WHO’s WHO IN GILGIT AGENCY (Archive)

Background to this Post

British Political Agents (also those ones in post colonial Agencies) kept a tag on the prominent individuals in their areas of administration. My father being a historian with a social agenda, attempted to obtain all material of historical importance. Lucky for him, his cousin Humayun Beg was a very resourceful functionary in Gilgit Agency. With his help he was able to access this confidential information. I have opted to post ‘Who is Who’ on my blog as part of information sharing. Any offensive information in this document is ascribable to the political Agents and should not be taken as an attempt on my part to offend the progeny of characters covered in this document.

We {myself and my younger brother Lt. Col Saadullah Beg TI(M) } have obtained the Microfiche record of all documents in the India Office Library England – such as memos, letters, notes etc. maintained in Gilgit Agency ever since the advent of the British in the area. 

Click to SEE an Example

The researchers may like to avail these on case to case basis. 

WHO’s WHO IN GILGIT AGENCY

HUNZA STATE.

1.                  Mir Mohd Jamal Khan:-          Son of the late Mir Ghazan Khan and the grand son of the great Mir Sir Mohd Nazim Khan KCIE., KCSI. Succeeded to the Mirship on the death of his father on the 6th May 45. Married the daughter of the late Mir Sir Sikandar Khan of Nagar and has 2 sons and 4 daughters. He acceded to Pakistan on 1st Nov 47after the overthrow of Dogra Raj in Gilgit and since then he has proved himself in letter and in spirit to be a true Pakistani. Helped a lot during the Kashmir liberation campaign and in addition to giving a considerable large number of recruits he sent most of his relatives to fight on various fronts in Ladakh and zojila fronts in year 1948. Is very enlightened and a good scholar of Persian literature and is very popular among his subjects. As an Ismaili leader, he is much influential in Gilgit Agency Chitral state as well as in the adjoining areas of Sarikol etc where Ismailies are reported to be in majority.

2.                  Inayatullah Beg.  Son of the late K.B. Humayun .Beg, Is Wazir and foster father of the present Mir of Hunza. Belongs to a respectable hereditary and influential wazir family of Hunza. A real counselor to the present Mir. Commands respect and influence in Hunza. A jolly good old man.

3.                  Qudratullah Beg:        A nephew of Wazir Inayatullah Beg. An intelligent fellow. An organizer of the Central Jamat Khana (Mosque) Gilgit and is the custodian of the Ismailia Fund sanctioned by Sir Agha Khan for the religious and secular education of the Ismailis of this Agency. Also see SAGA , TARIKH , PUNJAB UNIVERSITY BURUSHASKI CULTURE 

4.                  Ayash Khan:-  Younger brother of Mir Mohd Jamal Khan of Hunza. Has served as a Junior Commissioned officer in the Gilgit Scouts during the British regime. Has been working as Private Secretary and Estate Manager to his brother the Mir of Hunza since the latter's installation as the Mir of Hunza. He is a great helper to his brother in the state matters. He always acts as officiating Mir whenever the real Mir of Hunza goes down to Pakistan.

5.                  Shah Baz Khan:          He is the real paternal uncle of the Mir of Hunza, He is an aged man and lives on a small jagir in Gulmit (Gojal) 26 miles away from Mirs H,Q. A man of very little importance and significance.

PUNIAL POLITICAL DISTRICT

1.                  K.B Mohd Anwar Khan: Is the present hereditary governor of Punial and son of late  Raja Mohd Akbar Khan. He is generally loved by his subjects, who are mostly Ismailis, and generally known to be a good ruler of a petty state. He has rendered invaluable service in the cause of liberation of Kashmir. In addition to giving a large number of recruits, he also gave his sons and other relatives for active service. One of his sons named Shah Zaman was promoted to the Short Service Pakistan Commission on account of his conspicuous services. The Raja also suffered a heavy loss amounting to thousand of rupees on account of his Jagirs in the Kashmir valley having fallen in Dogras hands and also his very well constructed and furnished Bungalow having been razed to the ground in Indian Air Raid on Gilgit. He is very popular in independent Darel tribes men and is a source of great help to the administration in the annual disposal of disputes with the Darel  Jirga. He has married the daughter of the late Shah Sikandar Khan of Nagar. He is a very shrewd man and has good influence among his people. Loved and respected by them.

2.                   Raja Mir BazKhan:  Is the son of Raja Afiat Khan. My predecessor, Colonel R.N. Bacon, P.A. Gilgit reports of his having been dismissed from the Governorship of Yasin for malpractices and corruption. He is generally known to be a great miser and is always on bad terms with Raja Mohd Anwtar Khan, Governor of Punial. He has practically no following and is not of any material significance.

3.                  K.S, Zamrud Khan. Is the younger brother of K.B. Raja Mohd Anwar Khan, Governor of Punial. Is at present working as Jailor, Gilgit. Though not well educated he has the rare reputation of being utmost honest. He has also worked as Subedar Major in the Gilgit Scouts. He is a very nice rider and an outstanding polo player.

GUPIS, Political  District,

1.                  K.B. Raja Hussain Ali Khan. Is the son of the late K.B.Raja Murad Khan Governor of Gupis. Is married to the daughter of late Raja Sifat Bahadur, CIE of Punial. Was first appointed' as Governor Ishkomen in June 1934 and was transferred to Gupis in 1939. Is a pleasant personality and good sportsman. His services during the war of liberation of Kashmir are very valuable. He took a tour of the entire front line areas of Baltistan-Kargil and Astore, exhorting the people to spare no sacrifice in liberating the Kashmir from the yoke of Dogra regime. He is generally known to be extravagant and is always embarrassed financially. The main cause of his incomparable hospitality to all the people passing through Gupis, which is on a high-way between Gilgit and Chitral. He has spent a lot on the entertainment of Chitral bodyguards coming from and going to Chitral during the operation days, There is some agitation against him Chiefly emanating from Chitral ruling family. Chitralies wish this Governor to be replaced by some one of the their family.

2.                  M,J.Sultan Wali. He married the sister of Raja.Hussain Ali Khan of Gupis. Is not of much political importance and lives almost a resigned life on his lands at Sumal.

3.                  M,J. Sultan Ghazi.  Is a younger brother of the present Raja Ishkoman and is married to the daughter of K.B. Raja Mohd Anwar Khan Governor of Punial. Has served as Jemadar in the Gilgit Scouts. Looks to be a good chap and in many respects better than his elder brother Sultan Murad Khan, Governor of Ishkoman.

ISHKOMAN.

1.                  K.S. Sultan Murad Khan:- Is the present Governor of Ishkoman belonging to the "Khoshwaqt" family . Loves an easy-going and resigned life. He is given to opium smoking and is always intoxicated sitting for hours and hours on the chair , enjoying his intoxication and taking to none. He likes the people under his rule to have their way and is obliged to them if they do not interfere with him. In spite of the slack administration, there are little complaints by the public against him; the public of his illaqa are wholy Ismailies, too law abiding and peaceful. He is a bit deaf and one has to take pains to get himself heard by him. He is however straightforward and a sincere Pakistani.

2.                  Ex-Subedar M.J. Azam Khan.            Is the brother of Sultan Murad Khan, Governor of Ishkorman and at present employed as Raja's orderly Chilas, has previously served in the Gilgit Scouts as Subedar. He got his leg and arm fractures in a rough polo match at Chilas and was eventually invalidated out of Scout service. To be just to him for his very good services in the Scouts, he was appointed to his present post early in the year 1948. He is too talkative and is always laughing. He calls himself an ideal ‘Khoshwaqt’.  A.P.A. Chilas is satisfied with work.

3.                  Pir Jamali Shah. A very influential Ismaili Pir living at Chatrokhand. His sister was married to the late Mir Sir Nazim Khan, KCIE, KCSI, Mir of Hunza. This Pir talks fluently in Persian but does riot know Urdu. His relationship with the late Mir Ghazan Khan CBE of Hunza was very restrained because the Mir had refused to give some Lands Jagir to Shah Khan etc., the uncles of the present Mir; the sons of Pir Jamali Sbah's sister. However, the statesmanship of the present Mir of Hunza has led to very cordial relationship between,, him and the Pir.

YASIN.

1.                  K.S. Mahbub Ali Khan: Is the second eldest and perhaps the most beloved son of the late Sir Shah Sikandar Khan of Nagar, who tried his best to get him appointed as his successor. His eldest son Mohd Ali, father of Mir Shaukat Ali Khan having dead then. Was one. time Subedar Major in the Gilgit Scouts. Owing to his persistent endeavours to gethimself installed as Mir of Nagar in place ofhis nephew Mir Shaukat Ali Khan, it was considered necessary by the then political authorities to appoint him Lt, Governor of Yasin in 1941. He has married the sister of Sultan Murad Khan, the Governor of Ishkoman. He is the chief scapegoat for 'Khoshwaqt’ intrigues and, at times it seemed difficult for him to hold his Governorship without the help of political authorities. He is by habit very selfish and is always trying to exploit 'the good work, acne by his younger brothers in the last overthrow of Dogra regime in Gilgit, to achieve his own selfish ends. Some of his brothers do not like him even because of his selfishness.

2.                  M.J. Ghulam Dastgir,  Son of the late Shah Abdurrehman Khanand perhaps the only important men behind the Koshwaqt intrigues in the political districts of Gupis & Yasin, During the last Yasin agitation he was warned in strong words to disassociate himself with any undesirable movement which might disrupt the peace and unity of these districts at the present juncture, H.H. the late Mehtar of Chitral was very much interested for his being made a Governor, of which I am afraid, he stands little chance.

3.                  M,J. Mohd Wazir        He is reported to be an illegitimate son of Khan late Shah Abdurrebman Khan of Khoshwaqt family. Has remained SIP, Jailor and. Raja Orderly Chilas, respectively, Was good at investigation and is reported to have an itching palm and also not a good personality. Has no influence at all. He is the man of H,H. Chitral and one of those mischief-Mongers who try to create troubles to compel the administration to install a Khoshwaqt as Governor of Gupis and Yasin.

GILGIT SUB DIVISION:

1.                  Raja Jaffar Khan.  Son of Karim Khan Jagirdar of Gilgit. Has a lot of landed property in Gilgit. Is married to the sister of Chills Khan of Nomal. He lacks personality and is liable to do any thing which others wish him to do. He has rendered little service to the Government during the worst days of operations. Is issueless and is reported to be impotent. Is always on bad terms with Gashpur Shah Rais Khan, his heir.

2.                  Gr. Shah Rais Khan. Son of Alidad Raja of Gilgit and the heir to the present Raja Jaffar Khan of Gilgit. Wields considerable influence among the general public of this sub-Division.. He has married the daughter of the late Sir Shah Sikandar Khan, the Mir or Nagar and has been of great help to the present administration in counter-acting the mischievous moves of a few disruptionists who have made strenuous, efforts to launch a campaign of non-payment of revenue and the­ stoppage of paid labour in the Gilgit. With the active help or the then Subedar Major (now Lieut) Mohd Babar Khan (who is his brother­ in-law) he succeeded in overthrowing the Dogra regime on the night between 13.10.47 and 1.11.47 and in capturing the Dogra Governor Brig. Ghansara Singh . He acted as president of the Interim Azad Government for a short while before Inviting the Pakistan Government to immediately take over the Administration or this Agency, He has helped the present administration during the acute shortage of food grains and collected hundred maunds of grains as free contribution to Government from all the public of Sub. Division upon whom he has a good hold. He is sincere Pakistani.

3.                  Chills Khan. Is the son of Raja Kama1 Khan of Nomal. An old man of little importance, is the self-styled Raja of Nomal.

CHILAS SUB AGENCY.

1.                  Syed Ali, Lambardar Gor Chilas, Gilgit. Is the principle Shin Lumbardar of Gor. Is very popular among his people and, capable of herding them to do anything.

2.                  Bijil Lumbardar of Chilas: A popular Lumbardar of Gichi, and remained levy leader up to 1919. Is very rich and has large flocks of sheep and the second man in Chilas Sub-Agency.

3.                  Ali Dad Lumbardar.  Is a principal Shin Lumbardar of Thor. Very influential and, good mannered is most helpful in most complicated criminal cases.

ASTORE SUB DIVISION.

1.                  Mohd Ismail Khan. He belongs  to Donyan (Astore) and was previously working as SIP in Kashmir from where he had proceeded on leave to his home when Astore was liberated and occupied, by the Azad Forces. He joined the Azad Administration as N. T. His services as N.T. in arranging: transport and other necessities for the troops outshine any body also in the Astore sub-Division. In recognition of which he was subsequently raised to the temporary post of Tehsildar. He is a good worker no doubt and also commands good influence in his Astore area, but is incline to achieve immediate reward for his good services.

2.                  Raja Saji Ali Khan. A child of about 12 years. He is the. Son of the late Raja Hussain Khan Jagirdar of Astore and a nephew (from the sister side) of the present Mir of Nagar., He has some followers and may be of some service to Pakistan. He has been awarded scholarship for studies and is soon being bent to C.S. Peshawar„

Copy of Sanad Granted to Raja Anwar Khan

With the sanction of the Government or India and His Highness the Maharaja of Kashmir, I. have much pleasure Raja Anwar Khan, in ivesting you the powers of Governor of the Punial Illaqua the ancestral jagir granted to your fore-Fathers, subject to the following conditions ;

1)      That you will at all times be loyal to the great Sirkar and to the Kashmir Darbar.

2)      That in all matters relating to the administration of Iliaqua you will be guided by the advice of the Political Agent in Gilgit.

3)      That you will refer all questions relating to Gashpurs for the Political Agent's advice.

4)      That you will refer all questions relating to the mutatic of cultivated land to the Political agent for his advice.

5)      That all cases, affecting the ststus of a zamindar, or those connected with the appointment and dismissal of Lambardars shall be notified to the Political Agent, Gilgit for his information.

6)      That no member of the Corps of Gilgit scouts shall be degraded to the status of a Ryat.

7)      That you will take cognizance of all criminal ad civil cases arising in the Agency and shall dispose of them according to the tribal custom of the Illaqua, but all cases of murder, riot and sudden death under doubtful circumstances, or of robbery accompanied with violence resulting in grevious hurt, shall be reported for the orders of the Political Agent, Gilgit.

A monthly statement of all criminal cases disposed of by you, with the punishment inflicted will be submitted for the Political Agent’ s information.

8)      That Gashpur Mir Baz Khan shall continue to receive the. Revenues of Gakuch, and other concessions enjoyed by him hitherto.

9)      That Gasbpur Wali Mohammad shall continue, till further orders, to receive the revenue of Aishi and Upper Damas villages.

10)  That you rule and administer the. Ilaqua in accordance with the tribal laws and customs of the country and that you levy tribute service and revenue accordingly.

Sd E.H.S. James

Maj

Political Agent, Gilgit