Mazrak Zadran
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Babrak Khan[1] (father)
Sayyid Akbar Babrak
Izmair
5 or 14 others
Mazrak Khan Zadran | |
|---|---|
| زمرک خان ځدراڼ | |
 | |
| Tribal chief of the Zadran tribe | |
| In office October 1924 – 11 January 1947 | |
| Preceded by | Babrak Khan |
| Succeeded by | Unknown, possibly Abdulla Khan Jadran Yawan |
| Personal details | |
| Parent |
|
| Siblings | Sher Muhammad Khan Sayyid Akbar Babrak Izmair 5 or 14 others |
| Tribe | Zadran |
| Movement | Amanullah loyalism |
| Military service | |
| Battles/wars | Afghan tribal revolts of 1944–1947 |
Mazrak Khan Zadran[a] (fl. 1900s – 1972) was a Zadran chieftain who fought against the Afghan government during the Afghan tribal revolts of 1944–1947 in order to support the restoration of King Amanullah Khan.[2][3] Some sources render his first name as Mazarak[4] or Zemarak.[5]
Mazrak was the eldest[6] of the 9[6] or 18[7] sons of Babrak Khan, who was the Zadran chieftain at the time of Mazrak's birth.[4] Among Mazrak's brothers was Saad Akbar Babrak.[8] Mazrak's winter home was in the village of Almara.[8] His appearance in 1951 was described as a "thickset man with a black beard" who "wore a brown embroidered woollen chugha (cloak) over his shalwar qamiz".[9] In 1972, he was described as a "typical rugged Pathan, confident of his appearance and bearing, soft-spoken, with an air of self-acquired nobility. He was in light brown shalwar kameez, black high Liaquat cap, black shoes, dyed beard and moustache."[10]
Chieftain
Mazrak came to power following his father's death.[4] He supported the restoration of Amanullah Khan,[11] a king of Afghanistan who was deposed in the Afghan Civil War.[12] A Pakistani enquiry in 1947 states that "after the present dynasty seized the throne of Kabul, Mazarak, the elder brother of Sayyid Akbar, was given the rank of Naib Salar."[13]
In April 1944, Mazrak led an ambush against government troops in the Southern province,[14] after which he was beaten back and forced to retreat into the hills.[15] He continued to fight the Afghan government for the following years. In late 1944, he retreated into Waziristan, in the North West Frontier region of British India, where he was joined by a Sultan Ahmed, a chieftain from Balochistan.[16] They were later joined by another rebel leader nicknamed Pak.[17]
However, Mazrak's fortunes were not to last. He was forced out of British territory due to British bombardment.[18] In October 1945, most Safi surrendered,[19] followed by the surrender of Sultan Ahmad in November 1946.[20] Nonetheless, Mazrak and his brother Sher Muhd Khan continued to fight,[21] refusing to surrender until 11 January 1947.[22] Mazrak was expelled from Afghanistan by the government and was favourably received by the authorities in the British Raj.[5]
Succession
In Political conspiracies in Pakistan, written in 1969, it is stated that the Zadran chieftain at the time was Abdulla Khan Jadran Yawan,[23] although it's unclear if succession was immediate or if someone else was chieftain between Mazrak and Abdulla.