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A Pashtun Hero Ignored.
It is unfortunate that a lot of Pashtuns don't know about their history...Different govts, especially Pakistani govt, have tried their best to erase these heroes from books and minds of Pashtuns to make coming Pashtun generations unaware about their roots and so to assimilate them into the dominant Indic culture of Pakistan...Consequently, Pashtuns know more about Tipu Sultan than Pashtun heroes like Aimal Khan, Darya Khan, Umara Khan Janduli, etc.
This article is about Malak Ahmad Baba, a 15the Century Pashtun hero, who by successfully leading a major branch of Pashtun tribal structure to settle in greater numbers in Pukhtunkhwa, played a pivotal role in the growth and evolution of Pashtun nation and identity.
As this is related to a branch of Pashtun tribal confederacies, of which Yousafzais are the leading tribe, it will be pertinent to discuss history of Yousafzais a little. Yousafzais are a great and the most easternly Pashtun tribe inhabiting Mardan plains, Sawabi, Buner, Swat, part of Dir and the area as far north as Shangla. Probably, they are the most numerous after Khiljis(Ghilzais). There are many theories about Yousafzais...One theory about their origin is that they are the ancient Aspassis, who inhabited Kunar Alexander's campaign in Afghanistan and who fought him valiantly...Another theory is, they lived in Ghor-Hazarajat at the beginning of second millennium AD and later, when Islamic invasions expanded into the area, they migrated to the present Kandahar area where they lived 5 centuries.
Whatever the authenticity of these theories, the events of 13-14th centuries had consequential impact on Pashtuns in Kandahar area. The first thing that happened was that their population increased and intense competition for pastures and water resources started among Pashtun tribes. Second, the pastro-nomadic economy of Pashtuns built around the irrigation capcity of Helmand-Arghandab river system was destroyed due to the attacks of Mongols. These two events caused the great migration of Pashtun tribes that begun in 14th century and continued for the next couple of centuries. Pashtun tribes migrated north and south-eastward.
Yousafzais, probably, were one of the first tribes to migrate...They initially moved up north and first settled in Ghazni. Later, in search of better pastures, they migrated to Kabul and occupied an area called Ghura Margha, where they became numerous and affluent due to increase in their livestocks and their indulgence in local trade. Their power increased so much that they started to seat and unseat kings in Kabul.
When a conflict broke out among the grandsons of Amir Taimur (called Taimurlane in history) for the control of the fragments of the disintegrating empire of their grandfather, Yousafzaie supported Mirza Alagh Baig and got him seated on the throne of Kabul. Although, Mirza Alagh Baig owed his throne to the help of Yousafzais and instead of being gracious, he started looking at the power of Yousazais with wariness...Relations between Mirza Alagh Baig and Yousafzais deteriorated and at one point, Alagh Baig, attaked Yousafzais but was defeated. Finding it hard to defeat Yousafzais militarily, Alagh Baig resorted to conspiracies. He invited about 700 Yousafzais elders to a feast at his court in Kabul and killed all of them except 3. It is said only Malak Ahmad, Malak Shah Mansoor, and Shiekh Usman Milizai suvived this brutal killing of Pashtun influentials. Having lost their most influential elders and leaders, Yousazais thought it better to migrate to another area. They made Malak Ahamad, who according to tradions, was only 14 at the time, their leader. Malak Ahmad and other elders decided that they would move east.
So Yousazais initially moved to Nangarhar and then to Pesahawr plains and setlled in a small but fertile tract of area called Doaba (because of it location between River Kabul and River Swat). In their migration, they were also accompanied by other tribes of Khakhi Khel tribal alliance. Prominent among these tribes were Mohammadzais, Tarkalanris, Jadun(or Gaduns), Utman Khel. etc. After some time, they started expanding, and initially ejected Dalazaks from Peshawar plains, and then started attacking Swat, which at that time was being ruled by Swatis. Swatis were pushed to the mountains between Hazara and Swat (later Yousazais helped Swatis to take Pakhli Hazara from Turk rulers there)...Meanwhile, Khakhi Khel also conquerd Dir and Bajaur.
Dozens of wars occured for control of Peshawar valley and Swat and a few times Mughals also attacked Yousazias but finally Yousazais emerged the masters of a great portion of Peshawar valley and Swat, Bajaur, Buner, Dir, and Shangla. It is said, after successful wars and complete truimph, a grand assembly of Yousazais and allied Pashtun tribes took place somewhere near Shabaz Ghari that was "headed" by Malak Ahmad Baba in which the areas conquered were divided among various tribes. Charssada was given to Mohammadzais. Jaduns got the present Gadun Amazai, Uthman Khels were given the area of Arang Barang, and Tarklani secured Bajaur for themselves. Yousafazais choose Swabi, Mardan, Swat, Buner, and Dir for themselves part of which they shared with Tarklanis...All this happened under the able and wise leadership of Malak Ahmad Baba and took more than half a century to complete ( from 1474 to 1530-1550). Malak Ahmad Baba died in first half of 15th century and was succeeded by another able leader, Khan Kaju (the Khan Kaju in Mardan road is named after him). He is burried in Allah Dand Dairai, Malakand Agency. Another Pashtun notable, Shikh Mali, devised a novel land distribution system that was based on migratory patten of land occupation (called "da Shiekh Mali Daftar"). This was done to allot fair share of land-riches to all clans and tribes.
Some may criticise the acts of Yousafzais and Malak Ahmad for the fact that they fought other Pashtun tribes like Dalazak (some say they were Pashtuns some say not) and Swatis. But we should remember that these Pashtun tribes formed only the upper elite of the society of Swat and Peshawar then and therefore were on the verge of being submerged. Moreover, Yousafzais later helped Swatis settle in Pakhklai Hazara (Mahsehar, Baffa, and Batagram). Further, due to this, Pashtuns increased in numbers and expanded territorially, which directly contributed to the strengthening of Pashtun national formation. This also paved the way for other Pashtun tribes to migrate east to Peshawar Valley and populate the present areas of Pashtun habitation. Consequetly, another great Pashtun tribal confederacy, called Ghoria Khel or Ghori Khel, of which Mohmands was the core tribe, also migrated and got settled in the preset areas they inhabit. Khattaks, whom Khushal Khan, the foremost hero of Pashtuns, come from expanded from south northward and reached as far north as Lund Khwar.
Due to this migration, Pashtuns got used to sedentary life. Till that time, they were predominently nomadic. The social impact of this migration was that, Pashtun society underwent a transformation in anthropological sense and from tribal-nomadic, it became agrarian and fudal. Due to this transormation, many great poets and literary figures emrged in Peshawar valley in later decades and centuries and made great contribution to Pashtun culture and language. Political impact of this was also great. At the turn of 19th century, Pashtun society had become so aggrarian and fudal that two states emerged in Pashtun areas; state of Dir and state of Swat.For these reasons, I associate great importance to what Malak Ahmad did. I strongly propose that he along with other Pashtun personalities of that time should be declared founding father of Pashtunkhwa and should be celebrated.
It is unfortunate that a lot of Pashtuns don't know about their history...Different govts, especially Pakistani govt, have tried their best to erase these heroes from books and minds of Pashtuns to make coming Pashtun generations unaware about their roots and so to assimilate them into the dominant Indic culture of Pakistan...Consequently, Pashtuns know more about Tipu Sultan than Pashtun heroes like Aimal Khan, Darya Khan, Umara Khan Janduli, etc.
This article is about Malak Ahmad Baba, a 15the Century Pashtun hero, who by successfully leading a major branch of Pashtun tribal structure to settle in greater numbers in Pukhtunkhwa, played a pivotal role in the growth and evolution of Pashtun nation and identity.
As this is related to a branch of Pashtun tribal confederacies, of which Yousafzais are the leading tribe, it will be pertinent to discuss history of Yousafzais a little. Yousafzais are a great and the most easternly Pashtun tribe inhabiting Mardan plains, Sawabi, Buner, Swat, part of Dir and the area as far north as Shangla. Probably, they are the most numerous after Khiljis(Ghilzais). There are many theories about Yousafzais...One theory about their origin is that they are the ancient Aspassis, who inhabited Kunar Alexander's campaign in Afghanistan and who fought him valiantly...Another theory is, they lived in Ghor-Hazarajat at the beginning of second millennium AD and later, when Islamic invasions expanded into the area, they migrated to the present Kandahar area where they lived 5 centuries.
Whatever the authenticity of these theories, the events of 13-14th centuries had consequential impact on Pashtuns in Kandahar area. The first thing that happened was that their population increased and intense competition for pastures and water resources started among Pashtun tribes. Second, the pastro-nomadic economy of Pashtuns built around the irrigation capcity of Helmand-Arghandab river system was destroyed due to the attacks of Mongols. These two events caused the great migration of Pashtun tribes that begun in 14th century and continued for the next couple of centuries. Pashtun tribes migrated north and south-eastward.
Yousafzais, probably, were one of the first tribes to migrate...They initially moved up north and first settled in Ghazni. Later, in search of better pastures, they migrated to Kabul and occupied an area called Ghura Margha, where they became numerous and affluent due to increase in their livestocks and their indulgence in local trade. Their power increased so much that they started to seat and unseat kings in Kabul.
When a conflict broke out among the grandsons of Amir Taimur (called Taimurlane in history) for the control of the fragments of the disintegrating empire of their grandfather, Yousafzaie supported Mirza Alagh Baig and got him seated on the throne of Kabul. Although, Mirza Alagh Baig owed his throne to the help of Yousafzais and instead of being gracious, he started looking at the power of Yousazais with wariness...Relations between Mirza Alagh Baig and Yousafzais deteriorated and at one point, Alagh Baig, attaked Yousafzais but was defeated. Finding it hard to defeat Yousafzais militarily, Alagh Baig resorted to conspiracies. He invited about 700 Yousafzais elders to a feast at his court in Kabul and killed all of them except 3. It is said only Malak Ahmad, Malak Shah Mansoor, and Shiekh Usman Milizai suvived this brutal killing of Pashtun influentials. Having lost their most influential elders and leaders, Yousazais thought it better to migrate to another area. They made Malak Ahamad, who according to tradions, was only 14 at the time, their leader. Malak Ahmad and other elders decided that they would move east.
So Yousazais initially moved to Nangarhar and then to Pesahawr plains and setlled in a small but fertile tract of area called Doaba (because of it location between River Kabul and River Swat). In their migration, they were also accompanied by other tribes of Khakhi Khel tribal alliance. Prominent among these tribes were Mohammadzais, Tarkalanris, Jadun(or Gaduns), Utman Khel. etc. After some time, they started expanding, and initially ejected Dalazaks from Peshawar plains, and then started attacking Swat, which at that time was being ruled by Swatis. Swatis were pushed to the mountains between Hazara and Swat (later Yousazais helped Swatis to take Pakhli Hazara from Turk rulers there)...Meanwhile, Khakhi Khel also conquerd Dir and Bajaur.
Dozens of wars occured for control of Peshawar valley and Swat and a few times Mughals also attacked Yousazias but finally Yousazais emerged the masters of a great portion of Peshawar valley and Swat, Bajaur, Buner, Dir, and Shangla. It is said, after successful wars and complete truimph, a grand assembly of Yousazais and allied Pashtun tribes took place somewhere near Shabaz Ghari that was "headed" by Malak Ahmad Baba in which the areas conquered were divided among various tribes. Charssada was given to Mohammadzais. Jaduns got the present Gadun Amazai, Uthman Khels were given the area of Arang Barang, and Tarklani secured Bajaur for themselves. Yousafazais choose Swabi, Mardan, Swat, Buner, and Dir for themselves part of which they shared with Tarklanis...All this happened under the able and wise leadership of Malak Ahmad Baba and took more than half a century to complete ( from 1474 to 1530-1550). Malak Ahmad Baba died in first half of 15th century and was succeeded by another able leader, Khan Kaju (the Khan Kaju in Mardan road is named after him). He is burried in Allah Dand Dairai, Malakand Agency. Another Pashtun notable, Shikh Mali, devised a novel land distribution system that was based on migratory patten of land occupation (called "da Shiekh Mali Daftar"). This was done to allot fair share of land-riches to all clans and tribes.
Some may criticise the acts of Yousafzais and Malak Ahmad for the fact that they fought other Pashtun tribes like Dalazak (some say they were Pashtuns some say not) and Swatis. But we should remember that these Pashtun tribes formed only the upper elite of the society of Swat and Peshawar then and therefore were on the verge of being submerged. Moreover, Yousafzais later helped Swatis settle in Pakhklai Hazara (Mahsehar, Baffa, and Batagram). Further, due to this, Pashtuns increased in numbers and expanded territorially, which directly contributed to the strengthening of Pashtun national formation. This also paved the way for other Pashtun tribes to migrate east to Peshawar Valley and populate the present areas of Pashtun habitation. Consequetly, another great Pashtun tribal confederacy, called Ghoria Khel or Ghori Khel, of which Mohmands was the core tribe, also migrated and got settled in the preset areas they inhabit. Khattaks, whom Khushal Khan, the foremost hero of Pashtuns, come from expanded from south northward and reached as far north as Lund Khwar.
Due to this migration, Pashtuns got used to sedentary life. Till that time, they were predominently nomadic. The social impact of this migration was that, Pashtun society underwent a transformation in anthropological sense and from tribal-nomadic, it became agrarian and fudal. Due to this transormation, many great poets and literary figures emrged in Peshawar valley in later decades and centuries and made great contribution to Pashtun culture and language. Political impact of this was also great. At the turn of 19th century, Pashtun society had become so aggrarian and fudal that two states emerged in Pashtun areas; state of Dir and state of Swat.For these reasons, I associate great importance to what Malak Ahmad did. I strongly propose that he along with other Pashtun personalities of that time should be declared founding father of Pashtunkhwa and should be celebrated.
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