted the Royal Charter to East India Company. EIC was a corporate founded by some rich english merchants. They first establish their trade office in Surat( Gujrat). Later they moved to Madras and Calcutta. British Parliament wants to determine the role of this private trading company. Plassey (1757) and Buxxar(1764), now this company successfully in position to control the wealth of Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. The officers of EIC was corrupt right from beginning. Shah Alam II appointed Lord Clive as Governer and authorised him Tax Collection. Lord Robert Clive was also involved in corruption and transfer his wealth back to england.Clive suffered from mental illness, now thought to be bipolar disorder.  Parliament set a committee to investigate and Lord Clive committed ( allegedly)suicide in his mansion in London Mayfair District, not far from Avon field apptt of Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Lord Clive was famous as The Richest man of Europe.In 1772-1785 Warren Hastings , who joined the EIC as a clerk, served as the first GovernorGeneral of India. He looted the tax money collected from India.In 1787 upon his return to Britain Hastings was impeached by parliament. His trial lasted seven years, the longest impeachment proceedings in history, before – astonishingly – he was acquitted of all charges.Many financial irregularities and mismanagement were noticed with time. Bengal famine is one example. In 1773 then PM Lord North suggested that the company should be managed directly by Crown. Therefore they drafted East India Company Regulating Act. With the passage of time EIC became so powerful that it has his own private Army of 260,000 desi soldiers, almost twice the British Army.The politics between the Parliament and EIC continue and the company slowly and gradually annexing neighboring territories. In 1832 Governer General Lord Ellenborough and Charles Napier decided the annexation of Sindh region, against the wish of establishment of British Crown.

Major James Outram, Outram Road in Karachi which connects Pakistan Chowk to I I Chundrigar road via Haqqani Chowk and James abad sindh is named after him, was against this adventure. But he has to take part in this battle because he was junior to Gen Napier. Later he recieved the medal of bravery. According to Major Outram  the Amirs of Sindh of Hyderabad  and khairpur state were friendly to EIC therefore it was unethical to attack on friends. But General Charles Napier was determined and finally decided  to attack. First they attacked Manora Island and captured Karachi and then  in 1843 the success of Battle of Hyderabad completed his mission. Charles Napier explained that he didn’t want the Ranjit Singh Army to attack the Sindh region. Further more he created the “Fear of Bear”. I mean he want a safe garrison near the NW border of India to combat the Russian forces through Afghanistan. I think Pakistani establishment Inheret the Fear of Bear(Russia) from their Ex Colonial Masters. The annexation of Sindh further sharpen the conflicts between the Westminster ( Parliament) and EICFinally in 1857 The Indian War of Independence began when the people rose against the Company’s rule. It was the most strong retaliation of its time from any colonial people. This revolt was severely mismanaged but after huge blood shed they able to crush the independence movement. Enough is enough In 1858 the British government decided and removed the Company’s powers beginning the era of the Raj as the British Crown took direct control over the territories held by the East India Company

By Dr. Sohail Ansari.

It was in 1864 that the first telegraphic message was sent from India (Karachi) to England (London) when a telegraph connection was laid.

The Telegraph and Post Office of the city designed by Captain P. Phelps was built on McLeod Road in 1866.

The following news appeared on 17th August 1960:

‘When Pakistan obtained independence it found an immediate need for improved telegraph communication.

The old telegraph once at Karachi, built about 100 years ago, has been demolished, and on the site of the ruins a new building is growing.

Official opening took place in June last. The structure is rising in stages — as funds permit. Its foundation was laid back in 1955.

Erected in May /June 1866, the old office cost only 20,500 rupees, whereas the new one is estimated at 1.5 million rupees.’

Should this building have not been listed and saved as our heritage?

By

Dr. Adnan Zuberi

FROM  LONGITUDE  00’00.00 / Meridian Line— HISTORY of KARACHI

  My last visit to this line , Longitude 00’00.00, Greenwich Observatory and National Maritime Museum was in 2015. Here I found a history of Karachi.The watercolour painting  is from National Maritime Museum, Greenwich London.

This is HMS Wellesely, built in Bombay Shipyard in 1815. Sir Admiral Frederick Maitland was the first commander appointed by EIC. Sindh province was not the part of British Colonial Rule yet. Lord George Eden the 1st Earl of Auckland, then Governor General decided to occupy Karachi. On 19 June 1938 Admiral Thomas Maitland, then Captain, took the command of this vessel. When they decided to annex the port in South  Westren India they set asail to Karachi and anchored near Manora. The night between 2nd and 3rd February 1839 they proceed to fire on Mud Castle of Manora Island. That was un expected attack which forced the occupiers of castle( local rulers) to sign a treaty and Karachi came under the rule of EIC. Later HMS Wellsely took part in Persia campaign and more important is First Opium War, ended up in occupation of Hong Kong in 1841.HMS Wellesely was named after Arthur Wellesley,the 1st Duke of Wellington. In 1868 the govt converted this ship into  Reformatory School. She was renamed Cornwall and docked at Purfleet, Essex near London.. Later, Cornwall, renamed Wellesey, was moved to the Tyne, some 20 miles of my home, and served as The Tyne Industrial Training Ship of Wellesley Nautical School. In 1928, due to industrial development at that location, she was moved to Denton, below Gravesend, Kent. In WWII, this vessel was  sunked by bombardment of Germans. Later resurfaced and dismantled. Some of its Timber used in Royal Court of Justice, London. So we can say that this Magnifient building of Royal Court of Justice is a Part of History of Karachi. Admiral Thomas Maitland, 11th Earl of Lauderdale, the conquerer of Karachi died in 1878 in his Family Home in Thirlestaine Castle.Photos:Watercolour painting at Greenwich,  A Model of HMS Weslley, Cadets at Training on ship, Meeting with Chinese authorities at HMS Wellesley for occupation of Hong Kong and Thirlestaine Castle, Scotland- family home of Capt Maitland, conquerer of Karachi, Wellesley House near my Home.