Haji Ghulam Samdani
Haji Ghulam Samdani was a businessman in the British India.
Early life
H.G.Samdani was born in Baramulla Kashmir in the middle of the 19th century. It was around the 16th century that his forefathers migrated to Kashmir from Turbat-e-Jam in Iran. They were holy men, who came to the sub-continent to spread Islam through preaching. During the harsh rule of the Dogra Maharajas of Kashmir, economic activity was stifled and the local Kashmiri people were repressed. This caused an exodus of refugees from Kashmir in around the 1870s/1880's. During this period, H.G. Samdani migrated with some of his brothers to Peshawar.
In Peshawar he eventually developed a reputation for honesty and integrity in his business dealings. In time he became a contractor for the British Raj, a very lucrative and coveted livelihood at the time. He went on to make his fortune supplying the British army for its numerous punitive military expeditions in the N.W.F.P. and surrounding tribal areas.
Family
Being a very wealthy businessman he married several times, at the time a normal practice. He fathered a total of 47 children. Some of his children are listed below.
- M Abdul Aziz
- Mohammed Amin
- Abdur Rehman Peshawri
- Mohammed Hassan (Lord Hassan)
- Mohammed Naeem
- Mohammed Yahya
- Mohammed Umer
- Mohammad Yunus
- Begum Zubeida Khanum
Wealth
H.G. Samdani at one time owned the following
- Almost all of the Qissa Khwani Bazaar
- Cherat Hill Station, which after development he gave to the British army. Currently the Pakistan Army is using the station.
- A large land holding in the Khyber Agency
- Over 3,000 acres (12 km2) of agricultural land around the Charsadda road, the Warsak canal and the Bugney River.
The marriage ceremonies of some of his sons lasted over 40 days with small fortunes being spent on the festivities and entertainment.
In the Qissa Khwani Bazaar, he built and expanded the Qasim Ali Khan Mosque which still stands today. It is still the main centre for the sighting of the moon and announcement of Eid in Peshawar and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Death
H. G. Samdani led an active life till his death in the mid-1920s (he was in his early 80s). He died after returning from a survey of his lands on horseback.
He is buried in Qasim Ali Khan mosque along with three of his sons.