Khan Habibullah Khan Marwat

 

Khan Habibullah Khan Marwat (1901 - 1978, left), the Pakistani Minister of the Interior, visits Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 - 1964, right) at his home in New Delhi, India, April 1964.

Khattak horsemen

Khattak horsemen. Illustration from the 'The Graphic', Vol. XVII, February 23, 1878.

From poetry of Khushal Khattak ;

"A Khattak, when he mounts on horse-back,
Binds his shield upon his back ;
Lets loose the end of his turban
Over his forehead long and broad " [1]

خټک چه به اس سور شي
درسته وتړی په کونه
شمله ډ دستار پريږدي
په ټڼدي کښي اوږده پلنه

The Faqir of Ipi and the Pashtunistan Movement

Mirza Ali Khan, alias the Faqir of Ipi, the renowned adversary of the British Raj, did not buy into the idea of Pakistan. On May 12, 1948, he published and issued an anti-Pakistan poster from his headquarters at Gurweik. In the poster, he declared Pakistan a creation of the British and Muhammad Ali Jinnah a British agent. He further declared that he would start an operation against the Government of Pakistan.

In June 1948, the Faqir of Ipi gathered a lashkar (armed force) and attacked and then occupied the Datta Khel Khassadar post in the Tochi valley. Like its British predecessors, Pakistan resorted to dealing with them by using the Air Force against them. The Pakistan Air Force dropped bombs on the villages of the participating Shabi Khel Mahsuds and also directly on the lashkar that had occupied the Khassadar post

On 12th August 1949, a number of Afridi tribesmen and their Sarishta party met at Tirah Bagh, the centre of their homeland. The flag of "Independent Pakhtunistan" was hoisted and and a declaration made by the "Pakhtunistan National Assembly" (Tirah branch) was published, addressed to all the people of Pakhtunistan, to the entire Muslim world and particularly Afghanistan, to all Pakhtuns living abroad and to the United Nations Organization. Their proclamation read;

"We the Tirah branch of of the National Assembly of Pakhtunistan having formed the first nucleus of a free and democratic Muslim government amidst the lofty mountains of Tirah, hereby express the hope that with the help of Almighty Allah and the support of the brave and freedom loving Pakhtuns , this young plant will in a short time grow into a sturdy and fruitful tree which will not only benefit Pakhtunistan (from Chitral to Balochistan and from the Khyber and Bolan to the banks of Indus) but will also fulfill its obligation towards the progress and peace of the world".

In a broadcast from Radio Kabul, this proclamation was greeted with great enthusiasm in Afghanistan, which it's Government announced that it was extending immediate recognition and support. In the same month a jirga of the different tribes of Waziristan visited Kabul with the consent of the Faqir of Ipi. The jirga was assured by the Afghan authorities of all form of assistance.

In order to propagate the idea of Pakhtunistan , the Faqir of Ipi published Pashto pamphlets and a Pashto newspaper, "The Ghazi" from Gurwek. Maulana Muhammad Waris Shah, Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman , Maulana Din Muhammad, Babu Haji Khan and Muhammad Zahir Shah were on the editorial board of the paper. Following is a translation of the "Ghazi"dated 9th December 1949;

"From August 15, 1947, when the British appointed Mr. Jinnah as the Governor- General of Pakistan, the Pir of Manki, Pir of Zakori, Doctor Khan Sahib, Abdul Ghaffar Khan and other prominent figures amongst Pakhtuns raised their voice for the introduction of Shariat and freedom for Pakhtunistan. But against these demands, intending to bring Pakhtuns under slavery with the help of gold and bayonets, the so-called Islamic Government began to promote the religion of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani and continued the enforcement of the British supremacy. The Pakhtuns are like one body and cannot be divided into two. Generosity and sense of honour is the heritage of Pakhtuns. They also have the sharpest sword in their possession. Despite 14 years of continued bombardment by the Britishers, the people of Waziristan did not accept slavery. Be courageous, like the Faqir of Ipi who did not flee from the battlefield during the past 14 years. However, two are the major defects (i) the introduction of man-made laws, and (ii) encroachment upon the legal rights of Pakhtuns. According to the holy Quran Qital is permissible. One who dies in that way will be a Shaheed .... We will either achieve freedom or will bring destruction for the whole of the country. Long live Pakhtunistan , long live Afghanistan".

Meetings of various tribes of Waziristan, Khattaks, Marwats, Bhittanis, Turis and Bannuchis were held on January 11, 12 and 15, 1950 for the election of Pakhtunistan National Assembly (Waziristan Branch) and its President. The Assembly thus elected unanimously decided to have the Faqir of Ipi as its first president. In that capacity the Faqir demanded the withdrawal of Pakistani forces from the Pakhtun territories to free the land of seven million Pakhtun, otherwise they will be themselves responsible for its consequences. He also appealed to the United Nations for recognition of Pakhtunistan and requested the Afghan authorities for its publicity.

In August 1951, a special delegation consisting of Malik Abdullah Khan Mada Khel, Malik Atta Mohammad Khan, Malik Behram, Malik Jani and Malik Badshahi with a special message from the Faqir of Ipi visited Kabul and met with Muhammad Zahir Shah, the then King of Afghanistan, the late Sardar Daud khan and the ambassadors of India and Iran.

In 1952 when Malik Wali Khan Kuki Khel, Malik Said Khan Zakha Khel and Maulvi Ghairat Gul of J.U.I called a Jirga of the Afridis , at Mamanri to take decisions about Pakhtunistan, Pakistan Air Force bombed the assembly which caused 18 casualties. After 3 days the house of Malik Wali Khan Kuki Khel was destroyed.

In 1954, Christopher Rand, a correspondent of The New York was able to interview the Faqir of Ipi at Gurwek. Shortly afterwards, two Soviet officials, Messrs Alexovitch and Demrovitch, members of a Soviet technical mission at Kabul, called upon the Faqir of Ipi at his Gurwek headquarters.

In 1952-53, the flow of money to Gurwek from Afghan Government was greatly reduced due to some misunderstanding between the Faqir and the Pakhtunistan leaders based in Kabul. However, through Faiz Mohammad, the Afghan Wali (Governor) of the Southern province, the subsidies were restored. Faqir of Ipi's influence and power suffered a significant blow when his close associate and principal lieutenant Khalifa Mehr Dil Khattak surrendered to Pakistani officials in Bannu (November 1954) along with seven followers.

On March 27, 1955, the Pakistani Government promulgated the ordinance creating "One Unit" in West Pakistan. The Afghan Government considered it as a move to destroy the identity of the Eastern Pakhtuns. The reaction culminated in an inflammatory speech by Afghan Prime Minister, Sardar Daud Khan, on March 28. The next day, Afghan mobs sacked Pakistani diplomatic mission building at Jalalabad and Kandahar and the Pakistan Embassy at Kabul. A retaliatory attack was made few days later on the Afghan Consulate at Peshawar. Pakistan clamped a blockade on Afghan Imports and exports. A Mahsud jirga in South Waziristan during a meeting of Maliks, claiming to represent 10,000 North Waziristan tribesmen ostentatiously asked permission to march on Kabul to avenge the national honour. During the time between 1956 and 1958, the tension was eased as Iskandar Mirza, the then President of Pakistan, exchanged State visits with Muhammad Zahir Shah.

It was reported in October 1958 that "the Faqir of Ipi who was the pivot of the so-called Pakhtunistan Movement.... has recently turned absolutely indifferent, if not openly hostile to Afghanistan, the reason being that the Afghans realized the futility of their monetary aid to him and stopped paying the tribes through him. He has discarded the so-called Pakhtunistan Flag and has hoisted instead his own flag which is called “Faqir Flag.” Maulvi Amir Saeed alias Jangi Mullah, and Maulvi Akbar Zaman Bannuchi, the close associates of the Faqir, distributed in the Hamzoni Dawar area the copies of newspaper "The Azad Pakhtun" published at Gurwek. The paper, inter alia, published the details of the Faqir’s tour in Wazirstan. "Amir-ul-Muslimeen (the Faqir) along with his lieutenants is on his tour to Waziristan. Presently his tour has good effects on the Bhittani tribe as well as on other tribes. A number of old disputes were settled among the Wazirs, Mahsuds and Bhittanis. A large number of weapons and cash was collected for the Faqir’s exchequer in the Mahsud territory". Though during his tour, the Faqir remained silent about Pakistan, but he never turned pro-Pakistan.

After his tour of Waziristan, he remained confined largely to a cliff-side cave at Gurwek, and on 16th April 1960, he died of asthma. His funeral prayers were attended by thousands of people and his funeral prayers were led by Maulvi Pir Rehman.

Reference: "Some major Pukhtoon tribes along the Pak-Afghan border", by S. Iftikhar Hussain

Fighters of Faqir of Ipi carrying their martyred fellow, Waziristan. From ''Wide World" magazine, 1944.

Faqir of Ipi's cannons at Gurwek (North Waziristan) used in the Jihad against the British. Source: "Farangi Raj aur ghairatmand musalman" by Dr. Muhammad Nawaz Khan Mehsud

Tochi scouts, with two Sapper officers in attendance, demolishing the headquarters of the Faqir of Ipi near Arsal Kot, Waziristan, 1936 (c). Source: 'The Frontier Scouts' by Charles Trench.

Gurweik

Ancestral village of Sher Shah Sur in Pakhtunkhwa

Sher Shah's father name was Hasan and they belonged to the Shera Khel sept of the Sur tribe [1]. Their tribe was located in the present-day Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Sher Shah’s grandfather, Ibrahim Khan, was a horse-dealer in his homeland. He migrated to India with his son Hasan during the early years of Sultan Bahlul’s reign and took up a career as a soldier. [2]

According to Abbas Sarwani, who a compiled a 16th century biography of Sher Shah Sur, Sher Shah's family originated from a village in Afghanistan (Pakhtunkhwa) which was known as Zhaghri in Afghani (Pashto) and Rohri in Multani (Seraiki) [3]. The Dera Ismail Khan district is a region where both Seraiki and Pashto are spoken in close proximity. K.R. Qanungo, author of a renowned book on Sher Shah, incorrectly identified Zhaghri, or Rohri, as Surgurgai near Ab-i Istadeh in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan, where Seraiki is not spoken [4]. Abbas Sarwani provides further information about the village's location, stating that Zhaghri, or Rohri, is situated on a ridge extending six or seven kuroh along the Gomal River, originating from the Sulaiman Mountains. [5]. According to the survey of Suleiman mountains published under the Direction of Brigadier E.O.Wheeler (Surveyor General of India) in 1941 [6], Rohri is a village, situated on an offshoot of the Suleiman mountains which is roughly 15 miles long, that is the six or seven kuroh of Abbas Sarwani. This branch of Suleiman mountains is known locally as "Mian Nur” ridge. The river Gomal runs close by Rohri village. According to Aminullah Khan Gandapur, village Rohri is located 11 miles northwest of Kulachi town in the Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan. [7]

In the mid-sixteenth century, the Sur tribe in Pakhtunkhwa was attacked and defeated by the neighboring Lohani tribes. It is likely that the fall of the Sur dynasty in India in 1555 encouraged the Lohanis to attack and displace the Surs. Many Surs were killed, and the survivors fled to India. Subsequently, Khan Zaman Katti Khel, the chief of the Lohanis, awarded the former lands of the Surs to the Gandapur tribe in the late sixteenth century. This was done with the intention of using the Gandapur's power against his Marwat enemies. Today, the village of Rohri is inhabited by the Gandapur tribe of Pashtuns. [8].

References

1- “Akbar nama”, English translation by H.Beveridge, p-326
2- Ibid.
3- “The History of India, as told by its own Historians”, Vol-4, p-308
4- “Sher Shah and his times”, K.R.Qanungo, p-05
5- “The History of India, as told by its own Historians”, Vol-4, p-308
6- "Transition of power from the early Mughals to Sher Shah Suri", by Hussain Khan, pp.80-81
7- "Tarikh-i-Sarzameen-i-Gomal", by Aminullah Khan Gandapur, p-39
8- "Afghanistan and Its Inhabitants: Translated from the HAYAT-I-AFGHANI of Muhammad Hayat Khan, p-286

Portrait of of Sher Shah Sur. Water colour painting. Date of Creation: 1900-1949

Rohri marked with red arrow in the map

History of the Marwat tribe of Pashtuns

The Marwat tribe is a branch of the Lohani section of the Lodi tribe, mostly found in Lakki Marwat district of KPK. They are said to be descended from Nuh and his first wife Mashirah alias Shiri. It has four sub-sections of Musa Khel, Tapi, Nuna Khel and Salar. According to Makhzan-i-Afghani (composed in 1613 AD) :-

"Lohani's original name was Nuh. He had two wives ; the one, Toori ; the second, Shiri. From the first wife he had five sons, Mamya, Mia, Tatur, Patakh, Hud. Sheeri, the second wife of Lohani, had one son, whom she called Marwat : his descendants are denominated Marwatkhail" [1]

Initially, the Marwats and other Lohani tribes nomadized between Ghazni Plataea and Derajat and also had permanent settlements in Katawaz, Wana and Mahsud land of Waziristan during fifteenth century. The Marwats who were the aborigines of what is now South Waziristan, also appear to be engaged in agriculture. Evelyn Howell writes: -

"Nothing is more remarkable throughout Waziristan than the traces of terraced fields which remain to show that once men grew corn where there is no tillage. In Waziristan anyhow local tradition is unanimous that it was in the days of the Marwats or the Urmars that, these lands were cultivated and mainly all the water channels of any size or length which still survive were cut. " [2]

Around mid-fifteenth century, Marwats lost Katawaz to Suleiman Khel Ghilzais. A dispute arose between the Marwats and Suleiman Khel Ghilzais over return of a Suleiman Khel boy who had abducted a girl of his clan and taken refuge with the Marwats. On refusal by the latter, the Suleiman Khels, with the help of other Ghilzai clans, expelled the Marwats from Katawaz. [3]

In the time of Babur, Daulat Khel branch of Lohanis got involved in a feud with the Prangis who were settled in the fertile tract of Tank. Shahbaz Khan alias Khan Zaman Khan Daulat Khel sought help from his kinsmen, the other Lohani tribes in the area. The Marwats supported the Daulat Khels. So fierce was the battle that Prangis were almost decimated, and the survivors joined their kinsmen in Hind. Khan Zaman Khan divided the acquired territory of Tank tract into four equal shares amongst the four Lohani tribes who had taken part in the battle against Prangis. Lohani clans are said to have afterwards quarreled among themselves about the lands taken from the Prangis, but eventually they all settled down in the countries which they now occupy: the Marwats in the Lakki Marwat district; the Daulat Khel and Tators in Tank; and the Mian Khels at Draban and Musahzai in the Kulachi tahsil of Dera Ismail Khan district.

Miscellaneous information

1- Lakki is a town of Lakki Marwat district. The word Laka'i, in Pushto, signifies, “tail,” “termination,” “extremity,” “after-part,” “rear,” and the like. This place was formerly in the possession of the Sarang clan of the Niazi tribe of Afghans. When Khushal Khan Khattak, held the Chautarah district, under his father, Shahbaz Khan, he made a raid from thence on the Sarangs of Laka'i. [4]

2- Syed Ghulam Muhamamd, an Indian surveyor, passed through Marwat region in 1780 and gave the following account of the Marwat country and its people:-

“The Marwat Afghans are a section or sub-tribe of the great tribe of Nuharni. The Marwat section consists of about 40,000 families, the greater number of whom follow a nomadic life, but many of them have taken to fixed abodes, and the cultivation of the soil. There are at present two Sardars or Chiefs in this tribe: one, Nur Khan of the Pahar Khel, before referred to as being the rightful chief, and the other, Gul-rang Khan of the Khafiz Khel, who has been lately set up by some sections of the tribe. Nur Khan dwells at Pahar Khel, and Gul-rang Khan, the rival chief, at Pathan-Kot; and between these rival chiefs there is no accord. Both pay allegiance to Timir Shah Sadozi, Badshah of Kabul, each pay into his treasury 5,000 rupis as a tenth, and each furnishes a contingent of 200 horsemen to the Badshah's army. Their principal wealth is in cattle; and they likewise possess numerous flocks of sheep, and herds of camels. In the wintertime they come into the garam-sir or hot parts, in the tracts east of the mountains towards the great river, but, in the summer months, they resort to the sard-sir or cool tracts in the mountains.

“Their country, which, previous to their arrival in it, was known by the Hindi name of “Thal,” extends, from east to west, for about fifty kuroh in length, and forty kuroh in breadth from north to south. The chief place, and seat of government, is styled Laka’i, which is a town of considerable size, but the houses are merely constructed of reeds, and thatched with grass laid on the branches of trees." As this tract of country consists chiefly of sandy tracts and desert, as its name indicates, and is surrounded on all sides by mountains at greater or lesser distances, it is exceedingly dry and hot; and, as large trees and long grass do not grow hereabouts, its inhabitants have no other stations or dwelling-places save such like unsubstantial abodes. The river Gambila'h and river of Kurma'h flow through the middle of the Marwat territory; and on both sides of these rivers the land is exceedingly fruitful and produces fine crops. The Gamila'h, as before mentioned, comes down from the hilly country of Karni-Gram, and, passing on the north side of the town of Laka'i, unites with the river of Kurma'h and its many minor tributaries three or four kuroh farther east. The united streams then flow through the lower part of the country of the 'Isa Khel, receiving some minor streams from the hills of that part, and finally unite with the Abae Sin. Like some other Afghan tribes, the Marwat Nuharnis re-distribute the lands of their villages every ten or twelve years, sometimes after longer periods; and each member of the community, even to the infant in arms, has a share allowed. This re-distribution is, however, restricted within certain customary regulations.

“The lalmi lands, or lands dependent on rain for irrigation, are chiefly unproductive. In the cold season, however, much rain falls, and snow likewise, but, in the hot season, the heat is very great. It is not the custom in this country to sink wells, and the people use the river water for drinking purposes. The chief produce consists of wheat, barley, jowor, bajra'h, and muthh, in great plenty, but of sugar-cane, rice, and cotton, the produce is scanty. Traders have to pay a tax.

“Laka'i lies about equidistant from the several mountain ranges surrounding it, being about twenty kuroh from each, save those in the direction of Bunnu and Tak, which lie farther off. 

“The language of the people of the Marwat country is Pushto only, save in a few instances where the Baluchi and Panjabi languages are also spoken, but by persons of a different race.” [5]

3- Agha Abbas of Shiraz passed through Marwat region in 1837 and gave following account of the tribe: -

"3rd Zeehijah.—Proceeded to Marwat to the village of Lakki. The cultivation depends on the rain. This is the principal town of Marwat. A small portion of the Kurram river is applied to cultivation. There are three tribes of Marwats. 

Bahram, under Feroz Khan and Muhablat Khan, resident of Ghuzni khel; amount of fighting men two thousand. 

Dreplarah, under Noora Khan and Allaiyar Khan, resident of Sangookhel and Asakkhel; amount of fighting men two thousand. 

Musakhel, under Hyder Khan, resident of Adamzai, and Kashmir Khan, resident of Wali; amount of fighting men one thousand and five hundred. 

The former amount of the revenue of Murwat, in the time of the Sadozais, was 18,000 rupees, and in the time of the Nawabs of Dera, 50,000 rupees. 

The town of Lakki is situated in the division of Bahram; but the whole three divisions dispute about their claims to it. The Maliks of Lakki are four in number; viz. Deewana Khan, Gouhar Khan, Jahan Khan, and Alam Khan. The town of Lakki is composed of four hundred houses and twenty shops, three dyers, and two black smiths. They are now subjects of Runjeet Singh, but compulsory ones, and their revenue is only collected by detachments of Sikh troops. They are friends of the Bannuwals, and enemies of the Waziris. [6]

References:

1- "History of Afghans" by B.Dorn, Vol-II-, p-51
2- "Mizh", by Evelyn Howell, p-97
3- "History of the Pathans" by Haroon Rashid, p-408
4- "Notes on Afghanistan and part of Baluchistan", by H.G.raverty, p-322
5- Ibid, pp.322-323
6- Journal of a tour through parts of Panjab and Affghanistan in year 1837 ; translated by Major R.Leech.

Read also: Marwat uprising against the Sikhs (1847) 

Type of Marwat, c.1909. Source: "Among the wild tribes of the Afghan frontier " by T.L. Pennell

Marwat uprising against the Sikh (1847)

In 1842 Raja Sher Singh, the adopted son of Ranjit Singh, deputed Malik Fateh Khan Tiwana for collection of the revenue of the Marwat area. The Nazarites sought favour with the new rulers and supported Tiwana. Malik Fateh Khan was a brave, highly intelligent and singularly energetic man. Under a promise to make perpetual settlement of the revenue of the Marwats at the low rate of one sixth of the produce in kind, he convinced the chiefs to give their consent to the building a fort in the heart of their country at Lakki, on the left bank of the river Gambila. The Marwats' Khan was replaced by Diwan Daulat Rai, who interpreted the loan as a regularly established tax and added six thousand rupees to it; these 'tappas' now had to pay fourteen thousand rupees year in addition to one sixth of the produce for which they had originally bargained. The imposition was rendered all the more arduous by the method of assessment and collection. he made it a poll tax and the locals, in derision, called it the 'Pataka' or turban tx, the most honoured portion of the Pashtun's dress. Every male who was of age was liable to this tax and consequently, it fell heaviest on the large families.[1]

Musa Khel of Marwat, lies towards Bannu and the Waziri hills, and consequently never submitted to regular payments; so that the authorities were obliged to make incursions into it, and harry the people till they came to terms. When Sir Edwards passed through Marwat to Bannu, he found the smouldering embers of more than one village of this tappeh, which had been burnt by Dewan Dowlat Rai's orders, for refusing to pay the revenue. In the end they used to compound for all demands, but never would allow either their crops to be measured, or their polls to be counted.

In addition to the hated 'Patka' and the land taxes of one sixth, the avaricious Diwan Daulat Rai impose on newly conquered Afghans, all the vexations custom dues of the Sikh system in Punjab. In the the beginning of 1847, the rage of the Marwats at the 'Patka Tax' rose to such a pitch that they rebelled. The Dre-Plari 'Khan' sounded a 'nakarah' (battle drum) at mid-night in his village. The well-known signal was taken up and echoed in the town of Lakki and the Sikh fort was besieged. The news of the rising spread like wild-fire in the neighboring Pashtun tribes; the Wazirs and Khattaks rushed to the scene of the expected action and soon the Marwat 'Lashkar' numbered over twelve thousand men. [2]

The fort was commanded at that time by a very brave Pashtun, Niazam Khan Khudakka; he first burnt the town of lakki to ashes to deprive the besiegers of shelter and then defended the fort with his garrison for seventeen days, until his master, the Diwan, arrived from Dera Isamel Khan with guns and reinforcements and raised the siege. The Marwats efforts ended in failure. Diwan daulat Rai was replaced by Cortland when Edwardess reported to Khalsa Darbar about Diwan daulat Rai's malpractices.

Mina Khel and Sikander Khel clans of Marwats distinguished themselves in 1848 when major Taylor besieged the Sikh garrison in the, now dismantled lakki fort.

Role of Marwats in Anglo-Sikh wars

During the Anglo-sikh war of 1848, both Begu Khel and Esak Khel clans of Marwats sent their men to Multan to assist the British in the siege of Multan. Achu khel division gave full support to the British in the battle of Gujrat that destroyed the Sikh army. While Hakim Khel (Mina Khel) and Sikander Khel clans distinguished themselves in 1848 when Major Taylor besieged the Sikh garrison in the Lakki fort. The band of Midad Khel Marwats also accompanied Sir Edwards in 1848, during the Multan campaign. [3]



References 

1-Sher Muhammad Khan Mahmand, The Marwats,  p-17
2- Edwardes, " A year in the Punjab", Vol-I, p-136
3- History of the Pathans (Vol. III) by Haroon Rasheed