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HT This Day: October 15, 1955 -- New West Pakistan comes into being
The Cabinet includes Khan Qurban Ali Khan, Sardar Bahadur Khan, Syed Abid Hussain, Mian Mumtaz Daultana, M A Khuro and Sardar Abdul Hamid Dasti
Lahore: The seven-man interim Cabinet of the new West Pakistan province, headed by Dr Khan Sahib, was sworn in at Government House here this evening.
The Cabinet includes Khan Qurban Ali Khan, Sardar Bahadur Khan, Syed Abid Hussain, Mian Mumtaz Daultana, Mr. M A Khuro and Sardar Abdul Hamid Dasti.
Syed Abid Hussain was Minister for Education and Kashmir Affairs’ in the Central Cabinet. Khan Qurban Ali Khan and Sardar Bahadur Khan were till yesterday Governor and Chief Minister respectively, of the N.W.F.P. Mr. Khuro was Sindh’s Chief Minister. Mian Daultana and Sardar Dasti were former Chief Ministers of Pakistan Punjab. The latter held his office till yesterday.
Full-fledged ministry
Dr Khan Sahib said, after the swearing in ceremony, that temporary allocation of portfolios will be announced tomorrow. He would, however, hold the portfolios of Law and Order and General Administration. The portfolio of Tribal Areas will go to Khan Qurban Ali Khan. The Chief Minister declared that West Pakistan would have a full-fledged Ministry of about 15 men within a month when elections to the one-unit West Pakistan Assembly were expected to be completed.
Replying to a question, Dr Khan Sahib said he had at present no political ambition “ I am a servant of all,” he declared.
Kashmir issue
Asked to comment on the Kashmir issue, he said it was not for him to comment as it was “a matter of higher policy” dealt with by the Centre. About the Safety Act and other speed legislation affecting the civil liberties of the people. the Chief Minister declared: “As Minister of Law and Order, I shall see that no injustice is done to anyone.
As regards Press, he said he would welcome fair criticism and allow no “black mailing.”
In a broadcast Dr Khan Sahib appealed to the people to do selflessly the stupendous task of uplifting of the teeming million.
He said his new the office offered him a wide scope for service, which had been his objective all his life. The office had placed on him a heavy responsibility, which he could discharge only will the co-operation of one and all in the country.
Dr Khan Sahib described the formation of one unit as an “historic event.”
Birth of new province
The new undivided province of West Pakistan came into existence at midnight last night in terms of an Act passed by the Constituent Assembly recently.
The swearing-in of Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani as the first Governor of the new province, at a brief ceremony at Government House, Lahore this morning, signified the first formal act in the new province doing away with offices of Governors in the merged provinces of West Panjab, Sindh and the N.W.F.P. Ministries in the provinces of West Punjab, Sind and the N.W.F.P. also stand automatically dissolved from midnight.
Simultaneously with the swearing-in of the Governor, the newly appointed Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners and heads of attached departments took over their respective posts throughout West Pakistan.
