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66-602: Up until 1983, Chitral Gol was considered to be the private property of the former Mehtar of Chitral . The status of the park has been in dispute since and has become the issue of ongoing litigation between heirs of the former Mehtar and the Government of Pakistan . The way leading to the park is quite narrow and dangerous, yet more risky during the rainy days. It is located between 1450 metre and about 5000 metre above sea level. It has an area of 7750 hectares . This park includes three valleys. Several glaciers also lie in

132-577: A Council of Regency reigned for the next twelve years, during which Pakistani authority gradually increased over the state. Although installed as a constitutional ruler when he came of age in 1966, Saif ul-Mulk did not enjoy his new status very long. Chitral was absorbed and fully integrated into the Islamic Republic of Pakistan by Yahya Khan in 1969. In order to reduce the Mehtar's influence, he, like so many other princes in neighbouring India,

198-650: A princely state , still sovereign but subject to the suzerainty of the 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 British Forces , one marching from Gilgit and the other from Nowshera . After 1895, the British hold became stronger, but the internal administration remained in

264-672: A Rais backlash that brought Shah Mahmud Rais, the son of Shah Nasir, to the throne. The defeat of Shah Mahmud by Mohtaram’s son Sangin Ali II in 1660 marks the final establishment of the Kator dynasty, which lasted until modern times. Wolfgang Holzwarth conducted a recent investigation that challenges the account's reconstruction of the Rais period, claiming that it fails to acknowledge the spread of Islam in Chitral and Gilgit. According to Holzwarth,

330-625: A centre in Pakistan. At the time of his death, he was the most senior surviving military officer of the Pakistan Army . His youngest son Sikander ul-Mulk has captained the Chitral Polo Team at Shandur for over two decades. His eldest son Siraj ul-Mulk has served in Pakistan Army and Pakistan International Airlines as a pilot . Masood ul-Mulk grandson of Shuja ul-Mulk, is a Pakistani expert on humanitarian aid. He

396-462: A man with a military disposition, his reign witnessed the tumultuous events surrounding the Partition of 1947 . His prompt action in sending in his own Bodyguards to Gilgit was instrumental in securing the territory for Pakistan. The unexpected early death of Muzaffar ul-Mulk saw the succession pass to his relatively inexperienced eldest son, Saif-ur-Rahman, in 1948. Due to certain tensions he

462-401: A platform and hedged about with a certain dignity, dispensed justice or law in sight of some hundreds of his subjects, who heard the arguments, watched the process of debate, and by their attitude in the main decided the issue. Such 'durbars' were held on most days of the week in Chitral, very often twice in the day, in the morning and again at night. Justice compels me to add that the speeches in

528-448: A short reign of a few months, by his uncle Sher Afzal . Nizam ul-Mulk at once hurried to Chitral and succeeded in ousting Sher Afzal. It was the landing of William of Orange on a reduced scale and with Cashmere troops instead of Dutch guards. Twelve hundred men sent by Sher Afzul to oppose him fled to his side. The avuncular usurper, realising that it might be dangerous to wait longer, fled to Afghanistan, as James II had fled to France,

594-480: A symbol of the Mehtar's presence and flew above the Chitral fort. It was hoisted every morning, accompanied by a salute from the State Bodyguard Force , and taken down each evening after another salutation. The forts of Chitral were both fortified residence and the seat of power in the area. The Mehtars' fort in Chitral has a commanding position on the Chitral river. It remains the seat of

660-514: Is cold and dry. The temperature ranges from −12.2 to 43.3 °C (10.0 to 109.9 °F). The Birmoghlasht part of the park is where the former Mehtar's Summer Fort is located. At the time of existence of the Chitral State , the Mehtar and his family use to move here in the summer and hold court. The fort was constructed in such a way that it overlooked the entire city. It stands at an elevation of over 2800 meters above sea level . Besides

726-685: Is said to have been ruling in Yasin around 1660, according to Shigar-Nama. The next known ruler of Chitral is described as Shah Mahmud, who is reported recorded in Chinese Manchu annals of 1764 to have conquered Chitral from the Oirat Mongols who replaced the Chagatai rulers in 1678. He ruled from 1713-20. Shah Mahmud can reasonably be identified as Shah Mahmud Rais, son of Shah Nasir, who was forced to flee to Badakhshan by Mohtaram Shah I,

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792-672: Is the son of Khush Ahmed ul-Mulk, the last surviving son of Shuja ul-Mulk. Khush Ahmed ul-Mulk served in the British Indian Army. As of 2014 he was the most senior surviving member of Chitral's royal family. Taimur Khusrow ul-Mulk, grandson of Shuja ul-Mulk, and son of the daughter of the Nawab of Dir , served as a bureaucrat with the Federal Government of Pakistan and served as Accountant General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa prior to his retirement in 2016. The rulers of

858-853: The 2024 provincial elections . Mata ul-Mulk, one of the youngers son of Shuja ul-Mulk , served in the first Kashmir war . He is best known for defeating the Sikh forces in Skardu commanding the Chitral Bodyguard , during the Siege of Skardu . Burhanuddin , son of Shuja ul-Mulk, served as commander of the Indian National Army in Burma . He also served as a Senator after the World War II . Colonel Khushwaqt ul-Mulk, one of

924-583: The Chagatai Khanate brought Islam to the region in the early 16th century, establishing subcenters in Mastuj and Yasin . He cites the successful military expeditions led by Mirza Haidar from Yarkand into the Hindu Kush between 1520 and 1550 as evidence. The first independent Muslim ruler in Chitral was likely Shah Babur, who came in a second Islamic wave from Badakshan . His son, Shah Rais,

990-673: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan . During the reign of Mehtar Aman ul-Mulk , the dynasty's sway extended from Asmar in the Kunar Valley of Afghanistan to Punial in the Gilgit Valley . 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

1056-609: The Nai Tarikh-i-Chitral , should be set around the 18th century instead. The investigation by Wolfgang Holzwarth indicates that Kator rule may not have been established in Chitral until the mid-18th century, as documented in the Manchu annals. Holzwarth also suggests that the first seven rulers of the Rais period may be a recent invention, as there is no mention of them in any known source or oral tradition. The last three rulers are likely historical, and conflicts between

1122-475: The Siege of Chitral , an instance of high drama which goes down in the annals of British India as an epic of enormous courage and determination. Muhtarram Shah Kator the III was succeeded by Aman ul-Mulk. In order to succeed Aman ul-Mulk had killed his elder brother in 1856. Thus in 1857, Aman climbed to the throne of Chitral, by steps slippery with the blood he had shed. He is referred to in local chronicles as

1188-574: The Supreme Legislative Council . Though admirably suited to govern a savage people, he was exceedingly cruel, treacherous and vindictive. Sir Lepel Griffin has called him – ''a translucent old savage''. At his accession he killed all his near relations except his brother Sher Afzul, who fled. Historian John Keay has put him down as "the cunning genius". whereas orientalist , Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner has referred to him as, "A terrible man, who to extraordinary courage joined

1254-520: The passes of the Hindu Kush . And it was the same menace, real or fanciful, which prompted the Marquess of Lansdowne to re-establish the Gilgit Agency in 1889. Until 1892 Mehtar Aman ul-Mulk had provided a sturdy bulwark to British interests, his death had jeopardised that security. The British preferred to conciliate Nizam ul-Mulk, as he was connected with Umra Khan of Jandul and with

1320-526: The 1990s. He was twice elected as chairman of District Council Chitral , once as District Nazim , and four times as Member National Assembly of Pakistan (MNA). Shahzada Mohiuddin also served as chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA). The current head of the family, Fateh-ul-Mulk Ali Nasir , was elected to the provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during

1386-655: The Amirs eldest son, Sardar Habibullah Khan . And to hussel the Mehtar into concluding the matrimonial alliance . The Amir imposed political and economic pressures. Aman however did not crumble to this pressure and continued to be reluctant to enter into the said marriage alliance without the sanction of the British Government. With the few incidence of turbulence apart Chitral remained relatively undisturbed during this period noting which Churchill wrote, "Meanwhile Aman ul-Mulk ruled in Chitral showing great respect for

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1452-458: The British. Mastuj , also removed from the Mehtar's jurisdiction in 1895, was restored to him within two years. Shuja reigned for forty-one years, during which Chitral enjoyed an unprecedented period of internal peace. He journeyed outside of the 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

1518-633: The Chitralies and had been guilty of treachery to the English. Sir George Robertson therefore declared that subject to the approval of the Government of India, Shuja ul-Mulk his younger brother was recognised as Mehtar. The critical nature of the situation leading up to the siege of Chitral is brought out very clearly in the speech made by Lord Elgin , the Viceroy of India , on 29 March 1895, to

1584-468: The Great Mehtar , who ruled over the valleys with true oriental despotism between 1857 and 1892. Sir George John Younghusband denoted him as a "strong and astitute" ruler. Lord Curzon acclaimed him as "The very man for such a state and such times". Aman ul-Mulk ruled over Upper and Lower Chitral extending from the borders of Punjab on one side to the borders of Kafiristan and Dir on

1650-496: The Kator and Khushwaqte branches of the same dynasty are described in more detail in the NTCH after the defeat of the Rais. Despite this, the chronology of events in the NTCH remains unreliable, and there is an effort to stretch the Kator rule back to the early 17th century, even though the first confirmed Kator ruler, Mohtaram Shah I, likely ruled in the early 18th century. Dynastic wars also continued to occur between close relatives of

1716-659: The Kator dynasty with the date of their accession 35°50′16″N 71°47′02″E  /  35.83778°N 71.78389°E  / 35.83778; 71.78389 Aman ul-Mulk Aman ul-Mulk ( Khowar : امان الملک ; 1 January 1821 – 30 August 1892) was the Mehtar of Chitral , Ghizer, Yasen and Ishkoman and Suzerain of Kafiristan . He ruled the State of Chitral from 1857 to 1892. His rule saw Chitral reach its territorial peak, extending from Ishkamun in Gilgit Agency to Asmar in Afghanistan . His death led to

1782-529: The Kator family to gain the throne. 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. During

1848-459: The Mahraka were less long and the general demeanour more decorous than in some western assemblies. For forty years his was the chief personality on the frontier. After a relatively long reign, he died peacefully in 1892. Without any law of succession, a long war of succession ensued between Aman ul-Mulk's sons after his death. Aman's younger son, Afzal ul-Mulk , proclaimed himself ruler during

1914-494: The Mehtar maintained control over distant parts of the state by appointing trusted officials. From the Chitral fort, which housed the extended royal family, the Mehtar presided over an elaborate administrative hierarchy. The state flag of Chitral was triangular in shape and pale green in colour. The wider side of the pennant depicted a mountain, most likely the Terich Mir peak. In the later Katoor period, this flag served as

1980-529: The Mehtar or King of Chitral got an annual subsidy of Rs 12,000 from the ruler of Kashmir . The Mehtar was to present the latter annually three horses, five hawks and five Tezi dogs. Further a treaty was signed between the Amir of Afghanistan and Mortimer Durand that the former would not interfere in Bajaur , Dir , Swat and Chitral . But the disagreements increased after settlement. More than anything else, it

2046-450: The absence of his elder brother. He then proceeded to eliminate several of his brothers, potential contenders to his throne. This initiated a war of succession, which lasted three years. Afzal ul-Mulk was killed by his uncle, Sher Afzal , the stormy petrel of Chitral and a long-time thorn in his father's side. He held Chitral for under a month, then fled into Afghan territory upon Nizam ul-Mulks return. Nizam, Afzal ul-Mulk's eldest brother and

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2112-518: The account, the history of Chitral is divided into three main periods: the Kafir period, the Rais period, and the Kator period. It describes the arrival of Islam in Chitral in the 7th century by an Arab army that defeated a local king named Bahman Kohistani. After a gap of five centuries, it describes upper Chitral under Sumalik of the Trakhane dynasty , which supposedly ruled Gilgit, while lower Chitral

2178-485: The alliance of their father with the Great Sircar . Aman ul-Mulk died very suddenly and all the circumstances of his death indicate that he succumbed in the ordinary course of nature to a sudden attack of illness but it is so unusual in Chitral for a Mehtar to come to a peaceful end, that most of the Chitralies believe that he was poisoned . By the time of Aman ul-Mulk's death in 1892, Chitrals primary importance

2244-410: The border against invasion. Nasir ul-Mulk succeeded his father in 1936. He received a modern education, becoming a noted poet and scholar in his own right. He took a deep interest in military, political and diplomatic affairs, and spent much of his time on improving the administration. Dying without a surviving male heir in 1943, his successor was his immediate younger brother, Muzaffar ul-Mulk . Also

2310-480: The course of his rule Aman ul-Mulk met encountered many British officers some of whom have noted him in the following words. His bearing was royal, his courtesy simple and perfect, he had naturally the courtly Spanish grace of a great heredity noble Chitral, in fact, had its parliament and democratic constitution. For just as the British House of Commons is an assembly, so in Chitral, the Mehtar, seated on

2376-472: The court of Aman-ul-Mulk , the ruler of Chitral during the British period , has come to be seen as the official historiography of Chitral, and is largely accepted by international scholarship. However, it has been criticized on weak chronologigal ground, as it traces back the advent of Islam in Chitral around the 7th century, and sought to legitimize the Kator rule by anticipating its beginning. According to

2442-638: The current ceremonial Mehtar. To the west of the fort is the Shahi Masjid , built by Shuja ul-Mulk in 1922. Its pinkish walls and white domes make it one of north Pakistan's most distinctive mosques . 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 hill top above the town at Birmoghlasht. The descendants of the Katur dynasty are still widely respected and honoured in Chitral today. The last ruling Mehtar Muhammad Saif-ul-Mulk Nasir

2508-514: The first Kator ruler of Chitral, but eventually regained his throne with the help of a large army from Kashgar and Yarkand. In the decisive battle fought at Danin , Shah Khushwaqt, brother of Shah Mohtaram, was killed, and the other Kator princes fled from Chitral. The battle of Danin is likely the same event reported in the Manchu annals and the Oirat Mongol invasion of Chitral mentioned by Biddulph . Shah Mahmud's counterattack, dated 1630 by

2574-476: The first time after the withdrawal of the Gilgit Agency in 1881 the Amir of Afghanistan Abd-ar-Rahman , in a letter, claimed suzerainty over Chitral in 1882, he claimed Chitral in unqualified terms and asked its rule Aman ul-Mulk to acknowledge his suzerainty and declared that the British had no right of interference with the affairs of his Chiefship. The Governor General of India , Lord Ripon could not leave

2640-451: The fort Birmoghlasht also houses a wildlife hut and is a great tourist spot in a few kilometres drive from Chitral town. Chitral (princely state) Chitral or Chitrāl ( Persian : چترال ) was a princely state in alliance with British India until 1947, then a princely state of Pakistan until 1972. The area of the state now forms the Upper and Lower Chitral Districts of

2706-411: The hand of the Mehtar. In 1947 India was partitioned and Chitral opted to accede to Pakistan . After accession, it finally became an administrative district of Pakistan in 1972. Since the early 19th century, local chroniclers have been documenting the history of Chitral and are considered the main source on the subject. The Nai Tarikh-i-Chitral , written by Ghulam Murtaza, son of the historian at

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2772-528: The influential Mullah Shahu Baba of Bajaur through his maternal uncle Kokhan Beg. He also had connections in Badakshan , Hunza and Dir . However, with Aman ul-Mulks death, all hell broke loose in Chitral, a three way struggle for succession broke out between two of his sons, Nizam ul-Mulk and Afzal ul-Mulk and their uncle Sher Afzal . Having the fortune of being on the spot Afzal took control and proclaimed himself Mehtar. The first thing that Afzal did

2838-459: The letter unchallenged. After telegraphic references to London for permission to threaten Abd-ar-Rahman with ‘force of arms if needful’. Ripon warned him, tactfully, whereupon Abd-ar-Rahman promised to desist from interfering in the affairs of Chitral in the future. However, on 14 June 1877, officials of the Amir came to Chitral to arrange for the betrothal of one of the Mehtars daughters to

2904-464: The nominal suzerainty of the Maharaja of Kashmir . This brought him into direct touch with the Government of India , with whom from that time until his death he did all he could to maintain friendly relations. In 1885 a mission under Sir William Lockhart visited Chitral and was very cordially received, and so too was Colonel Durand, who went there in 1888. By the agreement of 1878 Aman ul-Mulk

2970-497: The other. The northern boundary of his dominion was the watershed of the Hindu Kush . In those early years, up to 1871, Chitral still paid tribute to Badakhshan in slaves , but it would be absurd to infer from this fact that Chitral ever acknowledged the suzerainty of Jehandar Shah or of the Afghan faction that dispossessed him. In 1878 Aman ul-Mulk being anxious of aggression by the Amir of Afghanistan placed Chitral under

3036-491: The park include: The annual rainfall in its region is estimated to be 462 ml (16.3 imp fl oz; 15.6 US fl oz). In September, it rains more on the spectacular peaks surrounding the park. However, in November, the rainfall is more in the valleys and on the lower peaks. There is also snowfall during the winter season. The snow-covered white peaks enhance the beauty till June. The general weather

3102-464: The park through which several springs make their way and ultimately form a stream which runs 18 kilometres . The cold water of this stream flows towards the east, into the River Chitral . The park is rich in trees particularly cedar trees. The park also serves to provide shelter to a vast bio-diversity , especially markhor , an endangered wild goat species. Some of the larger mammals found in

3168-541: The promulgation of the Dir, Chitral and Swat Administration Regulation of 1969 under General Yahya Khan . The capital city was Mastuj . The official language of the state was Persian, used in official correspondence and literature. However, Chitrali was the de facto language. The ruler's title was Mitar which is pronounced as Mehtar by outsiders. Aman ul-Mulk adopted the Persian style Shahzada for his sons, and

3234-493: The question was still under determination the Mehtar was murdered by his brother Amir ul-Mulk . Amir demanded recondition from Lieutenant Gurdon who was acting as assistant political agent in Chitral. When Amir ul-Mulk came to him he very properly said that he had no power to grant recognition until instructed to do so by the Government of India but that in all probability he would be recognised. Amir ul-Mulk had shown himself quite unfit to rule. He had made himself hateful to

3300-534: The recent spate of murder and intrigue. After installing the young Mehtar, British and Kashmiri forces endured the famous defence against a seven-week siege by Sher Afzal and the Umra Khan of Jandul . Although Shuja ul-Mulk was now firmly established as ruler, the Dogras annexed Yasin, Kush, Ghizr and Ishkoman . Dogra suzerainty over Chitral ended in 1911, and Chitral became a Salute state in direct relations with

3366-589: The rightful heir, then succeeded in December of the same year. At about that time, Chitral came under the British sphere of influence following the Durand Line Agreement , which delineated the border between Afghanistan and the British Indian Empire . Nizam ul-Mulk's possessions in Kafiristan and the Kunar Valley were recognised as Afghan territory and ceded to the Amir. Within a year, Nizam

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3432-560: The style prevailed from then on. The word Khonza (meaning princess in the Khowar language ) was reserved for female members of the Mehtar’s family. The Mehtar was an influential player in the power politics of the region as he acted as an intermediary between the rulers of Badakhshan , the Yousafzai pashtuns , the Maharaja of Kashmir and later the Amir of Afghanistan . The Mehtar

3498-585: The wishes of the British Government and in the enjoyment of his subsidy and comparative peace". In October 1889, Colonel Durand arrived in Chitral, the Mehtars reception of his guest was most cordial. During the course of the visit Aman readily agreed to the following depending on receipt of increased subsidy: In 1886, and again in 1888, he sent two of his sons, Afzal ul-Mulk and Nizam ul-Mulk , down to India . They came back much impressed with what they had seen and did all they could to strengthen

3564-767: The younger sons of Shuja ul-Mulk , served as the Commandant of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh ) Rifles . He was educated at the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College (now the Rashtriya Indian Military College ) at Dehradun, India . Following his father's death in 1936 he became the governor of Upper Chitral. He was a philanthropist and helped the Brooke Hospital for Animals , the British-based equine charity, to set up

3630-603: Was Aman ul-Mulk, sense of his own interests which led him to rely upon Kashmir and the British. Aman ul-Mulk, now secure and strengthened, swiftly eliminated his old rivals south of the Hindu Kush and was able as a result to expand his dominion from Ishkamun in the Gilgit Agency to Asmar in Afghanistan. The two valleys of Chitral, along the perceived border with Afghanistan were unified under Aman ul-Mulk in 1880, with encouragement from Colonel Biddulph . For

3696-600: Was contentedly accepted by the Government of Pakistan without delay. 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. 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. The Princely States of Dir , Chitral and Swat were finally merged through

3762-465: Was educated at Aitchison College . He had received Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953) and Pakistan Republic Medal (1956). 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. Shahzada Mohiuddin , grandson of Shuja ul-Mulk, served as the Minister of State for Tourism in

3828-451: Was exiled from Chitral by the Government of Pakistan for six years. They appointed a board of administration composed of officials from Chitral and the rest of Pakistan to govern the state in his absence. He died in a plane crash on the Lowari while returning to resume charge of Chitral in 1954. Saif ul-Mulk Nasir (1950–2011) nominally succeeded his father at the age of four. In his name,

3894-484: Was himself murdered by yet another ambitious younger brother, Amir ul-Mulk . The approach of the Chitral Expedition , a strong military force composed of British and Kashmiri troops prompted Amir to eventually surrender, his patron, the Umra Khan fled to Jandul. The British had decided to support the interests of Shuja ul-Mulk , the youngest legitimate son of Aman ul-Mulk , and the only one untainted by

3960-554: Was invited to represent his country abroad. He served in various diplomatic posts in Pakistan's Foreign Office and prematurely retired from the service as Consul-General in Hong Kong in 1989. He died in 2011, and was succeeded (albeit largely symbolically) by his son Fateh ul-Mulk Ali Nasir . 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. However, he did not execute an Instrument of Accession until 6 November 1947. This

4026-432: Was invited to the Delhi Durbar in January 1903. 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. He supported the British during the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919, during which four of his sons and the Chitral State Bodyguard served in several actions guarding

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4092-471: Was received by the ruler with hospitality and carefully preserved as an element of future disorder. Nizam, like his brother, asked that a political officer might reside in Chitral territory, and Captain Youngshusband was accordingly sent to Mastuj . Later probably not feeling himself very secure Nizam urged for the headquarters of the residence political officer who happened at that time to be Lieutenant Gurdon, to be shifted from Mastuj to Chitral but while

4158-402: Was ruled by Kalasha rulers Bulasing and Rajawai. The Kafir period came to an end in 1320 accordingly, when a foreign chief named Shah Nadir Rais, presumably from Turkestan , arrived and founded the Raisa rule, which lasted from 1531 to 1574. Shah Nasir is described as the eighth of nine Rais rulers. They were ousted by Mohtaram Shah Kator, who reigned from 1595 to 1630, ending the rule due to

4224-422: Was that it contained the series of valleys stretching from Wakhan to British held India. Fear of this area as an invasion route went back to 1874, amid the claim that Russia could be in British territory within thirteen days with an army if held Chitral. During the Viceroyalty of Lord Lytton , it was deemed expedient, in view of Russian military activity in Central Asia , to obtain more effective control over

4290-502: Was the center of all political, economic and social activity in the state. Intimacy with or loyalty to the ruling prince was a mark of prestige among the Mehtar's subjects. Tribes in Upper Swat , Dir , Kohistan and Kafiristan (present day Nuristan ), paid tribute to the Mehtar of Chitral. The Mehtar was the source of all power in the land, the final authority on civil, military and judicial matters. To function effectively, he built an elaborate administrative machinery. From Chitral,

4356-409: Was to invite as many brothers as were within reach to a banquet where he murdered them. Nizam ul-Mulk was away in Yasin , of which he was the governor, when the Mehtarship was seized by his brother Afzal ul-Mulk. Anxious to consolidate his power Afzal asked the British that an officer might be sent to reside permanently in Chitral. Before, however, any arrangements could be made he was killed, after

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