1857 War of Independence in Murree
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[edit] War of independent in Murree and Circle Bakote
1857 was the year that war against British rule broke out throughout British India (see Indian Rebellion of 1857), resentment against colonial rule had been building up for sometime.
There had been the occasional isolated uprising against British rule at various times since the British had established themselves. What made 1857 different was that, although not centrally coordinated, the uprisings had the feel of something much larger - and there was real anticipation that the end of colonial rule would be achievable.
The War against the British had reached Murree and Circle Bakote in July 1857 when the Dhond Abbasi leader Sardar Sher Baz Khan planned to attack the British.
Sardar Khan had managed to obtain the backing of the following important tribal leaders.
- Satti leader Sardar Borha Khan
- Karhal leader Sardar Hasan Ali Khan
- Sardar Lalli Khan of Birote
- Sardar Resham Khan of Ponch Kashmir
However the revolt did not succeed - the rebels were betrayed and as punishment - all of Sardar Sher Baz Khan's eight sons were blasted (by cannon fire) in Murree whilst Sardar Khan himself was hanged. The masterminds of this plan of independence were two Seyed brothers from Dhoke Syedan of Dewal Sharif.
Not everyone had been against British rule, before British rule had been established in this area, the tribes had fought against the Sikh army.
Under the command of Pir of Plasi they had fought against the Sikh Army in Balakot - the troops here were commanded by Seyed Shah Ismail Shahid and Syed Ahmad Shaheed (known as the martyrs).
Pir of Dewal Sharif late Abdul Majid Ahmed grandfather had also embraced martyrdom in Dewal fighting against Sikhs army chief Hari Singh Nalwa. Nalwa's troops had brutally crushed the tribes of Circle Bakote and beheaded many of them.
The British, after battling in Rawalpindi in 1845 had captured Rani Jandan, the widow of Ranjit Singh (the former Ruler of Punjab) - this then caused the collapse of Sikh rule, when the British marched into the Murree area all the local tribes initially welcomed them with roses.
Within a short space of time, many of the tribes then felt they had exchanged one form occupation for another one, and it was events elsewhere in India which encouraged the uprising.
However the British had recruited many of the tribes in this area into their army, for example in this area large numbers of the Satti Tribe were recruited as Sepoys into the British Army and the British commanders (like elsewhere across Colonial India) won this war largely by the use of native infantry.
