Hurs

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Hur (Arabic word meaning "free", "not slave" ). It is a Sufi Muslim community in the province of Sindh Pakistan). Their spiritual leader is called Pir Pagaro

Contents 1 History of Hur Movement 2 Hurs in Pakistan Army 3 Persecution of Hurs by Bhutto Government 4 Creation of Hur Force 5 Presecution of Hurs by Benazir's Government 6 Reference

[edit] History of Hur Movement

During the British rule of India, Pir Pagaro declared his community "Hur" (free from British slavery). The British tried to crush the uprising and that started an armed resistance by Hurs. Ultimately the British passed the infamous law "Hur Act" where the entire Hur community was declared criminals and were ordered to be shot to death on site. Hurs were ultimately defeated and Pir Pagaro was hanged to death. However this also saw the start of World War II, destruction of British empire, and end of British rule on India. Pir Pagaro's two sons, who were in British custody in England, were released later who came back to lead their community once more. Their part of Sindh was a province in newly created Pakistan now. The elder son is now the current Pir Pagaro.

[edit] Hurs in Pakistan Army

In 1965 war of India and Pakistan, Pir Pagaro ordered his followers to resist Indian forces. Per his order, Hurs attacked the Indian artillery riding on their camels while Pakistan army was focused in Punjab. After the war, Hurs were declared part of the Pakistan Army. Hur commander Faqir Jamal Mangrio was declared a war hero.

[edit] Persecution of Hurs by Bhutto Government

In 1972 when Mr. Z. A. Bhutto became president and then prime minister of Pakistan, government of Sindh started a crackdown on Hurs. Matters got worst when four prominent Faqirs were gunned down by police as dacoits and their photos appeared in the newspapers. All this despite the fact that Sindhies considered Hurs as Sindh's heroes and Bhutto family personally respected Pir Pagaro. In 1977 elections, Pir Pagaro decided to break the tradition of not involving into power politics ran for seat of parliament from Mr. Bhuttos hometown of Larkana and againt him. This was a symbolic gesture of protest but this saw a bloody clash of Hurs and government leaving hundreds of Hurs and government officials dead.

[edit] Creation of Hur Force

In 1977 coup which overthrew Mr. Bhutto, the newly empowered dictator General Ziaul Haq, who was looking for some foothold in Sindh, restored the status of Hurs in Pakistan Army. He also appointed a famous Sindhi civil servant Mr. Bashir Ahmed Siddiqui as the Inspector General of Sindh to face the growing problem of dacoits, especially Paro Chandio. Mr. Siddiqui formed a militia called Hur Force out of Hurs. This saw the death of 1965 war hero Faqir Jamal Mangrio by the hand of Paro Chandio but also saw the death of Paro Chandio by the hand of I.G. Siddiqui himself.

[edit] Presecution of Hurs by Benazir's Government

In 1988 General Zia died in an air crash and Bhutto's daughter Benazir Bhutto got elected as prime minister. Her government decided to replace the Hur Force with a new force called Mugsi Force, consisting of militants from the tribe of Mir Nadir Ali Mugsi, a rival of Hurs and loyal to Benazir's government. This saw bloody clashes and substantial weakening of Hur Force.

[edit] Reference