The Tribal Areas played a significant role in the resistance against British imperialism. Several tribal leaders such as Kakajee Sanober Hussain Momand, Haji Sahib Turangzai, Mufti Rahim Popalzai, Mohammad Abdullah Hassan alias the Mad Mullah, Mullah Pawanda and Mullah Sahib Babra believed in armed resistance to free the subcontinent. Mirza Ali Khan alias the Faqir of Ipi was another such leader.

The Faqir of Ipi was born between 1898 and 1901 in the Bangal Khel Wazir clan in Ipi village of North Waziristan.

He was just 12 when his father, Arsala Khan, passed away. After receiving his madrassa education in his native Waziristan, he led prayers at a mosque in the Ipi area between Razmak and Bannu. In 1923, he left for Makkah to perform Hajj.

On returning to India, the Faqir of Ipi launched a series of attacks on British conveys and forts in Waziristan. Soon, more people started joining his movement to fight a holy war against the British.

Faqir’s attacks were restricted to Waziristan. However, its political influence was felt not only across the subcontinent but also in European capitals. Some of his rivals accused him of being a fundamentalist. However, he explained his stance in a tribal jirga, saying his aim was to rid the area of the British overlords.

Faqir of Ipi was a simple man, but his followers soon started attributing miraculous powers to him. These tales soon spread throughout the area.

Some of his followers believed that all they had to do was to cut off trees and the Faqir would turn the chopped wood into rifles. It was said that when he covered a few loaves of bread in a basket with a cloth, they sufficed for an entire caravan. Another legend related that bombs dropped by the British aircraft had turned into pieces of paper.

The Faqir and his men gave a tough time to the British forces. In April 1937, British troops lost about 53 soldiers when Faqir of Ipi’s men attacked a convoy in Shoor Tangi of North Waziristan. These soldiers were buried at the Gora Qabristan near an FC Fort in Manzai area of Tank.

Throughout 1937, Faqir’s followers continued to harry the British troops in Waziristan. He also sent letters to other tribes including Afridis, Momands and the Wazirs of Kurram, urging them to support him.

Abdul Bari Jahani, the well-known Pashto poet and scholar writes: “In those days, this movement gained popularity. He then decided to extend it to southern parts of Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan was then ruled by King Nadir Shah, who did not share the Faqir’s anti-British feelings. The Faqir of Ipi, too, had sympathies for the former king, Amanullah Khan.

In order to reduce Faqir of Ipi’s influence in Afghanistan, the then Afghan prime minister, Sardar Hashim Khan, offered huge amounts of cash to some of his followers to buy their loyalty. Khan had wanted to arrest the Faqir of Ipi and hand him over to the British. However, the Faqir was alerted and avoided arrest.

To counter Faqir’s influence in Afghanistan, the then Afghan prime minister, Sardar Hashim Khan, offered large amounts of cash to some of the Faqir’s followers to buy their loyalties. Khan had wanted to arrest the Faqir of Ipi and hand him over to the British. However, the Faqir was alerted and escaped arrest.

He later shifted to Waziristan where he continued his activities against the British Raj. In July 1939, his followers captured Bannu.

In 1939, the Faqir intensified his attacks on British troops in Waziristan. The British government deployed more than 40,000 troops to crush the revolt.

Czech writer Milan Hanner reports that the Faqir of Ipi was one of the most active and famed warriors who fought against the British Empire during World War II. The end of the war did not cause the Faqir to stop his attacks against the British. In 1946, he made another attempt to unite the Mehsuds. It is believed that the Faqir also wrote a letter to the then Indian Nation Congress president, Jawaharlal Nehru, showing his appreciation for trying to stop the British operations in his area.

After 1947, the Faqir of Ipi started resisting the Pakistani government. His objective now was to establish an independent state of ‘Pakhtunistan’. He not only contacted Adbul Ghaffar Khan but was also in touch with Afghanistan and India.

He also established a Pashtun assembly with two chapters: the first was in Tirah headed by Afridis and the second in Waziristan. On May 29, 1949, he called a tribal jirga in Gurwek and demanded that the government of Pakistan recognise the independent state of Pashtunistan. He also sent a hand out in this regard to the United Nations.

He received constant encouragement and material support from the Kabul government and even established his own printing press and a rifle factory in Gurwek.

In his book Waziristan, historian Layeq Shah Darpakhel writes that some Pashtuns close to Bacha Khan and the then Afghan government had established ties with the Faqir of Ipi. In this connection, a delegation sent by him visited Afghanistan where it was warmly welcomed.

Darpakhel writes that later the relationship deteriorated. Eventually, the Faqir became aloof. By this time, his movement had also started losing popular support. The tribesmen were no longer willing to fight after the departure of the British as the Faqir’s argument of waging jihad against a foreign power was no longer considered valid.

The rebel movement finally collapsed when his trusted commander Mehar Dil surrendered to Bannu police in November 1954. The Faqir of Ipi suffered from asthma during the last days of his life. He breathed his last in April 1960 and was laid to rest in Datta Khel tehsil of North Waziristan.

The writer teaches literature at Zhob Degree College and is a columnist. He can be reached at hussainhunarmal@gmail.com