Malakand (PK)
_a1.jpg)
Malakandis a district of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.Malakand District lies in a strategically important position as it acts as a gateway to Bajaur, Dir(L), Swat and Bunair. It is surrounded by mountains that were overgrown with different kinds of trees in the past, though they have a barren look today. The forests were cut down by local Khans (Fuedals) with the connivance of politicians within the Forest Department, one of the most corrupt departments of Pakhtunkhea. The famous Malakand Pass which connects Mardan to Swat and Dir is located near Dargai, a site where the local Pushtun tribes fought two fierce battles with the Imperial British Army in 1895 and 1897.Later, another Afghan ruler, Muhammad Ghauri, invaded the area and Islam began to spread there. The Yousafzai Pathan tribe came to inhabit this area is the wake of the invasion. About 400 years ago, successive Mughal rulers attempted in vain to capture this area. After the fall of the Mughals, Sikh rulers tried to conquer this area but we repulsed. The British had always looked at this area with covetous eyes but dared no venture to flirt with it openly. In 1882, The British approached to the elders of Malakand Agency with the request to allow the passage of post to Chitral, which was then in the Administrative sphere of Gilgit. In 1885, the Chitral Expedition necessitated the British intervention in this area. British officer and troops had been besieged in Chitral by Chitralis . To reinforce their forces there, they needed a route to Chitral as the Gilgit-Chitral road, the only route at that time, was covered with snow and they had no option left except to pass through Malakand Agency. The British therefore, laid siege of the Malakand pass. The people fought bravely and offered stubborn resistance to the enemy. The British artillery particularly proving more than a match for the old and rusty guns and swords of the natives. To fortify their position and ensure the safety of the strategically Important Chitral road, they constructed two forts at Malakand and Chakdara with many piquet overhead the surrounding hills. One of them Churchill piquet, was named after Lt. Churchill who later on became the Prime Minister of Britain. Since then the British intervened in the politics of the area. A political Agent was stationed at Malakand to mediate between the British and the people of the Area. Hence stamps have been issued under India and then in Pakistan after independance.
_IN_a.jpg)
_PK_a.jpg){kind=link}