State of Swat () commonly known as the Yusufzai State of Swat was a state established in 1849 by the

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

saint

Saidu Baba Akhūnd Abdul Ghaffūr (1794–1876; also known as Saidū Bābā and the Akhūnd of Swāt) was a prominent religious saint and founder of the State of Swat. The city of Saidu Sharif, that serves as the administrative capital of Swat District, ...

, also known as ''Akhund of Swat'',Fredrik Barth, ''Features of Person and Society in Swat: Collected Essays on Pathans'', illustrated edition, Routledge, 1981 and was ruled by Walis of Swat. It was recognized as a princely state in alliance with the

British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...

between 1918 and 1947, after which the Akhwand acceded to the newly independent state of

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

. Swat continued to exist as an autonomous region until it was dissolved in 1969, and incorporated into

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ; , ; abbr. KP or KPK), formerly known as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Northern Pakistan, northwestern region of the country, Khyber ...

province (formerly North-West Frontier Province). The area it covered is now divided among the present-day districts of

Swat A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations. SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...

Buner Buner District (, ) is a district in the Malakand Division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Before receiving the status of a district in 1991, it was a tehsil within Swat District. Buner's elevation starts at 1200 ft in the S ...

Kohistan Kohistan (, , ), also transliterated Kuhistan, Kuhiston, Quhistan, may refer to: In Afghanistan *Kohistan District, Kapisa, Kapisa Province ** Kohistan Hesa Awal District, a district in Kapisa Province, created within the former Kohistan Distr ...

and

Shangla Shangla District (, ) is a district in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The district's headquarters are located at Alpuri, while the largest city and commercial center is Besham. The district was established in 1995, having p ...

History

The Swat state was established by a religious leader,

, who was born in a Muslim

Khatana Khatana is a sub clan of the Gujjar ethnic group found in India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. They follow different religions, such as Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. Offshoots Khatana Gujjars have many sub-branches/sub-sections such as: * Awana clan, ...

Gujjar The Gurjar (or Gujjar, Gujar, Gurjara) are an agricultural ethnic community, residing mainly in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, divided internally into various clan groups. They were traditionally involved in agriculture, pastoral and nomadic ...

family of the upper

Swat Valley Swat District (), also known as the Swat Valley, is a district in the Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Known for its stunning natural beauty, the district is a popular tourist destination. With a population of 2,687,384 per th ...

in 1794. He began his life as a shepherd and then left the village at the age of 18 to settled in the village of Mian Brangola, where he got his early education and learnt the fundamentals of

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

. Saidu Baba ultimately settled in 1849 at

Saidu Sharif Saidū Sharīf (Pashto/Urdu: ) is the capital of the Swat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The city also serves as the capital of the Malakand Division. It was named after Saidu Baba, a prominent leader of the former state of Swat. Sa ...

, gradually turning Swat into an independent state. However, after his death in 1877, Swat fell into abeyance till 1915, when

Abdul Jabbar ʿAbd al-Jabbār (ALA-LC romanization of ) is a Muslim male given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Jabbār'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric ...

, a descendant of

Pir Baba Sayyid Ali Tirmizi (), more commonly known as Pir Baba (), was a Sufi pir who settled in Buner in present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. There, he lived among the Yusufzai Pashtuns. He was a Naqvi Syed, probably born in 908 AH (1502 CE), i ...

was elected as leader. In 1918, the grandson of Saidu Baba, Miangul Abdul Wadud became the Wali of Swat. Soon Swat was recognized by the British government as a princely state. In 1947, Miangul Abdul Wadud acceded his state to Pakistan.

Educational Advancements

Under the rule of Miangul Jehanzeb, who assumed the role of Wali in 1949, Swat experienced a remarkable growth in educational opportunities. He founded several schools and colleges, most notably Jehanzeb College in 1952. Education was offered at no cost, and scholarships were made available to students, resulting in a substantial rise in literacy rates.

Judicial and Administrative Reforms

Miangul Jahan Zeb implemented a judicial system that combined traditional practices with modern governance. A network of qazis (judges) was established to ensure swift justice. Law and order were maintained through a combination of local jirgas (councils) and state enforcement, leading to a significant reduction in crime.

Economic and Industrial Development

Under the leadership of Miangul Jahan Zeb, Swat's economy experienced diversification, becoming recognized for its handicrafts such as woolen blankets (Sharai), shawls, rugs, and intricate embroidery. Additionally, marble and emerald mining played a significant role in boosting the local economy.

Cultural and Architectural Contributions

Miangul Abdul Wadud made investments in the preservation of culture and the development of architecture. The White Palace in Marghuzar, constructed in 1940, functioned as a summer retreat and stands as a symbol of the area's architectural legacy.

Integration into Pakistan

In 1969, Swat State was incorporated into Pakistan, joining the

province. This change signified the conclusion of the princely state's self-governance, yet it established a legacy of advancement and forward-thinking policies.

Government

The rulers of Swat held the title

Amir Emir (; ' (), also transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremonial authority. The title has ...

-e Shariyat and from 1918 were known as

Badshah Badshah or Baadshah may refer to: * Padishah, or Badshah, a superlative sovereign title of Persian origin People * Badshah (rapper) (Aditya Prateek Singh, born 1984), Indian rapper * Badshah Begum (1703–1789), first wife and chief consort of ...

; the title changed to

Wali The term ''wali'' is most commonly used by Muslims to refer to a saint, or literally a "friend of God".John Renard, ''Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008); John ...

in 1926 when it became a Princely State of the

. Since 1969 the former princely state has been under a civil administration as part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

References

External links

Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
{{coord missing, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Swat District States and territories established in 1849 History of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Princely states of Pakistan Former kingdoms Gurjar