by Iqbal Nanjee

The usage of Nasik Prints in

EAST PAKISTAN (1947-1949)

MAP

East Pakistan was a province of Pakistan that was located in the northeastern part of the sub-continent. Before partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, East Pakistan was a part of the Bengal Province of
undivided India.
Bengal, like the Punjab, was partitioned under the terms of 3rd June Plan,
presented by the Viceroy of India Lord Earl Mounbatten, that created
Pakistan. The Eastern Bengal that had a Muslim majority population
became East Pakistan, and remained a province of Pakistan until December
1971, when it seceded to become an independent state, Bangaladesh.
The short period of 45 days starts from August 15, 1947 and ends on
the issuance of first PAKISTAN overprint issues, on October 1, 1947.

EAST PAKISTAN

Both plates of Nasik Prints were used aalongwith the postal stationery. Both printing plates; the Plate No.1
shows thin letters whereas Plate No.2 letters are thick having size of the low value block letters overprint
as 13-13 x2mm. These were done in black colour only. Only high value composite plate was in Serif
Block Letters. The Nasik prints are identified by the lettering with sharp edges and the bottom of the P
of Pakistan in square shape. The thick printings are very uncommon than thin printing.
An early example (right) show 12anna without Pakistan Overprint tied by the double
circle bridge datestamp of Raozan (East-Pakistan) dated September 1947. This is an
early exceptional example and very few such usage known to exist. This specimen
show that the stock was not available like the few regions of West Pakistan, therefore
they kept use the unoverprinted issues of KGVI for a short period.
Unoverprinted Indian stamps
and stationery were used and
was distinguishable only by the
postmarks, franked with
unoverprinted Pakistan 4anna,
used from Coxs Bazar, district
in the Chittagong Division, East
Pakistan. Tied by the double
circle datestamp of October 5,
1947. Earliest usage!. Although
they had their own machine
printings in 1948 namely,
Barisal Print, Dacca Prints,
Jessore Prints, Khulna Prints,
and the Tangail prints.
However, Nasik prints were
kept in use until 1949-50.

Unoverprinted anna (KGVI) postcard Early

Usage.

An exceptional first day example above from East Pakistan show a complete Pakistan overprint Nasik
(thick & thin mix) prints, complete set of19 adhesive postage stamps from 3p to 25rs, tied on a large cover
from Patiya-Chittagong, cancelled by the double circle bridge datestamp of October 1, 1947. The high
values 15Rs. and 25Rs. tied on this cover are extremely rare. This is undoubtedly a unique example from
East Pakistan.
When the postal rate was reduced to
9pi the stationery was overprinted with
Nine pies and these dies were made
separately at East Pakistan to overprint
the postal stationery.
Pakistan became the 89th member of
UPU- Universal Postal Union in
November 1947 and after nine months,
on 9 July 1948, first commemorative
set was issued by the government on
the first anniversary which consisted of
four stamps.

Unusual Examples of Nasik Used in East Pakistan

Few examples recorded from East Pakistan show some very unusual variations
in the overprint which is quite different from the recorded Nasik Prints.
Such printing was discovered recently and shows a very unusual printing of
4annas franked on a 9p surcharged (type II) postcard of KGVI (1946) & tied
by the datestamp of Chittagong (August 18, 1948) & Banigram (August 20,
1948) on front with the boxed marking of the Chittagong court on the same
side (enlarge image at right). The 4annas Pakistan overprint is unrecorded,
since its appearance depicts thicker P and narrow N with fuzziness,

which is very close to Karachi print. This example shows the New Discovery of East Pakistan or Local
print. By comparing the overprint of this example of Nasik print , one can easily differentiate that these
two are different and undoubtedly a new discovery.
The usage of 3 annas & 4annas are widely seen due to the purpose of registration fee. However 3 annas
was used with anna to make up the registration fee. The usage of 3 annas & 3 annas are quite rare in
West Pakistan regions.
Postcard usages with Pakistan overprint, Nasik prints have been noticed bearing an unusual battering,
extending letters, broken, short and thicker letters. These varieties are only seen on the East Pakistan Prints.
An early example of half
anna postcard of KGVI
overprinted Pakistan
(Nasik thin print) used in
1947 was noticed with
the battered P and
Nvariety. Franked with
3p and 4annas, both
overprint shifted right,
used from Khulna (East
Pakistan), tied by the
double circle bridge
datestamp of December
4, 1947. Arrived
Terakhada (Khulna) on
December 18, 1947.
Normal thick prints
are noticed with
shiftings and the used
example of the same
of Half anna postcard
1946-KGVI, franked
with 3p (regular series
1948) & 4a (thick
print with shifting),
used from Sharistadar
(East Pakistan) and
cancelled by the
double
circle
datestamp
of
December 24, 1948
and Hathazar dated
December 26, 1948.
The same shiftings has been seen in the thin printings.

The extended N variety

has been recorded on a
postcard used from
Khulna. A shifted example
of 3p with the Pakistan
overprint on half anna
KGVI postcard (Nasik
thick print), franked with
2annas x 2, posted locally
from Khulna (East
Pakistan) dated March 31,
1949.
The illustration (right)
show the length of the
extended N. Such usages
are very uncommon.
A registered airmail letter from Chittagong (East Pakistan) 3a franked
with 1anna (regular) and 8annas (thick print) sent on March 21, 1949. The
Pakistan overprint on this registered letter seems to be printed locally. Therefore
this is the East Pakistan overprint. The size of the Pakistan overprint is
25 x 3mm. Whereas the size of the Nasik thin print is 26x3mm. The bottom
curve of the S is also extended. This example is Unrecorded.

NASIK PRINT

CHITTAGONG USED PRINT

with extended S variety

Usage of Nasik Prints with East Pakistan Stationery

There are two local printings of this region; 1) Block Letters & 2) Serif letters. The surcharges over
anna KGVI postcard with Nasik print of Pakistan must be dealt separately under Nasik. From 1948
onwards, the 3p was franked with half anna imprint postcard to make up 9pi for standard postcard rate.
The same rate was used for Book post.
Following the change in rate of Postcard from April 1, 1948, half anna postcards were surcharged with
9pies. The name of the state was also inscribed over the postcards in Arabic alongwith the new rate.
The surcharge die size of the Pakistan
is 14x3mm and size of surcharge is
21x3mm having gap between them of
13mm. The surcharged consists of
block letter with no stop, except both
E and the S which have serifs.
The earliest usage known example of
9p surcharged franked with 3 used
from Noapara and Raozan (Chittagong)
dated July 23, 1948. The overprint of
1anna is shifted left. This example is
one of the early usage.

Another sub type of the die

has been noticed bearing a
slight variation in the overprint
gap size:13 or 131/4. The
serif letters with no stop
surcharge size is 21 x
3mm. This type 1a surcharge,
Pakistan (serif letters with
no stop), size is 14 x 2mm
used on a registration postcard,
3a + a. Both overprints are
shifted and used from
Chittagong (East Pakistan),
tied by the double circle bridge
datestamp of July 30, 1948.
The type-2, Nine Pies surcharge
recorded with 3a (shifted) + a
(shifted bottom), tied on postcard,
KGVI, overprinted Pakistan (Serif
letters with no stop). Posted locally
from Chittagong (East Pakistan) via
Chaktal. Tied by the double circle
bridge datestamp of June 30, 1948.
Surcharge Size: 21 x 3mm, serif
letters with stop. Total size is 14
x 2mm. This Type II overprint
plate show much wear, also the
letters have become thick and
uneven extending the length of the
overprint to 14 mm.
The overprinting and deletion of Half anna surcharge was done simultaneously.
This practice was done due to the change of postal rate for postcard to 9pies in 1948.
This deletion was applied in April 1948 with four bars placed on top of each other
with a total thickness of 2mm.
Recently discovered two exceptional examples proves that East Pakistan printings
have much variations in the printing process. Broken, short and missing letters are
seen simultaneously. The 9 Pies postcards Half Anna surcharge deleted by bars
(serif letters-18 x 2-3mm) show the Pakistan overprint N serifs missing,
seen illustration at right.
The 4annas Pakistan overprint postage applied on the example (right) is thick,
fuzzy and the letters are rounded, which is also very close to Karachi print. This
probably is a Local Print of Chittagong, printed like Karachi and Peshawar local
prints.