backs to the future, 1929–33
Throughout the spring of 1929 Nadir Khan struggled to raise more than
a token force, for he had very little money and many tribal heads suspected
that he planned to restore ’Aman Allah Khan to the throne. In late May Nadir
Khan’s fortunes appeared to have improved when the governor of Gardez,
who had been appointed by ’Aman Allah Khan, declared for the Musahiban
brothers, and a few weeks later Shah Wali Khan defeated a government
army sent to retake the town. However, when the Jabbar Khel joined forces
with the Kalakani army Nadir Khan evacuated Gardez and fled back to Jaji
territory. For a while, he contemplated abandoning the whole enterprise
and returning to India, but unexpectedly the situation shifted back in his
favour with the defection of Nur al-Mashayekh, the Hazrat of Shor Bazaar.
The Mujadidi networks of Kohistan had supported Habib Allah
Kalakani in order to dispose of the hated ’Aman Allah Khan and the Tarzis,
but once Kabul was in their hands they began to cast about for a suitable
Muhammadzai to place on the throne. Nadir Khan was an obvious choice
and envoys from Nur al-Mashayekh visited him while he was in Peshawar,
ostensibly to persuade him to join the Kalakanid government, but in secret
the pir’s representatives urged Nadir Khan to declare himself Amir. Nadir
Khan rejected the offer, nor was he prepared to announce his candidacy
for the Amirship, so Nur al-Mashayekh turned to Sardar ‘Omar Khan,
son of Sardar ‘Ayub Khan. In January 1929 Sardar ‘Omar Khan eluded
British surveillance and was smuggled across the border into Shinwari
territory. Not much is known about ‘Omar Khan’s proceedings in Nangahar
or whether he played any part in the Shinwari uprising, but he seems to
have found little support for his cause. In June he returned to India, only
to be arrested and exiled to Burma along with all remaining members of
‘Ayub Khan and Ya‘qub Khan’s family.
At the end of May 1929 the British authorities allowed Nur al -Mashayekh
to return to Afghanistan, but instead of heading for Kabul he made his base
in Katawaz, not far from Nadir Khan’s camp in Khost. Following Nadir’s
occupation of Gardez, Nur al-Mashayekh had a series of secret meetings
with the sardar, which Shah Wali Khan later claimed were another effort
to persuade the Musahiban brothers to join Habib Allah Kalakani. In fact,
Nur al-Mashayekh urged Nadir Khan to distance himself from the Serajids
and declare his willingness to be Amir. In return, the Hazrat promised he
would secure the oath of allegiance from the Suleiman Khel. Some kind
of secret arrangement was made, for in mid-June 1929 Nur al-Mashayekh
issued a fatwa condemning Habib Allah Kalakani’s regime for its violation
of human rights. A few weeks later the Mujadidi pirs of Kabul and Kohistan
called on Habib Allah to abdicate and transfer power to Nadir Khan.
nandana
(Nandana)
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