History

History:

The early history of this part of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is marked by invasions of Alexander (fourth century B.C) and Mahmood of Ghazna (11 the century A.D). In the 16th century, Pakhtoon tribes, mostly around the present day city of Qandhar in Afghanistan entered the area and settled in the area. It has been said that the Tarkani tribe of Bajaur Agency (Mamund, Charmang and Salar zai) was ruled by the Mughuls with Sakhi Arab Khan as their governor whose graveyard exists at Nawi Dand near Khar till today. Alexander the great reportedly camped at Sikandaro, in Bajaur Agency and this place is known after his name. The present Jandool including maidan and Barawal areas were once parts of Bajaur when ruled by Umara Khan. Umara Khan was Mast Khel Tarkani. He was able to extend his rule up-to Dir by ousting Mohammad Aurang Zeb Khan alias Bad shah Khan, the then Khan of Dir. These areas were, however, wrested back from him by Nawab of Dir and are now in Lower Dir district. Prior to 1960, Bajaur Agency almost remained a semi-independent territory and was treated as an inaccessible area under political jurisdiction of Political Agency Malakand. It is the only agency in FATA, which had contained a number of mini-states or Khanates such as Khanate of Khar, Khanate of Nawagai and Khanate of pashat etc. These mini-states were internally ruled by three respective Khans who owned all the agricultural land in their jurisdiction and most of the people within their Khanates were their tenants. In 1960, Bajaur Agency was declared as a sub-division of Malakand Agency and an Assistant Political Agent was appointed with his headquarters at Munda in Lower Dir district to deal with its affairs. It was, however, declared as a full fledged agency in 1973 and a Political Agent was appointed with his headquarter at Khar. Nonetheless, since the establishment of the agency in 1973 and during the recent years, the government has managed to establish its rule and authority which gently go unchallenged. On the other side, the Uthman khel tribe of the agency is more egalitarian in nature and has historically always maintained a complete independence. Their area is mountainous, largely infertile and unproductive except some alluvial area on the southern bank of the Rud. The various clans of this tribe do not generally maintain much good relations inter-se. There is no big Khan or Malik in the Uthman khel area to subjugate his clan’s men.