Janjua

The Janjua or Janjhua is a Punjabi Rajput clan found predominantly in the Pothohar Plateau of Pakistani Punjab, but also in the states of Punjab and Haryana in India.

History and origin

Origin

The Janjuas had engaged in a long-running struggle for sovereignty over the Salt Range.

Mughal period

In the 16th century, the Mughal Emperor Humayun was usurped by the Pashtun king Sher Shah Suri, who constructed the Rohtas Fort in Punjab to check Humayun's entry into Hindustan, and also to keep a check on the local tribes including Gakhars as well as Janjuas.

Sikh period

The expansion of the Sikh Empire, spearheaded by Ranjit Singh, was met with a rebellion by the Janjua Sultan of Watli, Sultan Fateh Muhammad Khan. A six-month siege of Kusuk Fort in Watli followed and this was ended when the inhabitants ran short of water. The ''Kala Khan'' branch of Rawalpindi Janjuas fortunes were also eclipsed by the rise of the Sikh Empire.

British period

By the time the British Raj took an interest in conquering the Sikhs in 1848–49, they were joined by opportunistic tribes such as the Janjua, Gakhars who had lost control of their centuries-old ancestral kingdoms to the imperial Sikh Empire and sought revenge. Tan Tai Yong says that "Besides being impressed with their track record, the British saw in them, with their traditional and historical enmity against the Sikhs, an effective counterpoise against the latter."

The Janjua rebellion against the Sikh Empire was a political rebellion, as the Janjua were initially keen allies to the Sukerchakia Misl.

During the nineteenth century, they were listed as a martial race. During this period, due to their high aristocratic status, the Janjuas refused to serve in any regiment that was not commanded by either a Janjua or another commander of equal social standing. This preference was honoured by the British when selecting regiments for them.

Notable people

*Tikka Khan, Pakistan army general who served as the Military Governor of East Pakistan in 1971 and later became the first Chief of Army staff from 1972 to 1976, admired in Pakistan as the Victor of the Rann of Kutch
* Asif Nawaz Janjua, Chief of staff for the Pakistan Army from 1991 till his poisoning and death in 1993
* Iftikhar Janjua, major general of the Pakistan Army, fought and died in the Battle of Chamb
* Amir Gulistan Janjua, brigadier general of the Pakistan Army, Governor of North West Frontier Province, Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal, Saudi Arabia & United Arab Emirates.
* Saif Ali Janjua, a Lance Naik Platoon Commander in the 1947 Indo-Pakistani War who inflicted heavy losses on the enemy and repulsed ventures on his post, posthumously awarded Nishan-e-Haider
* Muhammad Hussain Janjua, Army Soldier who fought in the Zafarwal Sector of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, destroyed 16 Indian tanks on a reconnaissance mission or 20% of India's tank losses in the 1971 war and was posthumously awarded Nishan-e-Haider for highest Military Gallantry
* Altaf Gauhar, intellectual and writer close to Pakistan's military dictator General Ayub Khan
* Raja Muhammad Afzal Khan, Senator, he was elected more than multiple times as Member National Assembly of Pakistan from Jhelum.
* Malik Iqbal Mehdi Khan, politician he was provincial minister of Punjab province & elected more than multiple times as Member National Assembly of Pakistan from Pind Dadan Khan.
* Zaheer-ul-Islam, (Urdu: ﻇﻬﻴﺮ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻡ) is a retired Lieutenant-General who served as the 20th Director General of the ISI.
* Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, Islamic scholar
* Amir Khan, British-Pakistani boxer, his paternal grandfather Lal Khan Janjua was in the Pakistan Army
* Amna Nawaz, Pakistani-American broadcast journalist and a co-anchor of the ''PBS NewsHour'', her uncle was Asif Nawaz Janjua.
* Shah Nawaz Khan, (January 1914 – 9 December 1983) was an Indian politician who served as a General in the Indian National Army (INA) during World War II.
* Adam Azim, British Pakistani boxing prospect
* Hamzah Sheeraz, British Pakistani boxer

References

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Rajput clans
Jat clans of Punjab
Social groups of Haryana
Surnames of Hindu origin
Surnames of Indian origin
Social groups of Jammu and Kashmir
History of Punjab
Rajput clans of Punjab