The first intruders in Hunza and Nagar

From the year 1813 to 1917 two very large empires waged a strategic struggle to ensure their dominance over Central Asia. The strategic struggle consisted of numerous battles, political arm twisting of smaller nations and daring spy missions from both sides. By the time the struggle concluded vast regions previously blank spots in world maps had been explored and charted for the first time by foreigners. It also provided the western world with a rare glimpse into eastern cultures and way of life which were recorded and published, often with a sensationalist tone, into numerous books by these spymasters cum explorers. It is known as  "The Great Game" during which Russia and the United Kingdom confronted each others for years in hostile and mostly inhospitable terrain trying to gain political and economic leverage in Central Asia. The Russian empire had in the 19th century reached new heights of power with 1/6th of all landmass under its sovereignty. Its only rival for global dominance was the British Empire. The British had a great interest in keeping the rapidly expanding Russians as far as possible from their Indian possessions which from their perspective was the "jewel in the crown".

There were many interesting events that shaped the great game (a name thought of by a British spy Arthur Conolly and popularized by Rudyard Kipling's book Kim) in the nearly 100 years that Russia and Britain locked horns over central Asia. Some events of course are stuff that folklores are made of; such as Alexander Burnes spying mission into the Khanate of Bukhara, Francis Younghusband's attack on Tibet, George Hayward's murder in Chitral and the lone British survivor who made it out of Afghanistan in January 1842 following the Afghan revolt. Some significant events however have been relegated to the attic of even the most diligent historian. One such event is the Hunza Nagar campaign of 1891.

Hunza and Nagar were two mountainous kingdoms nestled in the high Karakoram Mountains. These states were largely insulated from the influence of the outside world due to the treacherous terrain. Their limited means of livelihood was taxing the trade caravans as these two kingdoms straddled the ancient silk route. The harsh mountainous terrain did not allow for much farming. The closest town was Gilgit...a far-off outpost of the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The states of Hunza and Nagar consisted of a population which was fiercely independent and had more in common with people of Chinese Turkestan (modern day Xinkiang) rather than North Indian region of Punjab and North West Frontier due to ancient trade relationships established as town on the silk route. The access to the Indian plains was difficult as the lower mountain valleys were populated by kohistani Muslims who being Sunni Muslims shared bitter animosity with the Ismaili and Shiite Muslims of these two mountainous states. Therefore it was logical for the people of Hunza and Nagar to trade with the Uyghur’s who were richer and more moderate than the fierce kohistani tribesmen who inhabited ridges and valleys around Nanga Parbat Mountain. Both the kingdoms were nominal vassal states of China and had tense relationship with Kashmir to whom they sent a yearly tribute to. The state of Jammu and Kashmir the regional powerhorse was an independent state however was politically aligned with the British...the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent.

In 1889 the rulers of Hunza and Nagar had entered into a treaty with Colonel Algernon Durand, the resident British agent in Gilgit. The treaty called for a halt to raids into Gilgit and surrounding areas in return for yearly allowances for the rulers of Hunza and Nagar. By 1891 the general rebellious tendencies of Hunza and Nagar states, their continued raids against Gilgit (territory of Kashmir state) and intelligence reports of Russian agents being present in Hunza and Nagar with the purpose of provisioning arms to these states fueled British fears of a possible Russian ingress into India. The Indian government therefore decided to undertake a punitive expedition into Hunza and Nagar.

The people of Hunza and Nagar were confident of a victory as their valley was guarded by some of the highest mountains in the world and the trails that lead to heart of the their country was less than 2 feet wide at some points thereby securing it from large scale infantry movement. Also the Kanjutis as the people of Hunza and Nagar were known back then were ruthless fighters and had defeated numerous armies sent to tame them by the Kashmir state. This included major skirmishes in 1848 and 1866 when Dogra (Kashmiri) invasions were repelled successfully and with huge losses to the invader.

On 1st December 1891 the Hunza Nagar field force consisting of about a 1000 fighting men crossed the frontier into Nagar. The field force consisted of men from the famous Gurkha regiment, Punjab Infantry, Hazara mountain battery, Kashmir rifles, Bengal miners and sapper and was accompanies by 16 British officers.

The first battle was fought for the small fortress of Nilt on 2nd December which the British forces were able to comfortably capture. After subsequent skirmishes and battles by 22nd December 1891 the states of Hunza and Nagar were in control of British expeditionary force following capitulation of Altit fort. While the ruler of Nagar had surrendered to the British...the ruler of Hunza had escaped into China with his household and possessions. Safdar Ali Khan of Hunza and Uzr Khan of Nagar, the chief proponents of defiance to the British, had taken with them a convoy of 400 people on their escape to the Chinese Turkistan city of Taskurghan. An expedition was sent to pursue them by the British however returned unsuccessful.


In early January 1892 the British disarmed the valleys of Hunza and Nagar by collecting arms through village headmen. A British officer was installed as the military governor as the bulk of the invading force retreated back to its base in Gilgit. By September 1892, the British had installed Nazim Ali Khan the brother of Safdar Ali Khan to the throne of Hunza and Zafar Ali Khan to the throne of Nagar. His son Uzr Khan was later arrested by Chinese authorities and returned to Gilgit to be imprisoned.


Political Aftermath:


The two states accepted British suzerainty while remaining largely autonomous in their day to day affairs. Their raids into Kashmiri territory and pillaging of caravans reduced in the following years. The Russian influence in the petty states north of Kashmir was quashed and in a few years the great game ended reducing the significance of these petty states. As a result of this expedition Hunza became one of the most loyal tributary states in the Indian subcontinent.  So much so that after the departure of British and creation of Pakistan in August 1947, the brother of the ruler of Hunza at that time - an honorary captain in the british army only took down the Union Jack at his remote outpost in Upper Hunza after a few months when Gilgit scouts assumed control of the outpost.


Today Hunza and Nagar are part of Gilgit-Baltistan province of Pakistan as both Nagar and Hunza states were abolished in 1974 and subsequently merged into Northern Areas. It produces Pakistan's most formidable mountain climbers and is a must visit place for mountain climbing and trekking enthusiasts.

Mir Safdar Ali Khan - Defeated and Deposed

Uzr Ali Khan of Nagar - In exile and captivity in Kashir

Sir Francis Younghusband - Explorer of the Karakorams and the first "hippe"

Mir Nazim Ali Khan at Delhi Durbar 1911 - Installed by the British in 1892

Altit Fort after its fall - 1891

Hunza and Nagar terrain

Colonel Algernon Durand

The commander of the Hunza Nagar campaign -
younger sibling of Henry Mortimer Durand of Durand line fame

Further reading:

When men and mountains meet: Explorers of the western Himalayas by John Keay
Where three empires meet by E.F. Knight
The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia by Peter Hopkirk
The making of a frontier by A. Durand