Yasin also known as Worshigum is a valley in the Hindukush mountains in district Ghizer. It was strategically important because of its passes like Darkot was a link from Yasin to Chitral to Wakhan through Baroghil pass. During the great game Yasin valley considered a possible route for Russian invasion through Pamirs and Hindukush into Chitral/Yasin to Gilgit. People of the valley speak Burushaski and Khowar and majority of the people are Brusho (Yashkun). One Muhammad Baig died living six sons and of these Shah Kator and Shah Kushwaqat were the most prominent. Shah Kator established himself as the ruler of Chitral and Khushwaqat at Yasin and Mastuj. Later his sons added the districts of Punial and Gilgit as far as Bunji in the east and Chitral and Kafirstan as far Kunar in the west. Gohar Aman was the most famous Khushwaqat rulers, who when became ruler of Yasin after defeating his brother his kingdom included the areas like Mastuj, Gupis, Yasin, Gilgit and Punial.The struggle of the people of Gilgit was always there against foreign forces in their land which they considered as threat to their identity, culture and religion. In Gilgit region Gohar Aman, the ruler of Yasin was the man who launched series of attacks against Sikhs and Dogras and was always supported by people from Darel, Tangir and Chitral. In 1841Gohar Aman attacked Gilgit and occupied after killing its ruler Raja Shah Sikandar Khan. His brother Karim Khan who was in Gor (Chilas) sent an agent to Sikh governor Kashmir for help. In 1842 Maharaja of Kashmir sent an army under Colonel Nathu Shah (a muslim) and the Sikh army succeeded in restoring power to Karim Khan when Gohar Aman vacated Gilgit and went back to Yasin to regroup. Later Colonel Nathu Shah was replaced by Mathra Das who advanced to Sharot with a part of Sikh force. Gohar Aman attacked his forces between Sharot and Gullapur and defeated him. Mathra Das ran away to Kashmir. In Gilgit Nathu Shah was running a parallel government and Karim Khan was under his influence. Under the protection of Sikhs Karim Khan ruled Gilgit from 1841 until he was killed in 1844. A Sikh forces was left at Gilgit and Nathu Shah returned to Kashmir. Karim Khan succeeded by his son Muhammad Khan who was driven out of Gilgit by Gohar Aman. In 1847 Sikh force was replaced by Dogras at Astor and Gilgit. Most of the Sikh took service under new ruler (Dogra) including Nathu Shah. In 1848 Gohar Aman with the support of Amanul Mulk of Chitral attacked Gilgit.Enroute to Gilgit he captured forts of Sher Qila, Bargo and Shukyot. Gohar Aman was assisted by the locals of Gilgit, and forces of Hunza and Nager. In this attack Colonel Nathu Shah and Karim Khan were killed. Gohar Aman occupied not only Gilgit but Chaprot fort too. In 1849 Kashmiri forces again invaded Gilgit and occupied the fort. In 1851 Gohar Aman again attacked Gilgit and Dogras and Sikhs vacated Gilgit and ran to Bunji. In 1852 Sant Singh was commander of forces at Gilgit fort, there was another fort at Naupura couple kilometer from Gilgit held by a Gorkha regiment under command Ram Din. Bhoop Singh was commander of reserves at Bunji and Astor. Gohar Aman attacked theses two forts simultaneously and separated them from reinforcing each other and on hearing this news Bhoop Singh started to Gilgit with 1200 soldiers. Between Sai and Gilgit valley he encountered a road block and a block was also established to the rear of his forces and the forces of Hunza assembled opposite river Gilgit thus the Bhoop Singh forces encircled from all sides. For seven days the Dogra forces were kept without food. Finally fighting started, Hunza forces fired from left bank of Gilgit river and Gohar Aman forces from the top of the ridge with bullets and boulders. Near 1000 of his men were killed and hundreds were taken prisoners and later sold in slavery. Gohar Aman inflicted a humiliating defeat in annihilating entire army of Bhoop Singh. This place is now famously known as Bhoop Singh Pari.Fate of Dogra troops at Gilgit and Naupura was similar, 300 killed alone at Naupura and rest taken prisoners One women escaped and she swam the Indus river while holding on to cow tail to tell the story. Frederic Drew mentioned of the lady in his book and later she received pension from Kashmir darbar. After this defeat Dogra/Sikh forces never dared to attack Gilgit as long as Gohar Aman lived.As a result of these attacks Gohar Aman again took control of Gilgit and Dogras were expelled from all parts of Gilgit. According to Dr. Leitner while Gohar Aman was governing Gilgit an army under Sikh general Mathra Das with 3000 horses came to establish thana at Astor and Bunji. On this Gohar Aman asked people of Darel and Tangir to attack Sikh forces through mountains at Bunji. 5000 men from Darel and Tangir came down to Bunji in ten days. Gohar Aman with 3000 horses and 2000 coolies came to Sai opposite Bunji. The forces of Gohar Aman also comprised fighters from Nomal, Bagarote, Sakawar and Minawar. In the day long battle Sikhs were defeated, majority killed and only 100 escaped to Bunji while crossing Indus. According to Dr. Leitner next year after the battle of Chakarkot about 20000 Kashmiri troops under former general came to Astor. Again help was sought from Darelis and Tangeris. 10000 Sikhs came at Niludar mountain range between Sai and Gilgit. The battle last for whole day and all 10000 Sikhs killed and only are sepoy escaped to Bunji to tell the news to the other half of the army. When Ranbir Singh became Maharaja he sent a force to reoccupy Gilgit from Gohar Aman under Colonel Devi Singh Narainia (later general). Before the arrival of the forces in Gilgit in 1860 Gohar Aman died and therefore there was no resistance to the advancing forces. Gilgit was again reoccupied by Dogras. According to Drew the real enemy of Gohar Aman was Raja Issa Bahadur of Punialwhile Gohar Aman was ruler of Yasin he escaped to Gilgit then to Chilas and to Kashmir. Isa Bahadur was half brother of Gohar Aman who was expelled from Sher Qila, a dependency of Yasin. In 1863 after the death of Gohar Aman the Sikhs decided to punish Yasinis for all the trouble they created for them. An army of 9000 infantry, 3000 cavalry left Gilgit for Yasin. Forces were led by General Hoshiyara, Jawhir Singh, Samad Khan and Issa Bahadur.On hearing this news the ruler of Yasin Mulk Aman fled to Chitral. Issa Bahadur who was fugitive now was part of invading forces. The army was divided into three columns to ensure that no Yasini escape. An order was given to kill all inhabitants in the houses without regard to sex or age. 2000 men, women and children and countless numbers of infants and babies became martyrs at the hands of bloody Sikhs. A fierce and hand to hand battle was fought by Yasinis however to due to non existence of leadership and a superior army, Yasin was occupied. According to George W Hayward who came to Gilgit in 1870 to explore Pamir and to find the origin of Oxus wrote some unbelievable accounts of atrocities committed by Maharaja forces in Madoori fort, Yasin. Hayward wrote letters to Calcutta newspapers describing the scene of massacre by Sikhs/Dogras. According to him women and children were massacred. They threw the little one into the air and cut them in to two as they fell. It is said the pregnant women after being killed were ripped open and their unborn babies were hacked to pieces. Yasin was plundered and burnt and all the cattle carried off together with some 2000 women and men. To acknowledge the massacre of Yasinis Maharaja gave a medal for the Yasin invasion in 1863. On this it was inscribed in persian “Medal for valour at Madoori”. In 1866 an army included forces from Chitral, Yasin, Darel and Hunza, Nagar occupied the left bank of river Gilgit opposite Gilgit fort. Yasini forces were led by Mir Wali brother of Raja of Yasin. Maharaja dispatched a force of 3000 under Wazir Zuraoru and Colonel Bija Singh. However, before the arrival of Maharaja forces the invading forces vacated Gilgit and returned. In 1870 George W Hayward was murdered under mysterious circumstances at Darkot, Yasin. He was the first English man who visited Yasin. Owing to feuds, wars of succession, murders, Khushwaqt country was separated from Chitral in September 1895. Shuja-ul-Mulk was made mehtar Chitral and governors were appointed on behalf of Kashmir durbar to rule over Yasin and Kuh (Gupis) to which rest of Ghizer was added later. In 1896 Ishkuman was separated from Yasin. According to Dr. Ahmed Hassan Dani, Gohar Aman was a mighty military commander in the mediaeval period. According to Munshi Azizuddin, munshi to British agency Chitral Gohar Aman fought with other nations and defeated them. The victories of Gohar Aman can be attributed to his leadership, military skills and courage and bravery of valiant people of Yasin. Hawaldar Lalak Jan Shaheed who was given Pakistan military’s highest award “Nishan-e-Haider” for his dauntless courage and bravery in Kargil war in 1999 belonged to Hundur in Yasin valley.
In 1841Gohar Aman attacked Gilgit and occupied after killing its ruler Raja Shah Sikandar Khan. His brother Karim Khan who was in Gor (Chilas) sent an agent to Sikh governor Kashmir for help
The writer is a retired brigadier and currently commissioner of the Afghan Refugees Organisation, Balochistan