THE TIRAH CAMPAIGN AND AFRIDI WAR SONG

AREA AND PEOPLE

The famous area of Tirah lies in the south of Koh-e-Sufaid. It is roughly oval in shape and is 45-mile long from west to east and 20-mile wide from north to south. The upper basins of Bara and Mastura rivers are included in it. The northern portion of Tirah is inhabited by Afridis, the southern by Orakzais and Zairnukhts and the extreme western end (North of Karmana Defile) by the Chamkanis. Whereas the Orakzais have a separate administrative Agency, the Afridi Tirah is part of Khyber Agency. The Afridi-occupied area in Tirah is one third of their total area. The remaining Afridi areas are in Khyber Agency, Frontier Region Peshawar and Frontier Region Kohat, which includes Darra Adamkhel also. The whole area of Tirah is mountainous with lush green valleys, rivers, streams and forests.

ORIGIN

Tirah is a very old name of this area. Sardar Sher Muhammad Khan Gandapur writes on page 685 of Tarikh-e-Pashtun that Tirah was occupied by a tribe known as Tirahi in the olden times. Tirahis were non-believers and worshiped idols. When Sultan Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Ghori (RA) attacked the area (12th century AD) with his armies, most of the Tirahis were killed and the remaining were converted to Islam. He writes that a small ethnic group of Tirahis still lives in the Shinwari area, who speak their own peculiar language, using many Pashto words. It seems that the Afridis, Orakzais, Chamkanis and Zairnukht occupied Tirah after 13th century AD. The Shilmanis are also believed to have settled in Tirah for a while, when they moved from Kurram area to Hashtnagar and other areas. (Tarikh-e-Pashtun, P 684). It was also the centre of the followers of Tehrik-e-Roshnai started (16th century AD) by Hazrat Bayazid Ansari (RA) and their old houses are still believed to exist in Orakzai area.

Tirah means a place where three routes meet. Tirah Bairam Khan in Delhi can be quoted as an example. As far as Tirah is concerned, it also can be approached via three main routes of Bara (Bazaar valley route joins it), Khanki River (Orakzai area) and Karmana Defile on the Chamkani side. It is therefore possible that Tirah also got this name because of its location.

There is a village by the name of Tirah Bala near Mathra in Peshawar district, and one of the earlier Pashto poets was also known as Tirahi. A book by the name of Da Tirah Wagme has also been published.

THE TIRAH CAMPAIGN OF 1897

The British sent many expeditions against the Frontier tribes during their rule from 1849 to 1947. They had entered the Bazaar and Samana areas also but Tirah was untouched till 1 897. The Tirah campaign was undertaken as a result of the Pathan Revolt by the tribes all along the border. Actually after the Second Afghan war of l878-80 the British decided to draw a permanent border line between Afghanistan and India. An agreement was signed in November 1893 between the British and Amir Abdur Rehman of Afghanistan in this regard. The demarcation of the Durand Line started but the siege and relief of Chitral in 1895 aggravated the situation. The British occupied area from Malakand to Chital On a permanent basis to the dislike of the tribes.

The tribes along the Frontier developed strong contacts with Ghulam Haider Khan, the Sipah Salar ( C-in-C) of the Amir. The tribal religious leaders in contact were Syed Akbar (RA) of Aka Khel Afridis Hadda Mullab Saheb (RA) of Jarobi, Mohmand area and Hazrat Sartor Fakir Saheb (RA) of Swat. As a result of the correspondence and contacts, 'lashkars' were assembled by the tribes and suddenly rose against the British. In June 1879, trouble started in Maizar (Tochi) and in July l879 Malakand was aflame. In early August 1879 the Mohmands and Bajauris rose and in late August the Afridis and Orakzais led by Syed Akbar (RA) revolted. Their source of inspiration was also a book Taquim-ud Din published in those days with the support of the Amir, who also adopted the title of Zia-ul-Millat Wad-Din and King of Islam. The book laid great emphasis on Jehad against the infidels that included the British.

Whereas the events elsewhere are out of scope of this article, I would briefly touch upon the Tirah sector, without going into the operational details. The Afridis gave three apparent reasons for their revolt mainly salt tax, encroachment of their area and interference in their customs by the British. The Afridis took Landikotal on 23 August 1897 and occupied many posts in the Khyber.

The Orakzais at the same time took forts, Lockhart, Sargarhi and invested Fort Gulistan in the Samana area. The Afridis and Orakzais could muster 30,000 and 25,000 fighting men respectively in those days.

The British were alarmed by the sudden outburst of hostilities and raised the Tirah Expeditionary Force under Lieutenant General Sir William Lockhart. The force assembled and carried out operations in Tirah from 12 October 1897 to 06 April 1898. They entered Maidan in Tirah on 31 October 1 897. The tribes fought well and the British had to vacate Tirah after heavy losses. The strength of the force is given here to understand the gravity of the whole situation. it included 1,010 British officers, 10,882 British troops, 491 native officers, 22,123 native troops, 197 hospital assistants, 179 clerks, 19,558 followers, 8,000 horses, 18,384 mules and ponies, 1,440 hospital riding ponies, 13,000 camel and bullock carts and more than 36 guns. The British casualties were as follows:

All ranks killed --- 287
All ranks wounded --- 853
Missing --- 10
Total --- 1,150
British officers killed --- 23
British officers wounded --- 56
Native officers killed --- 4
Native officers wounded --- 16

THE AFRIDI WAR SONG --- KAFIR JANG

As usual, many songs must have been composed regarding this campaign in praise of the heroes. The two books about Tirah namely The Campaign in Tirah 1 897-98 (by Col Hutchinson, London 1898) and Tirah 1897 (by Col C.E. Collwel London 1911) give detailed account of the campaign. Some of the outstanding names have been mentioned as tribal leaders, besides the ones noted earlier. These are Badshah Saheb, Malik Amin Khan, Malik Sher Muhammad Khan, Malik Yar Muhammad Khan, Malik Firoz, Malik Wali Muhammad Khan, Malik Khwas Khan, Samandar Khan, Malik Adam Khan Qambar Khel, Qazi Mira Khan, Malik Sinjab Orakzai and Mullah Abdullah Akhunzada (RA) Mohmand. While doing research on other subjects, I happened to come across a unique and rare Afridi War Song 'Kafir Jang' in The Piffer Journal, United Kingdom, November 1950. Though I have sent it to other researchers on the Pathan Revolt also, it is reproduced herewith for the interest of the readers. The names of Khwas Khan and Wali Muhammad are included in the song. The Pashto Roman and English texts have been taken from the journal. It is hoped that researchers and historians would collect more material and was songs about such like campaigns for inspiration of our coming generations.

KAFIR JANG --- Afridi War Song (Roman Pashto)

Ragali faujuna d’Angrez alam,
Gora Ghurki Sikhan, sartez alam,
Akhli Tirah der Pike tang dee,
Raba Islam, d’kafir jang de!

Faujuna ragali P’shaitab bande,
D’kampani P,sowal O jawab bande,
Kahgaz Latuno ra legali woh,
D'Tirah Hal P’Ke Uchkali woh.

D'Khudai rahmat P'Aka Khel osa,
Dukhman d’dui sui P’tel osal
D’Khudai rahmat P’Zakkha Khel osa,
Khwas Khan o Wali Mohd P,mel osa.

Khwas Khan sumra gherat okr,
Mal e’der daulat okr.
The Piffer, UK, November 1950

KAFIR JANG --- Afridi War Song (English Translation)

The armies of England have come to our land,
Sikhs, Gurkhas and Redcoats, a hurrying band.
Tirah must he taken: they’re held in Tirah:
Behold God of Islam, an infidel war!

How swiftly against us, their regiments throng:
Each company fighting, each company strong.
Their lords and their leaders sent Papers afar:
They marked us for theirs, they made maps of Tirah.

The mercy of God on the Aka KheI light:
Their foes seethe in oil in perpetual night!
On each Zakkha Khel be God’s kindness alone,
Khwas Khan be with Wali Mohd at one.

Think of the good that was done by Khawas Khan,
Of the bounty and riches he gave to each man.