The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 9
9 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN with Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, who took up the leadership in succession to Sir Fazle Hussain. Sir Sikander Hayat Khan was a scion of an aristocratic family from the District of Campbellpur in the northwestern part of the Province. His father was a very well-known personality in the early British days. He was, in fact, orderly officer to General John Nicholson at the time when Nicholson took Delhi after the Mutiny. As is well-known, Nicholson was shot down outside the Kashmiri Gate just at the moment of his victory, and he fell into the arms of his orderly officer, Sardar Muhammad Hayat Khan, and expired in that position. Nawab Muhammad Hayat Khan was given a civilian judicial appointment, and, I believe, rose to be District and Sessions Judge. He had a large family. The eldest son also rose to be District and Sessions Judge, and out of the younger sons two rose to great eminence: Nawab Liaquat Hayat Khan, who became Prime Minister of Patiala and held that position for several years; and Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, who became the leader of the Unionist Party and in that capacity led the Party in the Punjab Legislature and became Revenue Member in the Punjah Government. Question: May I just interrupt long enough to ask how it was that the Chief Ministers of the Punjab States were appointed, Liaquat Hayat Khan at Patiala and, I think, Sir Sikander at one time in Bahawalpur ? Khan : Well, they were appointed at the discretion, at least ostensibly, of the ruler, but in actual fact the ruler always cleared the appointment with the Resident or Agent - as he was sometimes called - of the suzerain power. It was only a person who was acceptable to the Resident or Agent who was appointed. But as I have said, the family was eminent and well liked in those circles; they were completely loyal to the British. Later, in 1937, when the elections took place under the New Government of India Act and dyarchy was replaced by responsible government in the Provinces, Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan became the Chief Minister of the Punjab. As you have reminded me, he was for some time Chief Minister of Bahawalpur earlier, but that office he did not hold for long. He led the Party very skilfully and was devoted to this principle of working in partnership with the representatives of other communities in a political party based on economic considerations rather than on communal divisions. He did have some difficulty with Mr. Jinnah, but I believe they came to an understanding that Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan