dreams melted into air, 1919–29the end of July the rebels took Hisarak, 12 kilometres (7½ mi.) from Kabul
City, causing panic in the capital. Fortunately for ’Aman Allah Khan, the
Mangals did not push on and attack the capital, instead they returned to
Khost laden with booty.
With rebel forces a short march from Kabul, ‘Aman Allah Khan called
an emergency darbar in an attempt to try and win support against Mullah-i
Lang. The government grandiosely referred to this meeting as a Loya Jirga,
or Grand Tribal Assembly, a title most likely coined by Tarzi’s close asso-
ciate, ‘Abd al-Hadi, in an attempt to appeal to Pushtun tribal sentiment. 38
In fact, like much of the official terminology adopted during ’Aman Allah
Khan’s reign, loya jirga was a translation of the Turkish Büyük Millet Meclisi
(Grand National Assembly), the legislative body set up by Mustafa Kemal.
Even more ironic was the fact that most of the delegates who attended the
Loya Jirga were urban Kabulis or representatives of the Persian-speaking
tribes of Kohistan, Tagab and the Koh Daman.
The king’s intention was to secure endorsement for his Constitution
and recruit levies for the war against Mullah-i Lang. However, the delegates
used the opportunity to voice their complaints about taxation, conscrip-
tion and the domination of education and the military by Turks. Nur
al-Mashayekh Fazl ‘Omar, the Hazrat of Shor Bazaar, and Akhundzada
Hamid Allah, the Mullah of Tagab, the latter who had legitimized ’Aman
Khost: A typical qal’a house with high walls surrounding a large compound and narrow
windows located well above eye height for privacy and security. The Pushtun tribes of this
region rebelled against King ’Aman Allah Khan’s reforms but were eventually defeated.