Page 198 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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Obaid went over to the Saudis in 1952. A cousin of his, Abdullah bin Salim, whose
father had once been the paramount Shaikh, shortly afterwards asked Her
Majesty’s Government to support his claim to the leadership of the tribe.
Although care had been taken previously not to recognise the Sultan’s claim to
sovereigntly over the tribe it now became politic to do so, and Abdullah was sent
to Muscat to make his submission. After that, with the Sultan’s approval he
received Her Majesty’s Government’s support against Obaid, and the latter fled i
from Mahadhah. It will be necessary therefore in future to regard the Bani Ka’ab
as the Sultan’s subjects unless provision is made to the contrary in any settlement
of the boundary dispute which may be reached with the Saudis.

V.—Gwadur
44. Although Gwadur has been under the sovereignty of Muscat since 1792 ;
it was not included in the district of the Political Agent, Muscat until 1934. The
Sultan maintains a Wali there and a small garrison. In 1946 having failed to obtain !
the services of a British officer for which he had asked he appointed an Indian
Administrator to look after municipal affairs, and in 1949 the latter’s place was
taken by a British Administrator. A school and a dispensary are maintained, and
the services of an Indian or Pakistani doctor are obtained from time to time, but
he rarely stays for more than a few months. The British Administrator’s attempts
I to improve conditions are hampered by lack of funds. The bulk of the population
is Baluch, but in Gwadur town there are about 400 Ismali Khojas or Agakhanis
and 100 Hindus. Before the transfer of power in India these were all British
subjects, as protected persons. The Hindus have now become Indian subjects
while the Agakhanis are endeavouring to obtain citizenship of the United
Kingdom for which it is probable that few of them have the requisite qualifications.
British interests are in charge of an official who used to be called the British Agent,
but since 1952 has been designated Pro-Consul. He exercises judicial powers under
the Muscat Order-in-Council. The chief value of Gwadur to the Sultan lies in
its customs revenue which is usually much in excess of his expenditure on the
place.
45. Before the transfer of power the Khan of Kalat never relinquished his
i claim to sovereignty over Gwadur.O He renewed it in 1938 when the question
of an oil concession for the territory arose (paragraph 65 below). In 1927 the
Political Resident proposed the purchase of Gwadur by His Majesty’s Government
owing to its importance as a staging-post in the air route which was then under
discussion.(i0) He suggested a sum of £135,000 as the purchase price and that
25 per cent, of this should be paid to the Khan of Kalat.(*‘) Nothing came of the
proposal. In 1939 the Sultan who at the time wished to raise funds for the
conquest of Oman asked the Political Resident whether he thought the Govern­
ment of India would be willing to lease or buy Gwadur from him,O'2) but owing to
the outbreak of war the matter was not pursued then. Early in 1947 the
Government of India tentatively raised the question of the retrocession of Gwadur
by sale to Kalat State(53) but dropped it because there was not time to deal with the
matter before the transfer of power in India. Before that event took place the
Khan sought permission to negotiate direct with the Sultan for the return of
Gwadur but it was decided that he could not be permitted to have direct relations
with any foreign Government before the lapse of paramountcy.(31) After the
transfer of power the Khan delayed his accession to Pakistan, and the Pakistan
Government recognised the Province of Mekran, within the limits of which Gwadur
is situated, as an independent State under its Nawab who had announced his
accession to Pakistan. The Khan has accordingly no longer any interest in
Gwadur.
46. In 1948 the Political Resident acting under the instructions of His
Majesty’s Government asked the Sultan what his attitude would be if he were
approached with a proposal for the sale of Gwadur. He replied that he was willing

(4#) Para. 72 at p. 57, P.G. 13.
(•'") Para. 74 at p. 58, P.G. 13.
('*) C.O. to F.O. 49019/27 of March 30. 1927 (E 1515/14/91 of 1927).
(”) I.O. to F.O. P.Z. 6255/39 of November 8. 1939 (E 7388/37/91 of 1939).
(“) I.O. to F.O. Ext. 6446 of May 5. 1947 (F 6108/905/61 of 1947).
(54) I.O. to F.O. Ext. 1462/47 of July 24. 1947 (E 6626/25/91 of 1947).
46639 2 B 2