Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bhurgri

Raees Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bhurgri (Sindhi: غلام محمد خان ڀرڳڙي‎) (Barrister),(1878-1924) was one of the pioneers of the Pakistan Movement.^[1][2]

Early life

Raees Ghulam Muhammad Bhurgri was born on July 15, 1878 in the village of Dengan Bhurgri, Kot Ghulam Muhammad, District Tharparkar (now Mirpurkhas) in Sindh. He was the second son of Wali Muhammad Khan Bhurgri a well-known, prosperous landlord (Zamindar) of Sindh^[3][4][5]

Education

He received his elementary education at home. Later, he joined Mission School, Hyderabad (Sindh) N.H. Academy, Hyderabad and Sindh Madrassah-tul-Is!am, Karachi. In 1890 he went to Aligarh and passed his Matriculation Examination from Muslim High School Aligarh. He stayed in England for three years and was called to Bar from Lincoln's Inn.^[6]

Family

His son Raees Ghulam Mustafa Khan Bhurgri, who was member of Sindh Assembly, was greatest opponent of One Unit & voted against the bill during Sindh assembly session in 1957 at Hyderabad, on September 17, 1957, a resolution was moved against unification of West Pakistan was by Ghulam Mustafa Bhurgri. ^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

Professional career

After his return, he started practice in Hyderabad (Sindh).^[12]

Political career

He was the first Sindhi Muslim barrister, who rose to the highest status of politician in the subcontinent as a Sindhi.^[13][14]

Ghulam Mohammad Bhurgri was among the foremost Muslim leaders of Sindh whose activities had a significant impact on mainstream Indian politics. He was active, at one time or another in several major political organisations:^[15]

He was elected as Member, Bombay Legislative Council in 1909; re-elected in 1913 and again in 1916.^[16] Member Indian National Congress in 1917.^[17]

President of All India Khilafat Conference

In February 1920 he became President of All India Khilafat Conference (1919–29).^[18]

July 10, 1919 G M Bhurgri accompanied Jinnah leader of deputation for Khilafat to London^[19]

Muslim League

He remained a dedicated member of the All India Muslim League all through his life and attended all its annual sessions. He was a Member, Reforms Committee (8th session, Bombay, December 1915-January 1916); Member of the Committee to discuss Congress -League Scheme (10th session - Calcutta, December, 1917- January 1918) and Member, Committee of Moplah Trouble (14th session, Ahmedabad, December, 1921).^[20]

President of All India Muslim League He was elected President, All India Muslim League, (15th session) at Lucknow in March–April, 1923. In his Presidential Address Mr. Bhurgri touched upon, among other things, Turkish and Khilafat question and the possibility of a league of Oriental Nations. Mr. Bhurgri was a Muslim League delegate, under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam, to give evidence before the Selbourne Committee of British Parliament on India Bill.^[21]

Role for Sindh

He championed the cause of separation of Sindh from Bombay Presidency with a view to safeguarding interests of Sindhi Muslims. He with his friends came to the conclusion that the issue must be brought to all India political forums. All India National Congress had been made aware of the issue since 1913, now All India Muslim League must also be asked to play its part. In December 1925, in its seventeenth session Muslim League passed the resolution that Sindh should be separated from Bombay and constituted into a separate province.^[22]

Raees continuously lobbied for separate province, proposing resolutions at all-India moots, from 1925 onwards. He repeatedly urged the Aga Khan who led the Muslim delegation to the Round Table Conferences (1930–32) and Jinnah to get the Sindh separation issue settled favourably during the London confabulations.^[23]

Sindh Provincial Political Conference (1920-30s)^[24]

Azad Sindh Conference (1930)^[25]

He started Sindhi weekly \'Al-Amin\' from Hyderabad which was edited by Shaikh Abdul Majeed Sindhi. Bhurgri was an accomplished lawyer and defended Sheikh Abdul Majeed Sindhi against Government prosecution under press laws. As President of Muhammedan Educational Conference, Poona, he tried to expand educational facilities in rural areas^[26]

Death

He died on March 10, 1924 and was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard.^[27]

• In recognition of his services, the Sindh Government has changed the name of the town and Taluka of Jamesabad as Kot Ghulam Muhammad Bhurgri^[28]

& his photo commemorated on postage stamps of Pakistan on 14 August 1993^[29][30][31]

Books on Raees Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bhurgri

Barrister Raees Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bhurgri Life and Works by Former Bureaucrat Mohammad Hashim Leghari.^[32]

See also

• Bhurgri
• List of Sindhi people

References

External links

• Bhurgri Website
• Barrister Raees Ghulam Muhammad Khan Bhurgri Life and Works by Muhammad Hashim Leghari