CAPÍTULO XXIII

The Pathan is generally associated with the Trans- Indus districts, but scattered about the Punjab are to be found small colonies of Pathans who, in order to

Punjabi Musalmans; Copyright © www.panhwar.com 95 distinguish them from the Pashtu-speaking Pathan of the borders, are here termed Panjabi Pathans.

These non-frontier Pathans are usually known by the town or locality in which they are settled, e.g., Kasur Pathans, Multani Pathans. These colonies of Pathans are accounted for by Sir Densil Ibbetson in the following manner : —

“During the Lodi and Sur dynasties many Pathans migrated to India especially during the reign of Bahlol Lodi and Sher Shah Suri. These naturally belonged to the Ghilzai section from which those kings sprung.

But large numbers of Pathans accompanied the armies of Mahmud Ghaznavi, Shahab-ud-Din and Babar, and many of them obtained grants of land in the Punjab plains and founded Pathan colonies which still exist. Many more Pathans have been driven out of Afghanistan by internal feuds or by famine and have taken refuge in the plains east of the Indus.

The tribes most commonly to be found in Punjab are the Yusufzai including the Mandahr, the Lodi Kakar, Sarwani, Orakzai, the Karlauri tribes and the Zamand Pathans. Of these the most widely distributed are the Yusufzai, of whom a body of 12,000 accompanied Babar in the final invasion of India, and settled in the plains of India and the Punjab. But as a rule the Pathans who have settled away from the frontier have lost all memory of their tribal divisions, and indeed almost all their national characteristics.

Multani Pathans.—The descendants of Zamand very early migrated in large numbers to Multan, to which province they furnished rulers, till the time of Aurangzeb, when a number of the Abdali tribe under the leadership of Shah Husain were driven from Kandahar by tribal feuds, took refuge in Multan, and being early supplemented by other of their kinsmen who were expelled by Mir Wais, the great Ghilzai chief, conquered Multan and founded the tribe well known in the Punjab as Multani Pathans.

Zahid Khan Abdali was appointed Governor of Multan with the title of Nawab, at the time of Nadir Shah’s invasion. Multan was governed by different members of this family, until in 1818 the city was captured by the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh, after a heroic defence in which the Nawab and five of his sons were slain.

Kasw Pathans. — When the Zamand section was bro- ken up, the Khweshgi clan migrated to the Ghorband defile, and a large number marched thence with Babar and found great favour at his hands and those of Humayun, One section of them settled at Kasur, and are known as “Kasuria Pathans”

Punjabi Musalmans; Copyright © www.panhwar.com 96 The Kasuria Pathans increased in numbers and importance until the chiefs thought themselves strong enough to refuse to pay tribute to the Moghals. After some severe fighting the Kasuria Pathans were compelled to give in, they never lost heart however and maintained their independence until 1807, when they were finally subdued by the Sikhs. After the confiscation of Kasur by Ranjit Singh, the Pathans were ordered to remain on the left bank of the Sutlej where their leader was assigned the Jagir of, Mamdot.

Besides these two better known clans, there are, as already mentioned others to be found in small colonies throughout the Punjab.

Many distinguished Officers, from cavalry regiments, belong to this class. 79. Rajputs.

The Punjabi Musalman Rajput tribes described in this chapter have been mainly those of the Rawalpindi Civil Division. The term Rajput has to a large degree come to mean a social grade rather than an ethnological term among Punjabi Musalmans. The Census Report of 1931 gives the male population af Punjabi Musalman Rajputs as 9,19,165.

80. RanJha. 1. Male population.— About 8,000, (Census 1931)

2. Locality.— The bulk of the Ranjhas are to be found in the Bhera tahsil of the Shahpur district, there are a few also in Gujranwala and Jhelum.

3. Headmen.— The most influential members of the tribe are the Zaildars of Mid Ranjha and Bhadar in the Bhera tahsil. The lumbardars of Pind Dadun Khan and Lilla in the Jhelum district are men of some standing.

4. — History and particulars. — The Ranjhas are generally classed as Jat though they are Bhatti Rajputs. Latterly a few of the tribe have claimed Koreshi origin. They closly resemble the Gondals, with whom they inter-marry.

The Ranjhas show little desire for military service. 81. Sakhal.

This tribe is found chiefly in the Mirpur district where they own a group of viHages round Khattar. A few are also in Poonch. They are “Sahu“ and claim to

Punjabi Musalmans; Copyright © www.panhwar.com 97 be Gakkhars. The Admal Gakkhars describe fhe Sakhal as having formerly been servants of the Gakkhars.

The tribe is a small one.

82. Salehria.

1 Male population.— Between 12,000 and 14,000. (Census 1931)

2. Locality. —The Salehria are mostly found in the Zaffarwal (Sialkot) and Shakargarh. There are some also in the Lahore district.

3. Headmen. —The best known and most influential family belong to a village named Rupar Chak in the Zaffarwal tahsil, its head is a Zaildar.

4. — History and particulars. — The Salehria are Sombansi Rajputs who trace their descent from Raja Saigal, of fabulous antiquity, and from his descendant Chandra Gupta. They say that their ancestors came from the Deccan, as part of a military force, to suppress an insurrection among the Khokkars, and settled in Sialkot.

83. Sarara.