Mullah Powindah
Encyclopedia
Mullah Powindah born Mohiuddin Mahsud (died 1913) was a religious leader in the Pashtun
tribe of the Mahsud
s. Mullah Powindah led a long standing guerilla insurgency against the British forces in the late 19th century.
Mullah Powindah used the Tochi Valley
as his centre of operations and incited people from the area to revolt in Jihad
against the British. He became known first as the Selani Mullah and later as Mullah Powindah rather than by his rarely used real name of Mohiuddin. He was not a scholar in real terms but was familiar with the main tenets of Islam
, and due to his closeness with the clergy came to be known as a Mullah
. He was a revolutionary National leader and even the staunchest and most unwilling Wazir
and Mahsud tribesmen supported him and united on his call.
Mullah Powindah did Bai'ath
from Mullah Muhammad Anwar of Tirah
under the Qadiriyyah Tarikah. His teacher was Maulana Hamzullah Wazir who also was a prominent mujahed
of his time. Along with religious teachings, Mullah Powindah also received military training from Maulana Hamzullah Wazir.
in Wana
were still fresh in their minds. After this incident, a Mr. Baros was named the Political Agent to the agency. He had already played a major role in the success of the Sandeman policy in Balochistan
.
However, Baros knew it would be difficult to handle the tribes. Unlike Balochistan; where sardars wield the power, Wazir tribes had power in the Jirga
; where every single youth was an important member. As soon as Baros was appointed, a group of 5 Wazirs assassinated the British officer in charge of the constructions and communications department. Baros pressured the Malik
s to bring forward the accused in a Jirga and punish them. The Mahsud tribe yielded under pressure and brought forward the five accused. They were each given seven years imprisonment.
When Mullah Powindah learned of this, he understood it as an act of subjugation to the British. He announced that no one was to carry out this punishment. At this, the public surrounded the abodes of each of the Maliks who had announced the punishment. Three of them were executed for treason and the other two vanished fearing their lives. Along with this, Mullah Powindah also sent a letter to the political agent Mr. Baros through his trusted nephew Mullah Abdul Hakeem. In the letter he told the Political Agent to release the five tribesmen. At the time of receiving the letter. Mr. Baros was again planning to recapture areas outside Wana
. In the same letter Mullah Powindah also told him to stay clear of Wana.
As expected, Baros did not pay much attention to these warnings and sent an abuse riddled reply to Mullah Powindah. After the failure of these peace talks, Mullah Powindah decided to teach the British Political Agent a lesson.
Early morning on the 2nd of November 1894, the British officers were still asleep in the Wana cantonment. Suddenly, a Lashkar of Mujahideen made a surprise attack. Such was the ferocity and quickness of the strike that the British forces couldn't make proper decisions on how to react.
According to the Pioneer (published from Allahabad
, India
), the number of Mujahideen was around 1000. It described in detail the event, how the drumming, shouting and firing Mujahideen caught the British by surprise. The article reported the deaths of at least 100 British officers and common soldiers, with at least twice that number injured.
As soon as they attacked, the Mujahideen retreated back to their mountain strongholds with the same swiftness. General Turner and Major O'Neil sent soldiers in pursuit of the retreating party but they came back empty handed.
Almost immediately, another army was assembled, its command given to Sir William Lockhart, and then sent to Waziristan
. By November, cantonments in Waziristan were filled with troops under the British.
General Lockhart gave the Mullahs and other leaders a time frame of one month in which to submit an apology. But throughout the time nobody said anything or did anything.
On 14 December, the army spread out hoping to encounter the rebels and teach them a lesson. They proceeded from Wana
to Kaniguram
, Jandola
to Makeen
and from Bannu
to Razmak
. Winter had started and snow began to fall. Ice cold winds started to blow. The soldiers who had come from hot areas of India to these highlands were not used to the cold.
The Mahsud and Wazirs played a patient waiting game. They did not confront the incoming armies, but followed the time-honored strategy of almost all Pashtun tribes
which allows their enemies in and then unleash a fierce counterattack. However in this case the British faced no resistance. On 9 January the British forces retreated back to the same positions from which they had started.
On 21 January 1895 the British approached the tribesmen for peace talks and proposed the following demands:
During negotiations, the tribesmen agreed to the demands but none of them were ever fulfilled.
During the late 1890s Powindah may have carried out small raids on the British; these may have stopped after he met with the local Political Agent in 1900. He publicly refused the usual allownce given a tribal leader by the imperial government, insisting that his tribe's concerns be addressed. However he may have received larger sums without publicity. He remained a concern of the Raj
until his death.
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribe of the Mahsud
Mahsud
Mahsud is a Pashtun tribe in South Waziristan, a tribal region in Pakistan. Mahsud are considered to be one of the bravest and toughest Pashtun Tribes. The Mahsud tribe lives in the centre of South Waziristan valley, surrounded on three sides by the Darwesh Waziris, and being shut off by the...
s. Mullah Powindah led a long standing guerilla insurgency against the British forces in the late 19th century.
Mullah Powindah used the Tochi Valley
Tochi Valley
Tochi Valley, , is one of the main routes into Afghanistan from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan.The Tochi Valley leads from Bannu District through tribal areas, and is inhabited by the Dawari tribe. The valley is divided into two parts, known as Upper and Lower Dawar, by a narrow pass called the...
as his centre of operations and incited people from the area to revolt in Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
against the British. He became known first as the Selani Mullah and later as Mullah Powindah rather than by his rarely used real name of Mohiuddin. He was not a scholar in real terms but was familiar with the main tenets of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and due to his closeness with the clergy came to be known as a Mullah
Mullah
Mullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
. He was a revolutionary National leader and even the staunchest and most unwilling Wazir
Wazir (tribe)
Wazirs or Waziris are a Pashtun tribe settled in the North Waziristan and South Waziristan agencies of Pakistan as well in the urban cities of Tank, F.R Bannu,i.e Domel and adjacent villages, Karachi and Lahore. Across the border, they can also be found in Paktia, Khost and Paktika provinces of...
and Mahsud tribesmen supported him and united on his call.
Mullah Powindah did Bai'ath
Pir (Sufism)
Pir or Peer is a title for a Sufi master equally used in the nath tradition. They are also referred to as a Hazrat or Shaikh, which is Arabic for Old Man. The title is often translated into English as "saint" and could be interpreted as "Elder". In Sufism a Pir's role is to guide and instruct his...
from Mullah Muhammad Anwar of Tirah
Tirah
Tirah is a region located in Kurram and Khyber agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan . It lies between the Khyber Pass and the Khanki Valley. It is inhabited by the Afridi and Orakzai tribes of Pashtuns...
under the Qadiriyyah Tarikah. His teacher was Maulana Hamzullah Wazir who also was a prominent mujahed
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
of his time. Along with religious teachings, Mullah Powindah also received military training from Maulana Hamzullah Wazir.
Clash with the British
The British did not like his increasing popularity. They were already aware of the resistance from the Wazirs. In 1894 2000 Wazir and Mahsud youth had rioted against the British Cantonment, and the British losses at the hand of these MujahideenMujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
in Wana
Wana
Wana is the largest town of South Waziristan Agency in Pakistan's FATA . It is the summer headquarters for the Agency's administration, Tank located in neighbouring Tank District being the winter HQ-Colonial history:...
were still fresh in their minds. After this incident, a Mr. Baros was named the Political Agent to the agency. He had already played a major role in the success of the Sandeman policy in Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
.
However, Baros knew it would be difficult to handle the tribes. Unlike Balochistan; where sardars wield the power, Wazir tribes had power in the Jirga
Jirga
A jirga is a tribal assembly of elders which takes decisions by consensus, particularly among the Pashtun people but also in other ethnic groups near them; they are most common in Afghanistan and among the Pashtuns in Pakistan near its border with Afghanistan...
; where every single youth was an important member. As soon as Baros was appointed, a group of 5 Wazirs assassinated the British officer in charge of the constructions and communications department. Baros pressured the Malik
Malik
Malik is an Arabic word meaning "king, chieftain".It has been adopted in various other, mainly Islamized or Arabized, Asian languages for their ruling princes and to render kings elsewhere. It is also sometimes used in derived meanings...
s to bring forward the accused in a Jirga and punish them. The Mahsud tribe yielded under pressure and brought forward the five accused. They were each given seven years imprisonment.
When Mullah Powindah learned of this, he understood it as an act of subjugation to the British. He announced that no one was to carry out this punishment. At this, the public surrounded the abodes of each of the Maliks who had announced the punishment. Three of them were executed for treason and the other two vanished fearing their lives. Along with this, Mullah Powindah also sent a letter to the political agent Mr. Baros through his trusted nephew Mullah Abdul Hakeem. In the letter he told the Political Agent to release the five tribesmen. At the time of receiving the letter. Mr. Baros was again planning to recapture areas outside Wana
Wana
Wana is the largest town of South Waziristan Agency in Pakistan's FATA . It is the summer headquarters for the Agency's administration, Tank located in neighbouring Tank District being the winter HQ-Colonial history:...
. In the same letter Mullah Powindah also told him to stay clear of Wana.
As expected, Baros did not pay much attention to these warnings and sent an abuse riddled reply to Mullah Powindah. After the failure of these peace talks, Mullah Powindah decided to teach the British Political Agent a lesson.
Early morning on the 2nd of November 1894, the British officers were still asleep in the Wana cantonment. Suddenly, a Lashkar of Mujahideen made a surprise attack. Such was the ferocity and quickness of the strike that the British forces couldn't make proper decisions on how to react.
According to the Pioneer (published from Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), the number of Mujahideen was around 1000. It described in detail the event, how the drumming, shouting and firing Mujahideen caught the British by surprise. The article reported the deaths of at least 100 British officers and common soldiers, with at least twice that number injured.
As soon as they attacked, the Mujahideen retreated back to their mountain strongholds with the same swiftness. General Turner and Major O'Neil sent soldiers in pursuit of the retreating party but they came back empty handed.
Almost immediately, another army was assembled, its command given to Sir William Lockhart, and then sent to Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
. By November, cantonments in Waziristan were filled with troops under the British.
General Lockhart gave the Mullahs and other leaders a time frame of one month in which to submit an apology. But throughout the time nobody said anything or did anything.
On 14 December, the army spread out hoping to encounter the rebels and teach them a lesson. They proceeded from Wana
Wana
Wana is the largest town of South Waziristan Agency in Pakistan's FATA . It is the summer headquarters for the Agency's administration, Tank located in neighbouring Tank District being the winter HQ-Colonial history:...
to Kaniguram
Kaniguram
Kaniguram is a town in South Waziristan, Pakistan. It is the principal place associated with the Burki tribe and was the home of the sixteenth century scholar Pir Roshan.-Demographics:...
, Jandola
Jandola
Jandola is a town in Frontier Region Tank, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan....
to Makeen
Makeen
Makeen or Makin, is a small town in South Waziristan, Pakistan, located on the Y-junction between Sararogha and Wana, just south of Razmak in North Waziristan. It is mainly populated by members of the Mehsud tribe. The Pakistani military has called it "the nerve center" of the Pakistani Taliban...
and from Bannu
Bannu
Bannu is the principal city of the Bannu District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It is an important road junction and market city. Bannu is a very old city, founded in ancient times; however, the present location of the downtown Bannu was founded by Sir Herbert Edwardes in 1848,...
to Razmak
Razmak
Razmak is one of the three sub-divisions of North Waziristan Agency in Pakistan, the other two being Miranshah and Mirali. Inhabitants are Uthmanzai Wazirs. Razmak is further sub-divided in three Tehsils. Tehsil being the lowest administrative unit in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of...
. Winter had started and snow began to fall. Ice cold winds started to blow. The soldiers who had come from hot areas of India to these highlands were not used to the cold.
The Mahsud and Wazirs played a patient waiting game. They did not confront the incoming armies, but followed the time-honored strategy of almost all Pashtun tribes
Pashtun tribes
The Pashtun people are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan and the second largest in Pakistan. Pashtun, tribes are divided into four supertribal confederacies: the Arbanee , Betanee , Gharghasht, and Karlanee .Traditionally, according to folklore, all Pashtuns are said to have descended, at...
which allows their enemies in and then unleash a fierce counterattack. However in this case the British faced no resistance. On 9 January the British forces retreated back to the same positions from which they had started.
On 21 January 1895 the British approached the tribesmen for peace talks and proposed the following demands:
- The Tribesmen return all the loot and war booty
- Mullah Powindah not be allowed to enter any area of WaziristanWaziristanWaziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
- 50 Rifles, 200 Guns, 2 Swords and 1200 Rupees be given to the British as a fine for the crimes they have committed
During negotiations, the tribesmen agreed to the demands but none of them were ever fulfilled.
During the late 1890s Powindah may have carried out small raids on the British; these may have stopped after he met with the local Political Agent in 1900. He publicly refused the usual allownce given a tribal leader by the imperial government, insisting that his tribe's concerns be addressed. However he may have received larger sums without publicity. He remained a concern of the Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
until his death.