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History of Lasbela
Lasbela
was notified as a district on 30th June, 1954. In October, 1955
the unification of the former provinces of Punjab, NWFP, Sindh
and Balochistan took place. The Balochistan States Union was formed
into Kalat division. But in December 1960 Lasbela became a separate
district and was placed as a part of Karachi division. Later on
it was transferred to Kalat division of Balochistan Province. |
The district of Lasbela derives its name from the words LAS which
signifies a plain, the greater part of the area being a flat plain,
and Bela, the principle town of the district. Uthal is the district
headquarters.
The district consists of nine tehsils, Bela, Uthal, Hub, Lakhra,
Somiani, Dureaji, Lairi, Gaddani and Konnaj. The district has
27 patwar circles and 293 villages. From the early period of history
till the rise of the Aliani family of the Jamoot tribe in the
middle of the eighteenth century, only a few facts are known regarding
the early tribes.
Alexander the Great passed through Lasbela on his way back from
India and, according to the accounts of his march given by Sir
Thomas Holdich, left Patala in Sindh in the beginning of September
326 BC. After Alexander's death, one of his generals, Seleukas
Nickator, became ruler of central and western Asia. The sub-continent
and Lasbela were presumably included in his inheritance. For many
centuries after this, nothing can be traced about the history
of Lasbela.
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When the British advancement extended beyond Sindh and to the
states of Kalat and Lasbela; Jam Mir Khan-II was exercising powerful
political control over the affairs of these areas. On the occasion
of the 3rd rebellion in 1869, when the Jam was marching on to
Kalat with a large force, a clash was averted by the intervention
of the British Political Officer. The negotiations were however
abortive and Jam Mir Khan refused to pay allegiance to the Khan
and was banned to British India.In December 1876 an agreement
was signed between Sir Robert Sandeman and Mir Khudadad Khan,
the Khan of Kalat, and Jam Ali Khan who represented his father,
Jam Mir Khan, the Jam of Bela. In consequence of this agreement
Jam Mir Khan was released from his confinement in British India
in the spring of 1877, after accepting the conditions that he
acknowledged the Khan's sovereignty, in accordance with the ancient
usage.
Jam Mir Khan at first inclined to let his son Jam Ali Khan carry
on the government, but ultimately took the administration in his
own hands. Jam Mir Khan died in January 1888, leaving three sons.
His eldest son Haji Jam Ali Khan was installed at Bela in January
1889 by Sir Robert Sandeman, the British Agent to the Governor
General in Balochistan. Sir Robert died in January 29th, 1892
in Bela, his tomb is in Bela garden.
Haji Jam Ali Khan died in 1894 and was succeeded by his son Jam
Mir Kamal Khan, who subsequently ruled over the state for 50 years.
His successors, first his son, Jam Mir Ghulam Muhammad Khan, and
later his grandson Jam Ghulam Qadir Khan continued to hold the
post Masnad under the same conditions and without any significant
event until Pakistan came into existence on 14th August, 1947.
At this time Lasbela along with Kharan and Kalat states acceded
to Pakistan and later became part of the Balochistan Province.
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In the seventh century the ruler of Armanbel (which is believed
to be the present town of Bela) was a Buddhist Somani and Rai
Sahiras, the king of Hind, elevated him for his loyalty and devotion.
Chach usurped the throne of the Rai dynasty of Sindh and marched
to Bela in 636 AD. Chach was cordially received at Bela and was
well impressed with the loyalty of the people of Bela. He then
marched west towards Makran.
The district lay on the route followed by the Arab General, Muhammad-Bin-Qasim,
who entered Makran in 712. A.D. On his way to Sindh, Mohammad-Bin-Qasim
marched through Bela accompanied by Muhammad Haroon, the governor
of Makran. Muhammad Haroon died in Bela and his tomb is there.
The power of the Arabs lasted towards the end of the tenth century.
Afterwards,
the district appears to have come under the influence of the Sumras
and Sammas, who asserted their independence when the power of
the Abbaside caliphs declined. The Sumras gained a position of
supremacy in the middle of the eleventh century. They were eventually
overthrown by the Sammas under Jam Umar in 1333. The Sammas reigned
till 1523 when they were defeated and their power was completely
broken by Shah Hussain Argon. The succeeding period is again obscure.
The chiefs of the Gujar, Ranjha, Gunga and Burfat tribes, who
are still to be found in Lasbela, are said to have exercised a
semi-independent power previous to the rise of the Aliani family
of the Jamoot tribe, to which the present Jam of Lasbela belongs |
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