Muhammad Habib Khan Tarin: Difference between revisions

{{one source|date=January 2022}}

Muhammad Habib Khan was the son of Karam Khan, settled at [[Talokar (village)]], near [[Haripur, Pakistan|Haripur]] town, in the Hazara region<ref>Abbott MSS, aa</ref> In 1849, after the conclusion of the [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]] of 1849, the Punjab and its Frontier were annexed by the British and Major [[James Abbott (Indian Army officer)]] was sent as the Hazara's first [[Deputy commissioner]].<ref>''Hazara District Gazetteer 1883-84'' pub Peshawar, 1884, p 142</ref> The Tarin clan, which had previously resisted [[Sikh Empire|Sikh]] rule, refused to accept the new British rulers and came into conflict with Major Abbott,<ref>''Gazetteer 1883-84'' aa</ref> who deposed many of the tribe's chiefs and leaders and confiscated their lands and properties.<ref>[[Charles Allen (writer)|Charles Allen]], ''Soldier-Sahibs: The Men who ruled the North-West Frontier'' pub London: John Murray, 2002, pp 194-195</ref> Habib Khan was also one of these chieftains {{Dubious|date=January 2022}} and he escaped into the nearby [[Gandghar|Gandhgarhi]] hills.<ref>Johnston, 87</ref>

Napier realised that he could be an effective native military officer, and he utilised him during the [[Military history of the North-West Frontier|First Black Mountain Campaign]] of late 1852<<ref name=TarinNajumddin /> and later on, in other campaigns{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}. In Spring 1856, Habib Khan, on Napier's recommendation, went to [[Lahore]], where Captain Thomas Rattray was at that time raising a new battalion for service in [[Bengal]] and [[Bihar]].,<ref name=TarinNajumddin /> and enrolled as a [[Jemadar]] of the cavalry section of what was then the [[45th Rattray's Sikhs|1st Bengal Military Police Battalion]],<ref name=TarinNajumddin /> along with several retainers {{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}.

After joining the battalion,  Habib Khan served with some distinction in the [[Santhal rebellion|Sonthal]] ''pargannahs'', until the outbreak of the [[Indian Mutiny]] in 1857, when he was put in charge of a semi-independent{{Dubious|date=January 2022}} squadron of cavalry,<ref name=TarinNajumddin /> which "further developed its role as a highly mobile body, employed ad hoc across Bengal and eventually on the North-East Frontier [of India]...[the] cavalry revealed to be a great advantage and this arm was therefore increased to five hundred sabres".<ref name=TarinNajumddin />{{rp|70}}

On retirement, Habib Khan came back to Hazara area, and also entered into extensive litigation against the Punjab Government, to obtain restitution of a number of his properties, and in settling the affairs of his considerable estates.<ref name=TarinNajumddin />{{rp|72}}<ref>Hazara District Gazetteer, 1883-84, p 81-82</ref> {{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

In 1872, he was made a [[Justice of the peace|JP]] and a Kursi Nasheen for the Talokar Haripur area, and also given the personal title of {{Dubious| date = January 2022}} [[Nawab]]-''Bahadur'' and awarded the CSI.<ref name=TarinNajumddin /> and received a 'Jangi Inam' (war/veteran soldier's allowance).<ref>Govt of Indian Gazette notices, Calcutta 1872, 1875{{full citation needed|date=January 2022}}</ref>  Between 1868 and 1880 he assisted senior officers in the management of Frontier affairs along the Hazara hills, receiving certificates of commendation from Sir [[Herbert Benjamin Edwardes]] and NG Waterfield, Commissioner of the [[Peshawar]] Division.<ref name=TarinNajumddin />{{rp|73}}

Habib Khan actively supported the [[Muslim]] liberal reformer [[Sir Syed Ahmad Khan]] and his movement to educate Muslim youth according to the contemporary modern standards, what was later to develop into the [[Aligarh Movement]]{{Dubious|date=January 2022}}; and along with the likes of Nawab [[Muhammad Hayat Khan]] and other [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] and [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]] leaders, he made significant contributions towards this cause.<ref name=TarinNajumddin /> It was claimed that, "unlike many narrow-minded {{Dubious|date=January 2022}} and bigoted Muslim chiefs" he was a person of eclectic views and followed a liberal, tolerant [[Sufi]]c perspective, maintaining 'close life-long friendships with his old [[Sikh]] and [[Hindu]] colleagues-in-arms'.<ref name=TarinNajumddin />