Muhammad Isa by Hidayat ur Rahman

Muhammad Isa by HIdayat ur Rahman copy right is reserved

Muhammad Isa was the son of the Hurmat Shah Charvelu of Torkho, the foster brother of Mehtar Sher Afzal. Born possibly in Uzhnu in around 1820 (Azmat Esa). He’s one of the greatest legends of all times. His family had a great rivalry with other tribes in Torkho valley named Khoshey and Pinshoway. Isa had seven brothers and two sisters as I have explored in different sources. One was married to Gurdiyal a great grandfather of Qimat Nazim Beg of Torkho other was married to Singul Khan a forefather of Muhammad Ismail of Reshun. Himayat Shah was of his brother later on killed on the orders of Mehtar Aman ul Mulk. His foster brother Sher Afzal Khan was appointed as a governor for Torkho valley and other surrounded areas in 1856. This gave him powers in the tribal politics of the region. Isa’s father taken the position of Charvelship and other members of his family remained in different positions. Mehtar granted him village Uzhnu as a Jigir (fief) and landed properties in Khoshwakhtan Dur Chomorkhon and Ayun etc. Earlier one of his relative married to Muhtaram Shah 1, is known as Makhtum Khonza.
He was no doubt one of the greatest military commanders, encountered many battles in Chitral and abroad. The war of Maimana is famous in Afghan history. In this battle, Mehtar Sher Afzal, Muhammad Isa and Daniyal Beg did a great job to win the decisive battle for Amir of Afghanistan.
Isa came to Chitral in October 1892 with his master Sher Afzal. Firstly, they reached Droshp with a contingent of five hundreds men and killed Murid Dastagir a governor of Khuzarah then proceeded towards Chitral and captured the royal fort for his foster brother. This sudden attack is one great tactical war in the history of Chitral. During the war, Muhammad Isa arrived towards the main gate and Daniyal Beg from the garden’s site. They remained in Chitral for two months, then on the arrival of Sardar Nizam UL Mulk Sher Afzal and his party fled to Afghanistan.
Sher Afzal and his party again invaded Chitral when war between British and Umara Khan Khan of Jandul was underway. They reached Khairabad near Kesu and conducted a Mehraka for a situation of Chitral, most of the participants asked Sher Afzal to follow British but Muhammad Isa rejected the idea than Sher Afzal endorsed the decision. During the war, Sher Afzal and followers were with Pathans. At once Muhammad caught two British officers Fowler and Edwards in polo ground of Reshun. The defeat of British in Biyar was one of the great strategies of Isa. He besieged Mastuj fort for eighteen days. After the war, Muhammad Isa escaped towards Tangir. He died there in 1905. He had a son named Muhammad Ayub Khan.
Muhammad Isa believed in religious and social agenda that had come down to him through his spiritual thinking. Seeking a return to an imagined free kingdom from the Britishers. Importantly, Muhammd Isa had initiated the campaign to free Chitral from the Begars and slavery.

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