Nawab of Pindigheb

Pindigheb
—  Town  —
Pindigheb Location in Pakistan
Coordinates: 33°14′N 72°16′E / 33.233°N 72.267°E / 33.233; 72.267Coordinates: 33°14′N 72°16′E / 33.233°N 72.267°E / 33.233; 72.267
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
District	Attock District
Tehsil	Pindigheb Tehsil
Elevation	1,017 ft (310 m)
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)
- Summer (DST)	+6 (UTC)

Pindigheb (or Pindi Gheb) is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindigheb Tehsil (an administrative subdivision) of Attock District.^[1] The Nawab of Pindigheb belonged to the Jodhra clan of Rajputs. The big Nawab of Pindigheb had large holdings, and an army of serfs, harking back to the times of the eunach harem guards of the Sultans of Central Asia. Custom ruled all dealings. The people were close cousins of the stuborn and unruly Pathans of the frontier, so blood feuds were quite common among them, and thus a strict hand was needed to solve them.

There was absolutely no amusement or relaxation at Pindigheb itself, other than the occasional visits to the Attock oil company now known as Attock Group of Companies eleven miles away.

According to Attock district gazetteer 1930(Punjab District Gazetteers Volume XXIX-A, Attock District), In Tehsil Pindigheb the tribal distribution is simple as compared to other tehsils. The whole of the south east and centre is held by the Johdra tribe. Along the hills above the Indus river are Sagri Pathans of Makhad. A solid Awan tract intervenes between the Johdras and the Pathans and runs from the south to the north of the tehsil. Last the Khattar tribe holds the north east of the tehsil along the Attock border. These four tribes own practically the whole of the Pindigheb Tehsil, and their present boundaries are the result violent fighting during the break-up of the Mughal and Sikh rules.

History and particulars

The Jodhras account for themselves as being of Rajput origin, and derive their name from Jodhra who was converted to Islam by Mahmud of Ghazni, and who settled in Kashmir. They appear, however, to have come to the Attock District about the end of the 16th century as a small band of military adventurers. They possessed themselves of the Sohan and Sill " illaquas " and much of Talagang. The Awans, the original owners, were not evicted but remained as tenants under the conquering Jodhras, who never themselves cultivated. The Jodhras became independent chiefs keeping up a large body of armed retainers. Their power was recognised by the Mughals, and Malik Aulia Khan, their first chief known to history, held a revenue assignment of Pindigheb, Talagang and parts of Chakwal. Owing to family feuds and other causes the tribe has lost much of its original prosperity and is now much less well-to-do than its neighbours, the Ghebas, who have been their ancient rivals and enemies. The two tribes now inter-marry and are on friendly terms. The Jodhras breed horses and are fond hawking and field sports.

History

The Imperial Gazetteer of India, compiled over a century ago during British rule, described the town as follows:^[2]

“

Pindi Gheb Town.-Head-quarters of the subdivision and tahsil of the same name in Attock District, Punjab, situated in 33º 14' N. and 72º 16' E., 21 miles from Jand station on the North-Western Railway. Population (1901), 8,452. Historically the name PindGheb derived from the Royal Gheba tribe of BarlasMughals family who came and settled here in 15th century with Zaheer-ud-din Babar during the invasion of india and at the same time Jodhra tribe sattled in this area now the ancestral home of the Jodhra Maliks,who founded it in the sixteenth century. The municipality was created in 1873. The income and expenditure during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 4,400. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 5,200, chiefly from octroi; and the expenditure was Rs. 5,800. A vernacular middle school is maintained by the municipality, and a dispensary by Government.

”

Pindigheb is an old village, with many communities of Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims. During British rule Pindigheb was part of Rawalpindi District, in 1904 when Attock became a separate district, Pindigheb became a tehsil (subdivision) of it.

The following statement shows the percentage of cultivated area owned by each tribe of Pindigheb Tehsil according to Attock district gazetteer 1930 (Punjab District Gazetteers Volume XXIX-A, Attock District): Johdras(30%) Awans (32%) Khattar (17%) Pathans (10%) Rajput Chohan (3%) Sayeds (3%) Others (5%)

References

1. ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Attock - Government of Pakistan
2. ^ Pindi Gheb Town - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 20, p. 147.