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.

The People of Hazara Part 3

6.TANAWALIES OR TANOLIES.

Lower Tanawal

           The TANAWALIES or TANOLIES , a tribe of Hazara, claim descent from Amir Khan, a Barlas Mughal, whose two son, Hind khan and Pal khan crossed the Indus some four centuries ago and settles in the area now known as Tanawal. Historians write that in 1472 some 4000 TANAWALIES crossed the river Indus under the command of their leader Moulvi Ibrahim Lodhi and established themselves over the Tanawal over the Tanawal area.

View of Tarbela Lake near Tanawal Area

Now a days they are scattered through out the Division and occupy Khalabat Town ship and the lower and the upper Tanawal area including Garhian tracks of the Mansehra District, VHindwal and pallal are chief sections of this tribe which are further divided into a large  number of subsections whose name end in "al"

7. UTMANZAIES: 

Main Chowk Khalabat Town Ship

                               Utmanzai is a sub tribe of Yousafzai tribe. In Hazara they were incited by the Gujars, from whom the Utmanzaies acquired land and were dominant there during the Sikh and the British periods. They also helped the British Government with great zeal during its early days in this area and were considered by the British as their most reliable friends in  Hazara.

Utmanzai Tribe

Before the construction of Tarbela Dam, Kaya , Khabble, Tarbela, Khalabat , Morti , Mera etc etc and a narrow strip between the Indus River and the Gadun region were their chief areas of dwelling but after that project ( Tarbela Dam) they scattered through out the Division and the Punjab. However a sizeable section of a population of this tribe made Khalabat Town Ship their main place of living.

Spell way Tarbela Dam

Though itself a sub-section of the Yousafzai Tribe, the Utmanzai tribe is further divided into five main sections namely, Allazai, Akazai (distinct from the same tribe of the Black Mountains) Khanzai, Saddozai and Tahirkhali.