Waziristan

A British officer is shot dead by Khostwal tribesmen in Waziristan, 1915

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On 7 January 1915 a Khostwal lashkar (comprising of Zadrans, Tanis and Gurbaz) entered Waziristan to attack British posts in the Tochi valley (North Waziristan). They were attacking British posts in Waziristan because Britain had declared war against Ottoman caliphate on 5 November 1914.  The British officer who got killed by the Khostwals at Spina … Read more

Malik Mehr Dil Mahsud, the Pashtun who rebuffed Jawaharlal Nehru

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Malik Mehr-Dil Mahsud ends the conference before Nehru has finished his speech by raising his arm at Nehru. Robin Hodson (the Political Agent of South Waziristan) intervenes. Photo published in Life Magazine, November 11, 1946. Malik Mehr Dil Khan Mal Khel Manzaey Mahsud of Karma had been a gallant raider of his time. In 1919 … Read more

Census of Wazir and Mahsud tribes in 18th century

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Screenshot from “A concise history of Afghanistan” by Wahid Hamid Alikuzai, p-291 Its a local myth that Ahmad Shah Abdali conducted census of Wazir and Mahsud tribes. They were not part of his empire so number of their fighting men did not need to be estimated. Syed Ghulam Muhammad surveyed Waziristan during the reign of … Read more

Ormur tribe

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The Ormur (Aor-marr اورمړ ) or War-mur, also known as Baraki, is an ancient tribe of Afghans. The name Ormuṛ literally means “fire extinguished” in Pashto. ‘According to the genealogies, the Urmar Afghans are descended from Amar-ud-Din or Amar Din, son of Sharkabun, and are near kinsmen of the Duranis. Raverty cites the Afghan tradition … Read more

Dawar tribe

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Dawars are said to be descendants of Shitak. The original home of the Dawars appears to have been in Shawal, from whence they, in company with the Bannuchis, were driven to their present holdings by the Wazirs in the fourteenth century. These comprise the open valleys called Upper and Lower Dawar, which are surrounded on … Read more

Mullah Powindah

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Sketch of Mullah Powindah.   Mullah Powindah’s real name was Mohiuddin and he belonged to the Shabi Khel section of the Mahsuds. He was a disciple Maulana Hamzullah Khan. He played an important role in the tribal area against the British. He was a contemporary of Haji Sahib of Turangzai who had resisted the British … Read more

Pashtunistan of the Faqir of Ipi

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On 12th May 1948, the Mirza Ali Khan alias Faqir of Ipi published and issued an anti-Pakistan poster from his headquarters, at Gurweik. In the poster he claimed that “Pakistan was a creation of the British and Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a British agent”. He further declared that “he would start an operation against the … Read more