Sadiq Muhammad Khan V of Bahawalpur

Nawab Sir Sadiq Mohammad Khan V Abbasi (; 29 September 1904 – 24 May 1966) was the 14th and final Nawab (ruler) of the state of Bahawalpur from February 1907 to October 1955, and then as a titular figure until his death in 1966.

He became the Nawab on the death of his father when he was only two years old. A Council of Regency, with Sir Rahim Bakhsh as its president, ruled on his behalf until 1924.

As tens of thousands of Muslim refugees flooded into the state from the new India, he set up the Ameer of Bahawalpur Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Fund to provide for their relief. In 1953, the Ameer represented Pakistan at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1955, he signed an agreement with the governor-general of Pakistan, Malik Ghulam Muhammad, under which Bahawalpur became part of the province of West Pakistan, with effect from 14 October 1955, and the Amir received a yearly privy purse of 32 lakhs of rupees, keeping his titles. The same year, he was promoted to the rank of general in the Pakistan Army. He visited Mecca with his father in 1906–07. At the age of 15, Sadiq fought in the Third Afghan War in 1919, was knighted in 1922 when he reached his majority and was invested with the throne two years later by the Viceroy of India, Rufus Isaacs, Lord Reading.

His last wife was Linda Sayce, a British citizen. The couple had three sons.

Reign When his father died on 15 February 1907 near Aden, on his return journey to Bahawalpur from a pilgrimage to Mecca, he succeeded him as the Nawab of Bahawalpur. As he was a minor on the occasion, the administration of the State was placed under a Council of Regency. He served as aide-de-camp to the Prince of Wales during his visit to India in 1921.

In 1953, based on the concept of Aitchison College, he donated land for, laid the foundation stone of, and financed the project for building the largest school of Asia in Bahawalpur, namely Sadiq Public School; the school opened in January 1954.

Later life

The Prince of Wales (later Duke of Windsor) with Gen. Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V of Bahawalpur and others

After the partition of India Nawab proved to be very helpful and generous to the government of the Dominion of Pakistan. He gave seventy million rupees to the government and the salaries of all the government departments for one month were also drawn from the treasury of Bahawalpur state. He gave his private property to the University of the Punjab, King Edward Medical College and the Mosque of Aitchison College, Lahore.

His descendants of the royal house include: his heir apparent, Nawab Brig. Muhammad Abbas Khan Abbasi (former Governor of Punjab); his grandchildren Nawab Salahuddin Ahmed Abbasi (Urdu: نواب صلاح الدین عباسی‬) who is a Member of Parliament in Pakistan, Prince Falahuddin Abbasi (who died in London in April 2016, from cancer), Princess Aiysha Yasmien Abbasi and Princess Safia Nausheen Abbasi.

Death

He died on 24 May 1966 in London. He was survived by 23 heirs, and his eldest son, Abbas Abbasi, was recognised as his successor by the Government of Pakistan.

Titles

1904–1907: Nawabzada Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi, Wali Ahad Bahadur 1907–1921: His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur. 1921–1922: Lieutenant His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur 1922–1924: Lieutenant His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, KCVO 1924–1929: Captain His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, KCVO 1929–1931: Captain His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, KCSI, KCVO 1931–1932: Captain His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, GCIE, KCSI, KCVO 1932–1935: Major His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, GCIE, KCSI, KCVO 1935–1941: Major His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Hajji Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, GCIE, KCSI, KCVO 1941–1946: Lieutenant-Colonel His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Hajji Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO 1946–1947: Major-General His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Hajji Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Nawab of Bahawalpur, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO 1947–1955: Major-General His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Hajji Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Amir of the God-gifted Kingdom of Bahawalpur, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO 1955–1959: General His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Hajji Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Amir of the God-gifted Kingdom of Bahawalpur, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO 1959–1966: General His Highness Rukn ud-Daula, Saif ud-Daula, Hafiz ul-Mulk, Mukhlis ud-Daula wa Muin ud-Daula, Hajji Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, Nusrat Jung, Amir of the God-gifted Kingdom of Bahawalpur, GCSI, GCIE, KCVO, NQA

Honours

(ribbon bar, as it would look today; incomplete)

Delhi Durbar gold medal-1911 1914–15 Star -1918 Victory Medal-1918 Indian Frontier Medal-1921 Prince of Wales's Visit Medal-1922 Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)-1922 Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE)-1931 King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935 King George VI Coronation Medal-1937 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Two Rivers of the Kingdom of Iraq-1941 Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI)-1941 (KCSI)-1929 1939–1945 Star-1945 Africa Star-1945 Burma Star-1945 Italy Star-1945 Defence Medal-1945 War Medal 1939–1945-1945 Pakistan Independence Medal-1947 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Cedars of Lebanon-1947 King Faisal II Installation Medal of the Kingdom of Iraq-1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal - 1953 Order of the Supreme Leader (Nishan-i-Qaid-i-Azam) 1st class of Pakistan - 1959