Dir

Dir

     Dir may be described as the country drained by the Panjkora river and it affluents as far as the junction of the Panjkora and Bajour [Rud] rivers. The upper portion of the Panjkora valley as far down as its junction with the Dir stream [generally known as the Kashkar valley] is called the Panjkora Kohistan, or Kohistan-i-Malizai. The upper portion of this Kohistan is known as Bashkar and the lower portion as Sheringal.

         Until recent times all the Panjkora Kohistan was occupied by non-Pathan tribes, known as the Bashkar. The are doubtless, as in the case of their neighbours, the Torwals and Garhwis of Swat Kohistan, remnants of the races who occupied the Dir country prior to Pathan conquest. The Yusafzai have gradually spread over the lower or Sheringal portion of this kohistan,and the aboriginal tribes are now chiefly confined to the upper portion,i.e..Bashkar.Their principal villages are Rashkot [Pashtu Patrak], Biskot [Pushtu Barikot], Biar and Lamutai. These used to pay tribute to Chitral, and recently paid tribute to both Chitral and Dir. They now pay tribute to Dir only. The Bashkar and Kashkar valleys have also a large Gujar population.

          At Chutiatanr, six miles below Dir, the Panjkora is joined by the Dir [Kashkar] stream and the Baraul river. The upper portion of the Kashkar valley is inhabited by Gujars. The lower portion, in which is situated the village of Dir, is occupied by the Akund Khel sub-section of the Painda Khel, Malizai Yusafzai, to which the Khan of Dir belongs. The Baraul valley is inhabited by a portion of the Isazai section of the Tarkanri and now forms part of Dir. The Dir country is ,like Swat with but few exception, entirely occupied by the Akozai Yusafzai. From Chutiatanr working downwards, we find on the left bank the Painda Khel and on the right bank the Sultan Khel. Further down the Sultan Khel occupy both banks, and below them, on both banks, the Nasrudin Khel and then Ausa Khel.

        The Maidan valley, which on the right bank joins the Panjkora river about ten miles above its junction with the Rud river, is inhabited by the Isailzai section of the Tarkanri, and like the Baraul valley, now forms part of Dir. So also does the Jandol valley, inhabited by Isazai Tarkanri, which joins the Rud river above its junction with the Panjkora. This valley was transferred to Dir by mutual agreement between the Khan of Nawagai and Nawab of Dir in 1898.

          The Dush Khel country between the Panjkora and Swat river, and the Talash valley above referred to as originally forming part of Swat , are also now included in Dir.

        The Whol country of Dir , with the additions above referred to, is under the rule of the Nawab of Dir, and its occupants, whether Yusafzai or Tarkanri, pay tribute to him or to his Khans. The population may be estimated at about 100.000. As above mentioned the tribes on the right bank of the Swat river have been placed by Government under the Nawab of Dir and pay tribute to him.

          The Panjkora river is fordable in numerous places in the winter months. Like the Swat river, being snow-fed, its volume begins to rapidly increase in early spring and it is quite unfordable anywhere until late in the autumn. It has a larger volume and far greater velocity than the Swat river, and this render it an ideal river for the bringing down of timber from the upper valleys. It is crossed above Chutiatanr by a few rope bridges [zon]. At Chutiatanr is a suspension bridge, and another mamed the Panjkora bridge, just below the junction of the Panjkora and Rud rivers. These were  constructed by Government in 1895 and are kept up by Government . Between the Panjkora bridge and Abazai are four rope bridges,i.e..at Mishta,Dabar, Ghundai and Dehgam within Utman Khel limits.

             The main Panjkora valley is nowhere so wide as the Swat valley, and the extent of alluvial soil in the valley is very much less. The larger portion of the population live in the numerous rich valleys which join the main valley. These are all extremely fertile and from the elevation of the valleys in their upper portion must be extremely pleasant places to live in. The upper slopes of the mountains are thickly wooded,and in Panjkora Kohistan contain valuable deodar forests. The rainfall of Dir is, as a whol, greater than that of Swat. The climate of the upper valleys is pleasant and cool in summer, but the Lower Panjkora valley , like Lower Swat, is very hot in summer and unhealthy in autumn.