ZAFAR IQBAL: My City Rawalakot

tThe History of My Place Rawalakot Poonch Azad Kashmir & My Tribe Sudhans

The forest highland of District Poonch is not only picturesque but is well known due to historic background of the brave people of this area. Poonch, the western part of Jammu province was one of the recruiting areas of the Indian Army and was the home of 65000 veterans of the 2nd World War. As by nature, the majority of people of this area preferred to join Armed Forces and have proved their work and sacrifices for the defense and solidarity of the country. From the end of 17th century up to 1837 Poonch was ruled by different Muslim Raja’s of Loran and the interior Poonch was no doubt actually ruled by the local people and this ruled was then called AAP RAJI self rule of the inhabitants. The local population was consisting of different tribes such Gojar, Maldial, etc, and the forefathers of Sudhan Tribes migrated from Gazni (Afghanistan). Basically this tribe links their forefathers Qais Abdul-ur-Rasheed, a prominent Sahabi, who migrated during the time of Huzrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H). It was before 1050 AD when the forefathers of Sudhan Nawan Jassi Khan along with his sons Nawab Qisra Khan and Sahl Khan migrated to Kahuta and started a war against local of that time and captured Poonch as a whole. This tribe posses the qualities of Pakhtoons as the Sudhuzaies are one of the brave tribes of Pathan race. The have a gallant brave history. The state of Poonch then fell into the hands of Raja Talib Ali Khan of Rajori in 1837 AD. The Poonch Revolt Origins to 24 October 1947 Ghulab Singh the Hindu Dogara founded the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the first part of 19th century. He is ancestor Ranjeet Dave had once ruled a considerable tract of Hill Territory between the Punjab and Pir Panjaal Range as well as several Jageers in the Panjab Plains, but Jammu lay at the core of his dominance. Ranjeet Dav had acknowledge from 1760’s, Durani Afghans as his over Lords. Ghulab Singh born in 1792 and his two brothers, sought to reestablished Ranjeet Dav’s Kingdom under Sikh patronage. By 1818 the three brothers including Ghulab Singh had acquired a powerful influence in the court of Sikh Ruler Ranjeet Singh. Jammu was given to Ghulab Singh as Jageer subject to Lahore in 1820 and Sucheet Singh also receive Territoties but in part of Panjab which donot relate to subsequent history of Kashmir Dispute. About the same time Dihaan Singh was granted his own Jageer, which consisted of the ancient hill state along with number of adjacent minor hill states including bhimber and mirpur. In its geogragphical shape, Dihan singh’s territory was an alongated rectangle of some 3600 Sq miles. In 1830s the dogra appointed governer in poonch, shams-ud-din, a member of a muslim family who had ruled in pre sikh days, rebeled with the support of many locals chieftains. This first poonch revolt in many ways the precedent for what was to happen in 1947, was suppressed with great determination by gulab singh. Maharaja gulab singh announced a prize of 5 nanak shahi coin against one head of sudhans, namely sardar shamas khan and in this he killed about 25000 young sudhans and even than the leader of this tribe did not surrender before the gulab sings army. Ultimately he arrested the prominent leaders and order there assassination. About 32 of them were brought to mang and executed them there in very brutal manner. Srdar Sabz Ali khan & Sardar Malli khan were brought under a tree and one of them was hanged upside down and Sardar Sabz Ali khan was ordered to obey before dogra raja, but he again refused to do so. At this the brute raja ordered to pull his skin , the skin of Sabz Ali khan was removed gradually upto his neck, and at this time again he was order to surrender but the brave man again refuse to bow before dogras. Finally his skin was removed from his head. The same process was repeated to Malli khan and 32 other people. From 1846-98 the local inhabitants faced lot of brutalities form dogra army . After Dihan singh death in 1843, gulab singh treated poonch, bhimber, mirpur and rest as if they were his own property, despite of the fact that this brother had to heirs, moti singh to whom had been left the jageer of poonch, and the jawahir singh who was intended to inherit the remainder. 1852 moti singh and jawahir singh had quarreled, henry Lawrence ( one of the british) was invited to determine the precise boundries between the two portions of dihan singh’s states. Lawrence reaffirmed moti singh’s right to the poonch, an area of some 1600 sq m the remainder 2000 sq miles including bhimber mirpur Kotli was left jawahir singh. In 1858 immediately following gulab singh’s death jawahir singh was involved in a plot against gulab singh’s son and heir. By 1873 poonch was to all intents and purposes just another Indian princely state which the british government which India knew as the Punjab hill state. The raja Moti singh had his own army of some 1200 men and a battery of artillery. In 1890s, after the govt. of India deprived the maharaja of jammu and Kashmir , partaab singh, of almost all his powers and was in affect directly ruling the state through the british resident in sirinagar. 1n 1897 raja baldev singh succeded moti singh and in 1918 his son sukhdev singh succeded buldev singh as raja of poonch. From 1906-22 the govt. of India provided responsibility for the governance of jageer. Maharaja gulab singh’s grand son partaab singh resolved that the succession should pass to dehaan singh line and heir to the raja of poonch. Jagat dev singh who, partaab singh declared, was the “ spiritual heir to Kashmir”.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

My City Rawalakot

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