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The Gilgit Scouts, raised in 1913, are remembered as one of the most significant frontier forces of British India. But their legacy cannot be understood without acknowledging the indispensable contribution of Hunza men—both regulars and reservists—who defended the northernmost borders of the subcontinent in one of the most turbulent eras of global politics.
The Geopolitical Backdrop: The “Great Game”
By the late 19th and early 20th century, Central Asia was the chessboard of imperial rivalry between the Russian Empire and the British Raj. Russia’s advances into Central Asia and its presence in the Pamirs threatened to spill southwards. The British, anxious about India’s security, established the Gilgit Agency in 1877 (re-established in 1889 after a brief withdrawal).
Hunza, perched on the high Karakoram, held special significance:
- Its passes (Mintaka, Kilik, Khunjerab, Shimshal) connected directly to Chinese Turkestan (Xinjiang).
- The Hunza Mir, through tradition and loyalty, maintained flexible ties with both British India and China, making Hunza a frontier of diplomacy as much as defense.
- The hardy Hunzakuts, accustomed to high-altitude survival, became the natural choice for recruitment.
Formation of the Gilgit Scouts (1913)
When Colonel John Biddulph Kelly raised the Gilgit Scouts in August 1913, the force replaced unreliable tribal levies with a disciplined, semi-regular corps. It consisted of around 656 men organized into companies drawn from Hunza, Nagar, Punial, Yasin, and Ishkoman.
The Mir of Hunza cooperated actively with the British, ensuring steady recruitment from his principality. Hunza men were often regarded as the most reliable of the Scouts, combining agility in mountain warfare with deep loyalty to their ruler.
The Hunza Reservist System: A Unique Military Model
While some Hunza men served as permanent Scouts, many were enrolled as reservists. This system was innovative:
- Household Contribution: Each household in Hunza was expected to provide at least one able-bodied man for military service.
- Training & Arms: Reservists underwent periodic training and kept their rifles and kit ready at home.
- Dual Role: They lived civilian lives as farmers, herders, and traders, yet could be mobilized instantly for emergencies.
- Community Integration: This arrangement ensured every family had a stake in frontier defense, blending military readiness with social cohesion.
Strategic Frontier Duties
Hunza reservists were deployed in some of the most challenging environments:
- Pass Guardians: Patrolling Khunjerab, Shimshal, Darkot, and Mustagh passes.
- Escort Services: Providing protection for British explorers, officers, and surveyors venturing into the Pamirs and Wakhan.
- Supply & Communication Lines: Carrying loads across glaciers and mountains, ensuring the mobility of the Scouts.
- Cross-Border Vigilance: Keeping watch over movements of traders, pilgrims, or suspected Russian and German agents during wartime.
The Gilgit Scouts in World War I
During the First World War (1914–1918), the Gilgit Scouts played a critical role despite not being deployed in overseas battles. The northern frontier became a silent battlefield of the Great Game, where espionage and propaganda replaced open conflict.
- Surveillance: The Scouts closely monitored suspected Ottoman and German agents trying to stir anti-British sentiments in Central Asia.
- Coordination: They worked with the British Consulate in Kashgar (Xinjiang) to exchange intelligence.
- Defense-in-Depth: Outposts stretched from Gilgit to the Chinese frontier, with Hunza reservists forming the backbone of forward patrols.
Although their efforts rarely made headlines, their vigilance ensured the northern approaches into India remained sealed at a time when global empires were collapsing.
Subsidies and Political Bargains
In recognition of Hunza’s role, the British provided annual subsidies to the Mir of Hunza. This financial support reinforced the Mir’s authority, kept Hunza loyal to the Raj, and acknowledged the importance of its people in the defense of the empire’s most remote frontier.
Transition and 1947: Defining Moments
By 1947, as the British prepared to withdraw from India, the Gilgit Scouts—staffed heavily by Hunza men—found themselves at the heart of history.
- On 1 November 1947, they revolted against the Dogra governor, Brigadier Ghansara Singh, bringing an end to Dogra rule in Gilgit.
- Hunza reservists and Scouts stood side by side in the bloodless coup that secured the region’s accession to Pakistan.
- The tradition of loyalty and discipline they had nurtured since 1913 now shaped the destiny of the entire Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Conclusion
The service of Hunza men as reservists in the Gilgit Scouts was not merely a military arrangement—it was a political contract, a social obligation, and a legacy of frontier resilience.
It linked Hunza to the larger currents of global geopolitics, integrated its people into statecraft, and positioned the valley as a decisive actor in the turbulent transition from empire to nationhood.
Hunza reservists remain a reminder that even in the most remote corners of the Karakoram, ordinary mountain men shaped the grand strategies of empires and the birth of new nations.
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