The day when nation was sold
16th March 1846 – THE AMRITSAR
TREATY
AND SOLD SO CHEAPLY, DR.JAVID
IQBAL TAKES A LEAF FROM HISTORY
Gulab Singh assumed sovereign
rights, over Kashmir as enshrined in
Article 4 and 12 of Lahore treaty,
signed on 9th March. The treaty of
Amritsar, a shadowy deal
formalised what was agreed in
Lahore. Allama Iqbal says of the
deal:
Dahkan, Kisht, Joey Va Khayaban
Farukh’tand
Qaum-i- Farukh’tand Va Che Arza’n
Farukh’tand!
Peasant, the land, the stream, the
avenues sliced
A nation was sold and how cheap
was it priced?!
Text of the Treaty [translated from
original Persian text]
This treaty was culminated between
the Government of Company Bhadur
and Maharaja Gulab Singh, the
chieftain of Jammu, by Fredrik Kerry
Barnet Sahib Bhadur and Major
Lawrence Sahib Bhadur acting as
diplomatic emissaries/ legal
trustees of visionary, praiseworthy
Nawab, endowed with power and
titles-Rt. Honourable Sir Henry
Harding Sahib Bhadur-GBC, Governor
General, who is one of special
consultants of- full of piety and
goodness, supreme in status, Queen
of Queens, Her Majesty, the Queen of
England who has entrusted the
Government of Company Bhadur
[East India Company] with
administration and setting up all
affairs in India-big and small and
holding all the power to negotiate
this particular affair and Maharaja
Gulab Singh, present in person
[ASALATAN in Persian, a word, we
are familiar with in Muslim wedding
contracts]
Article one:-
The British Government hands over
the country of Kashmir and Hazara
and the entire mountainous region,
falling between rivers Ravi and
Sindh, falling towards Hazara, with
river Sindh on eastern and river Ravi
on western side including the
territory of Chamb, excluding Lahul,
transferred and presented to British
Government, by Lahore royal court,
as per article four of the treaty of 9th
March permanently, with total
sovereign rights to Maharaja Gulab
Singh’s male inheritors, in order of
succession.
Note: - Hazara, now forms a part of
NWFP in Pakistan, it was however
exchanged with Lahore Durbar, for
territories to the ‘East of Jhelum’
within a year of signing of ‘Amritsar
Treaty’, precisely on 25th May, 1847.
An English translation of this
agreement reads as:-
An agreement between Government
of Maharaja Dilip Singh Bhadur and
Government of Maharaja Gulab Singh
Bhadur, with approval of Diwan
Dina Nath and Roy Kishan Chand
trustees of Lahore court and Diwan
Jwala Sahay and Qazi Mukham-ud-
Din, lawyers of Maharaja Gulab Singh
was placed in front of the revered
Colonel-Sir Henry Montgomery
Lawrence Bhadur- Agent of Governor
General in Northern and Western
territories and Resident of Lahore,
presiding with the power vested in
him by approval of officials of the
two Maharajas, with regard to
Hazara and Kohtah to the west of
Jhelum belonging to Maharaja Gulab
Singh Bhadur and the territory to
the east of Jhelum located towards
Jammu belonging to Lahore court.
The agreement was conditioned on
their approval and acceptance of
Grand Captain of Abbot Abad, who
with all the talent in his command,
while keeping justice in view would
examine the documents concerning
Hazara and western Jhelum to
elucidate the subject and fix an
yearly amount, which ought to be
half of revenue after exemption, of
the territory to the east of Jhelum
towards Jammu. A firm line would
be drawn, which would ensure,
never ever to repeat the draw or
result in any misunderstanding,
starting from west of river Jhelum, in
the vicinity of Muzzafarabad and
sticking to the mountainous reaches
of Konhar waterway (Nallah in
Persian) keeping it as straight, as
possible, conditioned on the opinion
of the Governor General’s appointee
and held straight until river Sindh, so
that no doubt is left regarding a
complete division of territory
between two States. Following this
the two States should not seek to
alter and dispute the division and
exercise control over the territory
assigned. Should ever a dispute
arise, it would be placed in the court
of Agent of Governor General in
Northwest and Resident Lahore. A
copy of this agreement with
signatures of parties involved would
be deposited in the offices of Lahore
and Jammu court and Resident
Lahore.
Signed on Tuesday; 14th of Zeith
1904, corresponding to 25th of May
1847 A.D in Lahore by the four
signatories:
Signed by: Sahib Bhadur Kalan
{denoting exalted status (Big/Bada)
meaning Agent/Resident in Lahore}
All the four emissaries/Trustees/
Appointees (Nishana, in Persian,
which could even mean deputising)
Dina Nath-Kishan Chand-Jwala
Sahay-Mahkum-ud-Din
Article two:
The eastern borders of the territory
transferred, as per article one of this
treaty would be settled and marked
by trustees of British Government
and Maharaja Gulab Singh and noted
in a separate agreement.
Article three:
Maharaja Gulab Singh, in exchange
of territories transferred, as per the
articles noted above, shall pay an
amount 0f 75 lakhs Nanak Shahi
Rupees to Imperial British
Government-50 lakhs immediately
and 25 lakhs within six months.
Article four:
The borders of Maharaja Gulab
Singh’s country would not be
subjected to any change without
consent of British Government.
Article five:
If ever incidentally, a dispute arises
between Maharaja Gulab Singh and
Lahore court or any one of his
neighbouring states, he would take
the dispute to officials of
Government of Company Bhadur and
whatever the settlement, the officials
appointed by Governor General to
look into the matter decide on; shall
be accepted by Maharaja without
reservations.
Article six:
Maharaja Gulab Singh agrees on his
own and on behalf of his successors-
if ever the victorious British army
gets an assignment to be in the
mountainous country or in areas,
close to territories, under his control-
Maharaja, with his all his armed
forces, should present himself, as
and when required by British armed
forces.
Article seven:
Maharaja Sahib agrees never ever to
take the British, European or an
American, in his employment,
without acceptance and permission
of officials of Company Bhadur
Article eight:
Maharaja Sahib agrees to keep in
view/ in consideration articles 5, 6, 7
of a separate agreement between
the British Government and the
Lahore Durbar, signed on 11th March
1846, in the territories transferred to
him.
Note: - While as, what was signed on
9th was named a ‘Treaty’ within two
days, other considerations, in a
rapidly changing political scenario
led to an agreement. In any case,
Lahore hardly had a choice on, what
was being dictated by the victor to
the vanquished.
An English translation of these
articles reads as:-
(5) British Government agrees that
the Jagirs (Land holdings) of
associates Late Maharaja Ranjit
Singh, Late Maharaja Khadak Singh
and Late Maharaja Sher Singh (all
named as Surag-bashi…residents of
Paradise) whose Jagirs are located at
places, which have come to be the
holdings of British Government, as
per articles eight and fourteen of
Lahore treaty of 9th March, shall be
retained by the holders and the
holding deeds shall not be
suspended, as long as the present
holders are alive.
{Note …these Jagirs were between
rivers Ravi and Sutluj and on the
right bank of River Sutluj. Sher Singh
succeeded his brother Khadak Singh,
elder son of Ranjit Singh}
(6) The Lahore court shall seek the
help and cooperation of British
Government, in collecting land tax,
for the ‘Kharif yields’ of the year 1902
Bikramjit (Indian Calendar year) as
well as the pending balance.
(7) The Lahore court shall be entitled
to compile a list of items in their
treasury, assets and stored items in
the places marked in articles three
and four of 9th March treaty and
British Government shall be entitled
to hold, whatever it deems fit, out of
these items, on reasonable
payment. Whatever remains, in case
the Lahore court wants to, shall be
put on auction, in presence of
officials of British Government.
Article nine:
British Government affirms to
safeguard the RAJ and country of
Maharaja from external enemies.
Article ten:
Maharaja Gulab Singh, keeping in
view the absolute supremacy and
ultimate sovereignty of British
Government, agrees to present in
tribute, year after year, a high bred
horse, twelve Tibetan goat woollen
hides of high quality, six male and
six female and a two pairs of
Kashmiri Shawls.
This treaty, based on ten articles was
concluded between Fredrick Kerry
Sahib Bhadur and Major Lawrence
Sahib Bhadur, on behalf of Respected
and highly titled Nawab-Rt. Hon’ble
Sir Henry Harding-GBC-Governor
General, as emissaries/trustees and
Maharaja Gulab Singh, present in
person
Signed (F.Kerry) Signed
(H.M.Lawrence)
The takeover of Kashmir was not
easy. Lahore double crossed. Article
13th of Lahore treaty was invoked,
when Imam-ud-Din, the last
Governor of Lahore court, resisted
the takeover. The British would have
none of it, enforcing Maharaja Gulab
Singh’s army with their own men.
Resistance was subdued and Imam-
ud-Din questioned. He produced
three letters from Raja Lal Singh
advising Governor Imam-ud-Din to
stay put and resist the takeover,
even at the cost of his life. He was
forgiven, while as Lal Singh was
exiled first to Agra and finally to
Dehradun.
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