Las Bela (princely state)


Las Bela was a princely state in a subsidiary alliance with British India which existed until 1955. The state occupied an area of in the extreme southeast of the Balochistan region, with an extensive coastline on the Arabian Sea to the south. Las Bela was bordered by the princely states of Kalat and Makran to the north and west. To the east lay the province of Sind and to the southeast lay the Federal [Capital Territory (Pakistan)|Federal Capital Territory] around the city of Karachi.

History

The State of Las Bela was founded in 1742 by Jam Ali Khan Korejo I, who was from Jamote clan. His descendants ruled Las Bela until 1955 when the state became part of West Pakistan. The statement of Ghulam Qadir Khan Korejo, the last Jam of Las Bela on signing the accession was:
For a period of three years between 3 October 1952 and 14 October 1955, Las Bela was part of the Baluchistan States Union but retained internal autonomy. In 1955, Las Bela was incorporated into the new province of West Pakistan and became part of Kalat division. In 1960, the area of Las Bela was detached from Kalat division and merged with the former Federal Capital Territory to form the division of Karachi-Bela. When the provincial system was changed in 1970, Las Bela became part of the new province of Balochistan.

Demographics

The main ethnic group in Las Bela state was Sindhi. But there were few nomadic baloch and brahui people as well. The population was mainly Muslims but there was a small population of Sindhi Hindus.

Geography and climate

Las Bela has a hot, dry tropical desert climate. It is only a few degrees north of the Tropic of Cancer. The sea breezes though make the weather less extreme than inland Balochistan, where temperatures can reach in the summer.

Rulers

The hereditary rulers of Las Bela were styled as Jam Sahib. The Jams of Lasbela are believed to have claimed their ancestry from the Koreja Family of Samma of Sindh who also used the title of Jam.
TenureJams of Las Bela
1742-1765Jam Ali Khan I
1765-1776Jam Ghulam Shah
1776-1818Jam Mir Khan I
1818-1830Jam Ali Khan II
1830-1869Jam Mir Khan II
1869-1886Jam Sir Ali Khan III
1886-1888Sir Mir Khan II
1888-1896Jam Sir Ali Khan III
1896-1921Jam Kamal Khan I
1921-1937Jam Ghulam Mohammad Khan
1937-1955Jam Ghulam Qadir Khan
14 October 1955State of Las Bela dissolved
1955-1988Jam Ghulam Qadir Khan
1988-2012Jam Mohammad Yousaf
2013-to dateJam Kamal Khan II

Prominent members of the family after the end of the princely state included: