HISTORY OF DIR VALLEY PAKISTAN:

FROM ARYANS UP TO THE ARRIVAL OF

AFGHAN PASHTUNS

 

Fazlul Haq * Fazlur-Rahman **

 

Abstract

 

      This study is focused on exploring the historical background of Dir Valley located in the Hindu Raj Range of the Eastern Hindukush Range. This region offers a wide potential for research in various sectors of life and environment. However, it is still unexplored and research activities are almost negligible. Other valleys located in the northern mountains of Pakistan such as Swat, Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan regions are extensively studied and exclusive literature is available on every aspect of social as well as physical environment of these regions. Contrary to this, Dir Valley is completely neglected by researchers both in past and present and no such organized and detail studies can be found in any field. Hence, this study may be stated as the beginning of research in this area and it will open new windows for research and debates on this unexplored mountainous valley.

 

Introduction

 

      Contrary to its neighboring areas such as Chitral, Gilgit region and Swat (Figure 1), little written material is available on Dir valley although it has been the center of various spiritual and religious personalities and has a rich history. The main factor behind the lack of colonial literature on Dir is perhaps the restrictions on movements through the valley in the past and its isolation from external influences. Most of the books and other written records about the history of Chitral and Swat valleys and arrival of Pashtun civilization belong to the British writers and expeditors who traveled and stayed here. The British government officials and agents have exclusively traveled through the other parts of this mountainous belt and have written their experiences in the form of books, biographies and reports.

 

 

 

       Figure 1 Location of Dir Valley

Dir being an easy route connecting Chitral and other parts of northern Pakistan to the plains of Peshawar Vale (Figure 1) could have been an area of interest for the explorers and expeditors of the British Era; however, the unfriendly nature of the inhabitants restricted the movements of British Officials through this route and thus keeping it hidden from writers and historians. One of the British agents Durand, (2001: 112, 182) has written his views about travel through Dir valley as, “… we got no sport here, but I got orders to return to India by Kashmir, and not to attempt the Dir road. The proposed return to India via Dir and Bajaur was discussed with care, and the general opinion was that I could go down in safety if Umara Khan invited me. Both the Khan of Dir and the Khan of Aladand, the last man through whose bonds I should have pass, were said to be most anxious to arrange my passage, but all depended on the Napoleon of Bajaur”. Due to its location bordering Afghanistan, tribal areas and the then princely states of Swat and Bajaur, Dir valley has remained an important route and has a rich history of chronological dynasties. However, due to poor research activities, the history of the area – as well as other socio-economic and biophysical aspects – is not properly documented.

      Besides two available colonial sources (McMahon & Ramsay, 1897; General Staff of India, 1901), in the recent past, a book is published in Urdu Language by Shahid, (2005) attempting to document the history of Dir.  Moreover, Dir has been mentioned and short descriptions have been given in various other books (Robertson, 1896; Barth, 1956; Caroe, 1958; Spain, 1973). The history documented in this study is based on information taken from these sources along with interviews conducted with a number of elders in the study area.

 

History of the Name ‘DIR’

 

      There are a number of opinions and contradictions regarding the name ‘DIR’ among the elders and those who have written about it. Dir has remained the center of various religious orthodoxies and spiritualism and several civilizations have developed and passed through this region. As a result the valley has been known by different names as well as its present name ‘Dir’ has been used in different meanings time to time.

      According to the elders Dir has been known in ancient times by various names such as Goraiy, Yaghistan, Biloristan and Masaga. The name Dir was first used in the time of Buddhist Civilization in Panjkora valley (Shahid, 2005). In Arabic Language the word ‘Dir’ means ‘Monastery’ and it was used to describe Buddhist Monasteries constructed on both the banks of River Panjkora.  Another ancient name of Dir was Kafiristan which means the land of Kafir (Non-Muslims). This name was given to it after the dynasty of Kafirs living in the Kohistan region of Dir valley. These Kafirs ruled over the area from 10^th to 15^th century AD. After 15^th century AD, the Pashtuns of Yosafazai Tribe conquered the area and named it as Dir. It is said that Dir was derived from the Persian word ‘dair’ which meant ‘far off’ and ‘hard to reach’. This name was used for the area because of its remoteness.

 

Ancient History

 

Stone Age to Achaemenian Civilization

      The history of Dir valley is very old and can be traced back to the Stone Age, Dravidians and Arian civilizations. A town in the present day Upper Dir district known as Darora is believed had been named after Dravidians Civilization (Shahid, 2005). After the arrival of Arians, the whole Gandhara Region including Dir, Swat and Taxila etc. remained under the influence of Persian Empire in 522 BC (Spain, 1963). The remains of the Fire Temples along the banks of River Panjkora in the lower parts of the valley are the evidences of Achaemenian Civilization in the area (Spain, 1963; Dani, 1986). Dir and Swat valleys have always remained either under direct control of big empires or partially under their influence due to the availability of natural resources.

 

Greeks, Buddhist and Hindu Dynasties

      In 327 BC, this area was conquered by Greeks under the command of Alexander the Great who entered into Dir Valley from Jalalabad, Afghanistan through Bajaur Agency. During that time Dir and Swat valleys were part of the Masaga State, stretching from Lawari (the boundary between Dir and Chitral) up to Attock covering the present day Bunir district, Malakand and Bajaur Agencies and the surrounding mountainous areas. Dir remained under Greeks’ influence for the next two centuries (Spain, 1963; Ahmad, 1976; Nichols, 2008).

 

The Arrival of Muslims

      After the decline of Greeks Empire, it came under the rule of different dynasties such as Buddhists, Huns, and Hindus etc. till 998 AD when the area was conquered by Muslims. Although Islam reached to the sub-continent in 712 when Muhammad Bin Qasim came here through Karachi – the then Debal – however, Muslim Civilization in Dir started in 998 AD after the arrival of Mahmood Ghaznavi who defeated the Hindus and established Muslim rule in the area. According to Shahid, (2005) Dir Valley has also remained under the rule of the great Mongol emperor ‘Timur’ when he stayed here in 1369 AD. According to him, Timur during his expeditions, stayed in a town Timergara on the bank of River Panjkora which was named Timurgarh after his name in that time. Later on Timurgarh changed into Timergara, which is presently the largest town and urban center of Dir Valley. The ancient history of Dir reveals that this area has remained under the influence of more than fifteen different civilizations from 1500 BC to 1500 AD. The arrival of Pashtun Civilization in 1519 AD, when Yosafzai Tribe occupied the area, was the beginning of a new era in the history of Dir. This civilization is going to complete its 5^th century and is still persisting.

 

The Arrival of Pashtuns from Afghanistan (1519 AD to the Present)

 

      Yousafzai was one of the four major clans of Khashi Tribe living in Afghanistan. After getting prosperity in Kabul, the Yousafzai openly defied the then ruler Sultan Ulugh Bag, who was the grandson of Turk King Taimur and the uncle of Babur. Ulugh Bag tried to suppress the tribe but he failed, and therefore, he staged a massacre and killed all the leaders of Yousafzai. A very few members of the tribe survived in this massacre with two renowned persons i.e. Malik Shah Mansur and his nephew Malik Ahmad. Later on, the young Malik Ahmad played the key role in the rehabilitation and reunion of the Yousafzai Tribe. Those who survived migrated from Afghanistan and entered into Pakistan through Khyber Pass. Slowly and gradually, the people of Yousafzai occupied the areas from Peshawar up to Swat, Dir and Buner after a number of battles with the local tribes and the then Sultan of Swat .

 

      Malak Ahmad, Shekh Mali and Shah Mansor were among the major commanders and leaders of Yousafzai Tribe. Malak Ahmad was a great warrior and played the key role in several battles fought with other tribes particularly the Dalazak Tribe. In 1523 AD he commanded the Yousafzai troops in the last battle against Dalazak Tribe. After this fight, Yousafzai Tribe lived in peace and prosperity and devoted themselves to agriculture activities and economic development. Shekh Mali was a great leader, scholar and expert of the Muslim Law and Jurisprudence. Besides his considerable contributions in the battle field, he was a great policy maker and always led his tribe in every sphere of social affairs. He was respected by his followers and his decisions were accepted by everyone. His greatest contribution was the introduction of land ownership system and the formulation of rules and regulations for the appropriation of land and resources among various clans of Yousafzai Tribe and their allies in 1523. This system of land tenure was termed as wesh, which became one of the most important institutions in Pashtun society. The importance of this system is evident from the colonial literature (McMahon and Ramsay, 1897; Government of the Punjab, 1898; General Staff of India, 1901; Barth, 1956; Caroe, 1958; Spain, 1963, 1973) as well as the present day studies (Nichols, 2001; Sultan-i-Rome, 2005, 2007, 2008; Nafees et al., 2009; Rahman et al., 2014; Haq et al., 2012).

 

      The main purpose behind the introduction of wesh system was the equitable distribution of land and resources among the inhabitants of Yousafzai Territory, the present day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. This territory includes both the plain areas of Peshawar Vale (sama) and the mountainous terrain (gharaiza) of Dir and Swat etc. The distribution of natural resources is determined by wide altitudinal and topographical variations among the plains and the mountains. The plain areas were more fertile and productive with irrigation arrangements as compared to the rain fed and relatively less fertile lands of mountains. The uneven distribution of natural resources accompanied by accessibility factor among the plains and mountains were not favoring the permanent distribution of sama and gharaiza among the tribes and the co-owners.

 

      Therefore, Shekh Mali introduced temporal circulatory appropriation of areas and resources for different time intervals under the wesh system. The plain and mountainous areas and the fertile and infertile lands were allotted to the co-owners through a drawing lot system (khasanry) for a period of five or six years. After the expiry of that time period, the process of allotment was revised and the rights of owners were circulated. The inhabitants of mountainous areas were shifted to the plain and those of the fertile land to the infertile one and vice versa. The rules and regulations for the functioning of wesh system were formulated in the form of law, which was termed as daftar.  This law not only covered the land ownership system, but also defined several other acts and rules for the integration and successful functioning of Pashtun society. According to this law, the murderer’s house should be burnt, he should be exiled from the village and his share in the land should be handed over to the victimized family. The term daftar was also used for the territory and resources belonging to a particular tribe or owner and presently it is used in this context only. This system of periodical distribution and re-distribution and the law of daftar were very successful and remained in vogue for centuries. Later on certain weaknesses and changes in the socio-economic and political setup resulted into the abandonment of this system from the plain as well as most parts of the mountainous areas. Nevertheless, the system is still practiced on local level in several small valleys of Dir, Swat and Kohistan etc. with some modifications and transformations.

 

Feudalism in Dir: The Arrival of Khans and Nawabs

 

Khanism in Dir

      Khanizm started in Dir valley in 1626 AD by a spiritual leader of Maly Zai Tribe named Akhund Ilyas Baba. He was a religious scholar used to preach Islamic education and resolve the tribal disputes and conflicts through Muslims Law and Jurisprudence and also had deep knowledge on local social systems. Slowly and gradually he became popular, effective and respected person in the Maly Zai area. The people began to honor his sayings and soon he established his rule in Dir Village and became the first Khan. His successors managed to extend the territorial limits of their rule giving birth to an autonomous political entity, which later on became the princely state of Dir. After his death in 1676 AD his son Mulla Ismail succeeded to the throne (Gaddi) and remained Khan until 1752. He was also educated in Muslims Law and ruled the state in a good manner following his father footsteps.

 

      Khan Ghulam Khan became the successor of Mulla Ismail in 1752 and remained in rule till 1804. Unlike his father and grandfather, Ghulam Khan was more interested in ruling the people and living a royal life style instead following the way of his forefathers. Khan Zafar Khan succeeded Ghulam Khan in 1804 and ruled the state till 1814. He established a formal and paid military force and started to extend his rule to the surrounding areas. His major achievement was the invasion on the Kohistani Kafirs when he defeated them in a battle and conquered the area. The next successor in the Khanizm was Khan Qasim Khan Shahid who ruled Dir state from 1814 to 1822. He was assassinated by his sons in 1822.

 

      The golden period, in the three centuries Khanizm, was the rule of Khan Ghazan Khan who ruled the state for 46 years from 1822 to 1868. He re-organized his military force and started to recover the areas which were lost by his predecessors. This was the time of several internal and external threats because of the freedom movement of 1857. However, he overcome the challenges through his wisdom and didn’t lose control of his state. He died in 1870 and his son Khan Rahmatullah Khan took charge of the Gaddi of Dir who was a great warrior and a judicious ruler. Rahmatullah Khan on the one hand was facing the opposition of his brothers who were not ready to accept his rule, while on the other hand he was threatened by his son Khan Sharif Khan. With the help of Umara Khan of Jandol, Khan Sharif Khan attacked his father’s state. However, the commanding skills and wisdom of his father always defeated him.

 

      During that time Jandool principality was under the rule of Umara Khan who was known by the British as Napoleon of the East due to his expeditions. Umara Khan after fighting with his brothers succeeded to the throne of Jandool in 1880 and started invading the neighboring localities of Dir state. Umara Khan made several attacks on Dir and until 1884, more than half of the Dir state came under his rule. After the death of Khan Rahmatullah Khan in 1884, his son Sharif Khan succeeded as the new Khan of Dir. The continuous pressure from his brothers enforced Sharif Khan to recover the areas conquered by Umara Khan. Until 1890, these two forces remained in a state of continuous aggression against each other and several battles were fought. This was the sixth attack of Umara Khan on the territory of Dir, when he finally succeeded in occupying the whole state. By the autumn 1890 the whole of Dir state was under the control of Umara Khan and Sharif Khan was exiled to Swat. He appointed his brother Muhammad Shah Khan as the Governor of the state who started collecting revenue from the people of the area and also took the timber trade of Panjkora into his hands.

The Arrival of Nawabism in Dir

      After the merger of Dir into Jandool, Umara Khan continued his expeditions and started invasions on the other surrounding principalities such as Nawagai, Nikabi Khel and Ranizai. His power expanded up to Dargai Skhakot in the south of Malakand and up to Chitral state in the north. Umara Khan was at the top of his power in the year 1894, having completely recovered all his previous possessions and now began to actively intrigue in Chitral. The advancement of Umara Khan and Sher Afzal into the Chitral territory resulted into a series of incidents which ultimately led to Chitral Siege on March 3^rd. The incidence of Chitral Siege brought a new turn in the history of Dir, Chitral and other principalities. Due to increasing powers of Umara Khan in Chitral, the British agents in Gilgit directly came into the play and confronted the lashkar of Umara Khan. This confrontation converted into a long lasting bloody war between the British army and Umara Khan. The British advised Umara Khan again and again to withdraw his forces and interference from Chitral but he paid no heed to their warnings.

 

      In this situation, the dispatch of Chitral Relief Force became necessary for the British government in order to settle the Chitral dispute. However, the Chitral Relief Force had to pass through the Dir route where there was no passage for the British army. This was the time for the involvement of the exiled Khan of Dir, the Khan Sharif Khan. The British Officials knowing about the past conflicts between the Khan of Dir and Umara Khan used this opportunity and invited the former to dialogues on the issue. A deal was signed between the British forces and the ex Khan of Dir. The Khan was offered the throne of Dir and possession of the lost areas in return for his assistance in providing safe passage through the Dir route and support against the Khan of Jandool. Khan Muhammad Sharif Khan, who up to now had been a refugee in Swat was too glade to accept that offer. He with the help of the tribes in his support conquered the forts on the banks of River Panjkora and made the passage clear for the Chitral Relief Force. In this way the British forces reached Chitral and the powers of Umara Khan came to an end.

 

After the Chitral dispute was resolved, the Khan of Dir Muhammad Sharif Khan was rewarded the throne of Dir and he came into power as per agreement with the British officers. He was declared as the first Nawab of Dir in 1895 and his rule was formally recognized by the British government. The succession of Sharif Khan to the Gaddi of Dir as the first Nawab was accompanied by substantial changes in the political and social setup of Dir principality. Sharif Khan remained Nawab till 1904 and ruled the state for nine years. However, during his rule, the state didn’t progress properly because of financial, political and social constraints faced by this embryonic state and its new ruler. Besides these unfavorable conditions, the Movement of Sartor Fakir (a rebellion against the British rule) during 1897 resulted into a long lasting conflict between British forces and the religious elements of Dir state. Due to these upheavals, no development activities were undertaken in the state during the rule of first Nawab.

 

      Sharif Khan died in 1904 and his son Muhammad Awrangzeb Khan known by Chara Nawab (dumb) succeeded as the second Nawab of Dir. According to the elders, Chara Nawab was a spiritual person and a judicious leader. However, he was handed over the throne of Dir with a countless number of internal and external threats limiting his capacity to lead the state towards prosperity, peace and development. He remained Nawab for 20 years. This whole time was spent in a situation of insecurity and aggressions from the Swat and Jandool states on account of boundaries demarcation. It is said that a total of 45 battles were fought with the forces of Swat and Jandool during the rule of Chara Nawab. The continuous uprisings between Dir and Swat were creating security threats for the British movements through the Dir-Chtiral Highway. Therefore, they planned to settle the issue between these two principalities by demarcating the boundary permanently. Finally, it was 1923 when an agreement was signed by the Wali of Swat and the Nawab of Dir and the boundary issue between the two states was resolved. After this agreement, Chara Nawab got rid of the conflicts and insurgency from Swat state but the issues of Jandool rebellions persisted.

 

After his death, Chara Nawab was succeeded by his son Muhammad Shah Jehan Khan in 1924. Shah Jehan Khan was a disobedient son not complying with the teachings of his father contrary to his younger brother Alamzeb Khan. Therefore, he lived most of his life out of his father’s rule away from his family. According to the elders, the officers and ministers of Awrangzeb Khan were very corrupt and were trying to take the powers of state into their hands during the illness of Nawab. Moreover, a number of the officers were not in favor of Shah Jehan Khan and used to support the succession of his younger brother Alamzeb Khan. However, Shah Jehan was very clever and planned to get the favor of all the resourceful persons. Initially he settled the matter with his younger brother through a Jirga and immediately reached to India in order to get the title of Nawab from the British Viceroy. In this way Shah Jehan Khan succeeded to the throne and became the third Nawab of Dir. Soon after coming into power, he gathered the corrupt officers of the preceding rule and punished them with death in a very violent and wild manner.

 

Shah Jehan Khan established good ties with the British representatives and Political Agent of Malakand in order to get their full support. Nevertheless, he was never in favor of the British presence and interference in his rule. Moreover, he never wanted the free and unrestricted movement of British officers in Dir state. However, he didn’t opt for any direct confrontation with British authorities as it would have weakened his power in ruling the people and protecting the state from any outside aggression.

 

      The period of Shah Jehan’s rule was undoubtedly the darkest stage in the history of Dir state and the negative impacts of his miserable and shortsighted governance can still be observed in every sector of the society even after passing of more than five decades. During his rule, there was a complete ban on education and the construction of health centers. Pursuing education in the jurisdiction of the state was considered as a serious offense and those who tried to get education were punished and exiled from the state. There were very few people who were able to afford education outside Dir. Majority of common people remained in the darkness of illiteracy and deprived of basic health facilities. This act of ignorance made the state one of the most undeveloped areas of the country.

 

      The construction of big houses was seriously restricted and those who constructed such buildings were jailed and their dwellings were demolished. Moreover, there was a ban on the execution of any development project or construction of infrastructure in the limits of the state. There were only one major route connecting Chikdara (Lower Dir) with Proper Dir, which was the capital of the state. People were not allowed to keep private vehicles and were compelled to travel in the state buses, which were very few in number and in very pathetic conditions. His revenue system was also biased and was not based on equal collection of tax from every part of the state jurisdiction. He appointed his men in every village and used to collect grains in each cropping season known as Nawab’s Ushar. The people belonging to the royal tribe were exempted from revenue collection and the others were compelled to pay all the duties. Certain tribes were to feed his horses and dogs and others were to provide a fix number of hunted birds on monthly basis.

 

      In short, the period of Nawab’s rule was full of inhuman acts and darkness for the inhabitants of the valley. Everything belonged to the people who run the state, while the public was treated in a very unlawful and cruel manner. The state remained in backwardness and couldn’t progress in any sector until the end of Nawabism and arrival of formal governance. This darkest age of Dir Valley came to an end in 1969 when Shah Jehan was arrested and took away by the Government of Pakistan. Dir was declared as a settled district of Pakistan in 1970 and since then the area started to develop. Education and health facilities were established and development projects were initiated. Hence, it can be said that development started in Dir after 1960.

 

Conclusion

 

      It can be concluded from this study that Dir Valley has remained the home of different civilizations throughout history. Sources (Spain, 1963; Dani, 1986; Ahmad, 1976; Nichols, 2008) reveal that Dir Valley has remained under the influence of more than fifteen different civilizations from 1500 BC to 1500 AD includeing, Achaemenian Civilization, Greeks’ influence, Dravidians, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims. The geographical location of the valley has played a key role in the invasions of different rulers and dynasties as it is bounded by Afghanistan in the west while two other historically important valleys i.e. Chitral and Swat in the north and east respectively. Dir Valley provides an easy and shortest route to Chitral, which has also remained under the influence and rule of various dynasties throughout its entire history. Moreover, Dir has been continuously influenced by the civilizations remained in its western neighbor i.e. Afghanistan.

 

References

 

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End Notes