Any festivity or challenge is the occasion for togetherness both as a nation and a family. This historical family picture is testament of an untold story of unjust foriegn interference and subsequent disunity that buried legacy of great leaders of their people that left their country today both leaderless and Stateless striving to rediscover their lost identity amongst the comity of nations.
As Mahud Shah Sadozai, the power blinded progeny of Ahmed Shah Abdali, founder of the Afghan Kingdom blinded the powerful chief of the Barakzai Pukhtuns, Fateh Khan, that indeed resulted into the blinding of their own empire.
Azeem Khan, as Governor Kashmir , then part of the the Afghan Empire and brother of the blinded Pukhtun Chief Fateh Khan, ordered 20000 strong mostly Pukhtun cavalry under his teenaged brother Dost Muhammad Khan, who escaped from Afghanistan to inform his brother of the misfortune and insult, stormed Afghanistan and took over the throne from the Sadozais, heralding a new era and dynasty called Barakzai Zai Dynasty, and his clan named as Muhammadzais after Dost Muhammad Khan, the young brave man who avenged his brother’s unjust public blinding.
Dost Muhammad Khan, was a pious person and a just king that brought togetherness and unity amongst the Afghans as one nation despite their ethnic divisions. The British had then an eye on Afghanistan after control the entire Indo Pak sub continent as personal property of East India Company addressed as the Company Bahadur in all their local correspondence with the leaders of the various Indian states and to their subjugated subjects.
As a result the First Anglo Afghan War launched Dost Muhammad declared fugitive and head money of a hundred thousand announced on his head due to which he handed himself over to the British. But his brave son Akbar Khan his father’s unjust humiliation through annihilation of the entire 16 thousand strong British Army with equal number of retainers sparing just Dr. Brydon as the lone survivor. As a result Dost Muhammad was triumphantly restored not as a British gift or goodwill gesture but in the exchange of hostage families and children who were not harmed by Akbar Khan except the combatants both English and their Indian servants whether part of their army or family support system.
As Dost Muhammad died, the British emboldened by the disunity amongst the Indians again attacked Afghanistan and tried to subdue the Afghans that resulted into the famed battle of Maiwand that left only a dog Bobby as the sole survivor but the British prevailed and divided Afghanistan through the Durand line. My ancestors both Sardar Ayub Khan and his first cousin and brother- in – law Sardar Hashim Khan, went into exile into Persia from where the title of Effendi came to the sons of both cousins and used till date by their off springs.
My grand father Prince Abdur Rehman Khan became orphan in a very young age whom the British groomed and was described as the best Eastern of Western aristocracy that put many British to shame with his lifestyle. However, he betrayed the British by refusing to ascend the throne siding with his people on the excuse that Afghans would never accept a puppet, and instead recommended Nadir Shah the father of the last King of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah.
I wish we learn lesson from the Afghans and their exemplary unity in the face of foriegn interference and direct aggression and stand united something the rag tag Afghans again proved to the world against the mighty NATO.
The second marriage and the resultant disunity destroyed our once strong family, as my father Aslam Khan Effendi, is buried in H-8 graveyard in Islamabad , can be seen sitting in the foot step of his step mother. His father Abdur Rehman Khan Effendi, founder of the first housing colony of Pakistan called the Effendi Colony Rawalpindi, buried opposite the Governor Annxe Rawalpindi, on his own property along with my step grand mother and step Uncle the famed Col. Yayha Effendi. My other uncle Col. Arham Khan Effendi buried in Swat, their other brother Capt Akhram Khan Effendi buried in Indian Kashmir, while their sister Husan Ara known as Oshi Jan, buried in Switzerland and Sardar Ayub Khan, the British declared Victor of the battle of Maiwand himself buried in Peshawar, his grand son the famed Brig. Hissam uddin el Effendi (father of Podger and Vicky Effendi) the famous polo players, also seen in the picture with both his parents, himself buried in the army graveyard, Rawalpindi
I am still unsure of my fate whether I or my children will ever find a grave or tombstone but my mother still living is lucky, being alloted a space in her life time by CDA at the very graveyard , when we as Pakistanies stand divided in every respect.
Whereas, we need exemplary unity to fail every attempt to disintegrate us politically, religiously, ethically and regionally as one nation , if all, we want to avoid our imminent fall both as a country and nation and prove the conviction of our founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah , true ” No power can undo Pakistan”, Long Live Pakistan.
