Sultan Raja Erij Zaman Khan
Encyclopedia
Raja Erij Zaman Khan of Khanpur, in Haripur District
of Hazara
division, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, is the present Chief of the Gakhars
tribe. He is the great-grandson of Khan Bahadur Raja Jahandad Khan
a prominent chief in British India. In 1963, he succeeded his father Raja Rukan Zaman (Member West Pakistan Legislative Assembly, Pakistan Independence Medal). Raja Erij Zaman Khan was made chief by the President of Pakistan
, Ayub Khan, in a ceremony also attended by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
gifted the estate to his grandson Fateh Khan. At that time the estate compromised of 225 villages including Dhund and Karral Hills (Murree).he took charge of the estate after his fathers death sultan saaid khan in 1597 and settled in khanpur hazara.
The Raja is a nephew of Raja Sikander Zaman
, former Chief Minister of North West Frontier Province. He is also the maternal nephew of Khan of Makhad
, Sher Ahmad Khan
. Raja Erij remained Member Majlis-e-Shoora
during General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
's military regime. He was also elected Member of Provincial Assembly from Khanpur (NWFP).
He was educated at Army Burn Hall College
, Abbottabad
. He is married and has three sons and a daughter.
gave the courtesy title of "Sultan
" to Raja Erij's remote ancestor, the Gakhar Chief Sultan Sarang
, due to his influence and loyalty to the Emperor; and this title was used at that time by the heads/chiefs of the tribe who held sway over a considerable area of (present) Northern Punjab
and some part of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.As part of Mughal policy, various Mughal princes and kings married the daughters of Rajput
and other important chiefs, including the Gakhars.Later, during the Sikh
rule under Maharajah Ranjit Singh
, the Gakhars had a rather hard time, sometimes winning favour but often facing severe indemnities. Upon the British
annexation of the Punjab in 1849, they thus whole-heartedly threw in their lot with them, gaining back some of their former estates and dignities.
Haripur District
Haripur is a district in the Hazara region of Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan with an altitude of around above sea level. Haripur District has the highest Human Development Index of all the districts in the Hazara....
of Hazara
Hazara Division
On the dissolution of West Pakistan in 1970, Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad...
division, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, is the present Chief of the Gakhars
Gakhars
The Gakhars are an ancient warrior clan who have predominantly resided in what is present day northern Punjab and South-Western Kashmir, Pakistan. In particular in the cities of Rawalpindi, Jhelum and regions of Gilgit, Baltistan, Chitral, Khanpur and Mirpur, Pakistan...
tribe. He is the great-grandson of Khan Bahadur Raja Jahandad Khan
Khan Bahadur Raja Jahandad Khan
Khan Bahadur Raja Jahandad Khan, was a descendant of Sultan Sarang and a Chief of Gakhars.Raja Jahandad was conferred the title of Khan Bahadur on 24 May 1881 and was made an Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire on 1st Jan, 1904...
a prominent chief in British India. In 1963, he succeeded his father Raja Rukan Zaman (Member West Pakistan Legislative Assembly, Pakistan Independence Medal). Raja Erij Zaman Khan was made chief by the President of Pakistan
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
, Ayub Khan, in a ceremony also attended by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
Historical Background and Family
Raja is the heir of Khanpur Estate, which at the time of Raja Jahandad Khan comprised 84 villages and an area of 684 sq miles. Khanpur Estate was founded by Fateh Khan, son of Sultan Said Khan, at the end of the 1537 Sultan SarangSultan Sarang
Sultan Sarang was a chief of the Gakhar tribe which resided in the Pothohar region in Northern Punjab, modern day Pakistan. He was born in Pharwala fort and his father was a Gakhar chief Tatar Khan...
gifted the estate to his grandson Fateh Khan. At that time the estate compromised of 225 villages including Dhund and Karral Hills (Murree).he took charge of the estate after his fathers death sultan saaid khan in 1597 and settled in khanpur hazara.
The Raja is a nephew of Raja Sikander Zaman
Raja Sikander Zaman
- Early History :The Gakhars were a fiercely independent and warlike clan now located in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Jhelum, Kashmir, Gilgit, Khanpur and Mirpur regions in modern day Pakistan...
, former Chief Minister of North West Frontier Province. He is also the maternal nephew of Khan of Makhad
Makhad
Makhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
, Sher Ahmad Khan
Sher Ahmad Khan
Sher Ahmad Khan, known as Khan of Makhad, was the Chief of the Sagri Khattaks. He was also a Jagirdar of Shakardara in Kohat District. The Dynasty was started by Ghazi Khan in the early 16th century during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Ghazi Khan moved from Kohat to Makhad after...
. Raja Erij remained Member Majlis-e-Shoora
Majlis-e-Shoora
The Parliament of Pakistan, officially termed the Majlis-e-Shoora ; is the federal and supreme legislative body of Pakistan. It is a bicameral federal legislature that consists of the Senate and the National Assembly, the upper and lower houses, respectively...
during General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988...
's military regime. He was also elected Member of Provincial Assembly from Khanpur (NWFP).
He was educated at Army Burn Hall College
Army Burn Hall College
Army Burn Hall College is situated in Abbottabad, Pakistan. There are separate wings for boys and girls. The girls section is located on Mall Road near the city center, the boys branch is in Mandian. Originally these were Junior Burn Hall and Senior Burn Hall Schools respectively...
, Abbottabad
Abbottabad
Abbottabad is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, northeast of the capital Islamabad and east of Peshawar at an altitude of and is the capital of the Abbottabad District...
. He is married and has three sons and a daughter.
Previous Titles
The Mughal Emperor BaburBabur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
gave the courtesy title of "Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
" to Raja Erij's remote ancestor, the Gakhar Chief Sultan Sarang
Sultan Sarang
Sultan Sarang was a chief of the Gakhar tribe which resided in the Pothohar region in Northern Punjab, modern day Pakistan. He was born in Pharwala fort and his father was a Gakhar chief Tatar Khan...
, due to his influence and loyalty to the Emperor; and this title was used at that time by the heads/chiefs of the tribe who held sway over a considerable area of (present) Northern Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and some part of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.As part of Mughal policy, various Mughal princes and kings married the daughters of Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
and other important chiefs, including the Gakhars.Later, during the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
rule under Maharajah Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
, the Gakhars had a rather hard time, sometimes winning favour but often facing severe indemnities. Upon the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
annexation of the Punjab in 1849, they thus whole-heartedly threw in their lot with them, gaining back some of their former estates and dignities.