Originally an independent princely state, the origins of Bahawalpur trace back to the earliest civilisation in the subcontinent - the Indus Valley Civilisation. Evidence from archaeological sites like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro show that the ancient civilisations existed in the area that makes up Bahawalpur today.

Bahawalpur’s strategic location has made it a key city for trade and military operations since the medieval period. It was ruled over by the Ghazanvid Empire, Delhi Sultanate, and Mughal Empire.

During the era of the Sikh Confederacy, Bahawalpur was not directly controlled. Instead, it was ruled by the Bahawalpur State, which was an independent princely state. The state was governed independently, and its rulers were known as the Nawabs - muslim noblemen of Bahawalpur. The Sikh Misls were more focused on the central Punjab region. Bahawalpur remained separate from the direct control of the Sikh Misls, though it was situated near the territories where various Sikh Misls operated.

The modern city of Bahawalpur was established by Nawab Bahawal Khan Abbasi I in 1748; the Abbasi family claimed that they were descenants of the Abbasid Caliphate from Baghdad. Under the Abbasi dynasty, Bahawalpur remained an independent state which upheld its idiosyncratic administration, military, and foreign schemes.

In 1833, the Nawab of Bahawalpur made a formal agreement with the British East India Company under which they accepted the suzerainty of the British Crown. This allowed the state to retain control over majority of their internal functions, but hand foreign relations and military functions to the British Crown. During this time, the state developed significantly as the nawabs invested in the infrastructure, education, and general public welfare. Specifically, Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan V (1904 - 1966) modernised the state.

Following the 1947 partition, the Nawab chose to join the state to the newly formed country of Pakistan. The formal accession happened in October of 1947. In 1955, the government of Pakistan introduced the One Unit Policy wherein various provinces and princely states would merge. Through this, Bahawalpur’s status as a princely state was dissolved. The policy itself was dissolved in 1970 by the president Yahya Khan, and the provinces of West Pakistan were given their original status. It was at this time that Bahawalpur officially joined the state of Punjab. Despite all the political changes of the late 1900s, Bahawalpur preserved its distinct cultural heritage and remained an economic pivot in the south of Punjab.

Today, Bahawalpur is renowned for its agricultural outputs, specifically those of cotton, wheat, and sugarcane. It also holds some of the nation’s most famous educational institutions like the Islamia University of Bahawalpur.

Until our paths cross in Jhelum - Trish Saab