History of the Pashtun people
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The Afghan Pir Khan Lodi, entitled Khan Jahan, rose to power under Jahangir and became one of his most esteemed amirs. In 1625 he was made governor of the Mughal territories in the Deccan. However, he endangered his position and reputation when he let himself be bribed by the Sultan of Ahmadnagar, the Nizam Shah … Read more
The Lunis are to be found in the Duki Tahsil of Loralai. They are descended from Miana and are, therefore connected with Jafars of Musa Khel. Living near the Baloch and being constantly at feud with them, the Lunis appear to have adopted the arbitrary distribution of their component groups into large clans or divisions, … Read more
Ahmad Shah Abdali was not a case of dual personality by Brig (R) Haroon Rashid This is with reference to the article entitled “Ahmed Shah Abdali was not a Saint” by Dr Naseer Dashti (Dawn, Encounter Aug 23), which was in response to my previous article on the great Pashtun icon. The Afghan-Baloch relationship is … Read more
In the Sultanate period, the army consisted mainly of cavalry, elephant corps and infantry. The cavalry was, however, the main source of strength. Khilji Sultans According to Tarikh-e-Firuz Shahi, Jalauddin Khilji maintained 70,000 horses. Alauddin Khilji was the first Sultan to introduce the principle of Standing Army for the Sultan. That army was recruited, equipped … Read more
The members of Barozai clan (a sub-tribe of Pannis) of Sibi claim descent from Baru Khan who they say was a 15th century figure. Towards the close of 16th century, Sibi came under the rule of Mughals. The latter introduced Nawabi into the Panni tribe. In the second half of 17th century we see the … Read more
Ghyas-ud-din Balban of the Turk-Mamluk dynasty had a large number of Pashtun soldiers in his service. In 1260 Balban, then Vizier, brought areas known as Kohpaya-Bharatpur, Dholpur and parts of what became Jaipur and Lawar, under the sword with the help of a body of Afghans, who penetrated every where in defiles and ravines, a … Read more
Mirza Aziz Koka, foster-brother and childhood playmate of Mughal emperor Akbar, praised Sher Shah Sur in a 1611’s letter written to Emperor Jahangir as follow; “Sher Shah Afghan, who was not a ‘malak’ (angel) but a ‘malik’ (king), established such a stable government that his memory is still alive. He turned Hindustan into a garden … Read more
The south-east of Peshawur, from Naushera to the Indus, by Attock round the Akora Hills to Kohat, and the whole south and east of the Kohat district, is held by the Khattaks, one of the finest tribes on our whole frontier, but located almost entirely within, rather than across, the Border. Their original home was … Read more
According to “The Valley of Kashmir” By Walter R. Lawrence (written in 1895 AD), Pashtuns in Kashmir were more numerous than Mughals in the late 19th century Kashmir and were mostly found in Uttar Machipura (Kupwara district, Kashmir). The most interesting colony of Pashtuns was that of the Kuki Khel Afridis of Dranghaihama, who retained … Read more
By Khan Barmazid Strength of the two armies Muhammad Jafar Shamlu , who was present at Panipat , is the most reliable and accurate source. He was in the camp of Shah Pasand Khan who formed the vanguard division of the army and Ahmad Shah’s paiks and harkaras (couriers and messengers) were under him . … Read more