HISTORY OF SINDH: MIRS' & SIR CHARLES NAPIER?

I think it would be logical to start a family history with the roots of the family or the family tree as it is commonly known. I have my own opinion regarding the lineage of any person, family, clan, tribe or "race." Advocates and detractors for good or bad reasons tend to glorify or malign or highlight or undermine the subjects they are dealing with according to their motives. This approach is quite detrimental to the purpose of objectivity which should be the primary requisite for any such study. We Mahmoodanis, a sub- clan of the Shahdadani clan of the Talpur tribe have Mir Mahmood Khan, the son of Mir Bahram Khan as our progenitor and as such derive our family name from him. Mir Mahmood Khan was the youngest brother of Mir Bijar Khan and Mir Sobdar Khan. It is from Mir Bahram's father, Mir Shahdad Khan, that we derive our clan name of Shahdadani. The Talpurs are Baluchs. Their ancestor Mir Ismail Khan laid the foundations of Dera Ismail Khan. Later one of his sons Mir Ghulam Hussain shifted to Choti Bala in Dera Ghazi Khan. Sons of Mir Sulaiman Kako shifted to Sindh sometime in the 16th century and soon attained considerable influence. Mir Shahdad Khan was prominent even before he became associated with the Kalhoras. He received land from Auragzeb's governor of Multan Sultan Muizudeen. He was esteemed by his contemporaries. He held an important position under Yar Mohammad and Noor Mohammad Kalhora. He died around 1747. His son Mir Bahram Khan stepped into that position and helped the Kalhoras to rule justly and efficiently until he became a victim of court intrigues and was assassinated along with his son Mir Sobdar Khan in 1774. Mian Sarfaraz Khan, killed Mir Bahram despite having taken a solemn oath on The Holy Quran, that he would not harm Mir Bahram's family in any way. The Talpurs rose up in arms and deposed Mian Sarfaraz under the leadership of Mir Fateh Khan as Mir Bahram's eldest son Mir Bijar was away in the Holy Land performing Haj. When he returned, he showed a great deal of restraint but the elements who feared the Talpur ascendancy prompted Mian Ghulam Nabi to fight him .A battle ensued at Laniari and though the Baluchs were fewer in number they routed the Kalhora army. It is stated that during the battle Mian Ghulam Nabi made overtures for peace. On learning this his advisor Taja Laikhi dealt him a fatal blow. Mir Bijar Khan did become the ruler of Sindh abdicated in favor of Abdul Nabi Kalhora, who secured his accession by doing away with four possible inheritors of the throne. Mir Bijar ably served him only to be repaid as his respected father was. Mian Abdul Nabi conspired with Raja of Jhodhpur, Buje Singh to assassinate Mir Bijar Khan. He sent two assassins who on the pretext of delivering an important message in private, attacked and fatally wounded him. Mir Bijar Khan was assassinated in the year1781. The Talpurs and other Baluchs were enraged. Abdul Nabi, sensing danger slipped away. Mir Abdullah, Mir Bijar's son, now found himself shouldering the responsibility of leading the Talpurs and other Baluchs. He too was as noble, brave and honourable as were his father, his uncle and grandfather, who were all assassinated. Although Abdul Nabi slipped away Mir Abdullah did not become the ruler. Another person from the Kalhora family ascended the throne. Abdul Nabi went to Kabul for help. It should be pointed out that the Kalhoras paid levy to rulers in Kabul. He brought with him an army of Afghans under command of one Maddad Khan, whose cruelty and brutality remains unsurpassed in the annals of history in this region. The Baluchs resisted the might of the Afghan ruler as best as they could and had it not been for them the sufferings of the people of Sindh would have been worse. Abdul Nabi had invited this scourge on Sindh. In stark contrast when Mir Bijar Khan was offered help to avenge his father's death by Nasser Khan of Kalat , he refused, saying he would not bring foreign forces on the soil of Sindh. Mian Abdul Nabi after roving for some time again acquired the rule. He assured the Talpurs that he would not harm them. He gave those assurances written on The Holy Quran like Mian Sarfaraz. Those Qurans are still with the Talpur family. Mir Abdullah helped Mian Abdul Nabi to stabilize the country but the latter gave way to his evil inclinations and plotted to assassinate the leading Talpur figures. Mir Abdullah and Mir Fateh Khan (the forebears of the Mirs of Mirpur) were taken in by his assurances and sent away their supporters only to be incarcerated and brutally murdered. This event occurred two years after Mir Bijar's assassination, in year 1783. This proved to be the last straw. The Talpurs under Mir Fateh Ali Khan decided to do away with evil for once and for all. In the Battle of Halani forces loyal to Kalhoras were thoroughly defeated and Mir Fateh Ali Khan became the ruler of Sindh. It has been said that Talpurs were naive or simpletons but nothing could be further from the truth. The Kalhoras were not only the rulers but were also the Talpurs' spiritual leaders and mentors. Rebelling against their spiritual rulers was unthinkable and they suffered for their loyalty and commitment. Even before they became rulers, the Talpurs were patrons of the arts and literature. Manuscripts commissioned by Mir Bijar and Mir Mahmood Khan are still in existence. Mir Mahmmod Khan commissioned the manuscript 'Gulistan' of Sheik Saadi when he was very young. I have in my possession a genealogical table written on a leaf of an old manuscript of Sheikh Saadi's "Gulistan" which goes back to the family of Quraish. It certainly is a later addition because it ends with the great grandson of Mir Mahmood Khan. My point in stating this is to clarify my views regarding family trees. Family trees are important in the sense that they tell you who you are, but they do not determine what you are. In my opinion it does not add to our stature if we are in fact descended from the Quraish and it certainly doesn't make us less anything from us if we aren't. What is important is what we have been doing since. There is no doubt that our family has an authentic, historically proven genealogical tree. This will be subsequently given. THE TALPUR RULE OVER SINDH With the defeat of the Kalhora forces by the Talpurs in the battle of Halani in 1783 under the command of Mir Fateh Ali Khan, Sindh came under the sway of Talpurs. Abdul Nabi Kalhora, true to his nature, did not sit idle but went to the Court of Kabul to secure the support of Taimur Shah who was more interested in procuring levy from Sindh. He ordered that Sindh be divided into two parts: one ruled by Mir Fateh Ali and the other by Abdul Nabi. He sent a huge force to have this implemented but the Baluchs under Mir Fateh Ali came out to resist the dismemberment at all costs and assembled at Rohri. When the forces of Kabul's Shah heard of the Mir’s determination, he decided to back off. The Shah then accepted Mir Fateh Ali Khan as the ruler of Sindh. He too had to pay a levy to the Kabul Court but not in the subservient way that the Kalhoras insisted on. The Kabul rulers had tasted the blades of Baluch swords and were not anxious to taste them again. Abdul Nabi continued his subversive activities till his death in the Derajat. Mir Fateh Ali, in spite of the heavy odds was able to consolidate Talpur rule in Sindh. Talpur rule in Sindh was unique because Mir Fateh Ali Khan and his three brothers ruled at Hyderabad. This was known as "The Chauyari," the rule of four friends. Fateh Ali was the Principal Amir and held the most important position. The other brothers also had responsibilities: .Mir Thara Khan ruled at Mirpur Khas and Mir Sohrab ruled at Khairpur. The critics consider this as contentious issue and malign the Talpurs. They fail to see that this was better than putting the pretenders to the sword and starting costly internecine wars. Abdul Majeed Jokhia, an eminent historian of that period says that Sindh was divided into seven districts, three were under Mir Fateh Ali and his brothers, (sons of Mir Sobdar), two were under Mir Sohrab, one under Mir Thara of Mirpur and one under Mir Mahmood, (their uncle) and sons of Mir Abdullah. Talpurs, who pardoned even their most inveterate enemies couldn't be expected to wield swords against their brethren. In cases where they had to, they were ruled by reason and showed great restraint. It was Mir Fateh Ali who made Hyderabad the seat of rule. The Hyderabad Fort was built in the reign of Mian Ghulam Shah under the supervision of Mir Bahram Khan in 1184-85AH. Mir Fateh Ali ruled judiciously, providing prosperity and justice to the people of Sindh who had suffered terribly in the last days of Kalhora rule. He had a beautiful Palace built in the middle of a lake near Sakrand. He also had a new city built. The Talpur rulers, as well as their grandfathers had many canals built to bring goods to the people. Mir Shahdad Khan had the Marikh Wah extended all the way from Sakrand to beyond what is now Rokun Burira. It was he who established Shahdadpur and his son the Shahpur Chakar. The path of this canal still exists. His sons and grandsons dug minor canals from it. Mir Fateh Ali Khan continued to rule till his death in 1801. The role of Principal Amir was passed on to his brother Mir Ghulam Ali Khan who followed his brother's way of governance but unfortunately a dispute arose between Mir Ghulam and Mir Thara Khan of Mirpur. Matters came to a head when the former rallied his supporters to fight it out. This was a delicate situation and needed to be dealt with carefully as an internal war could lead to disintegration. Mir Ghulam Ali asked his uncle, Mir Mahmood Khan to lead the forces against Mir Thara Khan. Mir Mahmood Khan was the only surviving son of Mir Bahram Khan. The Kalhoras had assassinated both his elder brothers, Mir Bijar Khan and Mir Sobdar Khan. He was very young at the time of the assassinations. Mirsahib led the forces and proved himself to be a brilliant military strategist. When he heard that Mir Thara Khan’s forces were entrenched near Wangi, he ordered his men to split into two sections, each attacking from a different side. This forced Mir Thara to come out in the open. In the fierce battle that followed 414 Baluchs were killed on both sides. Azeemudeen, Thatvi, and Abdul Majeed Jokhia have covered the subject in detail in their books. Mir Thara Khan was injured, but Mir Mahmood Khan made sure that he came to no further harm. He had him taken to his own tent and from there on to Hyderabad with all the respect due a relative and fellow ruler. Mir Sahib handled a potentially explosive situation with the wisdom that is required in such situations. Mir Thara Khan was nursed back to health and sent back to Mirpur to rule as he did before the battle. He could have been eliminated had this been the purpose. This event occurred in 1803.AD. Mir Ghulam Ali died in 1811AD. His rule too was as glorious as Mir Fateh Ali's. They are both buried at Khudabad near Hala. Mir Karam Ali Khan now assumed the role of Principal Amir. The British were now eyeing Sindh for its wealth and strategic position and were making inroads with new agreements aimed at increasing their influence. It should be remembered that most of India by this time was solidly under British rule, and 'The Great Game' was in full play. They had signed treaties with Mir Ghulam Ali. When Mir Murad Ali the youngest of all brothers fell gravely ill, Mir Karam Ali requested the Governor in Bombay to send an able doctor. Dr.James Burnes came and cured him of the disease. Dr Burnes book "A Visit to the Court of Sinde" tells a lot about the state of the Court in 1827. The book dispels a lot of misconceptions regarding the Talpurs and their rule. He talks about the splendor of their Court and the decorum that was maintained. He says that Mir Mahmood Khan was a very handsome and a well-dressed person. Mir Karam Ali Khan was a poet of some repute and his 'Diwan e Karam' is accepted (even by Iranians!) as being of high quality. He died in 1828 AD. Mir Murad Ali was the last ruler of the first "Chauyari." He ruled with the advice of his sons and nephews. In 1832, a new agreement was signed with the British. They were slowly gaining a foothold. Mir Sahib, also a poet, ruled judiciously until his death in 1833 ended the first Chauyari. The mantle now passed on to his eldest son Mir Noor Mohammad Khan who, following the path of his illustrious uncles and father, continued with the Chauyari form of rule, including his brother Mir Mohammad Naseer and cousins Mir Sobdar Khan and Mir Muhammad Khan in the ruling Council. Mir Noor Mohammad continued to rule judiciously. The British were slowly and gradually gaining influence by fanning discontent within the ranks of the Talpurs and were coming up with a succession of new treaties which were to their advantage alone. There have been attempts by various historians to present the Talpur era as one riddled with differences and consequent incompetence and malfeasance. Nothing could be further from the truth. While there were differences within the ranks they weren't allowed to fester. Attempts were made to resolve and accommodate the just demands. This is apparent from the fact that no Talpur or other Baluch was put to the sword for dissent during the two Chauyaris. There is a website on which some sections of Talpurs and some personalities have been praised to the detriment of others. This is not the right attitude as it is neither accurate nor does it reflect the tolerance practiced by the persons mentioned. The purpose of this site not to gloss over the differences and the drawbacks that were present then but to present them in the proper historical perspective, to see events in light of the times in which they events occurred, not to judge history by today's standards. The British, despite all assurances kept working for their own interests. In 1838 a new agreement was signed which was not at all in the interest of Sindh. Mir Noor Mohammad died in 1841. The rule now passed to Mir Mohammad Naseer Khan. In the same year Sir Charles Napier was sent to Sindh to achieve the ultimate goal of annexation of Sindh to the British Empire. Differences between the Talpurs began to crop up anew and the old grievances came to fore. There were differences between the sons of Mir Noor Mohammad. Mir Sobdar Khan in Hyderabad and Mir Ali Murad in Khairpur failed to realize that the English would eventually not be their friends either. The British presented new terms for a treaty and Mir Naseer Khan was an unwilling signatory as there were many unjust demands. The British wanted Karachi, Thatta and Bakhaar permanently. They wanted the Mint to be closed and no taxation for their traders. They wanted to replace Mir Rustam with his brother Mir Ali Murad and kept making unjust demands on him. Eastwick says that at one point Mir Rustam was so fed up with their demands that he said he couldn't accept them. After all, he was a Baluch. "A Glance at Sindh Before Napier " by Eastwick presents the true picture of those times. Napier forced Mir Rustam to go to Hyderabad. Mirsahib was old and ailing at that time. The Talpurs and other Baluchs were infuriated at this. To make the matters worse, Napier started his incursion towards Hyderabad to provoke the Baluchs. He confiscated Mir Rutam's possessions on flimsy pretexts in December 1842. Napier continued his provocations by words and deeds. The Baluchs knew for certain that Napier would use the logic of the wolf that is bent upon devouring the sheep and not relent even if all his demands were met. They decided to meet force with force. On the 5th of February Major Outram's post near Kotri was attacked but he embarked on the steamer and escaped. Napier had camped near Miani and the Baluchs assembled there to fight it out. On 17th February the opposing forces met. The Baluchs surpassed all in valour and bravery. Mir Jan Mohammad Talpur charged into the English camp and attacked Outram who narrowly escaped his charge by jumping off his horse. Mir Jan Mohammad's grave is in Miani. One Baluch, bayoneted by a British soldier and unable to reach the opponent with his sword, pushed the bayonet and the rifle through his own body and killed the opponent. The British say their casualties were 62 killed and 194 wounded. The casualties on the Baluch side are estimated to be six times higher. The Baluchs were defeated and had to retreat. Valor alone has never been and can never on its own be the determining factor in the outcome of any battle. Discipline and planning played a much more important role and on February !7th 1843, won the day for the British. Had the outcome of the Battle at Miani been different it would have changed the history of the sub-continent. It could have been different if only the Talpurs had realized that the British would never abide by the agreements they were making. The next day Mir Naseer Khan surrendered to Charles Napier. He and others were then arrested and sent in exile to Calcutta and other places in India. The houses were looted even the ladies were not spared. Finally, the English had gotten Sindh. Mir Sher Mohammad of Mirpur tried to rally his forces. He fought against the English at Dabbo near Hyderabad on March 24 , 1843 but his forces too were defeated and no change could be brought to the state of things. The British had wormed their way into Sindh through deceit and intrigues but conquered it through force of arms and that was the only recourse for them in sustaining their illegal rule here. They sowed dissension amongst the people here and ensured their rule. They exiled all those who could have acted as a symbol for resistance. To clarify one point, some over- enthusiastic Talpurs regardless of their own contribution to the fight against the British, conveniently accuse the Mahmoodanis of not having fought . While ,Mahmoodanis may not have fought the British due to the differences within the Talpur family at that time, at no stage did they collaborate with England or any enemy of Sindh. Moreover the descendants of Mir Mahmood quite made up for their battlefield absence by resisting British Imperialism tooth and nail, when it was even a crime to utter a word against them, while their accusers enjoyed English patronage. It is no less than a miracle that the Talpurs have been able to preserve the books and artefacts that they still have in their possession. Mir Naseer Khan died in exile as did some others. His son and that of Mir Noor Mohammad among others later returned to Sindh. The English always felt threatened by the Talpurs. They did restore the possessions of the Talpurs but under strict conditions. Contrary to common belief the Talpurs were never given Jagirs (estates)by England. The only concession was that their original holdings were restored to them as is apparent from the Sanads shown on this site. These lands were not taken away from anyone by the Talpurs but these were virgin lands which they had brought under cultivation by having new canals and waterways dug. TALPUR FAMILY IN POST RULE PERIOD With the loss of rule to the British, the Talpur family's situation changed overnight. The former rulers were now the persecuted. Charles Napier went about his job with vindictiveness and spite. He incarcerated all the male members of the ruling family, leaving the ladies to fend for themselves. The households were looted and stripped of valuables. The arrested Mirs were sent to Calcutta and other places in India where many of them died, including Mir Sobdar, Mir Fateh Ali Khan and Mir Mohamad Naseer the last ruler of Sindh. This was a period of trials and tribulations for the entire Talpur Family. They passed it with fortitude and dignity, which added to their stature immensely. The basic reason for their survival was that their roots within the people of Sindh, whom they had served well. The influence of this family survived in spite of efforts of British to undermine it. Though it was no longer possible for the family to have a collective influence as it had enjoyed previously, different sections of the family retained influence in their respective regions. Their social influence over the people did not recede and they continued to play a very important role in keeping the people united. They still symbolised all the better things the people expected. This forced the English to restore the Jagirs (Estates) to the families they had belonged to in the first place. Even in their decline, The Talpurs continued their patronage of arts and literature as before. Adversity did not diminish the family's brilliance and strength of character. Those who were incarcerated lived a very hard life in conditions they were not used to. They bore these hardships with great dignity. Mir Mohammad Naseer Khan's Son Mir Abbas Ali Khan married an English lady. Their son became one of the greatest poets of Sindh, Mir Abdul Hussain Khan Sangi, whose personal hand-written "Deewan" can be seen here. It should be mentioned that Mir Abbas Ali, the grandson of Mir Sangi, gave this to my respected father. His uncle Mir Mohammad Hassan Ali was also a poet of stature. The works of these two poets are still included in the textbooks of educational institutions here. Mir Sobdar Khan, the son of Mir Fateh Ali Khan (the first ruler of Sindh) was also a poet. His works included "Judai Nama", "Odes of Separation." Pages from these are also on this site. He died during exile in 1263 A.H. The Talpur family not only maintained its status but also extended its influence through involvement the in social and political affairs of the region. At no time did they abjectly accede to the demands of the British. This raised their stature in the eyes of the masses and was one of the reasons for their political ascendancy after loss of their rule. The British considered four branches of the Talpur clan to be of major importance, the Shahdadani, Khanani, Mankani and Shahowani. The Shahdadani branch includes the Ruling Family, the Mahmoodanis, and the Bijaranis, all living in Hyderabad. The Khananis reside in and around Tando Jam, the Mankanis in the Mirpurkhas region, and The Shahowanis make their home in the area of Tando Mohammad Khan. They all were Jagirdars and the British regranted their estates. The Talpurs of Tando Bago and Tando Ghulam Ali were also Jagirdars. It should be noted that the ruling family were given grants and some agricultural land but not the Jagirs. The British probably hoped to limit their influence. The heads of the four major branches were formally invited to the Darbars and other special events held by The British Raj. Included in the site are some invitations to Mir Jan Mohammad Khan for attending the Darbars. It should be pointed out that the British had wilfully tried to deter the Talpur family from indulging in anti-colonial political movements by adding a clause in the re-grants of Jagirs in 1861 proscribing such involvement. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES Political activity in our branch of family began with my father Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur. He was only 16 when his father died in 1932. He joined the anti-colonial religious groups initially. Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi frequently graced our family home in Hyderabad as an honoured guest, as did many other prominent leaders of that time. Later he joined the Khaksar Tehreek ofAllama Inayatullah Mashriqui and was the head of Sindh, Bihar and other areas. It was a semi-revolutionary movement and he went to jail for his activities. Pictures of this era can be seen on the site including the meeting in Badshahi Mosque in Lahore and the Khaksar flag flying on our house. Later due to differences with Allama Sahib, which included Allama's publicly holding him responsible for involvement in train derailment and other revolutionary activities, capital offences at that time, he quit the Khaksar Tehreek and joined Congress. In Congress he had very good relationship with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Dr Zakir Hussain. Mir Sahib was elected President of the Local Board in 1939. Mir Sahib contested the elections of 1945 but lost to a Muslim League candidate. After partition Mir Sahib remained active in politics and was elected to the legislature. Then Sindh became a separate province with Mohahmmad Ayub Khoro as Chief Minister. A bitter rivalry developed due to the high handed attitude of the then ruling party. Mir Sahib opposed this autocratic attitude tooth and nail. The government unjustly seized a large tract of his land in an industrial area to put pressure on him but did not succeed in bending his spirit. This rivalry continued till "One Unit" was declared and all the four provinces were merged into a single West Pakistan. He became a minister for co-operatives in the cabinet of Dr.Khan Sahib. He remained a cabinet member with different portfolios till martial law was declared in October of 1958. His younger brother Mir Rasool Baksh Khan was involved in politics during the late 40s. The Sindh Govt arrested him a few times during this period. He was considered a threat because he had a close relationship with those accused in the of Rawalpindi conspiracy case. Faiz Ahmad Faiz remained a very close lifelong friend of his. When Faiz Sahib was refused permission to leave Pakistan in 1980, it was at Mir Sahib's request that Zia-ul Haq granted the permission over the objections of the then Federal Interior Minister. Mir Rasool Baksh was then the Senior Minister of Sindh. Both Mir Sahibans opposed the autocratic rule of Ayub Khan. When Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah (Madre Millat)decided to oppose Ayub Khan in the 1964 presidential election, they entered the fray with full vigour. Their house in Hyderabad became the opposition's headquarters, and Madre Millat was an honoured guest there whenever she was in the city. She lost the election, but the precedent for opposing autocrats was set. When differences cropped up between Ayub Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, his Foreign Minister, few people were ready to welcome him in Sindh. When he came to Hyderabad in 1966,he was refused a room in a hotel he had inaugurated a few years earlier. The only person who was ready to welcome him as a guest was Mir Rasool Baksh. He stayed with Mirsahib for a few days. Ayub Khan was enraged at the affront of someone accepting Z.A. Bhutto as a guest and had Mir Rasool Baksh arrested under Defence of Pakistan Rules (DPR). He remained incarcerated for over six months. On his release he redoubled his efforts to oppose Ayub Khan. The first Convention of the Pakistan Peoples Party was held in his garden. That was the beginning of the end for Ayub Khan. The movement to dislodge Ayub Khan kept on gaining momentum. All major leaders were arrested in 1968 but the movement continued and eventually in March 1969, Yahya Khan stepped in to take the reins. He had the good sense to hold free and fair elections. Both Mirsahibans won the seats they contested. The results of the Dec.1970 elections were not respected by the establishment and resulted in the break-up of the country. Much has been said and written about this matter and it is not the intention of this site to analyse that development in detail. Suffice it to say that Z.A. Bhutto was afforded the opportunity to form the Government in what was left of Pakistan. Mir Rasool Baksh became the Governor of Sindh. Differences between Mirsahibans and Bhutto soon developed as they were opposed to his autocratic ways. It was during this time that I, Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur went to Baluchistan to struggle for the rights of the people there. My father was accused of involvement in the arms recovered at the Iraqi Embassy. Outraged by the blatantly false and malicious allegations on his brother, Mir Rasool Baksh resigned from the Governor's post and returned home. This marked the beginning of a political vendetta against them. Attempts were made to browbeat and harass them by seizing their lands, arresting close friends and relatives on trumped up charges but nothing succeeded in deterring the Mirsahibans. Sedition and Conspiracy cases were instituted against me and my younger brother Mir Haider Ali for our involvement in the struggle for rights of people of Baluchistan. The ties of our family with Baluchistan are very old. When relatives of Nawab Nauroz Khan Zarakzai were hanged in the Hyderabad jail, their bodies were sent to their homes by Mir Rasool Baksh, who did the same for the remains of the Nawab himself. This is just one example of the longstanding and close association between the Baluch struggle and our family. The movement against Z.A. Bhutto gained momentum and he was removed in July 1977. Zia-ul-Haq then took over the country and invited my father to join his cabinet as Defence Minister. Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur accepted and served in that capacity till 1985. My uncle Mir Rasool Baksh was made the Senior Minister of Sindh and served there until his death on May 1,1982. It should be noted that he was always deeply involved in trade union politics, always on the side of working people. Both the Mirsahibans consistently strove for the rights of the people and would resign their posts before they compromised their principles. Among other Talpurs it is worth mentioning that Mir Ali Bahsh Talpur of Mirpurkhas was deeply involved in politics. He helped the struggle for rights of people in Sindh and Baluchistan. He was arrested and tortured for his help to Baluchs. He was a brave upholder of people's rights. Mir Bandeh Ali Khan of Tando Ghulam Ali was always in politics and was even Chief Minister of Sindh in pre-partition days. Mir Ghulam Ali and his brother Mir Ali Nawaz of Tando Muhammad Khan also played an important role and were Federal and Provincial Ministers. Their sons continue in their footsteps. Every year a memorial is held to honor the memories of Mir Ali Ahmed and his younger brother Mir Rasool Baksh; a tribute to their lives of service to their people and country. It is called "Yaum e Mir Bradaran" meaning Day of the Mir Brothers. The meeting is held under auspices of Mir Bradaran Memorial Foundation which is headed by Mir Haider Ali. It is a big affair and a few thousand people from all walks of life and representing the entire range of the political spectrum participate. This in itself is a tribute to Mirsahibans and their politics. The political, social, racial, religious and economic divides were never big enough barriers to stop them from making friends all over the country. They preached and practised tolerance in all aspects of life. The speakers at the meeting are selected from among the participants. Some local newspapers publish special supplements for this special day.