Khagan Expedition

The Khagan Expedition of 1852 was a British campaign targeting the Sayyids of Kaghan Valley, allies of Sayyid Ahmed Barelvi.^[1]

Background

Khagan is a mountainous valley in the northernmost part of the Hazara district, consisting of Sayyids and Gujjars, neighbouring the Kohistanis and Swatis to the west. The Sikhs had previously sent almost 10,000 troops to subdue the Sayyids, but had left the Sayyids to administer the land themselves, which the Sayyids had expected of the British.^[2] The British used the pretext of the Gujjar hostility with the Sayyids for the expedition, but their real reason was the Deputy Commissioner Abbott's suspicion that the Sayyids were in league with the Hindustani Fanatics, who had been stirring up other tribes, such as the Pothwari Dhund tribe of Hazara.

Campaign

A force comprising six regiments, six guns, and numerous tribal levies (5,320 men in total) were sent against the Sayyids. The latter retreated to near Sum, Paras and Jaraid. Syed Zamin Shah was exiled and the Khagan valley was brought under British control.^[3][4]

References

1. Jalal, Ayesha (2009). Partisans of Allah: Jihad in South Asia Ayesha Jalal. p. 63. ISBN 9780674039070.
2. W. Paget · (2023). A Record of the Expeditions Undertaken Against the North-West Frontier Tribes. p. 10. ISBN 9783382500177.
3. W. Paget · (2023). A Record of the Expeditions Undertaken Against the North-West Frontier Tribes. p. 10. ISBN 9783382500177.
4. Qeyamuddin Ahmad (2020). The Wahhabi Movement in India. Early Encounters with the British Forces ... Following the annexation of the Punjab, the Hazara area came under the control of the British by virtue of an exchange of territories with Gulab Singh and James Abbott became its first Deputy Commissioner. Abbott gave early attention to the existence of a 'remarkable nest of emigrants from Hindoostan', whose activities, he thought, might provde to be dangerous in case of trouble from the south, or from Durranis in the west. He also came into conflict with Sayyid Zamin Shah of the Khagan valley, a staunch supporter of the Wahhabis. Apparently, the cause of the action against the Sayyids was the complaint of the Gujar tenants against the high-handedness, but that was only a pretext. The real reason was Abbott's suspicion that the Sayyids were in league with the Wahhabis, who were stirring up some other tribes, such as the Dhunds