Geography
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is largely located on the Iranian
plateau and Eurasian land plate, while peripheral eastern regions are located
near the Indian subcontinent and this has led to seismic activity in the past.
It covers an area of 74,521 km² (28,773 sq mi). According to
the 1998 census, the total population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was approximately
17 million out of whom 52% are males and 48% females. The density of population
is 187 per km² and the intercensal change of population is of about 30%.
Geographically the province could be divided into two zones:
the northern one extending from the ranges of the Hindu Kush to the borders of
Peshawar basin; and the southern one extending from Peshawar to the Derajat
basin.
The northern zone is cold and snowy in winters with heavy
rainfall and pleasant summers with the exception of Peshawar basin, which is
hot in summer and cold in winter. It has moderate rainfall. The southern zone
is arid with hot summers and relatively cold winters and scantly rainfall. Its
climate varies from very cold (Chitral in the north) to very hot in places like
D.I. Khan. The major rivers that cross the province are Kabul River, Swat
River, Chitral River, Panjgora River, Bara River, Karam River, Gomal River and
Zob River.
Its snow-capped peaks and lush green valleys of unusual
beauty attract tourists from far and wide while its art and architecture no
less known than the historic Khyber Pass. Once the cradle of Gandhara
civilization, the area is now known for its devout Muslims who zealously guard
their religion and culture and the way of life that they have been following
for centuries.
The capital and largest city of the province is Peshawar and
other main cities include Nowshera, Mardan, Mansehra, Charsadda, Ayubia, Nathia
Gali and Abbottabad. The province's main districts include Dera Ismail Khan,
Kohat, Bannu, Peshawar, and Hazara Division.
The region varies in topography from dry rocky areas in the
south to forests and green plains in the north. The climate can be extreme with
intensely hot summers to freezing cold winters. Despite these extremes in
weather, agriculture remains important and viable in the area. The hilly
terrain of Swat, Kalam,Upper Dir, Naran and Kaghan is renowned for its beauty
and attracts a great many tourists from neighbouring regions and from around
the world. Swat-Kalam is also termed 'a piece of Switzerland' as there are many
landscape similarities between it and the mountainous terrain of Switzerland.
The chai-khanas of Peshawar's Old City allow visitors to
witness the multicultural inhabitants in a relaxed setting. Qissa Kahani Bazaar
and other parts of Peshawar can remind visitors of an Arabian Nights tale.
The Takht-i-Bahi is perhaps the most impressive Buddhist
ruin in the province and dates back to the 1st century BCE.
History - The March of Time
Every rock, every hill has its story.
Even before this crossroad of the East and West became
prominent in Western annals through the work of the Greek geographer and
chronicler Hecataeus of Miletus writing in 500 B.C., the historian Herodotus
(485 B.C-425 B.C.), and the campaigns of Alexander, a long history of
civilizations unfolds amongst the ageless contours of the Frontier.
That man roamed these parts since Palaeolithic times has
been confirmed by evidence scattered across the Province. In the Sanghao cave,
Mardan, early Stone Age implements, flakes, core tools, blade flakes, awls,
hammer tools and scrapers of various shapes with a sharpened edge for scraping
materials such as hide or wood have been discovered. Similarly in Lewan, Bannu
district, core tools, blade flakes, end scrapers, pebble tools, hand-axes,
knife blades of hard stone give evidence of a culture that thrived between
3,500 B.C.-3,000 B.C. Remains from the later Stone Age or Neolithic period,
when animals were first domesticated and agriculture introduced, have been
found at Jhandi Balar in the Dera Ismail Khan district. These consist of
terracotta toys, human and animal figures, painted pottery shards and beads.
Apart from the pre-historic sites, the Province was home to
the developed, Harappan culture (2,700 B.C.-2,000 B.C.) which was not a natural
continuum of the earlier settlements but comparable in urbanization to
Mesopotamia and Egypt. Pottery decorated with fish motifs, geometric designs
and horizontal bars, human figures and animal shapes have been found at Rehman Dheri,
Dera Ismail Khan. These link it to the better known sites of Moenjo Daro in
Sindh and Harappa in Punjab. The spread of the Indus Valley Civilization to
these more northerly areas brought with it the same repertoire of subjects and
symbols: female figures with elaborate headdresses, mothers holding babies (a
subject that was to find its finest expression in European Renaissance painting
and sculpture), snake goddesses, humped bulls, dogs, bird-toys, toy carts and
bone seals engraved with animal and insect symbols. The Rehman Dheri site shows
that the Indus Valley Civilization initiated a tradition of square seals that
matured with its climax. One Rehman Dheri seal depicts two mountain-goats and
another two scorpions and a frog. These seals point to trade connexions with
Mesopotamia. Remains from the mature Harappan period discovered at Maru, Dera
Ismail Khan, consist of perforated ware, bangles, jewellery, buttons, gems,
cornelian beads and shell ladles.
Aryans, a semi-nomadic people of Central Asia, whose main
occupation was cattle-raising, came to South Asia betweent ,800 B.C.- t ,200
B.C. and settled along the Indus. Their legends are incorporated in
Mahabharata, an ancient Sanskrit epic, reflective of centuries of collective
beliefs. In that sacred scripture this region and people are mentioned:
Panjkora watershed appears as Gauri in the sixth book2 and the tribe of Asvaka
as inhabiting the far north. The latter probably refers to the people of Swat,
Kunar and Bajaur.3 The Rg Veda, another book of the Aryans, mentions the
Pukhtuns as Pakhtu and Paktium because of their affiliations with Paktia, a
province of Afghanistan.
Part of the Achaemenian empire founded by Cyrus the Great,
this area remained a Persian dominion for over two centuries. At a date after
516 B.C., Darius Hystaspes sent Skylax, a Greek seaman, to explore the course
of the Indus4. The inscriptions of Darius recorded on rocks or dressed stone
list Gandhara - present Peshawar Valley - and India5 as one of the fourteen
countries he ruled. In 331 B.C. this mighty empire fell to Alexander the
Macedonian, who invaded the mountains and valleys of the present NWFP and
fought his way to Punjab. By the spring of 327 B.C. Alexander's armies were
ready for the Indus Valley. At the Nawagai Pass, which links Afghanistan to the
present Bajaur Agency, Alexander divided his army. One section marched towards
Charsadda, while the other, led by him, entered this region through Swat. Here
he met stiff resistance from the Kamboja clans: the Aspasios of Kunarj Alishang
valleys, the Guraeans of the GuraeusjPanjkora Valley and the Assakenois of the
Swat and Buner valleys. It was during this march that he received an arrow
wound on his shin. He captured Ora, identified by Aurel Stein in the early
twentieth century with a place now called Raja Giras Kasal, in the Swat Valley
above Birkot. When the Massaga chief was killed, his aged mother, known as
Cleophis in Western annals, took over the command of the army and mounted a
stubborn defence. The role of Cleophis is still not researched, but it is
indicative of the mettle of the women of the NWFP. Alexander left his garrisons
and went to join his General and favourite Hephaestion in the Peshawar plains
where he accepted the surrender of Peucelaotis, modern Charsadda. Gandhara has
been identified as the Greek Paktuike6. "Darius, Herodotus, Alexander,
Pompey, Horace, Trajan, would certainly have thought of India in the
geographical terms of what is now... Pakistan".
The impact of Alexander's presence was short but pervasive.
His total stay in the Frontier was less than twelve months and during all this
time he faced very spirited opposition by the inhabitants. As such he was
continuously engaged either in capturing fortresses or fighting his way
forward.
Things fell apart on Alexander's death. The empire
fragmented. His General Seleucus took over the eastern part but the vigorous
resistance of Chandra Gupta, founder of the Maurya dynasty (323-190 B.C.),
stayed his attempts to expand southward. Under Asoka (264-227 B.C.), one of the
great Mauryan monarchs, Buddhism flourished. Many rock edicts propagating
Buddhist ideals were erected across the empire and several were installed in
this region.
Around 75 A.D. the Kushan of Indo-Scythian stock established
another great empire. During the intervening period dynasties of the
Graeco-Bactrians, the Sakas and the Indo-Parthians, all from Central Asia,
ruled Gandhara. The Graeco-Bactriankingdom of Taxila and Sakal a fell to Saka
invasion which started around 97 B.C. These nomadic invaders entered a kingdom
which had been absorbing Persian, Indian, as well as Hellenic influences. The
Saka ruled Gandhara for about a century upto 5 A.D. The Parthians who succeeded
the Sakas were also nomads and extended their authority down to the Indus. By
19 A.D. Gondophares (d.48 A.D.) was ruling over Gandhara and northern Punjab.
The magnificent Parthians were celebrated in the Odes of Horace (b. 65 B.C.) as
fine horsemen:
The Kushans were replaced by the Sassanians, also from
Central Asia. Gandhara, the Derajaat, Sindh and large parts of Afghanistan fell
to them. By 365 A.D. these provinces temporarily collapsed under the invading
White Huns. The third invasion of the fifth century was so devastating that it
destroyed all memory of previous reigns. By the end of the sixth century A.D. a
group of tribes with Irani background
and language settled in Gandhara, ushering in the return of
Persian influence.
Chinese pilgrims, Fa-Hien (399-414 A.D.) and Hiuen-Tsang
(629-645 A.D.), through their historical records shed light on Gandhara and its
main city of Paskapuros. Fa-Hien found five hundred monasteries devoted to the
flourishing Buddhist faith. But Hiuen-Tsang visiting Peshawar and Swat in 644
A.D. found that Buddhism was suffering at the hands of
Hinduism which was in the ascent. Almost a hundred years later, U-K'ong
(757-764 A.D.) found only three hundred Buddhist monasteries. The last monarchs
of the Kushan dynasty had submitted to relentless Hinduism which soon
eliminated the quietist Buddhism from this entire area. Deserted were the
enlightened centres of learning like Taxila. Gone was the glory of Gandhara.
The Persian hold was beginning to weaken because of the
challenges of Generals who had begun to act like independent satraps and
Persia's military commitments in the west to meet the march of Muslims. With
swift victories in the Middle East and Persian defeats in the plains of
Nihawand, south of Hamadan, the Muslims established themselves in Persia.
During this period and till the arrival of Muslims in the Indus area, the Hindu
Shahi dynasty ruled the region.
During the last decades of the first millennium, Sabuktagin,
(d.997), established at Ghazni, turned southward to Peshawar, Punjab and Upper
Sindh. By the time his valiant son Mahmud (d. 1030) succeeded him, the
Sultanate consisted of a sizeable area of modern Iran, Punjab and the valleys
of the present North-West Frontier Province. Then for the first time in the
annals appears the name "Afghan" for the people living in the hills
between Ghazni and the Sulaiman Range.9 Between 999 A.D. and 1026 A.D. Mahmud
undertook twelve campaigns. These met with repeated success. He defeated Raja
Jaipal in the decisive battle fought near Peshawar in 1000 A.D. The next battle
fought with his son Anandpal, in 1008 A.D. was the last nail in the coffin of
Hindu Shahi hold.
With Mahmud Islam began to cast its pervasive, transforming
light. A great flowering of Muslim culture began. A man of refined taste, many
a famous scholar, Sufi and poet, including the great Persian poet, author of
the epic Shahnama, Firdausi (940- 1 020), gravitated to his court and migrated
to the newly conquered areas. The unifying call of Islam which negated the
caste system - perpetrated and perpetuated by Hinduism - struck a chord in the
heart of the populace. The Pathan began to embrace Islam en mass thus cementing
military force with religious unity. This dynamic combination initiated a
"tide of Pathan infiltration into every part of the Indian peninsula
reached by Muslim arms."
The enlightened Ghaznavid dynasty ruled for almost a hundred
years before it was succeeded by the Ghorids. Muhammad Ghori ruled till 1206
A.D. when he was assassinated in his tent on the banks of the Indus River.
Several dynasties such as the Khiljis (1290- 1321) followed. Frontier-men were
attracted to their banner for suddenly the whole of South Asia lay open. In the
early thirteenth century Mongols under Chengiz Khan (r. 1 196- 1227) created
great turmoil. One of the armies penetrated as far south as Lahore and
destroyed it in 1240 A.D. Timur (1369-1405) or Tamerlane, celebrated in a play
by the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564- 1593), subdued Kator, now
Chitral and made his "devastating inroad into the Punjab, returning via
Bannu in March, 1399."11 He pushed as far as the Ganges at Hardwar
upsetting the Tughlaq dynasty which had succeeded the Khiljis in Dehli.
Other dynasties such as the Lodhis (1451-1526) and the Surs
(1539-1555) also exercised periodic control.
A new era dawns with the coming of Babur (1482-1530).
Babur-namah, his memoir, is an incisive record of the Frontier region. Founder
of a most powerful and long-enduring empire, he was a renaissance man: a man of
sword and the pen. Of keen sensibility and not without poetic and calligraphic
accomplishments, he invented a new form of writing which unfortunately did not
acquire popularity.
He was able to marshal the Frontier tribes for his several
forays into India. The most prominent were the Yusafzais who marched in his
armies. His successors too depended on Pathan prowess to expand their empire.
It was not surprising that Khushhal Khan Khattak should declare:
Who owed his place to the Pathans...
I hear the story of Bahlol and Sher Shah;
That in days gone by Pathans were Kings in Hind; For six
or seven generations theirs was the Kingdom, And all the
world wondered at them!
And After him was Babur King of Delhi,
Babur's account lists tribes spread from Swat to the Daman.
Like Alexander, he endeavoured to secure a firm base for the conquest of India.
As such his administrative control was flexible. Following the death of Babur,
Kamran his younger son, proclaimed himself ruler of the region as far as the
Indus. But conflict with his elder brother, Humayun (1508-1556), led to the
weakening of the Mughal power and afforded Sher Shah Suri (d. 1545), a Pathan,
the opportunity to capture the empire easily.
The few short years of Sher Shah Suri were years of
far-reaching consequences. A man of vision and action, ,he bequeathed many
administrative measures, which continue to this day: the land revenue system
being one. He also established a sound security syst~m which ensured the safety
of travellers and traders along the highways including the Grand Trunk Road. He
turned the hardihood of tribes to the advantage of the State. His realization
that Pathan future lay with the Indus Valley region and not with Central Asian
principalities14 was to reverbate for centuries afterwards and found expression
as the North-West Frontier Province within the
"Malik" called Akoray was presented to him. In
return for a land grant / "jagii' between the Attock Bridge and Nowshera,
Akoray was entrusted with the responsibility to protect the road from Attock to
Peshawar. This man was the ancestor of Khushhal Khan Khattak, the celebrated
poet. With heavy losses, the Mughal forces reached Ali Masjid. Imperial
communication on the Khyber route met repeated setbacks. Campaigns against the
northern tribes were even more disastrous. In the battle at Buner 800 men lost
their lives. But Akbar persisted. In 1587 another campaign was launched against
Bajaur and Swat. For the next five years (1587 -1592) varying success met the
imperial armies. 'The fact is," says Raverty, "the Mughal rulers
never obtained a permanent footing in these parts, notwithstanding the
slaughter of the people and the devastation of their lands."15 Akbar was
unable to subjugate the southern Pathan districts also and no Great Mughal
seriously attempted to control Swat or the mountain region after his death in
1605.
The Khattaks and the Yusufzais had been at daggers drawn and
the tribal feud continued for almost a century. The Yusafzais had opposed
Mughal predominance but the Khattak had aligned themselves with the imperial
power during Shah Jahan's reign (1627-1658). The Emperor confirmed Khushhal
Khan as chief of the tribe and guardian of the King's Highway to Peshawar.
Khushhal Khan went to the Dehli court and participated in various campaigns in
Kangra, Balkh and Badakhshan where he won considerable distinction. However he
fell out with the Mughal Governor of Kabul, during Aurangzeb's reign
(1658-1707), over toll collection of the Indus. He was sent to Delhi and
incarcerated for two years in the Ranthambhor Fortress. Even after his release
he was not permitted to return home until 1668. Tribal resistance to the
Mughals persisted and the Mughal arms met disaster in 1673 in Gandab and in
Khapak Pass in 1674. In 1674, the Emperor went north to personally supervise
the operations. Khushhal not only refused help, despite imperial request, but
galvanized active opposition which led to a successful attack on the Nowshera
Fort. Subsequently Khushhal Khan transferred the chieftainship to his elder
son Ashraf, and took to the freer life of a rebel, till he died in 1689.
Peshawar, under a Mughal Deputy Governor, was part of the
Province of Kabul till the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. Then the centre could
not hold. The imperial fabric fragmented into competing kingdoms. Nadir Shah,
the Persian, seized the opportunity and invaded India with Pathan and Afghan
backing in material and men. His murder in 1 747, opened the gates of gain to
Ahmad Shah Abdali (1 74773). During the twenty-six years of his reign, Abdali
led eight campaigns across the Indus. The Frontier, particularly Peshawar, was
used mainly as a staging point for his invasions. He ravaged Punjab as far as
Dehli, annexed Lahore and Multan and extended his empire to all of western
Punjab and Kashmir. In 1761, he routed the large army of the Maratha confederacy
at Panipat. This decisive battle paved the way for the marauding Sikh misls /
"confederacies" to subject the Punjab to their fickle whims. Not
until the wily Ranjit Singh conquered Lahore and styled himself Maharaja in
1799, did semblance of peace return to Punjab. But Punjab's peace was
Frontier's strife.
The defeat of Shah Shuja in 1809 by his brother, accelerated
Sikh ascendancy and whet Maharaja Ranjit Singh's appetite for northward
expansion. When the deposed Shuja sought sanctuary in Lahore he was treated
cruelly, imprisoned and deprived of the legendary Koh-i Noor / "Mountain
of Light" diamond by Ranjit Singh.
The defeat of Shah Shuja in 1809 by his brother, accelerated
Sikh ascendancy and whet Maharaja Ranjit Singh's appetite for northward
expansion. When the deposed Shuja sought sanctuary in Lahore he was treated
cruelly, imprisoned and deprived of the legendary Koh-i Noor / "Mountain
of Light" diamond by Ranjit Singh
After the Battle of Nowshera in 1823, Ranjit Singh advanced
on Peshawar. He killed and plundered mercilessly. The Bala Hissar palace, where
fourteen years earlier Shah Shuja had received the British envoy, Mountstuart
Elphinstone (1799-1859) so regally, was reduced to ruins. The sprawling royal
gardens were destroyed and the extensive orchard axed. Lt. Col. Sir Alexander
Burnes, who visited the city during 1836-37, remarked:
I found that the Sikhs had changed everything: many of the
fine gardens round the town had been converted into cantonments; trees had been
cut down; and the whole neighbourhood was one vast camp, there being between
30,000 and 40,000 men stationed on the plain.
Sikha Shahi became synonymous with mis-government and
terror. Even the original mosque of Mahabat Khan erected by Aurangzeb's
Governor in about 1670, was destroyed. 'That Peshawar contains no architectural
monuments of any value is due mainly to the devastations of 1823."17
Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, and the Derajaat came under tentative Sikh rule. Sikh
armies repeatedly campaigned against the tribes matching their valour with
unchecked cruelty. Ranjit Singh's favourite General and first Sikh Governor of
Peshawar, Hari Singh Nalwa - celebrated in a Punjabi ballad by Qadir Yar -
passed into Pathan folklore for his barbarity and savagery. Unable to subjugate
them, he unleashed a reign of terror and built the Jamrud Fort, which rises
above the surrounding flat like a "battleship", to control the mouth
of the Khyber Pass.
In response to the northward push of the Sikhs, Sayyid Ahmad
Shah of Bareilly launched a religio-political movement. He hoped to unite the
disparate tribes under the banner of Islam. The Pathan hatred for Sikh
oppression proved a catalyst. He was perceived as a divinely blessed deliverer.
His spirited attacks engaged the Sikh forces under Nalwa and the Frenchman,
General Allard. He even occupied Peshawar in 1830 for two months and struck a
coin in his name. But soon differences between the tribes surfaced and the
fragile unity Sayyid Ahmad had forged, gave way. The more organized Sikhs
surprised and slew him in Balakot at the mouth of Kaghan Valley in 1831. His
body is buried at Balakot while his head thrown in the river was retrieved by
his followers and buried down-river at Garhi Habibullah. The heroes of the
Pathan struggle against the Sikh were the Yusafzai and Khattak tribesmen. With
Sayyid Ahmad's martyrdom a movement that was to remain a landmark in local
struggle against oppression suffered a set-back. His campaigns were both the
acme and nadir of Pathan military acumen. While the tribes united to defeat the
Sikh forces time and again, ultimately they fell victim to their own discord.
Sikhs then consolidated their position in Peshawar, Bannu and the Derajaat.
They made no attempt to occupy the hill territories and never entered Swat,
Buner, Bajaur, the Kurram Valley or Waziristan.
During the battle at the Jamrud Fort in April 1837, Nalwa
fell mortally wounded near the spot where the lslamia College and the
University of Peshawar now stand.
A daring warrior Arbab Muhammad Khan dashed on horseback
right up to Nalwa's elephant and delivered the blow. Nalwa fell and Arbab was
cut to pieces. The place of Nalwa's death is still known as Burj Hari Singh /
"Tower of Hari Singh". Nalwa was succeeded by the Italian, General
Avitabile as the Governor of Peshawar (18381842). Popularly referred to as
"Abu Tabela", his cruelty is still remembered: he had a habit of
hanging people from the minarets of the Mahabat Khan Mosque. For his residence
a fort was erected around the Hindu shrines of Gor Khatri within the city wall.
It was here that many Englishmen on their way to and from Kabul, during the
First Afghan War, visited him. More recently preservation and conservation
efforts have been initiated to convert this large area in the centre of the
congested old city into a public garden.
The death of Ranjit Singh in 1839 and the ensuing infighting
between his successors set the stage for the British East India Company which
had, for decades, been knocking at the doors of the Kingdom of Lahore. In 1847
after the First Sikh War,
the Sikh Durbar continued to exist but was subordinate to
the British East India Company. Styled as "Company Bahadur", it
installed a Resident, who acted as the agent for control, at the titular
Maharaja's court at Lahore.
As Russia recovered from Napoleon's disastrous invasion, her
imperial attention turned to Central Asia where chieftains gradually began to
come under Russian influence. It was evident from reports of early British
travellers such as Captain Alexander Burnes that Russia had designs in lands
beyond its traditional boundaries. The turmoil in Afghanistan, the occupation
of Kabul, the restoration of Shah Shuja, the killing of two envoys Macnaghten
and Burnes, the disaster of the retreat of 1841 , the murder of Shah Shuja by
his subjects and the reoccupation of Kabul in 1842 by General Pollock give some
idea of the struggle and strife of this period. By the proclamation of March
29, 1849, the British annexed the territories of the
Frontier. Punjab, which had fallen to the British, was now
used as a base to consolidate their position in the Frontier districts. The
districts of Peshawar, Kohat and Hazara were placed under the direct control of
the Board of Administration in Lahore. In 1850 they were formed into a regular
division under a Commissioner. Dera Ghazi Khan and Bannu, under one Deputy
Commissioner, formed part of the Layyah division till 1861 when a Deputy
Commissioner was appointed in each district and both the districts were
included in the Derajaat division. 19 No attempt was made to advance into the
highlands or to even secure the Khyber Pass. The administered border was
coterminous with the old Sikh one which divided several districts from the
Kabul area. A special group, the Punjab Frontier Force was raised to meet the
security requirements in those early years.
The first thirty years of British rule were marked by
campaigns against various tribes and their territories. These were the years
that engendered countless heroic adventures and exploits. Such high adventures
were in turn fed to the popular imagination of Victorian Britain through
newspapers and weeklies. Reinforced by the popular fiction of Henty and Wren,
they fired and conditioned the young minds of public-school boys and students
in British educational institutions from which the British empire drew its
finest administrators and soldiers keen on a life of the great outdoors and to
shoulder the "White Man's Burden" of an expanding empire.
Nicholson so struck the popular imagination that a branch of
Sikhs who served with him, worshipped him as a Guru and came to be known as
"Nikalsainis". This extraordinary man died at the age of 34 when
storming Dehli in the Uprising of 1857.
The commemorative obelisk erected in 1868 near the Margalla
Pass celebrates his valour during the Second Sikh War, of 1848. Herbert
Edwardes, Nicholson's superior officer, had preceded him at Bannu and was
Commissioner of Peshawar with Nicholson as his Deputy. Edwardes' memoir, A Year
on the Punjaub Frontier, gives insight into the early period (1847-1848) when
Edwardes and others came to the North-West Frontier as assistants to Henry
Lawrence, the Resident at Lahore. In sharp contrast to Sikha Shahi whose armies
were sent to raise revenue through plunder and oppression, these young blades
won the confidence of the Pathan tribes, raised levies from among them and
secured their consent and goodwill. Edwardes was trusted by the people and was
instrumental in raising an army from the Bannu region to march upon Multan
during the Second Sikh War.20 Frederick Mackeson the Commissioner of Peshawar,
assassinated in 1853, was the most experienced of the early British officers.
He served on the Frontier during the 1839-42 period of the First Afghan War. He
kept the Khyber Pass open and was popular amongst the Afridis. It was he who
advised the establishment of pickets on hill-tops to provide security to moving
columns of troops. This enabled General Pollock to force the Khyber Pass in
1842. The Pathans of Peshawar and the Khyber referred to him affectionately as
"Kishin Kaka". Edwardes succeeded Mackeson as the Commissioner
Peshawar.
Frederick Mackeson the Commissioner of Peshawar,
assassinated in 1853, was the most experienced of the early British officers.
He served on the Frontier during the 1839-42 period of the First Afghan War. He
kept the Khyber Pass open and was popular amongst the Afridis. It was he who
advised the establishment of pickets on hill-tops to provide security to moving
columns of troops. This enabled General Pollock to force the Khyber Pass in
1842. The Pathans of Peshawar and the Khyber referred to him affectionately as
"Kishin Kaka". Edwardes succeeded Mackeson as the Commissioner of
Peshawar.
The last of this quadrumvirate was James Abbot whose fame
rests in the district of
Hazara. Its major town is named after him: Abbottabad.
During the Second Sikh War Abbott repaired to this area and was able to hold
ground till the decisive battle of Gujrat, when the Sikh army finally
surrendered on March 14, 1849. His Mashwani levies at Margalla Pass contributed
to the capitulation of the Sikhs. After
1849 James Abbott became Hazara's first Deputy Commissioner
and remained so for four fruitful years
Sir Colin Campbell, later Lord Clyde, who won fame as a
commander in the Crimea and for the relief of Luknow during the Uprising of
1857, took over the command of the Frontier region.2t Naming of the town and
district of Campbellpur, now Attock, on the border of the present Punjab and
Frontier Province, after him was an acknowledgement of his eminent role. .
Following the First Sikh War (1846), on the instructions of
Henry Lawrence the Resident at Lahore, Harry Lumsden raised an irregular corps
called "The Guides" in Peshawar. Consisting of both horsemen and
footmen it drew from trustworthy locals, mostly Yusafzais and Khattaks who acted
as eyes and ears of regular troops. Their dust-coloured or khaki, loose
uniform, meant for rough service became the combat dress of all the land forces
of the Commonwealth.22 After a few years Guides moved to Mardan and served in
various parts of South Asia to great distinction. The Guides "are of the
warp and woof of the Frontier fabric."
Harry Lumsden commanded the Guides until 1862 and was the
first Assistant Commissioner of the Yusafzai country in Mardan. He left an
indelible mark on the Guides and was known for his bravery and ability to get
on with his tribesmen. The Guides subsequently came to be known as the Punjab
Frontier Force or the Pfiffers. Their march from Mardan to Dehli during the
Uprising or "Mutiny" of 1857 is celebrated in the annals of British
Indian army. In 27 days, 580 miles were covered including five days campaigning
on the roads at the height of the hot season. After a final thirty-mile march,
the Guides entered the Dehli camp on the morning of June 9, 1857 and in half an
hour they went into action remaining on the front line for the following three
months until Dehli fell on September 20,24
To imperial desire and design the brotherhood of these
remarkable men reshaped the Frontier. Each in his own way was a man of action
cast in the heroic mould. Olaf Caroe pays them the ultimate compliment by
saying that they "were more than half Pathans themselves."IS As the
British settled into the new frontier, the business of its organization was
given serious attention. The Paladins in the eight years that preceded the
Uprising of 1857 laid the foundation of border control. No less than seventeen
campaigns were launched against the locals during this period.16 However, with
the march of time different systems had to be worked out. The task was made
more difficult for
three reasons. Firstly, there had never been any real
control over this area. Secondly, there was no exact limit to which the new
authority could run and finally the Pathans were distinct from the rest of
India. The British brought different types of pressures to bear on the region.
The colonial, judicial and magisterial courts, .police, lawyers, the appellate
system, revenue collection and land administration etc. were all of a kind
alien to the Pathan ethos. The laws implemented were also different from the
traditional Pathan custom which required "satisfaction of the aggrieved
rather than the punishment of the aggressor."17
Waziristan, later divided for administrative reasons into
North and South districts, posed one of the toughest challenges to the British.
Neither the Mughal nor the Durranis had been able to subjugate or control
Waziristan inhabited by the fierce Waziri and Mahsud tribes. All during the Raj
till Pakistan's Independence in 1947,the Mahsuds were "the most
intransigent. "28 The tribe raided Tank, a British outpost. The response
came in the form of military penetration of their area in 1860. The uneasy
relationship began to spread in this sphere of competing influences.
The Mahsud lands were subjected to military occupation
during 1919-1921 when several strategic points including Razmak were captured.
The advance was fiercely opposed and it took two long months for the British
to occupy the Razmak plateau. The battle at Ahnai Tangi lasted five days and the
British sustained 2,000 casualties including 43 officers. Then followed the
re-occupation of Wana. Following fierce battles and six full-scale expeditions,
the British consolidated their foothold through roads, posts and forts. The
people unwilling to accept this occupation rose again in 1930, 1933 and during
1937-1940.
After the Durand Line came into existence, a Punjab Works
Department officer at Zhob in Baluchistan and five indigenous troops in the
Gomal Pass were murdered. The five Mahsuds held responsible were handed over to
Bruce, the Political Agent. In reaction Mulla Powinda (d.1913), a Mahsud, a
leader amongst the Maliks demanded their return and that no troops be stationed
at Wana. Bruce's refusal led to the attack on Wana camp in 1894 by Jaggar of
the the Mahsud and his swordsmen. Many Mahsuds lost their lives. The British
followed in 1894-1895 with extensive punitive expeditions. No negotiative or
administrative solution proved permanent and the shifting British position
added to uncertainty. The "determined and astute" Mulla Powinda and
his followers continued to challenge British hegemony in Waziristan for several
long decades. He continued to exhort his tribesmen to unity and to fight for
freedom, against the British on the one frontier and the Amir of Afghanistan on
the other. According to Sir Evelyn Howell the Resident in Waziristan
(1924-1926), he made "so large dn instalment of frontier history in effect
but a series of chapters in his own biography."
Amongst the early military operations which highlight Pathan
chivalry at its best was the Ambela campaign of 1863. The Uprising .of 1857 had
been prompted by the general discontent with the East India Company. Mutiny in
some native units had spread and acquired the dynamic of a mass movement. The
ruthlessness with which this Uprising was suppressed, prompted the freer
spirits to repair to parts less accessible to British arm. Many of these early
freedom fighters took refuge in the Yusufzai land and along the Mardan and
Swabi border. These Mujahideen caused enough concern to the British to launch
the Ambela campaign under Neville Chamberlain in autumn 1863. The tribesmen
responded with zeal. Not since Emperor Akbar's time had anyone - neither later
Mughals nor Afghans nor Sikhs dared to venture into the Yusufzai valleys. The
Pathans attacked daily for almost a month and "fierce desultory
engagements continued for another month."3o Their gallantry was
acknowledged by their enemies, as the account in Roberts', autobiography
shows)! The British army with a well-equipped, disciplined force of 60,000
reinforced by supplies and ordnance was "pinned down on the summit of the
pass and had to fight for its life. "32 Six weeks of conflict, finally
resulted in the submission of the Buner tribes. The British army suffered 900
casualities. Though the Pathans suffered many more, never did the gallant
spirit waver. Their high standard of courage was matched by utmost courtesy;
their fight for freedom upheld the high ideals of combat devoid of cruelty and
barbarism. During this campaign two English Lieutenants, George V. Fosbery and
Henry W. Pitcher won Victoria Crosses for re-capturing the Craig Piquet.
The border between Afghanistan and the north-western
frontier of the British South Asian empire had remained undetermined even after
the Second Afghan War and the Gandamak Treaty of May, 1879. By this Treaty the
Amir, Yaqoob Khan renounced his claim over the Khyber and the Mohmand Passes,
the tribes along the main routes, Kurram Valley as far as the Shutargardan Pass
and the districts of Pishin and Sibi in Baluchistan.33 The negotiations between
Sir Mortimer Durand, a fine Persian scholar, and the Amir, Abdur Rahman in
Kabul in 1893 resulted in an agreement whereby the Afghan ruler ceding Cham an
and Chagai in Baluchistan and the territories of Waziri, BiIand Khel, Kurram,
Afridi, Bajaur, Swat, Buner, Dir, Chilas and Chitral to the British. Thus the
Durand Line - the border between Afghanistan and
modern Pakistan was finalized. This treaty prompted the
British to consolidate their position in these territories. As such in 1895,
the formation of Malakand Agency, or the Agency of Dir, Swat and Chitral was
undertaken)4 The de jure hold had now to translate into de facto rule. To do so
the British now pushed into some of the toughest terrain, into the heart of
some of the greatest mountains in the world.
Between the outbreak of the Second Afghan War and the Path
an uprising of 1897, sixteen expeditions were sent against the tribesmen.35
Till this time Chitral was approached through the 12,000 ft Shandoor Pass and
little was known of the shorter route through Dir over the 10,000 ft Lowarai
Pass. The Great Game being played by expansionist Russia in Central Asia led to
the annexation of the Central Asian Khanates: of Tashkent in June 1865,
Samarkand in 1868, Bokhara in 1869 and Khiva
1873. Imperialist Britain responded by first securing its
hold along the borders of this strategic area. Matters came to a head when a
claimant to the Chitral throne attacked Chitral in 1895 and besieged Robertson,
the British Resident. Action became urgent. Chitral was attacked from two
sides: the Malakand route through Dir and from Gilgit in the North. The
Malakand advance was valiantly opposed by the tribesmen resulting in heavy
fighting for the Pass. But the daring initiative of the Guides to climb and
hold the hill-crest was decisive. This was the first time since the days of
Emperor Akbar that an army from the south was able to enter the Swat Valley and
advance to Chakdarra. After the initial fight at Malakand with, and submission
by, Muhammad Sharif - ruler of Dir state Khyber, Kurram, North and South
Waziristan.
Predictably the thrust of the British arm into the tribal valleys,
the establishment of imposing military stations, Malakand, Peshawar, Kohat,
Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan, the network of pickets, the movement of the troops
into and through their land caused concern. This was compounded by tax on Kohat
salt and the news of Turkish successes against the Greeks in Europe. The
wide-spread anxiety soon ignited into the war of 1897-98 from a small incident
in the Wazir village of Maizar in Upper Tochi. The Political Agent and officers
leading a punitive expedition were killed or wounded in June. The news spread
and Saad Ullah urged the Swatis to act in the interest of freedom. Known as
Mulla Mastan, he led Malakand tribes and attacked the British garrisons on
Malakand and Chakdarra passes. By August the Mohmand joined in, followed by the
Afridi and Orakzai, leading to the capture of Khyber posts, attack on Sam ana
forts and the Kurram. Military operations began on an unprecedented scale.
Repeated campaigns were undertaken to quell the uprisings in Upper Swat,
Bajaur, Buner, the Mohmand country and Tirah. The severity of Pathan
resistance during these campaigns can be judged from the Victoria Crosses
awarded. Four were given for the Tirah campaign alone to Privates Edward
Lawson and Samuel Vickery, piper of the Gordon Highlanders, George Findlater
and Lt. Henry S. Pennell. Similarly during the Malakand campaign, Lt. Edmond W.
Costello was awarded a V.c. For the Mohmand Valley campaign four V.c.s were
conferred: on Corporal James Smith, Lt. Thomas C. Watson, Captain Godfrey Meynell
and Lt. James Colvin, who had also served in the Chitral Relief Force in 1895.
The Upper Swat campaign resulted in three v.c.s being awarded: to Lt. Col.
Robert B. Adam, Lt. Alexander Fincastle and Lt. Hector Maclean who was killed
in action. By the spring of 1898 a semblance of peace was restored. Each
theatre of war not only helped the Pathan and the British to appreciate each
other better as adversaries but also passed their heroic exploits into the
annals of military history and to whet the appetite of adventurous young men.
The Khyber was re-taken, the Khyber Rifles re-established and the building of
new roads and forts initiated.
These campaigns strengthened the impression that the
North-West Frontier could not be administered effectively from Lahore. The
novel configuration of five political Agencies, settled districts, tribal
territory, and its peculiar affairs, the porous Durand Line, Russian expansion
into Central Asia and ensuing issues of foreign policy and defence,
necessitated a more concerted and focused attention. When Lord Curzon became
Viceroy in 1899, the issue was addressed in right earnest. From the annexation
till
1901 the region was under the control of the Punjab
Government. The well-tested policy of "divide and rule" was put into
operation. Punjab was truncated, as Muslim majority areas would be in 1947 by
the British. Now five districts, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and
Hazara were separated from the Punjab to form on November 9, 1901, a separate
Pathan administrative entity, the North-West Frontier Province under a Chief
Commissioner. Added to the territories were the Malakand which consisted of
three princely State of Dir, Swat, Chitral and the four tribal agencies:
Khyber, Kurram, North and South Wazirstan. The formal inaguration of the
Province took place five and half months later, on April 26, 1902. A splendid
"durbar" was held by Lord Curzon in the Shahi Bagh at Peshawar.
Harold Deane was the first Chief Commissioner. The NWFP was upgraded to a Governor
Province in 1935.
While the creation of the new Province was engendered by
various concerns, it gradually shaped Pathan identity to transcended tribal
loyalties. From 1936 onwards the charismatic Faqir of Ipi (d. 1960) spearheaded
a popular movement against the colonial power. Born Mirza Ali Khan, he was a
Wazir from the village of Ipi in northern Waziristan. Deeply
religious and spiritual, his wisdom and counselling the
common people led to his widespread popularity. Gradually the injustices of
the rulers goaded him to political action. One was the incident of the Masjid
Shaheed Ganj in Lahore. On July 5, 1935, the mosque was destroyed by the Sikhs.
The other, in Bannu, was that of a Hindu girl who became a Muslim as Islam
Bibi, but the British authorities forcibly returned her to her parents. These
led to civil disobedience. The British moved troops to valleys and hills alive
with the sound of agitation by the followers of the Faqir. During the operation
of November 1936, an estimated 20 British officers and 1 ,800 soldiers were
killed. The Faqir lost only 50 followers known as Mujahideen.36 The heavy
casualties inflicted spread the Faqir's fame far and wide in the tribal belt
and across the Afghan border. The British continued in their punitive measures
for the next twelve months even employing the Royal Air Force to bombard the
Mujahideen strongholds. Sporadic action continued through 1937 to 1942. This
fermented the popular antagonism against the British and was an important
factor in the movement for freedom across the whole of the Frontier Province.
On a more organized level, two brothers acquired particular
prominence in the freedom struggle. Dr. Khan Sahib and his younger brother
Abdul Ghaffar Khan came from a land-owning family. Dr. Khan, had joined the
Indian Medical Service and served with the Guides. His brother turned
politician and became an active member of the Indian National Congress. He
organized the Khudai Khidmatgars / "Servants of God" who sported red
coloured garments and came to be known popularly as Surkhposhan / "Red
Shirts". This movement rose because of the lack of representative
institutions under the British during the 1920s. In 1932 the Frontier was
raised from a Chief-Commissionerate to Governor's Province with political rights
and institutions at par with those in other Provinces. In 1935 the Province was
given limited self-government and in 1937 full self-government. The elected
Provincial Government, labelled "Congress", was headed by Dr. Khan
Sahib who made an admirable Chief Minister.3? His brother continued to work
amongst the villages of the Frontier representing the Indian National
Congress. During the War years British authority remained firm despite the
increasing influence of the Muslim League. With the end of World War II, the
Freedom Movement took on a snowball dynamic. By the eve of Independence the
Frontier, almost to the man, was in favour of Pakistan, as proved by the
referendum in early 1947. The tribes upto the Durand Line and the Chiefs of the
States of Dir, Swat, Chitral and Amb gave their allegiance in November 1947 to
the new country, Pakistan.
Important Places in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Nature has gifted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with rich cultural and
tourism friendly environment. It has the potential of becoming a big tourist
attraction in the world, due to its scenic beauty, geographical location,
climate and natural resources.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is exceptionally rich in terms of
multitudes of tourist attraction. The essence of this attraction is visible
from the remarkable natural picturesque comprising beautiful rivers, splendid
water falls, spell-bound lakes mostly in the mountainous region and green
valleys in most parts of the province. Due to its geographical location, Khyber
Pukhtoonkhwa has had been a confluence of different civilizations which
flourished and vanished with the passage of time.
The quasi contiguity of the province, with the Central Asian
states and with xiangiang province of China attracted many migrants,
businessmen, warriors and fortune seekers in different ages for settlement. The
interaction among different races and their co-existence led to a rich cultural
heritage. The glimpses of such heritage are evident from the Ghandhara
archaeological sites at Gur Khattree Peshawar, Takh-Bahi (Mardan), Seri Behlol
(Mardan), Shabaz Gari (Mardan) Nimo Gram Buddhist Stupa (Swat), and collection
of Ghandhara art preserved at Swat Museum, Chakdara museum (Dir Lower) and
Peshawar museum.
• The total area of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is 100200 sq.km
• Northern Zone: A mountainous region full of natural
picturesque having 5 small and big rivers.
• Mid Part: It comprises of Peshawar Valley, a seat of
different civilizations.
• Southern Zone: Rugged dry hills and vast gravelly plains
with patches of alluvial agri fields.
• North of province is exceptionally rich in picturesque and
alluring landscape, exotic valleys and dense pine forest.
• The natural lakes and thick forests of the province are
safe heaven for eco tourism.
• Ghandhara remains testify the rich cultural heritage of
the province.
PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE PROVINCE
The province is broadly divided into three different zones
with their peculiar physical stratum. The northern part of the province is
adorned with beautiful valleys having 5 rivers running roughly north to south
inter alia the Chitral, Dir, Swat, Indus and Kaghan. These valleys are on the
northern edge of the monsoon belt, fairly green and partially wooded in their
southern sections. The mid part had been the seat of the ancient civilizations
particularly Peshawar remained the hub of activities for different
civilizations including Buddhist Hindu Shahi, Sikh, Islamic and British culture
all having their mark on the city. The southern part of the province is below
the monsoon belt and consists of low, rocky mountain and wide, gravely plains.
The important cities and areas of the province are described for the
convenience of the reader.
HAZARA REGION
The region of Hazara is like a door to heaven, opening up to
visitors a world replete with natural beauty. It was a favourite gateway from
the plains into Kashmir during Mughal, Durrani and Sikh rules. It is a large
area some 10,000 sq. km. The world famous Karakoram Highway starts from
Havelian, a town in this region at a distance of 101 km from Islamabad. The
mighty "Lion River" Indus or Abasin flows through the entire length
of Hazara. It is strategically located between the Northern Areas, Azad
Kashmir, Punjab and the rest of the North West Frontier Province. Hill stations
collectively known as the Gallis and the Kaghan valley are the best known parts
of Hazara. Pakistani and foreign tourists throng its cool and serene valleys
during sizzling summer.
HARIPUR
Located at 81 km from Islamabad on Hasan Abdal-Abbottabad
road, Haripur was founded in 1822 by Hari Singh, a general of Ranjit Singh's
army. He was the Governor of Hazara in 1822-23. A fort built by the Sikhs
called Harikishan Garh is at present being used as a police station. There is
also a British cemetery.
ABBOTTABAD
Abbottabad is named after its founder James Abbot, Hazara's
first British Deputy Commissioner. It is at a distance of 121 km from Islamabad
via Hasan Abdal. It is 1220 meters above sea level and is situated at the
crossroads of most of the areas of tourist interest in Pakistan like
Nathiagali, Murree, Thandiani, Kaghan valley, Swat valley, Skardu, Gilgit and
Khunjrab. Taxila, one of the most important archaeological treasures of the
subcontinent is not very far from here. There are two hills towering above
Abbottabad, Shimla Peak and Sarban Peak. There are very fine panoramic views of
the town and its surroundings from Shimla Peak. The famous Pakistan Military
Academy is on the hill to the north-east side of the town. Shimla Park located
on a nearby hill with a pine forest is well worth a visit. Abbottabad has still
a very British air with its European style bungalows, the club, the church and
the cemetery.
THANDIANI
Thandiani means "cold" in the local language.
Therefore being a cool place it got the name of "Thandiani". It is
2700 meters above sea level on a small plateau surrounded by pine forests. This
beautiful spot can easily be approached from Abbottabad, which is 24 km away.
It is totally unspoiled and has the loveliest of views of all the hill stations
of Pakistan. The scenery here is breathtaking and superb.
NATHIAGALI
Nathiagali clad in pine, walnut, oak and maple trees, is the
prettiest hill resort in the Galiyat region. It can be approached both from
Murree and Abbottabad. It is 34 km from Abbottabad as well as from Murree.
Nathiagali is 2501 meters above sea level and is surrounded by lush green lofty
mountains. The British tried to create a little England here with its small
timbered churches, parks, bungalows and the Governor's House. Breathtaking
landscapes, spring water and fresh air make it one of the most peaceful hill
stations in Pakistan.
DUNGAGALI
This beautiful tourist resort is situated on the slopes of
Mukshpuri Hills. The hills are wooded and present a beautiful view.
Behind.Dungagali stands Mukshpuri, one of the highest peaks in the area (2800
m).
AYUBIA
A cluster of four small hill stations of Khanaspur,
Khairagali, Changlagali and Ghora Dhaka is called Ayubia and was named after
President Ayub Khan who belonged to Haripur district of Hazara. The complex is
spread over an area of 26 km. The central place of Ghora Dhaka has a chairlift,
which gives a panoramic and mesmerizing view of the surroundings.
MANSEHRA
Mansehra is named after Man Singh, its Governor General
under Ranjit Singh. This town is at a distance of 24 km to the north of
Abbottabad. It has a very lively bazaar. The major tourist attraction of
Mansehra are the three granite boulders on which edicts of Ashoka the Great
have been inscribed. This great Mauryan king ruled this area in the 3rd century
BC. After his conversion to Buddhism he tried to dictate a new morality based on
piety, moderation, tolerance and respect for life.
KAGHAN VALLEY
Out of the numerous beautiful valleys of Hazara, Kaghan is
the most attractive of all. A holiday retreat with alluring scenic beauty, the
Kaghan valley is about 160 km long and between two to four thousand meters
above sea level at various places. Towering peaks of Himalayan Range, glaciers,
water falls and crystal clear water of the lakes are still in a pristine state
and make the valley an unspoiled paradise. Kunhar river with plenty of trout
fish flows through the valley and has the villages of Balakot, Kaghan, Naran on
its banks. The nomads take their flocks of cattle to the high pastures of the
Kaghan valley in spring and bring them down again in autumn. Their women are
colourfully dressed.
BALAKOT
Balakot is the gateway to Kaghan valley. Balakot itself is
72 km from Abbottabad. This beautiful small town is located on the banks of
Kunhar river. Journey from Abbottabad to Balakot is a charming experience. The
road passes through beautiful green hills and thick forests. The views are
spectacular especially between Attarshisha and Garhi Habibullah. A famous
battle was fought here between the Sikh Army and Mujahideen in 1831. The
Mujahideen leaders, Hazrat Syed Ahmed Shaheed and Hazrat Shah Ismail Shaheed
lie buried here along with other martyrs.
SHOGRAN
Shogran, one of, the most beautiful plateaus in the whole
area is situated at a distance of 33 km from Balakot via Kawai. From there a
jeep track leads to this tranquil summer retreat of superb climate and
spectacular views. The air is impregnated with the scent of flowers and the
pine forest around. It is at an altitude of 2326 m and mighty peaks of
Himalayan Ranges such as Musa ka Masalla (4419 m) and Malika Parbat (5290 m)
are visible from here.
NARAN
About 86 km from Balakot lies Naran, the main attraction of
the Kaghan valley. This town is situated on the banks of Kunhar river at an
altitude of 2498 m at a point where the valley widens. The river is wider and
quieter here. There is a very good view downstream, with some tree-covered
islands in the foreground. It is a starting point for lake Salful Muluk,
Battakundi, Lalazar Plateau, lake Lulusar and Babusar Pass. Outstanding
attraction of Naran is its air of peace and serenity.
LAKE SAIFUL MULUK
It is situated at a distance of 10 km from Naran at an
altitude of 3500 m. It provides an excellent view of the 5290 m high Malika
Parbat (Queen of the Mountains). The lake and its surroundings have a touch of
unreal about them and are breathtakingly lovely. There is a charming legend
about a prince called Saiful Muluk who fell in love with a fairy of the lake.
The lake is named after the prince. The best way to reach the lake is to walk
but you may also take a pony or a jeep.
BABUSAR PASS
Babusar Pass is at a distance of 80 km from Naran. It is on
the way to the pass that the Kaghan valley's scenery becomes most dramatic.
Battakundi is at a distance of 16 km from Naran and provides access to Lalazar
Plateau, lake Dodiputsar and lake Lulusar which is the biggest natural lake in
Hazara and the source of Kunhar river. From Babusar Top mighty Nanga Parbat
(8126 m) can be seen on a clear day.
MALAKAND AND SWAT REGION
The Malakand division of the North West Frontier Province of
Pakistan covers one third of the total area of the Province. The region is
further divided into Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Shangla Districts and Malakand
Agency. It's distinctive features make the area a "Tourist's Heaven".
MALAKAND
The area has a reich history, covering thousands of yers.
Alexander the Great traveled through the region in 327 BC. The famous Gandhara
Buddhist Civilization later flourished in the valleys of Swat and Dir, There
are many stupas and Buddhist settlements in the region. The Famous Chinese
travllers Huein Tsang and Fa Hien came here for learning and a great Buddhist
missionary Padma Sambhava, belonging to Swat traveled to Tibet to spread
Buddhism.
A forest around Malakand gives a very refreshing view.
Malakand is a fertile valley surrounded by hills moderately cold in winter and
pleasant in summer. An excellent road extends from the main Malakand Highway to
Swat.
NIMOGRAM BUDDHIST STUPAS
While travelling from Chakdara towards Saidu Sharif, one
reaches Landakai. About 7 km from here, a road leads towards Nimogram, which is
further 21 km away. A Buddhist monastery is situated here on the top of a
hillock, giving an overall view of the area. There are three main stupas,
surrounded by a number of small votive stupas. Dressed stones have been used in
the construction and bear similarity to Andan Dheri monastery.
SHINGARDARA STUPA
About three kilometres from Barikot, one gets a glance of a
magnificent Buddhist stupa on the right side. This stupa is perhaps the only
one, whose dome is complete. The period of its construction is estimated
between third and fourth centuries AD. Just about one and a half km away from
this stupa, one can see large figures of Buddha carved on the rock.
MINGORA
Mingora has been an important trading centre for the last
2000 years. The bazaars are interesting to explore for semi precious stones,
hand-woven and embroiled clothes, shawls, bedsheets, woodwork, tribal jewelry
and antiques of different kinds. The hills having the world famous
"Emerald Mines" are located to the north of the town.
SAIDU SHARIF
Saidu Sharif and Mingora are twin cities. Saidu Sharif has
several government buildings, the Swat Museum, the Tomb of Akund of Swat and
the archaeological remains of the Butkara Buddhist Stupa.
SWAT MUSEUM
This museum is situated between Mingora and Saidu Sharif.
The archaeological finds belong to Gandhara Buddhist art of Swat. The samples
of local embroidery, jewelry and carved wood objects are on display.
MARGHZAR
Marghzar is a small town situated at the foot of Mount Ilam
about 13 krn away from Saidu Sharlf. It is famous for its White Marble Palace,
built by the Wali-e-Swat in early 1940's. The palace now serves as a hotel.
While going towards Marghzar, a road turns to Islam Pur, which is famous for
its woodwork, shawls and blankets.
MIANDAM
This is one of the upcoming hill resorts, about 56 km away
from Saidu Sharif. The surrounding area.offers natural beauty, with forests,
orchards, mountains and streams which can be enjoyed by hiking.
MADYAN
Madyan is a tourist resort on the banks of Swat river. It is
1312 m above sea level. The town is famous for handicraft, embroidery and
antique shops. A trout hatchery is also located here. Many beautiful side
valleys can be approached from here. The distance of Madyan is 56 km from Saidu
Sharif.
BAHRAIN
The town of Bahrain is situated 66 km from Saidu Sharif and
is 10km from Madyan. It is another popular riverside resort, with bazaars worth
exploring for their handicrafts. The surrounding area has beautiful valleys and
is suitable for hiking. The mosques and buildings are worth seeing for wooden
carved pillars and other fixtures.
KALAM
Kalam is the main town of Swat Kohistan. It is about 40 km
north of Bahrain. Kalam is inhabited by Kohistanis having their own language
and customs. Beautiful valleys of Ushu (2286 m), Utrot (2225 m) and Gabral
(2550 m) are accessible from here through thick pine forests. The 6257 m high
snow capped Falaksair Peak is clearly visible from Matiltan (3000 m). Lake
Mahodand is about 23 km beyond Matiltan valley. The rivers offer good chances
for trout fishing.
DIR AND CHITRAL REGIONS
CHAKDARA MUSEUM
The Chakdara Museum is situated about one km from the fort.
It has an excellent collection of Buddhist Gandhara Art, from first to seventh
century AD. It helps people to learn about the rich cultural heritage of the
area.
CHURCHILL PICKET
Close to the Chakdara Fort, a picket crowns the hillock
towards the west. This is known as the Churchill Picket because Winston
Churchill came here during the Pathan Revolt of 1879. This place was used by
him for sending reports. He was then a war correspondent.
KALASH VALLEYS
The world famous Kalash People live in the three valleys of
Birir, Bumburet and Rambur. The Kalash are an ancient tribe and have a religion
and a culture of their own. They have many festivals around the year during
which the men and women perform colourful dances. The major festivals are
Chilamjusht, Phool and Chawas.
CHITRAL
Chitral is the "Jewel of the Hindukush" guarded by
the majestic Trichmir Peak. The famous town of Chitral is situated about 322 km
from Peshawar. It is also connected to Peshawar by air. The whole area is
mountainous, having green valleys and the towering Trichmir Peak (7700 meters)
of the Hindukush. The Chitral Fort is one of the famous monuments of the town.
There is also a palace inside the fort and a beautiful mosque outside the fort.
All the foreign visitors to Chitral must register with the police on their
arrival. Chitral is about 322KM (10 hours jeepable journey) from Peshawar.
Daily two flights are available from Peshawar to Chitral.
KALASH FESTIVALS
Joshi or Chilimjusht (14th and 15th May) This festival is
held in spring, when girls pick first flowers of the year. The days are marked
by dancing, visiting each other and exchanging flowers, milk and milk products.
Utchal Mid July) It is celebrated to mark the harvest of wheat
and barley. The celebration lasts for two days, which includes dancing,
singing, and feasting.
Phool 20th to 21st December) The festival is to mark the
reaping of grapes and walnuts harvests. (Subject to weather conditions).
Chowas (18th to 21st December) Chowas is a winter festival
celebrated to welcome the New Year. The entire population remains indoor. It is
celebrated by feasting, drinking and merry making until the elders, who sit on
hill top watching the sun reaching the orbit, then declare the advent of the
new year. They come down from the hills, light their torches, perform their
dance and sacrifice goats at the altar.
Nauroze (21st March) It is celebrated in ltkuh, Mastuj, and
Turikho Mulkho by Ismailis, followers of His Highness Prince Karim Agha Khan.
Chitral The date for celebrating the Chitral Festival is
fixed every year. The
Festival eminent features are Polo matches, equestrian
sports, wrestling, tug-of-war, colourful folk dances and music by the Kalash
with exhibition of the local handicraft.
GARAM CHASHMA
Also known as "Hot Springs". The village by the
same name is about 45 km to the north west of Chitral. The jeep journey takes
about 3 hours. These hot springs contain sulphur in their water which is good
for healing skin diseases, headache and other pains and gout. The village has a
big market, where the caravans from Badakhshan bring precious stones and other
products. The town gives a look of "Caravan Sarai". It is also famous
for "Patti" a typical woolen cloth.
SHANDUR PASS
The world famous Shandur Pass is about 3738 m above sea
level and lies midway between Chitral and Gligit. The distance from both
Chitral and Gilgit is about 168 km. These areas remain snow- clad in winter and
turn into a green heaven during summer. There is a big lake in the area. One
can approach the Shandur Top by jeep from either side. The traditional Polo
Tournament between the Gilgit and Chitral teams is held here every year in the
month of July. Foreign tourists and natives come to see the festival.
PESHAWAR:
It is the capital of the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa is a frontier
town and quite different from any other city in Pakistan. It has a modern
university, first-class hotels, international banks and one of the best Museums
in Pakistan. The Bala Hisar Fort overlooks the mass of narrow streets in the
old town and the elegant Mughal Mosque. One the other side of the railway is
the cantonment, its wide treelined streets bordered by gracious administrative
buildings and spacious bungalows in large gardens.
MAHABAT KHAN MOSQUE:
The beautifully proportioned Mahabat Khan Mosque is at the
top of the hill on the fight; a narrow gateway between the jewellary shops
leads onto its large courtyard. Built in the 1670s, the Mughal mosque is
orthodox in design, with an ablution pond in the middle of the open courtyard.
GOR KHATRI:
The Gor Kharti is a large Mughal caravanserai at the top end
of Sethi Street. The caravan serai was built on a spot that has been a holy
place for nearly 2,000 years. In the 2nd century AD it was a Buddhism declined
it became a Hindu shrine.
PESHAWAR MUSEUM:
The Peshawar Museum has one of the best collections of
Gandhara Art in Pakistan, all well arranged and labelled. Sculptures
illustrating the life of Buddha are laid out in chronological order. The
fasting Buddha here is even more haunting than the one in Lahore Museum. There
is also an ethnological section, the Hall of Tribes, With wooden carvings form
the Kalash people in Chitral and a Muslim Gallery.
JAMRUD FORT:
Jamrud Fort, made of rough stonework and faced with mud
plaster, was built by the Sikhs in 1823 on the site of an older fort.
SPHOLA STUPA:
Sphola stupa, of the second to fifth centuries, stands on
the right of the road above the railway at the village of Zarai, 25 km from
Jamrud. The stupa has a high hemispherical dome resting on a three-tiered
square base. Beautiful Gandharan sculptures were found here when the site was
excavated at the beginning of this century some of which are now in the
Peshawar Museum.
KHYBER STEAM SAFRI :
The Khyber Railway from Peshawar to Landi Kotal is, for rail
enthusiasts, a three-star attraction. It has 34 tunnels, which add up to five
km of darkness, as there are no lights on the train, and crosses 92 bridges and
culverts.
BALA HISAR FORT:
Located on the entrance of Peshawar on left side of G.T.
Road, Bala Hisar is an old fort constructed by the British Government. Since
partition it is occupied by the army.
CHOWKYADGAR:
It was earlier a Monument designed by the local authorities
. However very recently it has been redesigned and reconstructed by PDA.
QISSA KHWANI BAZAR:
This place is famous for its specialized bazaars as well as
its name is said to have come from the old caravans passing by this place and
narrating their journeys to those present and other caravans.
Mardan:
Mardan, 60 km north-east of Peshawar is famous as the birth
place of the Guides the Queen's Own Guide Corpos, an elite British regiment of
North-West Frontier soldier-spies founded in the 1840s. The town itself has
little to offer but it acts as a base point for seeing a concentration of
Buddhist and other ancient sites of Gandhara civilization.
TAKHT-I-BHAI:
By far the best and most complete of all Gandhara ruins are
those of the 7th century AD. Bushiest monastery, spectacularly placed on a
rocky hill 15 km north-west of Mardan. It was excavated (and stripped of
statuary and friezes) from 1907 to 1913, and later reconstructed. From the top
of the hill behind the monastery on e can see down across the plains as far as
Peshawar on one side, and up to the Malakand Pass and the hills of the Swat on
the other Surrounding the monastery on the ridge above it to the south, and on
the spurs to the east and west, are the ruins of private houses, some of which
are three storey high. Federal Archeology department is the administrative
authority for the operation & maintenance of the old relics. It is also on
UNESCO list and is a National Heritage.
SHAHBAZ GARHI AND THE ASHOKAN INSCRIPTIONS:
Shahbaz Garhi is located 13 km east of Mardan on the road to
Swabi. Sown a dirt track to the right, a few meters, are the famous Ashokan
inscriptions, carved in two rocks on a hill about 300 meters to the left. The
Ashokan inscriptions date from the 3rd century BC and are the oldest surviving
writings of any historical significance in the Subcontinent.
At Shahbaz Garhi 12 edicts are carved on the rock, two on
another, Shahbaz Garhi is important to Buddhists because f its association with
prince Sudana, or Buddha in one of his previous incarnations, Sudana means of
noble charity; the area is still popularly know as the Sudana Plan.
JAMAL GARHI:
The ruins of a monastery and a beautiful courtyard of stupas
are on a hill-top overlooking the village 15 km north of Mardan. The view
including Takht-i-Bhai and Shahbaz Garhi, is especially grand at sunrises
sunset.
KOHAT:
Kohat is basically a cantonment with in it is the Garrison
Town. The main road by passes it, but it is worth going through the centre to
see the old British establishments.
TANDA DAM:
This site has been selected for a restaurant presently under
construction by the corporation within the protected area of the Wild Life Park
there.
KHUSHAL GARH:
This rest house located on main Pindi Kohat road has been
transferred to the Corporation and has been offered for lease to the private
sector through print media.
D.I.KHAN:
D. I. Khan is the getaway to Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa for the
tourists entering Pakistan from Balochistan and Punjab. Majority of the
tourists entering from the western border on motorbike follow this route to
Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa . Most of them however just pass through D.I. Khan. There
are two ancient sites, one is on Chashma Road know as "Kafir Kot"
just 1 km towards left near Bilot Head Works, and the other is Rehman Dheri,
which is about 25 km on the Bannu Road, very few people know about it.
AMUSEMENT PARK:
On the west bank of river Indus near Hotel Midway an
amusement park may be developed for local residents. This is easily
approachable and in the evening local communities stroll on the river side. The
river side is very crowded on Fridays when families come for a picnic.
KAFIR KOT FORTS:
On the way to Chashma Barrage (from D.I. Khan), The Southern
Kafir Kot Fort stands on low (Marwat) hills and is clearly visible from the
road. Kike the Northern Kafir Kot Fort, 38 km further up the Indus, it was
built at the time of the Hindu Rajput Kingdom (8th to the 10th century) and was
destroyed by Mahmud of Ghaznavi in the 11th century. Neither fort was rebuilt.
As the Southern Kafir Kot Fort there are three main temple
and shrines on the same plinth. THe carving deep chiselled and reminiscent of
Mayan sculpture, is fine and well preserved.
The Northern Kafir Kot Fort is about 6 km north of the
western end of Chashma Barrage. The fort commands a splendid defensive
position. It covers a rubble-strewn area of about 25 hectares (62 acres).
Inside there are four temples, two badly eroded, the others intricately carved.
The best preserved walls including a fate, are on the north side of the fort;
the walls are about 8 Meters (20 feet) high.