Mir Jehandad Khan

Mir Jehandad Khan was a tribal chief of the Hazara region of northwestern Pakistan. It was said, "Of all the tribal chiefs of Hazara, the most powerful [was] said to be Jehandad Khan of the Tanoli."^[1] His territories laid on both banks of the Indus, and, as the son of Painda Khan, Jehandad Khan was particularly well respected among his peoples.^[1] Respecting Jehandad Khan's authority over his territory was a necessity for the British; in the words of Major J. Abbott, 'His (Jehandad's) territory interposes between Hazara and the strongest and most troublesome of the independent tribes. He can send 50 or 60 matchlocks to retaliate a fray which might cost us an army of 8000 men. Jehandad Khan is naturally of a gentle and sincere temperament, and has fewer vicious propensities than most Asiatics.'^[2]

When Sikh power was on the decline in 1845 Jehandad Khan blockaded the garrisons of no less than 22 Sikh posts in Upper Tanawal; and when they surrendered at discretion, he spared their lives, as the servants of a fallen Empire. "The act, however, stood him afterwards in good stead; for, when Hazara was assigned to Maharaja Golab Singh, that politic ruler rewarded Jehandad Khan's humanity with the jagir of Koolge and Badnuck in Lower Tannowul."^[3]

As far as Jehandad Khan's hereditary domain of Upper Tanawal, with the capital at Amb is concerned, the term 'jagir' has never been applicable to it. The British Government considered Upper Tannowul as a chiefship held under the British Government, but in which, as a rule, they did not possess internal jurisdiction. The Chief managed his own people in his own way without regard to British laws, rules or system. This tenure resembled that on which the Chiefs of Patiala, Jhind, Nabha, Kapurthala and others held their lands.^[4]

He was the son of Mir Painda Khan. When he died, he left a nine year old boy: Muhammad Akram Khan.^[5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Allen 2001, p. 139.
2. ^ In a letter dated; Hazara, 7th August 1851, from Major. J. Abbott, Deputy Comm and Supdt, Hazara to the Secretary to the Board of Administration for the Affairs of the Punjab.
3. ^ In a letter dated; Peshawar, 10th December 1858, from Lt. Col. H. B. Edwards, Commissioner and Supdt, Peshawar Division, to the Financial Commissioner of the Punjab. extracted from 'A Collection of Papers relating to the History, Status and Powers of The Nawab of Amb, pg. 83, Published 1874, Punjab Secretariat
4. ^ letter dated 21st March 1863. From Thomas Douglas Forsyth, Officiating Secretary to the Government Punjab to Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, Collection of Papers Relating To The HISTORY, STATUS AND POWERS Of THE CHIEF OF AMB, 97 Pages, Published 1874, Punjab Secretariat, pg. 58
5. ^ Hubert Digby Watson (1992). Sarhad Urdu Academy. ed. Gazetteer of the Hazara District, 1907. p. 20,170,193. http://books.google.com/books?id=CJNuAAAAMAAJ&q=%22muhammad+akram+khan%22&dq=%22muhammad+akram+khan%22&lr=&client=opera&hl=es&pgis=1.