THE NAWABS OF TANK

The rulers of Tank were Katti Khel pashtuns, a branch of Daulat Khel (sub branch of Lohani).

In the beginning of 17^th century they settled in Tank under Khan Zaman Khan who pushed Marwat toward Lakki Marwat with the help of Gandapurs.The migration of pashtuns from sulaiman range had actually begun in 12^th and 13^th century and the present day Tank was initially occupied by Marwats.The genealogy of Katti Khel nawabs of Tank with some confusion about names and descendants order is collected from internet and I hope someday somebody will go through it, correct it and put it in proper order.

• The last Nawab of Tank was Qutbuddin khan who had seven children from different wives.
• The seven sons in sequence were, Haibat, Azmat, Rehmat, Sadaat, Niamet, Nusrat and Hashmat
• The eldest son of Qutbuddin khan was Haibat khan who was issueless and spent his last days in Islamabad, died and buried there.
• Rahmat khan was Air Vice Marshal operations in PAF and is living in Karachi.
• The youngest son of Qutbuddin is Khudaidad khan and is still living in Nawab Qilla Tank, which is almost deserted.
• Azmat Khan retired as Colonel in PAK Army and is settled in Islamabad
• Sadat khan and the others have migrated to D.I.Khan and are living in cantonment area.
• Two brothers of Qutbuddin were living separately in Tank and Gomal.
• Nawab Katal Khan - The architect and mastermind of Nawab Qilla Tank 1773 - 1800
• Nawab Sarwar Khan - 1819
• Nawab Allah Dad Khan - 1836 during Sikh rule, fought guerrilla war against Sikhs.
• The Sikh rule of Tank ended after their defeat in 2^nd Sikh war in 1849
• Nawab Shahnawaz Khan - 1847 - 1875 during British rule, died in 1881 in exile in Lahore.
• Sir Herbert Edward  1847 -1848 The first British officer arrived in Dera Ismail Khan and appointed Shahnawaz Khan as Nawab of Tank
• Major-General Sir Henry Marion Durand visited Tank in 1871 during Nawab Shahnawaz Khan rule and died on 1^st January, 1871 after an accidental fall from an elephant in Tank. He is buried in a church in D.I. KHAN cantonment.
• Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, an Indian civil servant was son of Major-General Sir Henry Marion Durand and the mastermind of Durand line (1893) between Afghanistan and British India. He died in 1924.
• Durand | Sir | Henry Marion | 1812-1871 | Knight | Major-General | colonial administrator

     Durand | Sir | Henry Mortimer | 1850-1924 | Knight | Indian civil servant and diplomat

• Nawab Shahnawaz Khan was deprived of all his powers by British in April 1875, granted seven villages as Jagir and a pension of Rs.25, 000- per annum. He was later exiled to Lahore (Punjab) and kept under surveillance at Bara Dari of Maharaja Sher Sing by British where he died in 1881 and is buried there.
• Nawab Ghulam Qasim Khan grandson of Nawab Shahnawaz Khan during pre-partition era in 1947-Titular Nawab
• Nawab Qutbuddin Khan  - 1947 post-partition -Titular Nawab - The last Nawab of Tank. He joined and supported Muslim League.
• Field Marshal Ayub Khan became Marshal Law administrator in 1958 in a bloodless coup. Most of the land of Nawab Qutbuddin Khan was confiscated by government in land reforms of 1960 and only few thousand Kanals were left to Nawab Sohib as allowed per land ACT.
• Nawab Qutbuddin Khan moved to his Kacha land near Dera Ismail Khan, where eventually he died. He is buried in Qutub Colony (Old Nawab Bagh) behind Nawab Qilla in Tank.
• The Jagir (Agricultural Land) of Nawab Qutbuddin Khan was distributed among his heirs who got rid of the burden of land and Nawabi as well.          

 TOMB OF NAWAB TANK  LAHORE   

To the south of Bibi Damen is the  marble  tomb of Nawab Shahnawaz Khan, the ex Nawab of  Tank who was kept under surveillance in the Bara Dari of Maharaja Sher Sing in Shah bilawal  and who died in 1881.

Date of death of Nawab Mohammad Shahnawaz khan Bahadur of Tank  20^th Saffar, 1299H

     Nawab Ghazi Khan                Katal Qabrona      Umer adda                Tank

     Nawab Katal Khan                 Katal Qabrona      Umer Adda               Tank

      Nawab Saleem Khan Sani     Katal Qabrona      Umer adda              Tank

     Nawab Qutbuddin Khan        Qutub Colony       Nawab Bagh               Tank

     Haibat Khan                            Public Grave yard                         Islamabad

The story of Nawabs of Tank begins in the 17^th century when Zaman Khan Katti Khel (?Jahan Khan) after defeating the Marwats occupied the Tank area and finally settled and established his rule over the whole area. This was period according to India time-line when Mughal King Aurangzeb (1657-1707) was ruling India. However there is no evidence of any direct contact between Mughal king of that time and katti khel pashtuns. In the town of Bhakkar (Punjab) there are some old tombs of mughal style and as narrated to me it is said that these are from Mughal king Hamayun time when he was on the run from Sher Shah Suri and came to Bhakkar. The Balochs ruled the area of Dera Ismail Khan up to Tank under Malik Sohrab Khan and later his sons for almost three hundred years. The Balochs time period one can roughly say was from 1469 to 1700.

Even before this time period Mahmood of Ghazni (AD 970 -AD 1087) made 17 expeditions to India and this was somewhere in 10^th century and if I am not wrong, he once used Gomal Pass route for invasion of India. Mahmood s’ expeditions were mainly to subdue an area and then go back to Afghanistan with a booty. Therefore, his rule was short lived with no permanent settlements. It was during Ghiyasuddin and Shahabuddin Ghauri period (1148-1202) somewhere in 12^th century who encouraged Pashtuns of Afghanistan for permanent settlements in India. The Pashtuns coming from the cold mountainous regions of Koh Sulaiman were not used to hot boiling summers of India. Hence many of them preferred to continue their life as wandering Nomads as Pawanda (The Gomal Nomads- Ghilzai) are doing up to the present day. However, increase in population and scarcity of agricultural land in the mountains forced many of the pashtun tribes to get settled in India of that time.

The Katti Khels when first came to the area of Tank, found a vast tract of land sparsely inhabited. Whether it was Balochs, Buddhist or Hindus who were living in this area before katti khels arrival needs further investigation and study. As the Baloch were by then Muslim, it appears that there were people of Buddhist or Hindu religion living in the area of Tank and later on mixed with balochs and pashtuns. Many of them accepted and converted to Islam. One thing is for sure that the whole area was very thinly populated and not very hospitable for living. The katti khels chose the present day Tank city as their (the so called Dera - Home) center of rule. The Tank city at that time must have been a small village with few mud houses, which by arrival of new comers gradually flourished. It also appears that a place called Takk or Tank was there before the arrival of katti khels and so it was not katti khels who named this area as Tank.

Ghazi Khan and perhaps his son Saleem Khan Sani (2) katti khel were the first to consolidate their power and control over the area of Tank and establish their rule as Nawab. The worrier pashtun tribes must have challenged their power and rule from the surrounding areas of Tank. However during Katal Khan s’ time their rule and power was strong and he was a confirmed Nawab of Tank. To rule an area some form of cruelty or firmness is a part of the game especially in those olden days when everything was so chaotic. 

NAWAB KATAL KHAN

 was most probably the architect and mastermind of Nawab Qilla (Fort). Katal Khan ruled Tank somewhere between 1773 - 1800. As legend say the Qilla was built by forced labour or Farman (order) of nawab sohib. The people were brought from the surrounding villages, forced to work, given two chapattis and one chamcha dhal as ration for the day. Qilla was built from mud with big trunks of trees used as support for the walls. The height of the walls was equal to three-story building and the wall width on the top was wide enough so that a Tanga (Horse cart) can run over it easily. Katal Khan was probably deposed for sometime from Nawabi and he has to seek the help from Sardar Payanda Khan from Afghanistan to take back his Nawabi.There is a story of massacre of Nawab s’ family and that there was only one male survivor who managed to escape with povindas to Afghanistan and later on came back with helping army from Afghanistan and took back his nawabi.

The following pashtu song as narrated to me by my mother in law who is from Gul Imam explains this incidence nicely. She told me that as young children we used to sing the following song;

“ Faujoona raghla la Kabul Katal Khana Sara

  San the yo karey Kabul badshah Pyanda khana Sara

  Tala e jora kara saro pa bande kenast badshah

  Arman dhe okra che ous nast wei Sarwar khana Sara”

“ The army has come with Katal khan from Kabul

  Seems you have made friendship with Kabul king payanda khan

  You have made minars of skulls and re-established your rule

  Alas Sarwar khan was there and sitting with you now”

SIR HERBERT EDWARD, The Additional Resident of Lahore was the first British officer who visited Dera Ismail Khan in 1847-1848 and appointed Shahnawaz Khan as Nawab of Tank.

NAWAB SHAHNAWAZ KHAN ruled Tank from 1847 to 1875. Major-General Sir Henry Marion Durand visited Tank in 1871 with great pump and show sitting on an elephant along with his daughter Eleanor. Nawab Sohib has arranged a grand reception for him with several gates at various locations. While passing through one of the gates, the elephant got frightened and as a result, Durand fell from the elephant and probably sustained head and spinal injury. He died on 1^st January, 1871 and was buried in a church compound in cantonment area of D.I.Khan.Nawab Shahnawaz Khan was tried by British for the death of Durand but was acquitted and declared innocent in this accident. The statement of Eleanor (daughter of Durand) saved him, as she was witness to the whole incident. The British probably did not like Nawab Sohib in the first place and they had strengthened their grip and control over the area. Therefore, the services of Nawab sohib were no more required as they wanted to establish their own rule over the area. Shahnawaz Khan was deposed of all his powers as Nawab of Tank in April 1875 and given seven villages as Jagir and a pension of 25,000 Rupees per year. He was finally deported to Lahore in Punjab, where he was kept under house arrest. He died in 1881 and was buried in Lahore.

Sir Henry Mortimer Durand son of Major-General Henry Marion Durand was a civil servant and a diplomat and he was the mastermind of Durand line between Afghanistan an India. The Durand line was drawn in 1893. The Waziristan campaign of British forces began in November, 1894 and continued till 1947.During this period they built roads and a narrow gage railway line up to Tank and Manzai as well as military camps at Tank, Manzai, Jandola, Wana and also check posts at Zam Tank, Kaur, Khargai, Zarkani.The British philosophy and idea behind all these expeditions in to the tribal areas and Afghanistan apart from control, was their fear of Russian influence and to prevent their access to hot water of Arabian sea. “BUT THE BRITISH WERE AT LOSS”

NAWAB GHULAM QASIM KHAN was the grand son of Nawab Shahnawaz Khan. He was a titular Nawab during British Raj. During his time, the good old glorious days of Nawabi were gone and their boat was sailing in a sea without a sail. Despite of the British arrogance and neglect the Nawabs still had thousands of kanals of agricultural land in their hand and were respected by the people of Tank. The new masters of Tank, the Gora sohib were more educated with a military force, gradually were successful in undermining the influence of Nawab.The ordinary people Tank particularly farmers probably had no good past memories of Nawabs, gradually started encroachment over the Jagir of Nawab sahib.

NAWAB QUTBUDDIN KHAN the last titular Katti Khel Nawab, was son of Nawab Qasim Khan.Qutbuddin Khan s’era lasted from pre-partition period in 1947 and continued in to the post partition period almost up to sixties when he lost good chunk of his land in the land reforms of Ayub Khan. Nawab Sohib had several wives and seven children. He lived a quite luxurious life and was very fond of hunting. He was an excellent shooter unparallel in the whole area of Tank. Somehow, Nawab sohib had a craze for old machinery and it was not unusual to see old tractors, sometime up 30-40 parked in line in Nawab Qilla. Nawab sohib was supporter of Indian Congress before partition but joined and actively supported Muslim league in 1947. Unfortunately, he could not play any active role in politics. Nawab sohib is said to have visited England in the olden days when traveling was so difficult. The children of Nawab sohib were also fond of taoos-rabab and despite of having an opportunity kept themselves away from education. Nawab sohib himself probably did not pay any attention to their education. Of his seven children, only Rahmat Khan and perhaps Khudaidad Khan had some education. Ramat Khan was Squadron leader in PAF.      Nawab sohib after losing his Jagir in the land reform was dishearted and distributed the remaining land amongst his heirs. 

The Jagir (Agricultural Land) of Nawab Qutbuddin Khan was distributed among his seven children, who were unable to look after it, considered it as burden, and hence sold it Kanal for Kanal at a very nominal price. This was perhaps necessary just to maintain their Nawabi standard and expenses. That is how they got rid of their land and people of Tank got rid of their NAWABS.

THE WORM OF NAWABI

“ The worm of Nawabi takes many years to grow and is a  

    parasite Which thrives on brain and leaves only when the brain is

   gone.  A man without a brain is a dead man !!“

    So here, ends the story of Nawabs of Tank.

Nawab Qilla is a mud fort built most probably by Nawab Katal Khan with a spectacular view and spread over an area of approximately more than two hundred Kanals of land. The Qilla is situated at one corner of tank city and that is the imaginary line-dividing Tank in to upper and lower part.

The Qilla is situated at slightly higher ground level in comparison to Tank city.The mud walls are several feet high approximately equal to a modern day three-story building. Huge trunks of trees can be seen pocking out from the walls of Qilla.These were used to give strength and stability to the mud walls. There were four huge Burgs at each corner of the Qilla with several intervening pickets at regular distance all around. The four main burgs were used as an entrance for armed men who could move around and reach guard posts from with in the Qilla with out being seen from out side. The Qilla had three gigantic gates, the main gate opening toward chakri road-lower Tank while another similar gate also opening toward chakri road-upper Tank and a third or rear gate opening toward Nawab Bagh. The diameter or thickness of the wall from the top was initially (as narrated to us) equal to so that a Tanga (Horse Cart) could easily move over it. The residence of NAWAB Sohib was in the center of Qilla. The house of nawab sohib was ordinary earthen baked brick made not as impressive as one would imagine from the huge area of the Qilla. 

  THE BAGH OF NAWAB OF TANK

The Nawab Bagh was situated at the back of Nawab Qilla, spread over an area of more than five hundred Kanals of land stretching from the present day Qutab Colony in a “L” shaped manner right up the city police station. Almost all types of fruit trees were there and all types of vegetables were grown. There was a protection boundary wall all around the bagh. This bagh was well looked after before, during Nawab Qasim Khan time, and perhaps in the early days of Qutbuddin Khan. Unfortunately as the power of Nawabi was declining, the trees gradually disappeared and in the sixties only few date palm trees, jaman trees were left and at some places the ruins of old boundary wall were recognizable. The rear gate of Qilla would open in to the nawab bagh. Nawab Qutbuddin Khan had kept large herd of buffalos, cows and it was not unusual to see a herd of two hundred or more buffalos, cows moving toward Nawab Qilla every day. These are my early childhood observations as we used to watch and enjoy the herds of buffalos moving in the evening toward Qilla. Nawab bagh as said before even in the sixties was deserted, has now completely disappeared as the land was sold by Qutbuddin s’ sons and a housing colony named Qutub colony has been constructed over its place right up to city police station and Pir Sabir Shah mausoleum. 

The Jagir of Nawab Tank was spread over all the surrounding villages of Tank. Almost all the land in Tank city and from Bhittani to Gomal and Jatater area belonged to them. According to my good guess, their Jagir must have been approximately 200,000 Kanals or more. They gradually lost control over their land as it was either sold to the local people or occupied by local farmers, still kept under Nawab s’ name but without any income paid to Nawabs. In olden days there was no written document for the land and it was only when British came to this area introduced the documentation of land in persons name in 1875 locally called Intiqal. It was time when Nawab Shah Nawaz Khan was deprived of his power as Nawab and given only seven villages as Jagir. Nawab Qasim Khan kept control over his Jagir but as their Nawabi power has been taken away, they were unable to keep and maintain their land. British gave most of the land of Nawabs to the occupiers (mazare) as well as to their trusted loyal friends. British also introduced agricultural income tax, which was recovered from farmers even though there was no crop or income from the land. Many farmers sold their land, as they were unable to pay the tax. The land reform of 1960 was a final blow to the already moribund Nawabs of Tank. Nawab Ghulam Qasim Khan and later Qutbuddin Khan retained the agricultural land mainly in the Hindko speaking villages but their grip over pashtu dominant areas has weakened. The Qutbuddin s’ brother in Gomal and his sons Qaizar Khan, Nawabzadah Bin Yamin Khan have retained some of their land up till present day.  

The villages of Bhittani and Kundi areas have already been mentioned under History section.The dominanant Hindko speaking villages are Gara Baloch, Gara Hayat, Chadrur, Kot Allah Dad, Bhagwal, Chenian, Kali, Kawoo, Tauran, Safder, Shahbaz, pirwana, Ranwal, Kauro and Pathan Kot. The above-mentioned villages form the Hindko triangle around Tank city. The people of these villages are farmers and almost 100% Muslims. Their language is pashtu and Hindko and in some areas mixed.                                                                                                       

I like the story of these Nawabs, as there are many lessons to be learnt from it.  No doubt, the forefathers of these Nawabs were great people. However, with the passage of time they lost many of their values.

The Pashtuns are very proud of their sharp shining swords and their bravery, valor and endurance but the same shining sword can become blunt and rusty IF you don’t oil and protect it in a safe place. Secondly the child is like a blackboard in school and what ever you write on it, good or bad the child will remember it, in other words proper training and education. The word education is difficult to understand and many people think that by reading and memorizing few books, one becomes educated. A person who speaks English fluently and with a Scottish accent! Pulling the corner of his mouth 360 degrees toward one side is considered a well-educated person. But many people forget the fact that many labourers, street cleaners and even taxi drivers in England speak a very good English much better than our so called pseudo gora sohibs but they are not well educated. The other thing is dress and many people consider the pantaloon as a sign of education forgetting the fact that many of our friends get their pantaloons from lunda bazaar! in Lahore.

Having said that I am not against English education and also not against a nice pantaloon and coat provided that English is only considered as a medium of education not for false boasting.

We must learn a good and perfect English to take the advantage of scientific discoveries and knowledge of the modern time and we should understand the fact that now English is an international language. It is no more the language of old Gora sohib.

The Dynasty of Nawabs of Tank went in to decline after Shahnawaz Khan exile in 1875.Even before his era disputes over succession, unfit rulers and endless intrigues among the nobility paved the way for disintegration of their firm rule over the area. The Sikh invasion in 1836 and later British arrival in 1847 was also a blow to their power. Nawab Shahnawaz Khan tried in vain to join the forces of British occupier following the well said saying that “IF you can’t beat them, join them” but his efforts were fruitless. Tank Tehsil was the poorest and most undeveloped, neglected region of India. While their rulers were enjoying a lavish life style, the ordinary peasants were suffering, forget about the denial of basic education to the majority. The Nawabs themselves were least interested in education and in olden days many rulers used to think that to educate somebody was just like creating a rival. Hence, there is no school or even a religious Madrasa, which bears the name of Nawabs. This disastrous philosophy or thinking was partly responsible for the quick disappearance of Nawabs from the scene of Tank. They got educated neither themselves nor allowed ordinary people to get educated. The Nawabs cannot be held solely responsible for the lack of education in Tank area, as many people until today are least bothered about education.Chronic starvation has resulted in under development of their brains as most of land is rainwater dependent, so no rain no crops. A poverty stricken man can only think of feeding his family not education as it was considered luxury that many people could not afford. The non-availability of proper, decent jobs was another reason that kept many people away from education. Religious thinking and preaching considering the modern education as British devised was another factor responsible for the lack of interest in education. The Nawabs kept a distance from the ordinary people and they did not interact properly with masses. They also failed to realize that things have now changed, the people and even their mood has changed. Gone were the days when the Nawab sohib would be sitting on a decorated, prestigious chair and the masses sitting on floor listening to his Farmans. All over the world, a new era of scientific discoveries and modern education has begun. The British being more educated with a well-established system of rule and law interacted with masses in a better way than their old Nawabs.The arrival of British was considered blessing by many if not majority and many of them joined the new rulers. The British managed as a marriage of convenience to create new loyal KHANS to undermine the power of Nawabs.

Genealogy is very important and If you graft a poor quality tree to a good one the fruit will be of poor quality as somehow the bad genes overcome the good ones.The last generation of Nawabs probably committed the same mistake.

POST PARTITION TANK             The Disaster of 1947  Ah.. My beloved Tank

'Things or rather civilisation once destroyed never return to their original state'

Tank was a booming center of trade in the pre partition period. The old city boundaries were confined to the Hisar or protective boundary wall with Gates, which were kept closed after sunset. The city had armed guards at various check posts. The population was Hindu, Sikh, Muslim mixed living in peace and harmony. The Tank city population was 4402 in 1901 and 30,000 in 1960 and now almost 100,000. The main center of Hindu and Sikh population was in Tank city proper with Gul Imam being next but they had a scattered population in the surrounding villages. Majority were businessmen but some were landowners while other were busy in money laundering business.

The area outside the city wall was agricultural land mainly used for vegetable growth with Baghs but no houses or buildings. The construction of roads, a narrow gage railway line up to Manzai, Mission hospital, FC camp, Tehsil building, court, AC residence, Political agent office, residence and Air-Field (Aerodrome) mark the British arrival in 1847.                                                        

The Tank Railway Station must have been a busy place with lot of hustle and bustle as it was used for transport of military personal and equipment. Similarly Tank Air Field was used for Air attacks on Mahsud tribe in South Waziristan. The Tank Air Field is one ½ mile from the old Tank city on Tank-Dera road. Faizuulah Khan Marwat of Ghazni Khel, a government contractor during British period, built the runway from baked earthen bricks, which is approximately 2½ to 3 Kilometer long.

The story of Tank from 1955 onward is my early childhood recollection and memories and that is what we found Tank after partition in 1947. Tank was then a completely deserted and ruined town. Demolished houses some completely burned while other half burned replaced the bustling town. The houses close to the present day Spin Jumat (Mosque) on each side, the old Hindu Mander on the backside of our house and across the road behind Baz Gul mahsud house was affected most. This whole area of the central Tank was empty plane land with some evidence of the ruins of old demolished houses as if the houses never existed here. One could see every where the opportunistic labourer digging the ground for earthen baked bricks still lying buried underneath the ground from the ruins of old houses. The mass migration of Mahsud tribe from South Waziristan has already begun with departure of Hindus. The Mahsud tribe was  “personae non gratae” during British time. The Independence of India and the creation of Pakistan has provided them an opportunity for a better and bright future in Tank as they were living a very miserable, poverty stricken life in Waziristan. In 1948, they took active part in war with India over Kashmir and the present day independent Azad Kashmir is due to the sacrifices of Mahsud tribe. Bhittani, Kundi and other tribes simultaneously followed the movement of Mahsud tribe. The Hindu vacated houses were occupied by Mahsuds.There were only few houses left untouched and surprisingly the houses in Dak Khana wali gali were relatively intact. In Dak Khana wali gali there were three houses equal in area with gigantic gates occupied by Senator Malik Gulab Khan, Mirdad Khan, Haji Sherzaman Mahsud while our house a part of this housing complex was very small. It is believed that these houses were the property of three Sikh brothers who were businessman and were very rich people. My father once told me that he remembers Sugar Cane plantation where these houses are now stand. Some other houses just to mention were occupied by Baz Gul and Malik Khaisor mahsud, Haji Sahib Jan Abdulai, Allah Jan Mahsud and many other mahsuds but these houses were relatively smaller. The house of Malik Sohib Jan Mal Khel and Major Mirbad shah mahsud were impressive but they were situated outside the city walls.

The Hindu Mandirs as mentioned before were in ruins as was the whole Bazaar of Tank. After a period of three years of lull, that is to say up to 1950 nothing happened as the people were still in shock from the destruction of the city particularly the original inhabitants of Tank. There was a huge influx of migrants to Tank from the surrounding villages. The new state of Pakistan although brought happiness to Muslims of Tank brought many problems with it. People were out pouring toward Tank in search of jobs but there were no jobs. The housing situation was disastrous, however things were gradually improving. There were only three schools in Tank, the primary and high school for boys and middle school for girls. The government appointed a custodian officer who started allotment of the houses to the new occupiers. Town committee rebuilt the Tank Bazaar in 1952 and the shops were allotted to people. Construction of new houses over the ruins of old had begun at many places. The Nawabs sons spared no time in selling their urban property of Tank.

The population of Tank was growing in explosive manner. While before partition there were no buildings in present day Adda Bazaar except Sabir Shah Makaan, was gradually being converted to a congested Bazaar. By 1958, some of the construction work has been completed in the old Tank city but still there were many empty places. In 1958, Ayub Khan became Marshal administrator and I still remember an Aeroplane dropping leaflets over Tank city.

In 1960, construction of new houses was going on at many places with in the old city but still in outskirt of city outside the city wall there were many empty areas, some used for vegetable growth.

The area between Cinema, Nawab Qilla, Kachi Dedi and High School with in the city wall was also agricultural land with some Date palm trees. In a corner, there was an old guard picket. There was an old graveyard between the boundary wall of High School and Cinema. This graveyard has now disappeared and houses constructed over it!  There was another relatively larger graveyard out side city wall close to the Budh Mandai on one side extending up to old Hindu religious place? Sarr. Hence, Tank city had two graveyards one-inside the city walls probably the oldest and other outside relatively new one. Outside the city wall, the whole area between Budh Mandai, high School and Station road right up to old Chungi and Tank-Pezu road was agricultural land. Rahmana Chacha Bagh was beyond the graveyard close to Allah Jan Bhatta. There was an old Hindu religious place with a boundary wall perhaps Sham Shan Ghat very close to Allah Jan Bhatta. The sweeper colony was behind the Company Bagh. Most of the residents of this colony were Christian and employee of town committee. The Adda Bazaar and the area surrounding the civil hospital up to Tesil on both side of the road were the center of attraction for new houses and shops. I still remember the empty plan land behind the civil hospital right up to Rahmana Chacha Bagh. Most of the business in Tank was taken over by Mahsud tribe while many Bhittani and Kundi had moved in to the city.

In 1965, while I was 9^th class student at high school Tank and I have good memory of everything about Tank city. The city by then was once again hustling bustling with business but at the same time, many places were deserted. The Nawab Bagh was at the back of Qilla has disappeared and few date palm trees, ruins of old boundary wall were the only remains of the Bagh except an area around pir sabir mazar, city drinking water tanki and police station where there were few Jamin trees, Amrood trees still surviving. Burseen and vegetables were still grown in the fields. It was the only area in city where some greenery could be seen and a visit to this area in the evening was daily routine for many people of Tank especially in summer months. The Nawab Qilla itself was in state of degradation and at many places its huge walls has sustained the brunt of harsh weather and rains and was falling down. No repair work was ever attempted as it was beyond the monetary capability of the heirs of katti khel Nawabs. The old city walls were also falling down and at many places it has almost disappeared. The Shahmahmood Bagh was no more there with only three or four date palm trees left. The Air field although still intact was not in use for Air activity military or civilian.

The timber caravan of camels from Waziristan is worth mentioning. Going out of the city through pir kach gate then along the flood protecting bund halfway between this gate and pir sabir mazar was a check post where a line of camels with loaded timber (wiashey) could be seen waiting for their turn to be unloaded. This area was close to the old primary school on chakri road and was called Waisho- mandai (The timber market), as there were many Serai belonging to Mahsuds who were running timber business. Visit to this area was a routine for us, as we used to enjoy hearing and seeing the babbling camels. This was how in olden day trade was done. Unfortunately by this practice of uncontrolled cutting of trees, Waziristan is now left without any forest or timber trees, an unforgivable crime and injustice to our coming generations. Approximately one thousand yards from pir kach gate outside the city wall was an old deserted serai like looking building. This was a walled compound square shaped with small rooms all-round while the center was empty. I could not ascertain the exact purpose of this Serai despite my curiosity.

The Mission hospital was built during British raj in 1890, as it was British policy to build a church and a hospital where ever they would go. This hospital is situated with in Tehsil area and is functional until present day. A barbed wire fence was surrounding the whole Tehsil area and FC camp. The whole area between mission hospital and city wall at the backside of Adda bazaar was agricultural land used for growing vegetables with few date palm trees. This area was separated from the pir kach by the flood-protecting bund with the small irrigation canal (wand) running along its bank and finally entering the Tehsil area. This was the only source of water supply from Zam-Tank for irrigation of officer’s bungalows and mission hospital. The mission hospital and the adjacent bungalows were like paradise in desert as there were well-planed roads with tall pipal trees on both sides with flowers and grass everywhere. The mission hospital from inside was well planed with wards arranged in square while in the center was lush green lawn, with flowers along borders. The hospital was run by British missionary. Dr.Sharban is the only name I remember, as she was a famous female doctor practicing Obstetrics-Gynaecology and perhaps all sort of surgery. The hospital and whole Tehsil area had an electric supply (DC) from two diesel generators. I still remember the giant wheels of these generators but by then, they were not functioning and just like museum pieces. In 1947, Tank city had no electric supply and it was somewhere in 1952 when the city had its first DC electric supply from the above mentioned generators and soon in 1953 it was replaced by AC electricity from kurram ghari. In olden days a genius way to keep the room cool was that ceiling fans were made from a piece of wood approximately 7-8 feet long and 2 feet wide with a piece of double woven cotton cloth 2 feet in diameter attached to it. This whole assembly was hanged from the ceiling with strings and another long string for pulling. A servant would be sitting and pulling the string back and forth thus generating the airflow. I still remember our housemaid pulling the string and when she would become tired using her hands, she would tie the string to her foot and half asleep, her leg would be moving back and forth in the Air!

The scarcity of water was problem for not only Tank but also Dera Ismail Khan despite of the fact that it was situated on the right bank of river Indus. My father once told me that Dera Ismail Khan used to get water for irrigation of DC Bungalow and kachehri from Zam-Tank and that there was water continuously flowing in rodh chowa. The rodh chowa irrigation canal was used for this purpose, which runs from zam tank through villagr Kauro khan, Ranwal and then along the Tank-Dera road. There was a Watermill (Flourmill-Zandra) near Ranwal, the ruins of which can be seen from the road even today. People from up to Gul Imam area would come to this flourmill for crushing their grains and it used to be whole day project as the place would be chock-a-block!

From 1965 onward, the population of city has further increased and Tank was then a city of Mahsuds. The Mahsuds after settling their business in Tank moved toward Karachi and many have established there as well. So much so that today nearly 2/3^rd of the Karachi transport business is in their hands. They are now running business in many other cities of Pakistan as well. Then came the oil boom of 1970 and enmasse movement of Mahsud tribe toward Dubai and whole U.A.E started and today they are established in all the Gulf States including Saudi Arabia.TANK being their center of origin was prospering but it could not afford the high influx of migration and new settlements.

The Nawabs sons eventually sold the nawab bagh area to the local people where they constructed houses in haphazard manner with out proper planning and where now the present Qutub Colony stands. The Rahmana chacha bagh, Allah Jan Bhatta, Faizullah Khan Bhatta up to station road, pir kach and even area beyond Border gate (FC) toward Garah Baloch and up to the Air Field, in all these areas houses are constructed in disordered manner without proper drainage system and even decent roads or streets. Not only this but the pedestrian area in front of the company bagh and civil hospital is gone and replaced by ugly looking shops.

The death of Nawab Qutbuddin Khan ended the story of Katti Khel Nawabs.The Nawab sons have left Tank except Khudaidad Khan who is still staying at Nawab Qilla, which is in pity condition.

Qutbuddin Khan and even his sons kept themselves away from politics but recently some hope has arisen by the active involvement in politics of Nawabzada Bin Yamin Khan Kati Khel from Gomal.

He is the nephew of Qutbuddin Khan and presently NAZIM of Tank and was Minister in N.W.F.P provincial Assembly in the recent past.

The Airfield is deserted even without a guard and the railway station is in ruins. We don’t see any more the slow moving whistling train, making the noise Chaak-Chaahk as the railway line was unable to withstand the flood water and uprooted at several places.

“THE BRITISH BUILT IT BUT WE DESTROYED IT” 

The whole Tehsil area, the FC camp and even the Mission hospital is in ruins, the playgrounds are converted in to slum due to inefficient drainage system, construction of buildings and shops.

Muslim Banya filled the vacuum created by departure of Hindu Banya. The Hindu banya were fair and contented with one paisa profit per rupiya where as the Muslim banya is unfair, ruthless and always looking for one rupiya per rupiya profit, so for ordinary people the partition and creation of Pakistan although brought many changes but still many of them are suffering and some are living below poverty line.

“TANK GAVE EVERYTHING TO MANY PEOPLE BUT IN RETURN GOT NOTHING”

Tank was a perfect city in all aspects with a Railway Station, Airport, road links and good fertile agricultural land in the pre-partition period during British Raj, so it should have progressed after independence. Unfortunately, this area has always been neglected not only by our rulers but also by the people themselves. Most of our well to do families have left Tank for good and never think of returning back. The Mahsuds who brought prosperity and new life to this city have established their businesses in many other cities of Pakistan and they only come here as visitors en-route to Waziristan. There is some hope that with the construction of Gomal Zam Dam the good olden days will return to this area and we will be able to see the whole area green and also some industries will be established as up till now there is no industry in this area.

I must apologize in the end if some of my remarks have hurt somebody, as it was not my intention.

I have collected the data from various sources and sometime used my good guess. I would welcome your remarks and any suggestions or correction.

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