Chitral-Legal Status of Chitral - V

Chitral

Chitral is located at the western fringe of Kafristan and its average height is 8,000 feet above sea level. It is adjacent to China and has been a centre of Buddhist learning. The earliest records available show that since the year, 1864, the Mehtar of Chitral, Aman-ul-Mulk used to send his Nazrana through his representatives, sometimes his brother, Makhmul Shah, to the Maharaja of Kashmir. In 1876 the Mehtar appears to have approached the Maharaja, with a view to seeking his protection against the threatening attitude of the Amir of Afghanistan, who had an eye on this territory. As a result, an agreement was made which may loosely be translated as follows :

"This agreement is made on behalf of myself and my children."

I hereby agree that I shall ever endeavour to obey and comply with orders of the Maharaja and consider his well-wishers as my friends and his enemies as my enemies and in recognition of sovereignty, pay the following Nazrana :- 

Horses : 3

Hawks : 5

Hounds : 5 

One Motabir of the Maharaja will always remain at Kashgar and one in Yasin and they will be duly honoured and respected. Similarly, one Motabir of mine will remain in the Darbar of the Maharaja and another on behalf of the Hakim of Yasin in Gilgit for execution of orders.

I shall receive a yearly subsidy of rupees 12,000 from the Maharaja in observance of the above conditions and if instead of the Motabir, any of my sons takes up the place, he will receive a separate allowance from the Maharaja."

In 1855, Nizam-ul-Mulk, the eldest son of Mehtar Aman-ul-Mulk visited Jammu. He was treated as the State guest throughout till he went to Calcutta to wait on the Viceroy. On his return, he continued to be the State guest and at the time of his departure was granted Rukhstana of rupees 3,125 for himself, in addition to the Khillats granted to him and his family and dependents.

In 1836, at the request of the Mehtar of Chitral, a report writer was sent by the Maharaja to Chitral. In 1914 the Government of India acceding to the wishes of the Mehtar of Chitral, transferred the areas of Mastuj and Laspur to him by virtue of the agreement signed by him on April 2, 1914. The first clause of agreement runs as under:

I acknowledge the suzerainty of the Maharaja of Kashmir and Jammu and in token thereof will resume the annual payment of following Nazrana viz :

Horses : 3

Hawks : 5

Tazi Dogs : 6

Further clause 8 reads as follows :

"In consideration of my acceptances of the above conditions, the subsidies now paid to me and certain officials viz. Rs. 12,000/- a year by the Government of India and Rs. 12,560/- a year paid by the Kashmir Darbar which he continued subject to the provision that the payment at present aggregating Rs. 4,560/- a year made by the latter to certain officials and headmen will gradually close as the present recipients die or/are removed from Office".

The Mehtar did attend the Raj Tilak ceremony of Hari Singh in 1926. Though he offered his usual offering, there appears to have been a grievance on some matter of protocol. There are records available of as late as 1935 when correspondence on this matter was continuing. Chitral remained under the suzerainty of Kashmir Darbar right up to October, 1947, when Pakistan raiders occupied it.