Shamsul Hassan Collection

Collector’s Introduction:
Syed Shamsul Hasan joined the Central Office of All-India Muslim League in July 1914. After a short while, he became Assistant Secretary of the office. He held this position till the creation of Pakistan. After establishment of Pakistan, he served the Pakistan Muslim League in same capacity till the Martial Law of 1958. Syed Shamsul Hasan, however, remained associated with the Muslim League throughout his life. His selfless devotion and commitment to the cause of the Muslim League was exemplary.

Process of Acquisition:
After independence, Syed Shamsul Hasan had migrated to Karachi. On the Quaid’s instructions, he traveled back to Delhi to fetch the office record of All-India Muslim League. At Delhi, he was arrested under false charge of murder but later released on personal intervention of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Pundit Jawahar Lal Nehru. Subsequently, he was allowed to carry these papers to Pakistan which are known as Shamsul Hasan Collection.

After demise of Syed Shamsul Hassan in 1981, the Collection became a part of his family archives and was painstakingly looked after by his elder son Mr. Khalid Shamsul Hasan till his death in 1995. Afterwards, the collection was taken over by his younger brother Zahid Shamsul Hasan. Being in private custody, preservation of this vital source material, in accordance with standard archival practices, was almost impossible and this precious source material was likely to be lost. Therefore, the National Documentation Centre (NDC) of Cabinet Division, Government of Pakistan initiated negotiations with Syed Zahid Shamsul Hasan for acquisition of this Collection. In view of the fact that a portion of his residence continued to be reserved for the collection for more than half a century, a very handsome monetary compensation was offered to Mr. Zahid Shamsul Hasan. However, as a noble gesture, Mr. Zahid donated the Collection to NDC, Cabinet Division, free of cost. This collection was bounded in 72 volumes. Out of them 71 were handed over to NDC.

Sindh Archives, Karachi acquired collection of books of Mr. Shamsul Hasan from the wife of Mr Khalid Shamsul Hasan. This collection also contained one missing volume of Shamsul Hasan collection handed over to NDC. On the request of authorities of NDC this volume was handed over by Sindh Archives to NDC to complete their collection. The authorities of NDC have provided hard copies of all (72) volumes of collection to Sindh Archives which are available for researchers.

About Collection:
Shamsul Hasan Collection comprises 72 volumes of original Muslim League papers, mostly from 1940 to 1947. Apart from this period a considerable pre-1940 material dealing with the Quaid-i-Azam and the All-India Muslim League is also included in this collection. This is an invaluable academic asset and its value as a historical source material can hardly be overstated. No. meaningful research on the formative phase of Pakistan Movement and the history of All-India Muslim League can be completed without consultation of this vital source material.

The material on following topics is available in 72 volumes of this collection: –

LIST OF SHAMSUL HASAN COLLECTION

S. No. TITLE VOLUME YEARS
1 Sindh Voume I Correspondence of 1941-1944 I 1914-1944
2 Correspondence from Abroad 2 1942
3 United Provinces Correspondence 1943-1946 IV 1943-1946
4 Miscellaneous Volume I I 1940
5 United Provinces Volume I I 1942-1946
6 Correspondence 1943-1947 I 1943-1947
7 Madras Volume I 1940-1945 I 1940-1945
8 United Provinces Volume V V 1942-1946
9 Students Volume II II 1943-1946
10 Non Muslim Personalities and Organizations Volume I I 1941-1946
11 North Western Frontier Province Volume II 1945-1947 II 1945-1947
12 Sindh Volume II 1944 Correspondence II 1944
13 Press and publications 1 1943-1946
14 Simla District Muslim League Punjab 1 1940-1946
15

Correspondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and

other papers Sindh Volume III

 III 1944
16 Non Muslim Personalities and Organizations II 1946
17 Personal Vol.I Sales and Purchase of Shares 1 1943-1946
18 Assam Correspondence General 1941-1946
19

United Provinces Volume III Aligarh-General Correspondence Part 2

 III 1941-1949
20

Under representation of regarding in Servics, service grcevamess G.N. 1944-1946

 1944-1946
21

Correspondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and other papers Hyderabad II

 II 1945
22

Correspondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and other papers Sindh VI

 VI 1945
23

Correspondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and other papers Bengal Vol.I

 I

1932-33

1941-46
24 Federation of Muslim Chamber of Commerce 1943-46
25 Personal Volume VI Household Matters Miscellaneous VI 1943-47
26 Punjab Volume II Correspondence-General II 1946
27 States: Correspondence-General 1942-1947 1942-47
28 Press and Publications Volume II II 1941-46
29 Sindh: Volume IV IV 1944-1945
30 Sindh Volume V. Correspondence 1945 V 1945
31

Correspondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and other papers Organizational Matters Volume from Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan to the Quaid and Syed Shamsul Hasan

 I 1936-1947
32

Corerespondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and

other papers Bihar Volume II

 II 1946-47
33

Corerespondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and

other papers Madras Volume II

 II 1946
34

Organizational Matters Volume II Funds-Subscription

Accounts 1942-47

 II 1942-47
35

Punjab Volume V Correspondence with Mrs. Rallia Ram

1946-47

 V 1946-47
36

Correspondence regardings: Labor and Trade Union

1943-1946 General Correspondence, 1944-47

 1944-47
37 Rare Letters Volume II 1910-1911 II 1910-1911
38

Correspondence of Qaid-e-Azam Mr. M.A. Jinnah and

other papers Personal Volume III 1942-44

 III 1942-44
39 Bombay Volume I 1942-46 I 1942-46
40 All India Muslim League Economic Planning Committee
Correspondence 1944-45		 1944-45
41 C.P. and Berar Volume II Correspondence-General II 1942-46
42 Personal Volume 7. Photographs, Autographs,
Invitations, Wishes and Enquiries		 7 1942-47
43 Bengal Volume III III 1944-47
44 Bombay Volume II Correspondence 1946 II 1946
45 Correspondence 1943-1946 1943-46
46 Correspondence with Pepsons and Organizations outside
India Foreign Correspondence (PC)		 I 1941-1946
47 Rare Letters Volume I & II Some Rare Letters I & II 1909-1911
48 Correspondence-General Hyderabad-Deccan Vol. I I 1942-47
49 Personal Volume V V 1944-1946
50 United Provinces Volume VI VI 1941-45
51 Bengal Volume IV IV 1944-46
52 Bengal Volume II II 1946
53 Punjab Volume IV 1943-46 IV 1943-46
54 Sindh Volume VIII VIII 1946-47
55 Correspondence NWFP I 1944-1946
56 Correspondence United Provinces II 1946-1947
57 Correspondence C.P. and Berar Volume I I 1938-1941
58 Muslim League Accounts and Others Loose Papers I 1944-1947
59 Correspondence Personal II 1940-1946
60 Correspondence Bihar I 1941-1945
61 General Correspondence II 1943-1946
62 Correspondence Punjab III 1941-1946
63 Correspondence IV 1945-1946
64 Correspondence Press and Publications Press III 1942-1946
65

Anti Pakistan Muslim Organizations: Jamiat-ul-Ulamia Hind

 1944-46
66 General Correspondence 1941-1947
67 Correspondence Sindh VII 1945-1946
68 General Correspondence 1943-1947
69

Students Volume I Correspondence relating to (1) All

India Muslim Students Federation 1941-1947

 1 1941-1947
70 General Correspondence Delhi 1943-1947 1943-47
71 General Correspondence 1940-1946 1940-1946
72 Jinnah Bank Account 1942-1946 Imperial Bank of India 1942-46