Karlal
The Karlal (urdu کرڑال also known as Kard'al, Karaal, Karhral, or Kiraal) is a Hindko speaking tribe in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This tribe is settled in Abbottabad and Haripur districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The tribe descent from Kallar shah who came to subcontinent hazara devision from Anatolia. In Haripur and Abbottabad, they are known as 'Sardars' (chiefs) because prior to the time of the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1296) they were among the original sardars (meaning leaders) of this area. Today, the majority of the people of the Karlal tribe are Sunni Muslims. Although the Sardari-System is now obsolete, the name prevails due to extensive usage by local people, including other tribes who prefer to refer Karlals as sardars. The origins of the Karlal are mentioned both in the census reports of Ibbetson and Rose as well as in the Hazara District Gazetteers of 1884, 1907 and others - compiled during British rule.They are extensively distributed in hilly areas of Abbottabad District known as Gallies or Galyat.
Later History
As per 'Wajab Ul Arz' of 1874 compiled by British authorities, the Karlal tribe throughout history tried to retain their independence. During the Mughal era, when the Gakhar Tribesmen were trying to extend their authority in the entire lower Hazara, the leader of Karlal tribe Morcha Kulli Khan killed the Gakhar chief and retained his tribe's independence.[citation needed] Turks were also never able to extend their authority over this tribe although enjoying suzerainty over large portion of Pakhal Sarkar at that time. During the Durrani period, no attempt was made by the Afghan rulers to subdue the Karlal territory. However, when the Sikhs captured lower Hazara, they tried to gain control over the entire lower Hazara region including the Karlal territories.
In 1822 Ranjit Singh sent a large force under General Amar Singh Majitha, which was defeated by the Karlals, killing Amar Singh. Lepel Griffin writes in his book about this battle of Sumandar Khata.[citation needed] From 1822 to 1845 Karlal tribe fought many battles with Sikhs and was able to retain its independence throughout the Sikh period. In 1844 once again Lahore Darbar sent a large force under Diwan Mulraj and Hari Singh to subdue the Karlal country. Taking advantage of the terrain, the Karlals were able to defeat the Sikh army at a place called Nah, and killed more than 150 Sikh soldiers.[citation needed]
During the British period at the time of mutiny in 1857, the Karlal tribe tried to revolt against the rule of the East India Company, however, the British were able to imprison the Karlal chief Sardar Hassan Ali Khan, and many mutineers of this tribe were hanged along with some Dund tribesmen (Mutiny Reports 1857 of Hazara District). The British had to establish the five cantonments of Bara Gali, Nathia Gali, Dunga Gali, Changla Gali and Ghora Gali in the small Karlal territory in order to keep this tribe subdued, along with the construction of a road, which started immediately after the war of independence of 1857.[citation needed]
During the time of the Indian independence movement, the entire Karlal tribe joined the flanks of Muslim League and strove hard for the creation of Pakistan.[citation needed] In the elections of 1946, fought on the single point of the division of India, people of this tribe were forerunners in defeating congress candidates who had the backing of more populous tribes like the Jadoon tribe and the Swati, Pashtun tribe. In fact the representative and leader of this tribe at that time, Captain Sardar Zain Muhammad Khan, represented the Hazara District in the Delhi Muslim League Parliamentarians Convention, which under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah finally voted for the division of India and the creation of Pakistan.[citation needed]
Notable people
- Mr. Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan (Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan & Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court)
- Sahibzada Mohammad Khurshid (1st Pakistani governor of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan)
- Mohammad Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi (Former president Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan and Pasban Khatme Nabuwwat
- Sardar Ahmad Nawaz (Leader of Hazara Awami Ittehad Pakistan).
- Haider Zaman Khan (Nazim of Abbottabad District Council, Founder of Tehreek-e-Sooba-Hazara)
References
Further reading
- Tareekh-E-Frishta
- Tareekh-E-Hazara by Badhar Khan
- Tareekh-E-Bani Aees by Sardar Iqbal Khan
- Tareekh-E-Karlal by Nasir Rehman Karlal