CHAPTER - II PUNJAB ON THE EVE OF PARTITION

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1 CHAPTER - II PUNJAB ON THE EVE OF PARTITION The British divided and quit India on 15 th August, While huge crowds in New Delhi joined in the Independence Day Celebration, less than 250 miles away in the Punjab, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs were routing on each other in frenzied fury. The tension in the Punjab at the end of May 1947 and beginning of June 1947 was so acute that most people kept a night vigil on house-tops or slept with their hands on the trigger of the pistol under the pillow. Lord Mountbatten sensed this tension. He increased military precautions in the tense districts and Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Baldev Singh, all of whom appealed for peace. 1 Prior to the formation of Pakistan, the relations between the Sikhs and the Muslims were cordial and friendly. Between June 3 and August 15, the Muslim attitude towards the Sikhs steadily changed. They felt that the Sikhs were aggrieved and would not put up with Pakistan. 2 On the 15 th August, 1947, the Pakistan day was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Muslims while the Sikhs and the Hindus remained suspicious and sullen. 3 The whole Indian scene was rapidly transformed by communal riots on an unprecedented scale. It starting with Calcutta on 16 th August, 1947, touching Bombay from 1 st September, spreading to Nokhali in East Bengal by 10 th October, Bihar in 25 th October, in Punjab that already started in March 1947, onwards. 4 In August, 1947 the disturbances took a serious turn. As a result, attacks were made on innocent and unprotected Hindus in the West Punjab villages, where no police or military aid could easily reach. 5 During the September-October months the violence spread to every corner of the Punjab. Despite repeated appeals by the Sikh leaders the jathas set about their bloody business in East Punjab in Lahore and elsewhere in West Punjab. Muslims attacked the remaining Hindu and Sikh inhabitants, while their leaders gave assurance that the violence would cease as soon as the British had departed J. Nanda, Punjab Uprooted: A Survey of the Punjab Riots and Rehabilitation Problems, Hind Kitabs Publishers, New Delhi, 1948, p M.S. Randhawa, Out of the Ashes: An Account of the Rehabilitation of Refugees from West Pakistan in Rural Areas of East Punjab, New York Printing, Bombay, 1954, p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.V, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p Sumit Sarkar, Modern India, , Macmillan Indians, Delhi, 1983, p Ibid., p Ian Talbot, op.cit., p

2 In the North Western region it started with Haripur, was the one of the most important towns in the Hazara district of Punjab. A big Muslim mob of about 15,000 including tribal raiders and Muslims from the West Punjab surrounded the town on 26 th August, 1947 at about 3 p.m. The mob was equipped with rifles, shotguns, spears daggers etc. The Muslim military posted at Haripur did not take any steps to mass butchery. The mob in a most shameful manner broke to pieces the sacred idols and burnt the holy birs of Shri Guru Granth Sahib. About 3,500 shops and houses belonging to the non-muslims were looted and set on fire. 7 In village Deo Sid in Lahore district 400 persons were killed and many injured. District Gujrawala, suffered with 1,000 killed. 8 There was considerable excitement and resentment in Lahore on 21 st September 1947 on arrival of three Muslim refugee trains which were attacked at Beas near Amritsar. Causalities were heavy in one train which brought in hundred dead and as many wounded. 9 After leaving Mughalpura the train reached Harbanspur Railway Station the same day at about 4 p.m. Again a Muslim mob about four to five thousand strong armed with swords attacked the train. About 2,500 passengers were killed. When the train ultimately reached Amritsar on 21 st October, 1947 about 1,000 refugee passengers came out alive, the remaining about four to five thousand had been killed on the way. 10 This type of train tragedy was repeated a number of times. Violence in West Punjab The disturbances started in Sheikhupura on the 17 th August, 1947, when a train coming from Kalakwal to Shorkot via Sargodha was attacked. The passengers were stabbed, murdered, injured and thrown out of the running train and their belongings were misappropriated by the assailants. About forty persons were killed, over hundred injured and thrown out. 11 On August, 23 rd the non-muslims of village Gol decided to leave their homes on hearing persistent rumours of attacks on the neighbouring villages. They had gone only a short distance when they were 7. Government of India, Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation Fact Finding Branch, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., pp Liaison Agency Records, Vol.I, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, pp.29, Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation, India, F.No. R.H.H.R. 30/2/53, National Archives, New Delhi, p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.I, op.cit., p

3 confronted by a mob of Armed Muslims accompanied by some policemen and military soldiers. They ran back to village and took shelter in the house of Chaudhary Raghbir Singh Zaildar of village Gol, District Sialkot. The house was surrounded by the Muslims. Many people were killed and injured. 12 After the partition of the Punjab, communal disturbances were reported all over in the villages around Toba Tek Singh. Toba Tek Singh formed part of a disputed district under the Radcliff arbitration. In Chak No. 31 and 33 near Toba Tek Singh 600 non-muslims were reportedly killed by Muslim mob on 3 rd September, On the 5 th September, 1947 a mob of Muslims began gathering in Chamra Mandi. They then attacked the town and indulged in wholesale loot and mass slaughter. In this slaughter Hindus were sometimes spared on their entreaties but Sikhs were hunted over from house to house and killed. 13 On 6 th of September, 1947 a convoy of about 4,000 Hindus and Sikhs from some of the Chaks reached Toba Tek Singh. This convoy was accosted by mob of Muslims in the company of men of Balouch regiment. The Muslim Military helped the mob to lift away over 50 young girls from this convoy. The same night, the train accordingly left Toba Tek Singh with about 4,000 non-muslims. The train was stopped at the railway station and there was a mob of Muslims armed with revolvers, swords and kulharees and they boarded the train. About 3,000 Hindus and Sikhs were done to death. 14 In district Lyallpur 200 were killed in Chak No Muslim mob accompanied by officers attacked Sikhs at Toba Tek Singh, hacked their dead bodies to pieces and got them thrown-out by sweepers for the vultures and crows to eat, while women were forcibly carried away. 16 Jehlum Tehsil most, practically all Hindu and Sikh population was put to death, only few managed to escaped. 17 Violence in East Punjab On August 15, 1947, as India celebrated its independence, nearly ten million Punjabis were at each other's throats. In East Punjab, the Muslim police was 12. M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., pp.19, Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation, op.cit., p Ibid., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Partition Proceedings, Partition Branch Records, Vol.III, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.III, op.cit., p

4 disbanded and the Muslims left to the mercy of marauding bands of Sikhs and Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sang militia. Sikh violence attained its peak in September In fact, the situation deteriorated during the first week of May. As well as at Dera Ismail Khan, damage to property amounting to millions of refugees was reported from other parts of the province, in particular at Bannu and Tank. Bitter hatred was laid up by massacres, forcible conversions and atrocities. 19 The Punjab remained in a disturbed state during whole month of May. On 8 th May there was a recrudescence of communal trouble in Amritsar, which lasted for two days and resulted in at least fourteen fatal causalities. Curfew was imposed on a large area of the city. 20 July 1947, began on a deceptive note of calm, as the peace initiative launched in the last week of June in Lahore was echoed elsewhere and peace committees were set up. On 1 st July a Central Peace Committee was formed in Amritsar. 21 Political leaders - Muslim, Hindu and Sikh leaders delivered speeches emphasizing the need to maintain communal peace and harmony. It was also decided that peace committees should be formed even at the mohalla level. 22 Intelligence reports noted that Sikhs were organizing in the eastern districts and arming themselves for civil war in the event that the boundary in the Punjab did not match their expectations. Beginning in the second week of July, Sikh gangs in the Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts began to roams the countryside and create serious menance in the lives of Muslims. Hoshiarpur district had been reporting skirmishes in the town and in some villages but the situation deteriorated rapidly when Sikhs armed with rifles, grenades and kirpans assaulted pathan workers, killing many of them. This was repeated in many places in that district. Meanwhile in Gujrawala, Muslims were blamed for starting fires and killing Hindus and Sikhs Khushwant Singh, A History of the Sikhs: , Vol. II, Oxford University Press, Bombay, 1977, p Lionel Carter, Mountbatten's Report on the Last Viceroyality, 22 March - 15 August, 1947, Manohar Publishers, New Delhi, 2003, p Ibid., p Ishtiaq Ahmed, The Punjab Blooded: Partitioned and Cleansed, Unravelling the 1947 Tragedy Through Secret British Reports and First Person Accounts, Rupa Publication, New Delhi, 2011, p Ibid., p Ibid., p

5 In the East Punjab, the Sikh mobs attacked almost every Muslim village, killed a large number of Muslims and harried the columns of Muslim refugees. At places like Dasua, District Hoshiarpur, where the Muslims were in majority. There were open fights between the hostile mobs. 24 The first shot was fired in the Patiala state where the reign of terror prevailed till September 6, Muslims took refuge in Bahadurgarh fort numbering 23,000. Nearly 14,000 Muslims had been butchered in the Patiala State. The number of refugees in other places was equally high and stood as: Table 2.1: Number of Refugees in Refugee Camps. Sr. No. Place No. of Refugees 1. Sirhind 15, Samana 60, Talwandi 10, Other Areas 40,000 Total 1,25,000 Source: Ziaul Uslam, East Punjab's Blood Bath, (n.d.), pp.11, 12. Sikhs had raided Muslim villages near Philaur, Jullundur District in which fourteen Muslims were killed and thirteen were injured. Eight other rural murders were reported, four inside Kapurthala state near Jullundur cantonment and four near Phillaur. Situation in Amritsar, Jullundur and Hoshiarpur rural areas was most unsatisfactory. Patrolling by Boundary Force was intensified and special measures were taken to protect trains. Amritsar city reported one Muslim shot by Sikhs and two bomb explosions injured eight Muslims including three women and three children. 25 In Amritsar rural areas Sikhs raided a village near Ajnala on the night of July 30 th and 31 st. Causalities were one Sikh, two Muslims killed and twenty four injured. 26 Amritsar reports are not clear but the city was seriously disturbed with several stabbings and bomb explosions. Amritsar rural area reported that two villages were raided by Sikhs. Seven Muslims and one Hindu were killed and several were injured. Village raids were only averted by arrival of troops and police in August. A bomb was 24. Kirpal Singh, The Partition of Punjab, Punjabi University, Patiala, 1972, p Lionel Carter, op.cit., p Ibid. 24

6 thrown into train near Majitha. Causalities were four Muslims killed with three injured. 27 In a detailed memorandum to Lord Mountbatten dated 4 August, 1947 Evan Jenkins (Governor of Punjab), questioned the charge that his government had failed to control the Punjab disturbances. Jenkins also asserted that imposing martial law would not have helped though the total causalities upto 2 nd August, 1947 were as follows: Table 2.2: Total Urban Causalities upto 2 nd August, 1947 Sr. No. Urban Area Killed Seriously Injured 1. Lahore Amritsar Multan Rawalpindi Total 927 1,890 Source: Ishtiaq Ahmed, The Punjab Blooded: Partitioned and Cleansed, Unravelling the 1947 Tragedy Through Secret British Reports and First Person Accounts, p.361. Table 2.3: Total Rural Causalities upto 2 nd August, 1947 Sr. No. Rural Area Killed Seriously Injured 1. Rawalpindi 2, Attock Jehellum Multan Gurgaon Amritsar Hoshiarpur Jullundur Other districts Total 3, Urban & Rural 4,515 2,336 Source: Ishtiaq Ahmed, The Punjab Blooded: Partitioned and Cleansed, Unravelling the 1947 Tragedy Through Secret British Reports and First Person Accounts, p Ibid., p

7 On the fateful day of September 25 th, situation in the East Punjab worsened once again. 28 From Alwar state 45,000 Muslim started their journey to Lahore by train. On the way, 3,000 Muslims were mercilessly killed. Police Station Khanna near Ludhiana was attacked by a gang of 20 rioters at midnight, two persons were killed and six injured. 29 On the whole police dealt with 502 cases of rioting during the year 1948 as compared to 354 in 1947, an increase of 148 cases. The most noticeable increase was in Gurdaspur, Karnal, Ludhiana, Rohtak and Hissar. The riot cases in past three years was: 30 Year Riot Cases This shows that situation was gradually deteriorating. In rural areas of Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Jullundur both casual attacks and organized raids in most of which Sikhs were aggressors and Muslims were victims was reported. In one village of Gurdaspur seventeen Muslims were killed and nine injured. Gujrawala reported three Hindus stabbed, and one case of arson. Hoshiarpur reported one Muslim injured by bomb explosion and three Muslims killed while another injured in village raid. 31 Amritsar City and district reported 25 Muslims and 7 Sikhs killed and 10 Muslims and 3 Sikhs injured on August, Of Muslims 24 were killed and 10 injured in slaughter of an unescorted party of refugees. One Muslim and 4 Sikhs were killed by troops. Gurdaspur reported several persons killed near Batala. In Sialkot two Muslims were killed, 7 Sikh were injured. In Ambala a total of 7 persons were killed and 11 injured. 32 On 1 st September, at Ambala, Sikhs had 'an orgy of killing'. A train was attacked, out of 200 only 17 were left alive. Holes caused by Brengun bursts were 28. The Tribune, Lahore, December 27, Partition Proceedings, Vol. I, 1947, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p Report on Police Administration in the Punjab for the Year 1948, Punjab Government, 1951, p Lionel Carter, op.cit, p Ibid., p

8 visible on all coaches. It was alleged that the massacre was carried out by the Patiala Sikhs. A train was attacked on 2 nd September, out of which 25 corpses were recovered from a nale by sabji mandi police near Delhi. A Muslim and his wife and child were stabbed by a Sikh while 5 or 6 other accomplices stoned them. 33 The Muslims were also reported to arming themselves. The Muslims in the vicinity of Shah Abdul Salam's Haveli at Ambala collected and discussed the situation and had decided to collect funds to enlist youngmen to protect them and their mohalas. About 70 Muslims assembled in Himalayat-ul-Islam orphanage in Chawari Bazar to consider means of protecting themselves. 34 In the year 1947, nearly one million men, women and children were murdered in the Punjab and Kashmir state by Hindus and Sikhs. Some were murdered in Delhi and other parts of India. Five million of those who escaped these genocidal massacres were chased out of their homes and dispossessed of their lands, their household goods, their ploughs and their cattle found refugee in Pakistan. 35 Similar scene was taking place on the other side in West Punjab. MIGRATION OF THE POPULATION The migration of population from West Pakistan into India and vice versa which started as a trickle after 15 th August, 1947, became a torrent in a few weeks. Lakhs of people were uprooted from their ancestral homes. The entire Hindu and Sikh population of West Punjab was on the move and migrated to East Punjab and also spilled into the adjoining areas of Delhi and the united provinces. 36 The Liaison Agency was established in Lahore district on the 4 th October, At this time about 70,000 non-muslims were still left behind as converts, spread all over the districts in West Punjab. On the 14 th November, 1947, the refugee's camp near the railway station, Lahore district was attacked by large number of Muslims. 37 According to official figures published by the Government of India, between 33. Narinder IQbal Singh, Communal Violence in Punjab (1947), Ph.D. Thesis, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 2002, op.cit., p Ibid. 35. Note on the Sikh Plan, Lahore, West Punjab, 1948, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.II, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p

9 September 1947 and March 1948 a little more than one million people crossed out of Pakistan into East Punjab on foot, just over one and a half million by rail, about half a million by motor transport and some thousand by air. Hindus and Sikhs from the North-West Frontier Province also came in large number. The chief migration in the Punjab in both directions took place in the last four months of (i) Migration by train The railway trains carried the largest number of refugees. It was estimated that more than two million people crossed the border by trains within two months or so. About 5 to 6 trains crossed the border every day and every train was full to capacity. 39 Rail transport was organized creating a pool in consultation with the West Punjab authorities. About 50 to 60 trains moved every ten days in either direction. The trains in those days presented a memorable spectacle with the bogies choked with human beings and the refugees sitting on the roofs and footboards and even clinging to buffer spaces and undersides of carriages. 40 There were four main routes from Pakistan's Punjab to India's Punjab: Narowal - (i) Dera Baba Nanak, (ii) Lahore - Amritsar, (iii) Kasur - Ferozepur and (iv) Montgomery - Fazilka. 41 It was estimated that between August, 1947 and November, 1947, about 673 refugee trains were run, carrying 27,99,368 refugees inside India and across the border. 42 Refugees special trains run from 15 th September to 18 th September, 1947 brought 62,166 non-muslim refugees from West Punjab to East Punjab and took 50,040 Muslim refugees from East Punjab to West Punjab. 43 Over 50,000 Muslim refugees were reported to be arriving daily from East Punjab into West Punjab. Eight special trains were running daily for the evacuation of Muslim refugees from East Punjab. 44 Information regarding running of special trains by the West Punjab Government was not given to the Chief Liaison Officer. No 38. Horace Alexander, The New Citizens of India, Oxford University Press, Bombay, 1951, p Kirpal Singh, op.cit., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Khushwant Singh, op.cit., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p The Civil and Military Gazettee, 21 September, First year of Pakistan: August, August 1948, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p

10 representative of the East Punjab Government was on the Railway Committee that arranged for the special trains for refugees. 45 In order to facilitate the speedy clearance of refugees on both sides, the East Punjab Government and the West Punjab Government entered into an agreement by which no train or motor vehicle was to cross the border without refugees. It implied that no Indian mortar vehicle or train could enter Pakistan without Muslim refugees, nor could any Pakistan mortar vehicle or train enter Indian Territory without Hindu and Sikh refugees. 46 The agreement that no train should be allowed to go without taking refugees did not work well. When the crew of the train and the passengers belonged to different communities. The Muslim and non-muslim crew sometimes frightened or sometimes in a spirit of retaliation stopped the trains on the appearance of mobs belonging to their community and thus caused the deaths and destruction of the refugees traveling by their trains. 47 One train was loaded with 4700 evacuees and they were not allowed to take even water for drinking purposes from the platform. The supply of water in the pipes was stopped so long as the train remained on the platform. 48 (ii) Migration by Road Transport The road transport was organized under the Military Evacuation Organization. Apart from military vehicles, civilian trucks were also requisitioned from East Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. This organization served as a feeder to rail transport by collecting refugees from out of the way places in west Punjab. 49 Around 1,200 military and civilian trucks were deployed by the Military Evacuation Organization (India) with an additional pool of 1,000 trucks at the peak period. By the middle of November, 1947 around 3,13,400 non-muslims and 2,09,440 Muslims had been transported in this way. 50 The East Punjab Government supplemented this arrangement with the appointment of a Liaison Officer at Lahore and a Transport Controller at Amritsar 45. Liaison Agency Records, Vol.III, op.cit., p Kirpal Singh, op.cit., p Ibid., p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.III, op.cit., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p The Tribune, October 3,

11 who was provided with one hundred trucks. 51 Over 4,27,000 persons were carried by these vehicles by mid December, 1947 and in all twelve lakh refugees were moved by road transport. 52 Three trucks brought some Muslim refugees from Moga and arranged this transport for the sake of the evacuation of people to West Punjab. 53 Hundreds of lorries left Amritsar for Lahore to bring the refugees civilian lorries and about 100 Pakistan military trucks were also put into service for evacuation of refugees. 55 The number of Muslim refugees who arrived from East Punjab into West Punjab reached the figure of 12,00,000. Of this number Lahore received 5,00,000 Muslim refugees. About 4,00,000 Muslim entered West Punjab via Kasur about 2,00,000 through Narowal area. 56 On both sides permits for the removal of household goods were granted but evacuees were not allowed to operate upon them. Persons who were leaving their properties worth lakhs had to pay off their creditors before they were allowed to remove a few of the necessary things from their houses. 57 (iii) Migration by Foot Convoy In this critical time, the easiest means with rural was the foot convoy. These convoys enabled them to bring with them their bullock-carts and cattle. The route for these convoys was Layallpur - Balloke - Chunian - Ferozepur road. The major portion of the population of districts of Lyallpur, Montgomery, Sheikhupur and Sialkot was evacuated by means of organized convoys. 58 The worst hardships were naturally endured by the foot-passengers. To quote the official report already referred to: The biggest foot-convoy, 4,00,000 strength of the uprooted-non-muslims population, started from the Canal Colonies of Lyallpur on September 11, As the convoy took the 150 mile road to East Punjab it was swelled by tributary refugee streams from Gojra, Sumandri and Jaranwala. Leaving their ancestral holdings, the rich canalirrigated fields, the colonists came with what they could carry. With them came petty shopkeepers, artisans, village menials, landlords, businessmen, doctors and layers Ibid., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Partition Proceedings, Vol.III, op.cit., p Ibid.,Vol.II, p First Year of Pakistan: August August 1948, op.cit., p Ibid., p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.III, op.cit., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Horace Alexander, op.cit., p.9. 30

12 Between the 1 st August, 1947 and the 9 th September, 1947, as many as 2,25,000 persons left by foot-conveys from Montgomery to Ferozepur. 60 A convoy of one lakh strength left on foot on the 15 th September, Out of this fifteen thousand or sixteen thousand were at Nankana Sahib and the rest were believed to have crossed the border into the East Punjab. 61 From the September 18 th to October 29 th, 1947 as many as 24 non-muslim foot-convoys, totaling 8,49,000 with hundreds of bullock carts and thousands of cattle crossed over to India. Arrangements were made for feeding these convoys during transit by moving with them truckloads of parched gram, wheat atta and gur. The great majority of these migrants were cultivators. 62 The major portion of men, women and children walked, while a few made their journey by carts and tongas. 63 The biggest evacuee caravan consisting of three lakhs of people came into India from the districts of Lyallpur and Montgomery in the first week of October Small shopkeepers, landlords, artisans, doctors, labourers, even dogs, starved cattle, so vast was the size of the convoy, that it took eight days for it to across a given point. 64 The refugees stated that there were about 30,000 people concentrated at Jhang, 5,000 at Shahkot, 12,000 at Sillanwali and 28,000 at Lalian. It was also stated that most of the Sikhs left Sargodha on foot with their carts and bullocks etc. 65 The bullock-carts played an important role the great two way migration between the two dominions. But for it, most of the eight million refugees on both sides would have been compelled to leave behind even the few cattle they carried. The scene in the vicinity of Balloki Head was the most impressive. The refugee column was about 50 miles long. Ninety thousand of their comrades escaping the floods, crossed a few days before the rains came. 66 The remaining 3,00,000 were exposed to the untimely monsoon for days. They had been greatly enfeebled. 67 It was a seething mass of humanity stretched over a span of 80 miles of the road consisting 60. Liaison Agency Records, Vol.I., op.cit., p Ibid., Vol. V. p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Horace Alexander, op.cit., p The Tribune, October 22, Liaison Agency Records, Vol.III, op.cit., p The Statesman, Delhi (English), October 7, Ibid. 31

13 of at least half a million people moving towards India. But for the tragic circumstances under which this human flood was moving, was a grand and aweinspiring spectacle, the kind of which had not been seen for centuries in human history. 68 Marching along with the carvans of bullock-carts were foot-columns of refugees. Some of them had placed their bundles in bullock carts, others not so fortunate, carried them on their heads. Among them were landless labourers, and village workers, who did not posses any bullock carts of their own and were accompanying their co-villagers. 69 The major portion of men, women and children walked, while a few had brought their carts. Halts were made from time to time for rest and food, fires were lit and meals prepared and the few cows brought were milked for the babies. 70 Few showed pity for old age and many aged or infirm persons were deserted by their relations and left to die on the roadside. 71 Some of these caravans were fairly well-armed with weapons. During the day time the arms were concealed under the bundles of their belongings in bullock carts and at night-time these were taken out for the sake of protection. 72 Although these convoys were protected by mobile units of army, they were attacked a number of times because it was not possible for these units to be present everywhere all along the route. Foot convoys of evacuees from both the East and West Punjab crossed each other peacefully. These refugees stated that they had no difficulty on the way and the behaviour of the non-muslims who came across on the way was very sympathetic towards them. 68. M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Ibid. 70. Horace Alexander, op.cit., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p Ibid. 32

14 Table 2.4: Number of Evacuation of refugees during August to December, 1947 Sr. No. Period No. of refugees 1. Before August 28 7,60, August 28 to October 20 13,40, October 21 to October 31 5,80, November 1 to November 10 6,60, November 11 to November 20 3,90, November 21 to November 30 5,00, December 1 to December 10 4,50,000 Total 46,80,000 Source: Liaison Agency Records (1948), Vol. II, p.12. December 10 marks the end of bulk evacuation of Muslims by trains, motor convoys and foot convoys. After this date evacuation, exclusive of 'pocket clearing' from December being only. 73 (iv) Migration by Air Crafts The October 1947, maximum air crafts were used for the evacuation of refugees by Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) transport squadrons, retained in the country at the request of both the disturbed areas in the East and West of Punjab. About 1,200 Royal Pakistan Air Force personnel were flown out of the North West Frontier Provinces. In addition, many special flights were undertaken to fly important government official on their various missions. Also senior commanders of the Armed Forces of the two dominions were provided with aircrafts to meet their requirements. 74 The total of 12,769 passengers were carried. The aircrafts of these squadrons had flown a total of 6,43,000 miles. In India, the Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation had requisitioned all civilian aircrafts available after meeting the requirements of scheduled air service for the evacuation of non-muslim from North- West Frontier Provinces and distant places in West Punjab, Baluchistan and Karachi. Total of 30 aeroplanes were used for an air ferry service. 75 All these aircrafts were used for flying not only government employees but also private individuals. 73. First Year of Pakistan: August August 1948, op.cit., p The Statesman, October, The Civil and Military Gazette, October 30,

15 To spread up evacuation of the non-muslim standard in far off places in Pakistan, the Ministry and Relief and Rehabilitation arranged more planes. On October 29, 1947, it was announced that 20 aircrafts were taking part in operation India evacuation of refugees between the two dominions. These aircrafts were being flown under the operational command of British Overseas Airways Co-operation were flying day and night. In one day alone these aeroplanes flew 13,000 miles between the two dominions with full loads in each direction. 76 Sea routes were also used for the evacuation. On September 24, 1947 about 50,000 Hindus and Sikhs in Sind were registered with the evacuation committee for tickets to leave Karachi for Indian ports by sea. In addition to this these were 6,400 government servants who opted to serve in India. 77 The magnitude of the refugee problem facing the authorities on both sides was very great. The accommodation for the refugees became a great problem. The local authorities requisitioned all the colleges and schools for accommodation of the military personnel and the refugees. The government announced the utilization of schools and colleges buildings all over the province for the accommodation of the refugees till February, Issue of Abducted Women and Children In the recovering of abducted women, the government of India achieved greater success on their side than the Pakistan government. The statements exchanged between the two governments indicated that 25,856 and 9,366 persons had been recovered in India and Pakistan respectively. About 4,191 abducted women more than thirteen percent of the list furnished by the Indian government were reported by Pakistan government to have died in Pakistan. 79 According to the information received most of the girls abducted were from Jammu and Kashmir and some were from Gujranwala Jhelum, Mianwali, Jhang and Dera Ghazi Khan districts. At Mansera and some other places (N.W.F.P.) there were regular camps where girls were sold. 80 Old women and children were murdered and 76. Ibid. 77. The Tribune, September 25, Ibid., November 14, Kirpal Singh, op.cit., p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.III, op.cit., p

16 young girls were abducted from Makhdumpur Paharan of Multan. With the best efforts of local Hindu Zamindars and their Muslim friends only about a hundred girls were recovered and hundred and fifty were still missing, where the Liaison Agency came into operation. 81 Most of the girls were being taken across to Jhelum and Gujarat districts. The Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police were handicapped in effecting raids and recovering the girls. 82 List of abducted women and girls who were taken by influential persons was: 1) Mohammad Amin Kanju of village Alipur Kango. 2) Rana Allah Dutta Noon of village Nona Kahroor Pacca. 3) Nazar Mohammad of Shahpur Phul 4) Din Mohammad Kanju of Chaiwhab. These people had their groups who attacked the convoys one such convoy was on its way to the railway station wherein they separated all the Sikhs and the females from the whole mass of evacuees and took them away. The men were all shot dead and the women especially young ones were abducted by them. 83 The abducted persons Recovery and Restoration Act became Amendment Act in 1952 and continued to be renewed every year upto By the Indo-Pakistan Joint decision of 1954, people were not to be forced to go to the other country against their wishes. An important aspect of this legislation was the provision for setting up of an Indo-Pakistan Tribunal to decide the disputed cases of the abducted women. 84 In the Multan camp alone 1000 women were abducted and 5,000 were forcibly converted. Villages that suffered most were Khajji wala, Jalalpur Pirwala, Rampur, Kabir wala and Multan city and cantonment also suffered a good deal. 85 There were 700 cases in which report was sent to the police, but it was found that many of the recovered girls were out of that list which proved that the actual number was more than the number reported. Out of 700 only 309 were recovered Ibid., Vol.V, p Meeting (Proceedings of the Officers of East Punjab Liaison Agency took place at Lahore Under the Chief Secretary, collected by Kirpal Singh, Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar, p Liaison Agency Records, Vol. III, op.cit., p Kirpal Singh, op.cit., pp Office Records of Chief Liaison Officer, East Punjab Government, Camp Multan, October 12, 1947, p Liaison Agency Records, Vol. V, op.cit., p

17 More than one lakh and fifty thousand persons were evacuated from the West Punjab. According to that data more than 50,000 women and children were abducted in the West Punjab. Obviously no reliable data was available to the East Punjab Liaison Agency except lists supplied by the Information Bureau, supplemented on many occasions by a large number of applications received directly from relations of abducted women and children. It may be mentioned that according to the reports of the District Liaison Officers submitted in November 1947 the approximate number of women (excluding children) to be recovered from the West Punjab districts was as follows: 87 Table 2.5: Number of women to be recovered from West Punjab districts in Sr. No. District No. of Women to be recovered 1. Lahore 1, Sheikhupura Lyallpur 1, Jhang Sargodha Montgomery 1, Gujranwala 1, Gujarat 5, Jhelum Ravalpindi Sialkot 2, Campbellpur Mianwali 2, Multan 1, Muzaffargarh 1, Dera Gazi Khan 500 Total 20,870 Source: Meeting Proceedings of the Officers of East Punjab (1947), Liaison Agency, p Meeting Proceedings of the Officers of East Punjab, op.cit., p

18 Table 2.6: Number of persons to be evacuated and recovered from different districts of West Punjab in Sr. No. Name of District No. of Male yet to be evacuated No. of children and women yet to be recovered 1. Dera Ghazi Khan Muzaffargarh Mianwali Lyallpur Montgomery Multan Jhang Sheikhupura 1, Gujranwala Sargoda Lahore 4, Campbellpur 1, Jhelum Gujarat 2, Sialkot 5,530 1, Rawalpindi Total 20,290 4,700 Source: Liaison Agency Records (1948), Vol.V, pp.4,5. Issues of Converted People A large number of persons especially women were forcibly converted. Owing to the disturbed conditions and communal riots, a very large number of women and children were abducted on both sides of the border. The refugees in the East Punjab and the West Punjab who had recently migrated wanted recover their relations. 88 Kidnapping and raping of young girls and young married women was also a common occurrence Kirpal Singh, op.cit., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p

19 The Indian state mounted a massive and sustained 'recovery' operation, which lasted for nearly a year after partition and which was aimed at recovering and bringing back abducted women to their 'rightful' homes. This basically meant bringing Hindu women to India and sending Muslim women to Pakistan. In the initial stages both countries agreed on this and they reached an agreement (Inter Dominion Treaty of 6 th December, 1947), to carry out search and recovery operations in each other's territories. 90 The Government of India and Pakistan in their meeting held on 6 th December, 1947 took the following decisions regarding the recovery of abducted women and children: 1) Conversion of persons abducted after the 1 st March, 1947 was not to be recognized and all such persons were to be restored to their respective dominions even against the wishes of the person concerned. 2) The primary responsibility for the recovery of abducted persons was to rest with the local police. 3) Social workers were to associated actively with the scheme. The District Liaison Officers were to supply information regarding abducted persons to be recovered. 91 Since the actual rescue operation could take several years and by the time the women were actually found they were often married, settled, with children and perhaps living a new and different life. Some had been through so many hands that they no longer believed the fact that simply because their rescuers were from the same religion, they would be any safer with them. Several of them did not want to return. Hindus and Sikh women, in particular, also feared that their families would not take them back. 92 It was clear that the West Punjab authorities did not want the Liaison Agency to operate in the West Punjab. Secondly, inspite of the difficulties placed in their way their morale stood high and they were able to achieve results which caused annoyance 90. Urvashi Butalia, Listening for a Change: Narratives of Partition, S. Settar, Indira B.Gupta (ed.), 'Pangs of Partition: The Human Dimension', Vol.II, Manohar Publishers, New Delhi, 2002, p Kirpal Singh, op.cit., p Urvashi Butalia, op.cit., pp

20 to the Pakistan officials. 93 A very large volume of the correspondence between the high officials of the East Punjab and the West Punjab indicates that the police officers in both the Punjabs acted partially in favour of their own community while recovering the abducted women. 94 The East Punjab Liaison agency was closed on the 30 th November, 1948 alongwith the Women Recovery Organization which was associated with it. The work of recovery of abducted women was brought under the Ministry of External Affairs of India and Pakistan. The Indian Government, however, established elaborate machinery for the recovery of the abducted persons. 95 PROPERTY LOSS As regards the property it was suspected that moveable property which had been left behind in the houses and buildings belonging to non-muslims was looted, misappropriated and distributed and very little remained behind. Even the sealed rooms were being broken with a view to make room for the refugees and the property lying in the sealed rooms was being misappropriated by the occupants of the houses. 96 The non-muslims left behind dairy farms, breeding and development farms and foodgrains depots. Most of the moveable property left behind by the non-muslims was auctioned by the Deputy Custodian at ridiculous prices or looted. 97 The Muslims in the West Punjab by attacking the Sikhs and Hindus who owned property and land, could acquire their properties. Exactly the same thing happened in the East Punjab, where the Sikhs and the Hindus attacked the Muslims to drive them out in order to acquire land. 98 Looting and burning of villages commenced towards the end of August and continued through the month of September In August 1947, looting started on large scale under the wings of the police, respectable officers, government employees members of the local gentry, lawyers, doctors, big zamindars and the goondas all competed with each other. Property worth crores which was accumulated by the Hindus and the Sikhs during the course of half a century of peaceful and hard life was distributed within the span of a few hours amongst those who had the audacity to 93. Liaison Agency Records, Vol.II, op.cit., p Kirpal Singh, op.cit., p Ibid., p Liaison Agency Records, Vol. II, op.cit., p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.V, op.cit, p Kirpal Singh, op.cit., p M.S. Randhawa, op.cit., p

21 break all bonds of law and morality. 100 According to Pakistan Radio broadcast the West Punjab Government recovered looted goods valued at several lakhs. 101 In Multan, moveable property including ornaments of gold, silver and cash valued at about 3 crores of rupees was looted during partition and immoveable property worth about a crore and a half of rupees was burnt down. 102 In Sargoda, the trouble started on 11 th September, 1947 when the local Muslim goondas in the presence of police constables began to loot the houses of Hindus and Sikhs. 103 In Hazara district, about 3,500 shops and houses belonging to the non-muslims were looted and set on fire. The Punjab Kashmir Bank and Hind Iran Bank were also looted by the mob, with the active help of Muslim additional police and military. 104 Disturbed conditions, inadequacy of the police, the government policy of giving arm licences freely of which advantage was taken by a number of shady characters and the ease with which offenders could cross over to adjoining state territories after committing the crime, were factors which largely contributed to dacoities and robberies. 105 The Liaison Agency was finally withdrawn from Lahore on the 30 th November, 1948 and a small office was set up at Amritsar. The fact that the East Punjab Liaison Agency was withdrawn from Lahore by no means signifies that the work of recovery or of the retrieval of property was completed in the West Punjab. 106 The total expenditure incurred on the Liaison Agency upto the end of 1948 was Rs. 9,62,836 and it was estimated that a further amount of Rs. 3,37,164 was to be paid to clear the debts and the outstanding bills against the Liaison Agency, thus raising the total amount spent on the Liaison Agency, from September 1947 to March 1949 to Rs. 13,00, With all these efforts the tragedy of the situation was that the Punjab stood torn to pieces on both sides. The following chapter shall deal with the official attempts at various levels of the Indian Government to bring solace to the people, to heal the wounds and to recreate Punjab once again Liaison Agency Records, Vol. V, op.cit., p Partition Proceedings, Vol.II, op.cit., p Ibid., Vol. V, p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.I, op.cit., p Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation, op.cit., p Report on Police Administration in the Punjab, for the year 1948, op.cit., p Liaison Agency Records, Vol.II, op.cit., p Ibid., p.1. 40