Nagar (princely state)

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Nagar ریاست نگر
Princely state of Pakistan
1300s–25 September 1974
Map of Pakistan with Nagar highlighted
Capital	Nagar, Pakistan
Area
•	5,000 km2 (1,900 sq mi)
History
• Established	1300s
• Disestablished	25 September 1974
Today part of	Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

This article is part of the series
Former administrative units of Pakistan
show Original provinces Baluchistan East Bengal Federal Capital Territory Federally Administered Tribal Areas North-West Frontier Province Sind West Punjab
show Princely states Amb Bahawalpur Chitral Dir Hunza Kalat Khairpur Kharan Las Bela Makran Nagar Phulra Swat
show One-unit provinces East Pakistan West Pakistan
show Other subdivisions Gilgit Agency Trans-Karakoram Tract
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Nagar (Urdu: ریاست نگر‎, Riyasat Nagar) was a princely salute state in the northern part of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. Until August 1947, it was in a subsidiary alliance with British India. It bordered the states of the Gilgit Agency to the south and west, and the princely state of District Hunza to the north and east. From November 1947 to 1974 it was a princely state of Pakistan. The state capital was the town of Nagar.

The territory previously covered by Nagar forms three tehsils of the Nagar District of Northern Pakistan.

History[]

Nagar, founded in the fourteenth century, was an autonomous principality until the British gained control of the state following the Hunza–Nagar Campaign (1889-1893). It was a colonial princely state under the administration of the Gilgit Agency^[1] until 1947, but from 1868 it was a vassal of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, despite never being directly ruled by Kashmir. The rulers of Nagar were considered to be among the most loyal vassals of the Maharajas of Jammu and Kashmir, sending annual tributes to their Durbars until 1947. The British granted them a Hereditary gun salute of 15-guns

In November 1947, Nagar acceded to Pakistan, which became responsible for its external affairs and defense, while Nagar maintained internal self-government. In 1968, Syed Yahya Shah, the first educated politician of the valley, demanded civil rights from the Mir of Nagar. In 1974, when Ayub Khan's dictatorship ended in Pakistan and the Pakistan People's Party (under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto) was elected, the government forced the Mir of Nagar to abdicate. The area was then merged with the Northern Areas.^[2]

The Hunza valley looking across the river to Nagar

Mount Rakaposhi

Government[]

The state was governed by the hereditary rulers of the Maglot dynasty, who were styled as Mir. The details of these early rulers are uncertain; the first definite dates available are from 1839. In November 1947, the state became one of the princely states of Pakistan. Brigadier Mir Shaukat Ali Khan was the last ruler of the State before it was abolished by Pakistani PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1972.

Population[]

Demographics[]

There are around 90,000 inhabitants of the Nagar valley (AKRSP Census, 2000).

Nagar is home to two main ethnic groups – the Burushaski speakers and the Shina speakers. An older type of Burushaski is still spoken in the valley with a mild modern accent. A third language, Bedeski, is also still spoken in Chalt Nagar.

Religion[]

The population is traditionally predominantly Shia Isna'asheri (Jafaria).

Geography[]

The terrain of Nagar is extremely mountainous, which provided a certain degree of protection against invading forces. The highest mountain is the 7,788 m (25,551 ft) Mount Rakaposhi, south of the town of Nagar. The Karakoram Highway crosses Nagar, connecting Pakistan with China via the Khunjerab Pass. The road follows the Hunza river for some distance through Nagar and into the Hunza region. According to local languages Nagar Valley divided into two parts. Nagar Shinaki and Nagar Burosho.

Villages of Nagar[]

Shina Speaking Villages in Nagar (Shinaki/Sheenbar)

• Chalat (Paaeen/baala)
• Bar Valley
• Chaprote Valley
• Budalas valley
• Jafarabad Valley
• Nilt Valley
• Thol Valley
• Qasimabad Valley (Masoot)
• Ghulmet Valley
• Yal Valley
• Pissan Valley
• Minapin Valley

Burushaski Speaking Villages in Nagar

• Nagarkhas
• Sumayar Valley
• Sikandar Abad
• Miachar Valley
• Dadimal Valley
• Phakker Valley
• Hakuchar Valley
• Shayar Valley
• Askurdas Valley
• Hoper Valley
• Hisper Valley

Bilingual Valleys in Nagar

• Chalt Paeen Valley
• Akbarabad Valley
• Jafarabad Valley
• Qasimabad Valley (Masoot)
• Ghulmet Valley
• Pissan Valley
• Minapin Valley

The Nagar villages are mainly populated by religious scholars, Educationists, Sportsmen, Craftsmen and Craftswomen, farmers, hunters and fishermen, handicrafts, miners, Shepherds, adventurers, mountaineers ans so on.

References[]

Further reading[]

• Mohammad Ismail Nashad, Buroshall say Nagar Tek Ka Safar
• Syed Mohammad Yahya Shah, Rasala Buroshall
• E. F. Knight, Zafar Hayat Paul, Where the Three Empires Meet

Sources and external links[]

• Government of Pakistan