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Oman tried to sell Gwadar to India, but Jawaharlal Nehru rejected the offer. Today, Nehru is more criticized in India for this reason.
In 1783, the Sultan of Oman came here after being exiled. The Khan of Kalat gave him Gwadar as a fief. When the Sultan regained his kingdom in Oman, he incorporated Gwadar into Oman.
Thus, Gwadar remained under Omani rule for about 175 years. The Omani government not only collected taxes here, but the governor, administration and military personnel were also Omanis. Omani currency was used in Gwadar and the people were called Omani citizens.
When Pakistan contacted Oman, Oman's response was surprising.
Earlier, in the 1950s, when Pakistan was formed, the Omani government had expressed its desire to sell Gwadar due to financial difficulties. Interestingly, Oman initially offered to sell Gwadar to the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
But Nehru turned down the offer. Indian historian S.G. Jaswal writes in his book "The Indian Ocean and India's Security" that:
"The Nehru government was not interested in making Gwadar a part of India because they were not in favor of giving strategic importance to the region."
Pakistan acquired Gwadar after 4 years of long negotiations
Pakistan officially began negotiations to acquire Gwadar from Oman in 1954. These negotiations were extremely complex and difficult, as Oman initially demanded a very high price for Gwadar.
Finally, on 8 September 1958, an agreement was reached between Pakistan and the Sultanate of Oman, and Pakistan purchased Gwadar for 3 million British pounds. The then Foreign Minister, Feroz Khan Noon, took a personal interest in the deal and brought it about.
If this amount were valued at the current exchange rate, it would be worth over five and a half billion Pakistani rupees in today's terms. At the time, this was a huge drain on Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves, but its strategic and economic importance made this purchase one of the best deals in history
On 3 October 1958, Gwadar was officially declared a part of Pakistan. The Pakistan Navy took control of it and it was gradually integrated into Balochistan.
The people of Gwadar were happy to join Pakistan because their tribal, linguistic and cultural ties were already connected to other areas of Balochistan.
Today, Gwadar is not only Pakistan's most important port city, but also plays a central role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and major trade projects around the world. Projects like the Gwadar Port, international airport, free zone, and highways here could change the face of Pakistan's economy in the future.
The Gwadar territory, which once belonged to a foreign empire, remains a priceless asset in the hands of Pakistan today.
May Allah protect Pakistan from a disease like the Pakistan Peoples Party. And may He grant wisdom, awareness and humanity to those who bring people like them. Aameen.
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