‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎64r] (126/949)

Mastung Treaty, always been referred to the representative of the British
Government and no case of armed collision between the two parties has occurred
since 1876. In inter-tribal matters too no feud in Sarawan has ever resulted
in serious disturbance, the reason being that from the moment of our advent in
Baluchistan the Chiefs have always referred to us cases they were unable to
dispose of themselves.
15. The question arises here how and why we interfered to procure the set
tlement of such cases. There is nothing on this subject in the Mastung Treaty
and under its terms we have no more right to interfere in tribal matters than we
had before 1876. The answer seems obvious, uiz., that the Khan never has had
the Brahui.tribes under his control, that our intervention and indeed Sandeman's
whole Mission and his every proceeding was a recognition and confirmation of
their claims to independence and that, the limits of British territory having been
pushed to their very doors and their having been brought into intimate relations
with a strong Government who could not allow the continuances of disorder in its
immediate neighbourhood, it was inevitable that the tribes should look to us and
that we should respond to their expectation to take measures for the preservation
of peace and good order among them.
16. The measures in question taken for the first few years after the Treaty
were not of a very marked character. The chiefs were left to govern their tribes
themselves and it was only the more important cases that came to us for adjust
ment, when they would be either submitted to a Shahi Jirga convened by us or
the Political Officers would use their influence to obtain an adjustment by com
promise, arbitration, “shariat”, etc. This small degree of intervention was the
more sufficient in that the Sarawan Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. , in the person of Sir Assad Khan
Raisani, possessed in those days the influence and authority attached to his high
position. In the settlement of cases beyond the powers of the tribal chiefs or of
those between chief and chief he did an enormous amount of valuable work and
the decline of his authority, which it is to be feared we have ourselves contributed
to bring about, is one of the principal reasons that has now made a somewhat
greater degree of interference on our part necessary.
17. However even with the Sarawan Sirdar’s assistance a more definite step
than those hitherto taken was soon found necessary for the proper control of the
tribes. As the attached copy of a memorandum (marked “A”) will show
Major Temple, the then Political Officer, reported in 1889 that there were con
stant and annually recurring complaints by the Dehwars (cultivators) of Mastung
against the Brahuis, who were in the habit of “looting the crops, robbing the
gardens and stealing property from the houses of the Dehwars”. All attempts
to obtain the redress of these complaints and the punishment of the offenders
proved ineffectual, this being due to the apathy and indifference and perhaps to
the weakness of the tribal chiefs. In the circumstances Major Temple recom
mended and the Agent to the Governor-General sanctioned the appointment of
certain levy sowars to be paid for out of the allowances granted by Government
to the four chiefs whose tribes were concerned. The sowars were posted at
Mastung under a Brahui Thanadar whose duty it was to keep the Brahuis in
order.
18. This then is the origin of the present system of levy Thanas by which
we endeavour to control these numerous and powerful tribes. That the system
has grown and must grow still further is due to various causes. Firstly we have
the decline of the Sarawan Sirdar’s authority already referred to. In connection
with Jaffir Khan’s raids in 1897 Mir Mehrulla Khan Raisani, who held the
position of Sarawan Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. on behalf of the minor Raisani chief, was suspected of
disloyalty (whether rightly or wrongly it is bootless now to enquire) and im
prisoned. In addition to this by a settlement made in the Raisani-Rustamzai
dispute the Raisanis were prohibited from residing in Kanak, their summer home
for generations past while a big land dispute with the Shahwanis over the Eri
lands in Kachi was also given against them. These blows to their prestige com
bined with the youth and inexperience of the young chief, S. Sir Assad Khan’s
successor, have been fatal to Raisani power and influence. The Sirdar’s authority
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