Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan (d.
1864), the ruler of Hunza State in the northern area of Pakistan, was succeeded
by his son, Mir Muhammad Ghazan Khan I, whose successor Mir Safdar Ali Khan had
taken refuge in Shagnan during the British invasion in 1891. The British
commissioned his half-brother, Mir Muhammad Nazim Khan as the ruler of Hunza.
Mir Muhammad Ghazan Khan II and then Mir Muhammad Jamal Khan followed him.
The
entire area including Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan was known as the Gilgit
Agency till October, 1947. Sandwiched between the high peaks of Hindukush and
Karakorum on the north and those of western Himalaya on the south, is now
called as the Northern Areas of
Pakistan, which should also be called the Trans-Himalaya
Districts of Pakistan, covering an expanse of about 27,188 square miles,
thickly populated by the Ismailis.
Major General, Hilal-e-Pakistan,
Hilal-e-Juraet, Ghazi-e-Millat, the President and Personal Representative of
the Imam in Central Asia, Muhammad Jamal Khan was the prominent Ismaili ruler
of an enchanting valley of Hunza, situated in the remotest northern corner of
Pakistan bordering with China and Russia. The high fascinating mountains
surround the valley.
Muhammad Jamal, the ruler or the Mir of
Hunza was born on September 23, 1912. He was educated in Gilgit and mostly at
home and succeeded his father, Mir Ghazanfar Khan, C.B.E. in April, 1945 at the
age of 33 years. His grandfather, Sir Mir Muhammad Nazim Khan. K.C.S.I.,
K.C.I.E., who ruled in Hunza for 79 years, was a prolific writer and wrote the
history of Hunza. It was in his days that Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of British
India, visited Hunza and described it as “the ultimate manifestation of
mountain grandeur.”
In 1947, he visited Kashmir to convince
the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir to join the dominion of Pakistan. In October,
1947, he and his Ismaili subjects of Hunza state declared their accession to
Pakistan and rendered meritorious services in the struggle of the liberation of
Jammu and Kashmir, and crowned with the title of Ghazi-e-Millat.
In 1951, the Imam formed 64 local
councils in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, and the Mir of Hunza executed as
the President of H.R.H. Prince Aga Khan Ismailia Supreme Council for Hunza
State, Gilgit Agency, Chitral State and Central Asia and also acted as the
Personal Representative of the Imam in Central Asia.
The Italian Government awarded him the
“Order of the Grand Official” for
his valuable help to the Italian mountaineering expedition to K-2 peak in 1962.
This award was meant for persons assisting the Italian Government in cultural
field.
In recognition of his yeoman services
to his people, Mir Jamal Khan was also awarded high civil and military titles,
viz. Hilal-e-Pakistan and Hilal-e-Juraet by the President of
Pakistan. In December, 1964, the
Government of Pakistan promoted him to the rank of Honorary Major General.
It is to be noted that the Ismailis
from 20 countries gathered at Aswan to pay their last tribute to the 48th
Imam, whose official resting of body was to take place in a mausoleum on
Friday, February 20, 1959. There was a distance of 1600 feet between the Imam’s
bungalow, called Nur al-Salam and the mausoleum on a hill. According to the
expressed will of the 48th Imam, the bier was lifted from the front
left side by Mawlana Hazar Imam and Prince Sadruddin on front right side.
Prince Amyn Muhammad was on back side from left and Mir of Hunza on back from
right side. It was lifted and carried from Nur al-Salam to the mausoleum in 45
minutes.
The Ismailis of Gilgit and Hunza were
submerged in the ocean of immense mirth and joy when they had seen Hazar Imam
for first time in their territory on October, 1960. During the grand darbar held on October 24, 1960 at the
Polo Ground of Baltit in Hunza, the Mir of Hunza presented a welcome address
and said that, “Mawlana Hazar Imam is
the first Ismaili Imam, who visited Hunza.”
He also was invited in Paris with his
wife to attend the marriage ceremony of the Imam with Begum Salimah on October
28, 1969. Soon after the ceremony, he and his wife showered down 49 pearls at
the feet of the Imam in reverence.
In May, 1973, he represented a
delegation of 12 members from Hunza, Gilgit and Chitral and had an audience
with the Imam in Paris. They held discussion with the Imam on the
socio-economic development programmes for the jamats. It was a historic occasion for the Ismailis of northern
area of Pakistan, as no such delegation ever travelled abroad and was first
ever international conference.
The Mir of Hunza lived in a newly built
modern styled two-storied palatial castle, known as the “Jamal Palace” situated
on a 8000 ft. high mountain peak in the village of Karimabad, the state
capital. The Jamal Palace overlooks the whole of settled valley for several
miles in each direction. The Palace is built and furnished in a European style,
but is embellished with an assortment of oriental carpets, ornaments and
paintings. There are life-size portraits of previous rulers on the walls of the
lounge, and remarkably enough, a piano stands in the Palace. The Mir proposed
to make a small museum in the castle and to house the big collection of old
arms and munitions, manuscripts and photographs.
Mir Jamal Khan was extremely
hospitable. He entertained his guests with the music of a band and male
dancers. The band, consisted of a tudak
(flute), sutar (banjo) and drums,
beat out a penetrating rhythm, which seemed to fit so well into the mountain
setting. The ensuing performances in the castle ground were watched from comfortable lounge chairs on the
balcony.
Short by Hunza standards, sturdy and
squarely built with fair complexion, Mir Muhammad Jamal Khan was a benevolent
ruler. He was like a likeable man, self-educated to a high standard. He
travelled widely to Europe and the United States. He loved his people. Each
morning, he met his Council of Elders, none under 65 years old, and his grand
vizir to decide the day to day problems of his mountainous state. Each matter
was put to votes. By his own decree, the Mir’s vote normally counted no more
than any other did. In an emergency, he could veto his Council, for he was an
absolute monarch. But in fact, he ruled entirely as a wise and respected
mediator. He travelled the length and breadth of his land at least once a year,
accompanied by his wife. Each winter, he was called upon to perform a mass
wedding ceremony in Hunza.
The Mir of Hunza expired on
March 18, 1976 at his residence in Hunza. He married to a princess of Nagar
State in 1934 and had 2 sons and 3 daughters.