Chitral (princely state): Difference between revisions

| native_name = {{lang-native name|fa|{{nq|چترال}}}}<br/>{{native name|khw|{{nq|ریاستِ چھترار}}}}

| status = [[Princely state]] in [[alliance]] with [[British India]] to 15 August 1947;<br>Fully independent: 15 August 1947 – 6 OctoberNovember 1947

| capital = [[MastujChitral]]<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Dani |first1=Ahmad Hasan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzG5llo3YCMC&dq=mastuj+capital+chitral&pg=PA241 |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Development in contrast : from the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century |last2=Masson |first2=Vadim Mikhaĭlovich |last3=Unesco |date=2003-01-01 |publisher=UNESCO |isbn=978-92-3-103876-1 |pages=241 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Davies |first=C. Collin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PfrXAAAAQBAJ&dq=mastuj+capital+chitral&pg=PA103 |title=The Problem of the North-West Frontier, 1890-1908 |date=2013-10-17 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-66209-4 |pages=103 |language=en}}</ref>

| today = [[Pakistan]]<br>{{·}} [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]

'''Chitral''' (or '''Chitrāl)''' ({{Lang-Langx|fa|{{nq|چترال}}}}) was a [[princely state]] in alliance with [[British Raj|British India]] until 1947, then a [[Princely states of Pakistan|princely state of Pakistan]] inuntil 1972.<ref name=Ex-Mehter/> The area of the state now forms the [[Upper Chitral District|Upper]] and [[Lower Chitral District]]s of the NWFP[[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]], [[Pakistan]].

During the reign of Mehtar [[Aman ul-Mulk]], the dynasty's sway extended from [[Asmar, Afghanistan|Asmar]] in the [[Kunar Valley]] of [[Afghanistan]] to [[Punial]] in the [[Gilgit-Baltistan|Gilgit Valley]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Chitral: A Bloody History and a Glorious Geography |url=http://blogcritics.org/chitral-a-bloody-history-and-a/ |access-date=26 October 2013 |archive-date=2 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602114345/http://blogcritics.org/chitral-a-bloody-history-and-a/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The entire region that now forms the Chitral District was a fully independent monarchy until 1885, when the British negotiated a [[subsidiary alliance]] with its hereditary ruler, the Mehtar, under which Chitral became a [[princely state]], still [[sovereignty|sovereign]] but subject to the [[suzerainty]] of the [[British Empire|British Indian Empire]]. In 1895 the British agent in [[Gilgit]], Sir [[George Scott Robertson]] was besieged in [[Chitral Fort]] for 48 days, and was finally relieved by two [[Chitral Expedition|British Forces]], one marching from [[Gilgit Agency|Gilgit]] and the other from [[Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Nowshera]]. After 1895, the British hold became stronger, but the internal administration remained in the hand of the Mehtar. In 1947 [[British Raj|India]] was [[Partition of India|partitioned]] and Chitral opted to accede to [[Pakistan]]. After accession, it finally became an administrative [[List of districts of Pakistan|district]] of Pakistan in 1972.<ref>{{cite book |last=Osella, Coares |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k0_QuKXhOuQC&pg=PA58 |title=Islam, Politics, Anthropology |date=19 March 2010 |isbn=9781444324419}}</ref>

[[Aman ul-Mulk]], Shah Afzal's younger son, succeeded his brother in 1857. After a brief dispute with [[Kashmir]], in which he laid siege to the garrison at [[Gilgit]] and briefly held the [[Punial]] valley. He accepted a treaty with the Maharaja of Kashmir in 1877. Aman ul-Mulk was such a strong ruler that no serious attempt to challenge his authority was made during his reign.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gurdon|first=Lieut.-Colonel B.E.M.|title=Chitral Memories|url=http://www.himalayanclub.org/journal/chitral-memories/|publisher=The Himalayan Club|access-date=26 October 2013|archive-date=8 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308181040/https://www.himalayanclub.org/journal/chitral-memories/|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the course of his rule Aman ul-Mulk met encountered many British officers some of whom have noted him in the following words.

Shuja reigned for forty-one years, during which Chitral enjoyed an unprecedented period of internal peace. He journeyed outside of the [[Hindu kush|Hindu Kush]] region, visiting various parts of India and meeting a number of fellow rulers, as well making the [[Hajj]] to [[Arabia]] and meeting [[Ibn Saud]]I. He was invited to the [[Delhi Durbar]] in January 1903.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chitral|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31447/31447-h/31447-h.htm|publisher=Project Gutenberg}}</ref> Shuja ul-Mulk sent his sons abroad to acquire a modern education. The princes travelled to far-off places such as [[Aligarh]] and [[Dehradun]] accompanied by the sons of notables who were schooled at state expense.<ref name="Chitral, A Study in Statecraft">{{harvnb|Pastakia|2004}}</ref> He supported the British during the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] in 1919, during which four of his sons and the [[Chitral Bodyguard|Chitral State Bodyguard]] served in several actions guarding the border against invasion.

At the time of the [[Partition of India]] on 15 August 1947, the then-Mehtar of Chitral, [[Muzaffar ul-Mulk]] (1901–1949), stated his intention to accede to Pakistan.<ref>Kuldip Singh Bajwa, ''Jammu and Kashmir War, 1947-1948'' (2003), p. 141</ref> However, he did not execute an [[Instrument of Accession]] until 6 OctoberNovember 1947.<ref>W. A. Wilcox, ''Pakistan: The Consolidation'' (Columbia University Press, 1963), p. 82</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8N7sAAAAMAAJ|title=Persistence and confidence transformation in the Eastern Hindu Kush: a study of resource management systems in Mehlp Valley, Chitral, North Pakistan|last=Rahman|first=Fazlur|date=2007-01-01|publisher=In Kommission bei Asgard-Verlag|pages=32|isbn=9783537876683|language=en}}</ref><ref>Umbreen Javaid, ''Politics of Bahawalpur: From State to Region, 1947-2000'' (2004), p. 115</ref> This was contentedly accepted by the [[Government of Pakistan]] without delay.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pIsMAQAAMAAJ|title=Swat State (1915-1969) from Genesis to Merger: An Analysis of Political, Administrative, Socio-political, and Economic Development|last=Sultan-i-Rome|date=2008-01-01|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195471137|language=en}}</ref> In 1954 a Supplementary Instrument of Accession was signed and the Chitral Interim Constitution Act was passed whereby the State of Chitral become a [[federated state]] of Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ygEUAAAAIAAJ|title=The North-west Frontier Province Year Book|date=1954-01-01|publisher=Manager, Government Ptg. & Staty. Department|pages=229|language=en}}</ref> The same year, a powerful advisory council was established on the insistence of the [[Federal Government of Pakistan]], and this continued to hold much power in Chitral until 1966.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/539766/familial-glory-in-chitral-and-swat-whats-in-a-name/|title=Familial glory: In Chitral and Swat, what's in a name? - The Express Tribune|date=2013-04-24|language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Princely state|Princely States]] of [[Dir (princely state)|Dir]], Chitral and [[Swat (princely state)|Swat]] were finally merged through the promulgation of the Dir, Chitral and Swat Administration Regulation of 1969 under [[Yahya Khan|General Yahya Khan]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nzivCgAAQBAJ|title=State and Nation-Building in Pakistan: Beyond Islam and Security|last1=Long|first1=Roger D.|last2=Singh|first2=Gurharpal|last3=Samad|first3=Yunas|last4=Talbot|first4=Ian|date=2015-10-08|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781317448204|pages=96|language=en}}</ref><ref name="A Princely Affair">{{Cite web|url=https://oup.com.pk/all-titles/a-princely-affair.html|title=A Princely Affair|website=oup.com.pk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513155921/https://oup.com.pk/all-titles/a-princely-affair.html|archive-date=13 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[capital city]] was [[Mastuj]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Dani |first1=Ahmad Hasan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzG5llo3YCMC&dq=mastuj+capital+chitral&pg=PA241 |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Development in contrast : from the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century |last2=Masson |first2=Vadim Mikhaĭlovich |last3=Unesco |date=2003-01-01 |publisher=UNESCO |isbn=978-92-3-103876-1 |pages=241 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Davies |first=C. Collin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PfrXAAAAQBAJ&dq=mastuj+capital+chitral&pg=PA103 |title=The Problem of the North-West Frontier, 1890-1908 |date=2013-10-17 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-66209-4 |pages=103 |language=en}}</ref> The official language of the state was Persian, used in official correspondence and literature. However, [[Khowar language|Chitrali]] was the defactode facto language.

The forts of Chitral were both [[Fortified house|fortified residence]] and the [[Seat of government|seat of power]] in the area.<ref>{{cite web|last=Woodburn|first=Bill|title=Forts of the Chitral Campaign of 1895|url=http://www.khyber.org/publications/011-015/chitralforts.shtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131025111531/http://www.khyber.org/publications/011-015/chitralforts.shtml|url-status=usurped|archive-date=25 October 2013}}</ref> The Mehtars' fort in Chitral has a commanding position on the Chitral river.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} It remains the seat of the current ceremonial Mehtar. To the west of the fort is the [[Shahi Masjid Chitral|Shahi Masjid]], built by Shuja ul-Mulk in 1922. Its pinkish walls and white domes make it one of north Pakistan's most distinctive [[mosque]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Brown, Clammer, Cocks, Mock|first=Lindsay, Paul, Rodney, John|title=Pakistan and the Karakoram Highway|year=2008|page=225|isbn=9781741045420|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zn8I4qEew9oC&q=chitral+royal+fort&pg=PA224}}</ref> The tomb of Mehtar Shuja ul-Mulk is located in a corner of the mosque. The summer residence of the ex-ruler of Chitral is on the [[Chitral National Park|hill top]] above the town at Birmoghlasht.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chitral|url=http://www.khyber.org/pashtoplaces/chitral.shtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131026121403/http://www.khyber.org/pashtoplaces/chitral.shtml|url-status=usurped|archive-date=26 October 2013}}</ref>

[[File:H.H. Fateh-ul-Mulk, Mehtar of Chitral.jpg|thumbnail|Mehtar [[Fateh-ul-Mulk Ali Nasir]], the current head of the Royal House of Katur and ceremonial Mehtar of Chitral]]

The family continues to be one of the strongest political forces in the district, although it has not consistently aligned itself with any particular party in the district.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cutherell|first=Danny|title=Governance and Militancy in Pakistan's Chitral district|url=http://csis.org/files/publication/111128_Cutherell_ChitralDistrict.pdf|publisher=Center for Strategic and International Studies|access-date=26 October 2013|archive-date=18 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518022004/https://csis.org/files/publication/111128_Cutherell_ChitralDistrict.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Shahzada Mohiuddin]], grandson of Shuja ul-Mulk, served as the [[Ministry of Tourism (Pakistan)|Minister of State for Tourism]] in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Future of five devolved PTDC motel employees uncertain|url=http://www.chitraltoday.net/2013/07/21/future-of-five-devolved-ptdc-motel-employees-uncertain/|newspaper=Chitral Today|date=21 July 2013|access-date=26 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029183844/http://www.chitraltoday.net/2013/07/21/future-of-five-devolved-ptdc-motel-employees-uncertain/|archive-date=29 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was twice elected as chairman of District Council [[Chitral District|Chitral]], once as [[Local government in Pakistan|District Nazim]], and four times as [[National Assembly of Pakistan|Member National Assembly of Pakistan]] (MNA).<ref>{{cite web|title=Familial glory: In Chitral and Swat, what's in a name?|date=23 April 2013 |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/539766/familial-glory-in-chitral-and-swat-whats-in-a-name/|publisher=The Express Tribune}}</ref> Shahzada Mohiuddin also served as chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA).<ref>{{cite news|title=MNA elected NA Committee Chairman|url=http://www.chitralnews.com/LN120.htm|newspaper=Chitral News|access-date=26 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127075049/http://www.chitralnews.com/LN120.htm|archive-date=27 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|title=Iftikhar Uddin |url=http://election.rtilive.pk/election/member_detail/79977 |publisher=Election Pakistan 2013 |access-date=26 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191751/http://election.rtilive.pk/election/member_detail/79977 |archive-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> The current head of the family, [[Fateh-ul-Mulk Ali Nasir]], was elected to the [[Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|provincial assembly]] of [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] during the [[2024 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election|2024 provincial elections]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Independent Candidate Fateh Ul Mulk Ali Nasir Wins PK-02 Election|date=9 February 2024|url=https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/independent-candidate-fateh-ul-mulk-ali-nasir-1793558.html |publisher=Urdu Point}}</ref>

# Shah Muhtarram Shah Kator (I) 1585

# Shah Muhtarram Shah Kator (III) 1854

# [[Fateh-ul-Mulk Ali Nasir]] 2011

[[Category:EmpiresFormer andmonarchies kingdomsin ofPakistani Pakistanhistory]]

[[Category:HistoryChitral of(princely Chitralstate)]]