Durani Period

Attock Fort

A fresh epoch in the history of Hazara started with the invasion of Punjab by Ahmad Shah Durani, the successor of Nadir Shah in1748, and the cession to him of the Punjab including Kashmir in 1752. Hazara also came under the new invaders. The Duranies managed the area through chiefs, on whom they conferred chiefdoms and large allowances. It is probable that the succeeding years of Ahmad Shah and his successor,s reign saw a little strengthening of administration in Hazara. But it was not to the interest of Kabul rulers to exact much revenue. They were able as occasion needed to draw good soldiers from the area, used one of the best roads to Kashmir which lay through its center and were content with the meager revenues.     

Raja Ranjit Singh

            The Duranies were the rulers but due to their little scamp in this country their rule was only nominal. Their administration was so weak that in the beginning of 19th century the Durani government had lost its influence over the people of Hazara. This was indeed a matter of little concern to the Durani rulers and their deputies in Kashmir. Collecting such arrears of revenue as they could conveniently extort on their way through the area, they were content to forget it as soon as they were out of it. According to H.D. Watson. If their faces were set towards the rich vale of Kashmir it was lost time to loiter on the road. If they were returning home towards Afghanistan their hearts were still less inclined to linger in so profitless a tract.

            Dur to their weak administration  law and order situation had so much degenerated that factions, treachery, assassinations, inter-tribal raids and general lawlessness were the common feature of daily life. Even the safety of movement of a traveler from one estate to the other was conditioned by a tax called Badragha.

            The Duranies had tried their best to improve the law and order situation in the area. For this purpose they sent several detachments of troops on different occasions. Due to which several skirmishes also occurred between the two parties. Though in these skirmishes the rebels were defeated but the Duranies failed in establishing law and order situation on firm footing, as well as obtaining taxes.

            In the area this lawless situation continued till Duranies defeat, after which they were compelled to evacuate Hazara for its new rulers, The Sikhs.

Old age farmer

            Though Duranies were completely beaten during the first half of 19th century but they claimed their right over this country for quite some time, but at last according to a tripartite treaty ( The Governor General, Raja Ranjit Singh and Shah Shujah-ul-Mulk were the members) called The Treaty of Alliance and Friendship between Maharajah Ranjit Singh and Shah Shujah-ul-Mulk, signed on 25th june 1835, at Shimla. The later surrendered all claims and titles by him self, his heirs, his successors and all the Saddozaies, to Kashmir, Attock, Punjab, some areas of Sindh and all most the whole of the present K.P.K area to Maharajah Ranjit Singh.

Physical Features of Hazara

2. Plain Tracks.

Hill Tracks

Though Hazara is a mountainous region (almost three quarters of the land surface of the Division is covered by the mountains) but the level tracks between the mountain system of east and the west are fertile farms of varying sizes and character. As for as these plains are concerned they are three main plain tracks, namely the Pakhli, the Orash or Rash and the Haripur plains. Beside these major plains a number of  other small patches of level land of similar character namely Mangal, Kharri, Chatter, Nara Khanpur-Panjkatha, Dhan and Lora are famous.



valley

 Though these  areas are part of the single administrative unit (HAZARA) but are different in almost every aspect from one another.  These per-acre yield rate , soil, capacity, elevation, types of crops reaping season, value of land etc., vary from one another. For instance the altitude of Haripur plains is between 1600 feet to 3000 feet while the elevation of Pakhli plain is about 4000 feet above the Sea level. Besides inter tracks intra-track differences in fertility of land is also a common features. 





                  Nathia Gali Road

As the central and upper portion of Haripur plains is fertile,  intensively cultivated,  while the lower or southern Portion of the same area consists of unirrigated land and deep ravines. due to these difficulties and shortage of level land as well as deficiency of proper irrigation Hazara Division is constrained to import  agricultural products.



About Hazara

Position Area And Boundaries.

Hazara, the northern most administrative  area of Pakistan and only 
part of KPK (Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa), east of the river Indus, lies 
at the base of Himalayas between 33  44 and 35 10 latitude and 72 
33 and 74 6 east longitude. The total area of  the Hazara is 5282 sq 
miles and has a larger area then Bahrain(678 sq km), Hong Kong 
(1046 sq km), Cyprus (11295 sq km), Gambia, Falk Land, Jamaica 
and Luxumburg .


As regards its boundaries, on the north the Kaghan separates the 
administrative Division from Chilas and on the north east, as well 
as, on the east the mountain range,which borders the left bank of 
river Kunhar and Jhelum river, separates Hazara from the Azad 
(Independent) Kashmir, Murree and Rawalpindi regions.On its 
north-western side lies the far-famed  Black Mountains ( Kala 
Dhaka now Toor Ghar District and also called Dar-us- Salam ), 
while on the south-west the Indus separates it from the Utmanzai 
Tribal areas, as well as, from a part of  the Swabi District of 
Mardan Division. On the north-western side a mountain range also 
works like a dividing line between Hazara and Malakand Agency (a 
provincially administered tribal belt ).On its southern side lies the 
Attock District of Punjab Province, while on the south-eastern side 
the Margalla Hills separate it from Rawalpindi District and from 
Federal Capital of Islamabad. Thus Hazara Division is like a wedge 
between Kashmir on the east and mountain ranges on the west.