Loralai

Loralai Pashto: لورالائی‎ is the principal city of Loralai District in the northeast of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It was formerly known as Bori. It is four thousand seven hundred (4700) feet above the sea level. In 1545 Duki, a dependency of the Kandahar province, was conferred upon Mir Sayyid Ali by the Mughal Emperor Humayun. The province of Kandahar continued under Mughals until the year 1559 when it passed into the hands of the Safavids Kings of Persia and remained under their control until 1595. In 1595 it was recaptured by Emperor Akbar the Great, during Akbar’s reign the territory of Duki which was generally garrisoned, formed an eastern dependency of the Kandahar Province and provided a contingent of 500 horses and 1,000-foot (300 m) soldiers. In 1622 Kandahar again passed under the Safavids. In 1653 Emperor Shah Jahan sent a large expedition under his eldest son, Dara-Shikoh, to regain Kandahar but in vain. This was the last attempt on the part of the Mughals to regain Kandahar which was now lost to them for ever. Mir Wais Ghilzai or Khilji established Ghilzai/Khilji power in Kandahar around 1709. After 30 years of supremacy the Ghilzai/Khilji power gave way to Nadir Shah who captured after a severe struggle in 1737. However in 1747 Nadir Shah was assassinated and Ahmad Shah Durrani took over the reign of Government. The Durranis were followed in about 1826 by the Barakzai under Dost Mohammad. Almost the whole of Loralai District remained under this dynasty till 1879, in 1879 Duki and the Thal country with other parts of Balochistan passed into the hands of the British. Later Emperor Shah Jahan made great efforts to regain the province of Kandahar from the Safavids and with this end in view, in 1655 AD, sent a large expedition consisting of over 104,000 men under his elder son prince Dara Shikoh. After a lengthy investment, Dara Shikoh had to abandon the siege of Kandahar and returned. This was the last attempt on the part of Mughals to regain Kandahar which was now lost to them for ever. The province continued to be under the rule of the Safavids, but the Afghan inhabitants had become so highly discontended owing to the persecutions by the Persian governors that there was an uprising under Mir Wais Ghilzai, who established the Ghilzai power in Kandahar in about 1709 AD After ruling about 30 years, the Ghilzai power gave way to Nadir Shah who in 1737 AD marched on Kandahar and after a severe struggle, Mir Husain Khan, the last of the Ghilzai rulers, submitted. In 1747 AD, Naidr Shah was assassinated and the Afghans with a view to organize a regular government of their own, selected Ahmed Shah Durrani, a ruler of Kandahar, towards the end of the same year. Ahmed Shah at first attempted to administer the valley as a Kandahar District and appointed a governor named Agha Jan to represent him. This man irritated the Tarin tribe considerably and they murdered him. Ahmed Shah indignant at this act marched on Thal with a strong force. The Tarins surrendered to him. An annual tax of Rs.3,104 (Kaldar) was levied on the Tarin cultivators living on the Thal and Anambar perennial streams.

Under The Durrani's Kingdom

The Durranis were followed in about 1826 AD, by the Barakzais under the first Amir of Afghanistan, Dost Muhammad, and almost the entire district came under the nominal rule of this dynasty. According to the Treaty of Gandamak, signed on 25 May 1879 AD Duki and Thal Chotiali land with other parts of Balochistan passed into the hands of the British.

The steps by which the different parts of the district came under British control have been gradual. With the increase of British influence, most of the tribes petitioned to be taken under British protection and expressed their willingness to pay revenue. By 1884 AD, the British administration in the form of an Agency was established. During the early eighties some murderous attacks were made upon British subjects by different clans of Kakars under the influence of Shah Jahan of Zhob. Accordingly British troops were moved into Zhob and Sir Robert Sandeman held a darbar at Bori. The chiefs of the Bori valley attended this meeting and surrendered after the defeat of Shah Jehan. On 22 November 1894 AD, the Bori and Zhob chiefs reached an agreement accepting the supremacy of the British Government and promised to put a stop to further raids and to pay a fine of R.20,000. Gradually, administrative control was strengthened. On 1 November 1887 AD, the district was declared a part of British India. In 1947, prior to the creation of Pakistan, a referendum was held by the British in which the tribesmen of Loralai district, like other districts of the Frontier Region, opted for Pakistan.^[1]

In 1879 at the close of the first phase of Afghan war a British contingent while returning from Kandahar was opposed by a large body of tribesmen from the Zhob and Bori valley at Baghao under command of Shah Jahan (chief of Zhob). However tribal lashkar was defeated completely. In 1881 Thal Chotiali (Sibi) which included Duki was made Sub district of the Harnai political Agency. In 1881 inhabitants of Sanjavi were brought under British subjugation. In 1883 it was decided to build cantt at Duki and the Garrison of Thal Chotiali (Sibi) leaving a detachment at Gumbaz. In October 1884 a force comprising 4800 men moved into Bori (Loralai) valley and the mission was completely successful. In the following years it was decided that a frontier road should be constructed from Dera Ghazi Khan to Pishin through Loralai. The cantt from Duki was accordingly moved forward in 1886 to Loralai and Mil posts were stationed at Sanjavi, Mekhtar and Kingri. The Head Quarter of Assistant Political Agent at Duki was also changed to Loralai. In Nov 1887 Duki and Thal Chotiali (Sibi) were declared parts of British India and for the purpose of administration, the designation of the Political Agent was changed to that of Deputy Commissioner. In 1888 Sir Robert Sandeman proceeded with a small force through Musa Khel to Southern Zhob. Ultimately this led to the occupation of the Zhob valley in 1889. Loralai town and cantt remained under the Thal Chotiali Dist until 1894 when it was made over to the Zhob Agency.

Population

The population of Loralai district was estimated to be over 700,000 in 2005. The vast majority of the population of Loralai district are Pashtun with Major tribes of Kakar, Nasar and other minorities tribes like,Taraki, shinwarie and so on etc. as majority tribes. The district offers a great blend of mixed tribes from all parts of Pakistan. Some major tribes of Loralai have migrated from the parts of Zhob like "Jogezai", Jalalzai,Batozai,Sarprekarai and Musazai & Some migrant tribes from Afghanistan i.e. Sulemankhail,Tarakai,Tokhai,Andar,Khilji,Kharoti etc..

Main tribes of loralai

District Loralai is inhabited by pre dominately Pushtoon tribes; Major tribes are;-

Tehsil:LORALAI:- (1) Kakar: the Main Local tribe of Bori Kudezai'Hamzazai,Zakhpail,Younaskhel,Churmai,Marmakhail,Sargrah,Dumar, etc. (2)Nasar:Malezai,Yakhel,Dawod khel,Jalal khail, Ushkhel,etc. (3) Khilji or Ghilzai (including,Suleimankhail,Tarakai,Hottak,Tokhai,Andar,Babozai,Shamolzai, etc. (a no Of different afghan tribes from are also living here as refugees) (4) Syed(peachi)(5)Utmankhel(6)Orakzai(7)Sarprekarai (7)Baloch tribes settled in Loralai are Malghani, Buzdar, Qiasrani & Khetran, (8) Hazara Tehsil: Duki:-

(a) Nasar (b) Tareen (c) Luni (d) tarakai(lilizai,badinkhel,nakhel,shabaykhel) (e) Zarkoon (f) Sargarai (g) Khajjak(Hamzazai) (h) Shadozai(kakar) (i) Malghani (j) Syed

(k) fateh khail

(l) sarprekarai

"Makhter"

(a) Gahnazai (b) Plezai (c) Shumzai (d) Khlanzai

Shifting of British Camp

British camp was shifted from Duki in eighteen hundred and eighty (1880) due to its strategic location and military importance. Loralai is an important junction coming from Afghanistan via Zhob, Fort Monroe via Punjab and Balochistan via Quetta to Ziarat. These days Loralai is the regional headquarters of paramilitary Frontier Corps.

Loralai has been the district headquarters since 1903. It has consisted of different regions in different times. Loralai currently consists of four tehsils: Tehil Loralai, Tehsil Bori, Tehsil Mekhtar and Tehsil Duki. The population is approximately 0.34 million as per 1998 population.^[2] It is mostly inhabited by Kakar, Luni,tarakai(lilizai), Tareen and Kakar tribe with many sub branches is the majority in the current Loralai district.

Former principal of Government Degree College Loralai zahoor tarakai said it was named as Loralai in the British era. Before the settlement of new city, it was mostly inhabited by tribes whose occupation was animal husbandry and this 80 mile wide area was known as the Bori valley. But the British renamed it after the small river Lai and that is why it is called embankment of the (river/stream) Lai(Loralai).^[3]

Earliest signs of population in Loralai are twelve kilometers away from the city in Rana Gundy and in Duki near the ruins of the Mughal gundy. It is known from these ruins that limited population have started settling in Iron Age in these areas. But due to flooding in mountainous streams, these areas were destroyed many times. Rana Gundy is said to be destroyed seven times and re-populated again.^[4]

Earlier to British Empire

Before the arrival of the British, the area from Sibi to Loralai was called Thal-Chutiali. Then It was divided into two parts through Sibi district. The rationale beyond this division was probably to govern and control the Pashtun and Baloch population separately. The present Zhob Division comprises six districts, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Sherani, Musa Khel, Barakhan and Loralai.^[3]

It is inhabited by Pashtun tribes such as Naser, Tareen, Khilji, Durrani, (including Kakar, Sulaiman Khel, Tarakai, Andar, and Luni). The Baloch tribes Marri, Malghani, Buzdar and Khetran tribes live in southern and western parts of the district, and some in Loralai city. The Tareen tribe of Pashtuns is in majority and Khilji arrived from the Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan region at some point in time during the past. Malazai is the sub tribe of Kakar and they live in Loralai, Qila Saifullah and Chaman.

The area has Coal mines. The terrain of the area is part of the landscape created by the Sulaiman Range. Development in city,luni tribe is settled in major area of loralai district luni is brave and fight with other big tribes like murees luni tribe hold politicsin district loralai .

Loralai city has its own radio broadcasting station and mobile coverage of three operators. With the completion of the Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan road, many people see a much more brighter and prosperous future for the district since the travel to DG Khan is important in many ways like the transportation of cash crops and food crops and coal loaded trucks from Chamalang coal mines. The road in under construction between Wagum Rud and khajuri since long. Now the fresh contact has been awarded to FWO and fresh date for its completion is December 2008. All coal loaded trucks heading to Punjab and other areas travel on this road.

A peculiar feature of the soil of the Loralai is that it cannot be used for baked bricks as a baked brick gets brittle. Hence most of the town is made of mud. On the northern side of the town, there exists an old cantonment established before the departure of the British Empire for the purpose of defence against the Russian Empire.

See also

• Loralai District
• Pakistan Coal Mines and Resources

Government of Balochistan

References

Coordinates: 30°22′N 68°36′E / 30.367°N 68.600°E / 30.367; 68.600