Dir (princely state)
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Dir was a small former princely state located in the modern North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan. The state ceased to exist in 1969 when it was incorporated into Pakistan. The area once occupied by the state (5,282 km²) now forms two districts of Pakistan - Upper Dir and Lower Dir. The two districts were part of Malakand Division until divisions were abolished as an administrative tier.
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[edit] Geography
Most of the state lay in the valley of the Panjkora river which rises in the Hindu Kush mountains and joins the Swat River near Chakdara. Apart from small areas in the south-west, Dir is a rugged mountainous country with peaks rising to 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) in the north-east and to 3,000 metres (10,000 ft) along the watersheds with Swat to the east and Afghanistan to the west.
[edit] History
[edit] British India
The State's relations with the British were governed by the Agreement of 1925.[1]
[edit] Accession to Pakistan
On 18th February 1948, the ruler of Dir, Muhammad Shah Jehan acceded to Pakistan.[2]
[edit] Demographics
At Partition there was a Muslim majority in Dir with small minorities of Hindus and Sikhs who left for India during partition.
The main language of the State of Dir was Pashto.
The population of Lower Dir district total 37 Union Councils is 797852 according to the 1998 census report, the projected population of the Dir Lower is 1037091 in 2005 with the same growth between 1981 &1998 census i.e. 3.42% per annum. The projected male population of Dir lower in 2005 is 514072 and the female is 523020.
[edit] Government
The rulers of Dir originally held the title of Khan but from June 1897 onwards were styled Nawab Khan Bahadur. The royal status of the rulers was abolished in 1972 at the same time as most other princes of Pakistan.
| Tenure | Rulers of Dir[3] |
|---|---|
| Unknown dates | Ghulam Khan Baba |
| Unknown dates | Zafar Khan |
| Unknown dates | Qasim Khan |
| 1863 - 1874 | Ghazzan Khan |
| 1874 - 1884 | Rahmatullah Khan |
| 1884 - 1890 | Muhammad Sharif Khan (1st time) |
| 1890 - 1896 | Muhammad Umara Khan |
| 1896 - December 1904 | Muhammad Sharif Khan (2nd time) |
| December 1904 - February 1925 | Muhammad Aurangzeb Badshah Khan |
| February 1925 - 9th November 1960 | Muhammad Shahjahan Khan |
| 9th November 1960 - 28th July 1969 | Muhammad Shah Khosru Khan |
| 28th July 1969 | State of Dir dissolved |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Jinnah Papers The states: Historical and Policy Perspectives and Accession to Pakistan, First series volume VIII, Editor: Z.H.Zaidi, Quaid-i-Azam Papers Project, Government of Pakistan 2003 Pg xvii
- ^ Jinnah Papers The states: Historical and Policy Perspectives and Accession to Pakistan, First series volume VIII, Editor: Z.H.Zaidi, Quaid-i-Azam Papers Project, Government of Pakistan 2003 Pg xxxix
- ^ Ben Cahoon, WorldStatesmen.org. Pakistan Princely States. Retrieved on 2007-10-03.
