Qazi Safdar Hussain

Family

He was born of a qadi family of Naushera, Soon Valley of Awans tribe of Salt Range. This family is the most illustrious Awan family^{[1] [2]} of Awan tribe^{[3] [4] [5]} of Salt range, descended from Muhammad Himayat Ali^{[6] [7]}the leading chief of Awan tribe in his time.

This area of mountainous region has always been the centre and home of the leading Awan tribe.^[8] It is stated in the Imperial Gazetteer of India that “They are essentially a tribe of the Salt Range, where they once held independent possessions of very considerable extent, and in the western and central portions of which they are still the dominant race.^[9] All other branches of the Awan tribe withdrew from this mountainous region to neighbouring plains and open plateaux and other part of the country.^[10][11][12] Even the Awans of India, where they settled as a compact tribe in city Jalandhar said that they came from Salt Range. Ibbetson, D states in his book Punjab Castes, that the Awans of Jalandhar claimed that their ancestors served in the armies of the Slave Dynasty and the Khilji dynasty during the Delhi Sultanate period, who brought them from the Salt-range^[13] All these tribal branches always trace their origin and ancestry from this mountainous region of the Salt Range.^{[14] [15]}

While writing about the Chiefs of Punjab, Sir Lepel Henry Griffin states in his book entitled, “The Panjab Chiefs: the most authentic book on the subject that;“In Shahpur District, the Awans held the hilly country to the north west, Jalar, Naoshera (Naushera) and Sukesar, where the head of the tribe still resides.”^[16] Here Sir Lepel Henry Griffin is writing about this family.

The author of the "Tareekh Awan", History of Awan, has listed the names of all the ancestors of Safdar Hussain, while giving his complete genealogical table starting from his father, Khan sahib Qazi Zafar Hussain. ^[17] The author tell us that he is a descendant of Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of Islam from Al-Abbas ibn Ali. It is stated in the “History of Awan”^[18]that there were eight great pious men in this branch of tribe famous with the name of Qazi. All these eight have left a fame that was still remembered by the people.

In his ancestry we find great names. He is great great grand son of Qazi Kalim Allah^[19],^[20][21] the famous muslim qadi and jurist of Naushera in the time of Mughal Emperors, and grand son of Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad ^{[22] [23]} He is the youngest son of Khan Sahib Qazi Zafar Hussain, and younger brother of Lieutenant Colonel Qazi Altaf Hussain. He is the nephew and son in law of 'Raees-Azam Naushera', Qazi Mazhar Qayyum^[24] who wielded considerable political influence in the Punjab, prior to and following creation of Pakistan.

Early Life

After passing his matriculation examination from Government High School Naushera, He studied at Government College, Lyallpur. At Government College, he was an active participant of Pakistan movement. He had the honour to sit next to Quaid-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah in the poliltical rally of Muslim League in which Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was present himself. In 1943, when Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnahcame to Lyallpur, now Faisalabad, and addressed a gathering of over 2 million in the Dhobi Ghat Ground,^[25], his father, Khan Sahib Qazi Zafar Hussain arranged a cavalry for the political rally and provided horses for the cavalry of muslim students, led by his elder brother Qazi Altaf Hussain . His brother Qazi Fiaz Hussain also sat with him.

Career

He was selected for the British Indian Police Service in 1946. He served in Indian Police Service in various cities of Punjab (India). After the creation of Pakistan, He was posted as Inspector of Police of Gujrat, Punjab in the decade of 1960, the most troubled area of the Punjab at that time. He administered his area effectively and provided service & protection to the people of the area, who still remember his legacy, and in this context, the old folks talk about his positive role in the history of the Punjab Police (Pakistan). He was an exemplary police officer, who maintained a very high degree of honesty, integrity and professionalism. He was said by the people of Punjab to put the gold necklace on the neck of a goat and let her go in his area, and no one dared to touch the goat.

Due to political pressure by politicians allied the criminals of that time, the government was forced to transfer him, and

actually transferred him but ultimately, Nawab of Kalabagh, Malik Amir Mohammad Khan, Governor of West Pakistan, who also belonged to same Awan (Pakistan) tribe of Safdar Huassain, cancelled this transfer. This time Safdar Hussain dealt with iron hands with the criminals.Deputy Superintendent of Police

He was promoted to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police during the time of President Ayub Khan, and was appointed at Lahore, the capital of Punjab (Pakistan). Here he servedPunjab Police (Pakistan) with efficient administration. At Naulakha, Lahore, he was famous for his hot temperament and he used to beat hard criminals several time. His friend and admirer , Raja imtiaz Ahmad a retired Superintendent of Police, wrote the details about him in his book, "Purani Yadeen Nai Dareechae" (Old thoughts news windows).

Superintendent of Police

He was promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police^[26] during the time of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. During his tenure as Superintendent of Police of District Lahore, Sahiwal, Sheikhupuraand many other cities of Punjab (Pakistan), he maintained rule of law with iron hands, without any fear or favour, which made him a hero in the history of the Punjab Police (Pakistan). He was about to be promoted to Deputy Inspector General of Police but unfortunately during the period of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, due to Martial Law, many retired army officers occupied the top positions of police, and due to political opposition against this hot-tempered examplry police officer, he could not be promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Punjab Police. However he was compensated by move over to the rank of 19th grade of Deputy Inspector General, before retirement.

He pursues intellectual endeavors and activities far beyond retirement, remaining active well into his eighties. Although his grandfather, Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad forbade his descendants to establish Dargah, he was considered Sajjada Nashin by the people of his area. "Sajjada nashins" David Gilmartin asserts, "claimed to be the descendants of the Sufi,^[27]‘saints’, intermediaries between the Faithful and their God, and this cut against the grain of Islamic orthodoxy......in kind, of their special religious status, these sajjada nashins had become men of local standing in their own right."^[28] However he never claimed to be a Sajjada Nashin. In the Punjab, the sajjada nashin or pir families were not so rich in terms of land as the great land lords of Punjab but these sajjada nashin or pir families exerted great political and religious influence over the people.^[29] The British could not administer the area without their help and no political party could win the election without their help. Like his Uncle, father and elder brother, he made every effort to stop the people from making Dargah of the grave of his father. Instead, much to the horror of his tribe, he considered this as superstition. But the prestige of his ancestors is still a living thing, and the Awans reverently kiss the hand of their grand old man.

Sources

1. Purani Yadeen Nai Dareechae" (Old thoughts news windows) by Raja imtiaz Ahmad,Superintendent of Police (Retired).

2. Wadi Soon Sakesar (The Soon Valley) by Sufi Sarwar. 2002, Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore.

3. "Tareek Awan", History of Awan, by Muhammad Sarwar Khan Awan, 2009, Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore.

References

1. ^ Wadi Soon Sakesar (The Soon Valley) by Sufi Sarwar. 2002, Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore
2. ^ Tareek Awan", History of Awan, by Muhammad Sarwar Khan Awan, 2009, Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore.
3. ^ A histrory of Awan tribe of Punjab, Pakistan, written by Muhammad Noor ud Din Sulemani, first published in 1911, second edition 1923.
4. ^ Anwar Shamsia, A biography of Pir Khawaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi, by Maulvi Ameer Baksh.Edition
5. ^ Hu al-Hameed by Sahibzada Muhammad Masood Ahmad.
6. ^ Wadi Soon Sakesar (The Soon Valley) by Sufi Sarwar. 2002, Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore.
7. ^ Wadi Soon Sakesar, The Soon Valley, by Ahmad Ghazali, Ferozsons Ltd. lahore
8. ^ 1. "The home of the Awan in the Panjab is the Salt Range", The Panjab, North-West Frontier Province and Kashmir - James Douie Page 105.
9. 2. "The best of the Musalman tribes comes from the Salt range".The Armies of India By A. C. Lovett, Major, Gf Macmunn, Page 141
10. 3. "Salt Range was the main habitat of Awans". History of the Sikh gurus: a comprehensive study by Surjit Singh Gandhi p.2.
11. 4. "They settled about 1035, AD in the Peshawar district, and eventually became possessed of the Salt Range country." A short history of the Sikhs by Charles Herbert Payne - 1970, p.234
12. ^ The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol. 7, p. 170
13. ^ The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol. 14, P290
14. ^ The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol. 08, P162
15. ^ The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol. 07, P170
16. ^ “The Jalandhar Awans state that they came into that district as followers of one of the early Emperors of Delhi who brought them with him from the Salt-range; and it is not impossible that they may have accompanied the forces of Babur. Many of them were in former times in the imperial service at Delhi, keeping up at the same time their connection with their Jalandhar homes.” Ibbetson, D., 2001, Punjab Castes, Sang-e-Meel Publications p.170.
17. ^ History of Awan, by Muhammad Sarwar Khan Awan, 2009 by the Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore
18. ^ Wadi Soon Sakesar' The Soon Valley, by Sufi Sarwar, published by Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore A joint venture of Lok Virsa, Islamabad and AL-Faisal Nashran, Lahore, copy right Lok Virsa, Islamabad 2002
19. ^ ^ “The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Territories Under the Panjab Government”
20. ^ History of Awan, by Muhammad Sarwar Khan Awan, 2009 by the Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore, p. 237
21. ^ History of Awan, by Muhammad Sarwar Khan Awan, 2009 by the Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore, p. 237
22. ^ Munaqib-i-Sultani, a biography of Sultan Bahu, by Sultan Hamid. The writer Sultan Hamid belonged to the sixth or seventh generation of Sultan Bahu's lineage. Almost all biographers of Sulatn Bahu have derived their facts from Manaqib-i-Sultani. The writer of this book mentions the name of Qazi Kalim Allah as a great ‘Alim’ (scholar) of his time.
23. ^ Wadi Soon Sakesar' The Soon Valley, by Sufi Sarwar, published by Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore A joint venture of Lok Virsa, Islamabad and AL-Faisal Nashran, Lahore, copy right Lok Virsa, Islamabad 2002
24. ^ History of Awan, by Muhammad Sarwar Khan Awan, 2009 by the Al- Faisal Nashran, Lahore,
25. ^ Qazi Mian Muhammad Amjad, who was considered as a Sufi by his people, forbade his descendants not to establish Dargah after his death and never allowed his followers and descendants to treat him as a sufi, therefore he did not created any Gadi or Darbar (shrine). However people still considered their descendants as Sajjada Nashin
26. ^ Anwar Shamsia, A biography of Pir Khawaja Shams-ud-din Sialvi, by Maulvi Ameer Baksh.Edition 1916.http://www.archive.org/details/AnExtractFromanwarShamsiaABiographyOfFamousSufiKhawaja
27. ^ Sarwar, S., 2002, Wadi Soon Sakesar: The Soon Valley, Al-Faisal Nashran,p.35, 163.
28. ^ http://sitaramall.pk/fsd.htm
29. ^ See List of Heads of District Police. year, 1977
30. ^ Rural Punjab had been converted to Islam by the proselytizing activities of Sufis, and these Sufi ‘saints’ were the focus of Punjab's local and fragmented structure of devotional activities.
31. ^ David Gilmartin, Religious leadership and the Pakistan movement in the Punjab, Modern Asian studies 13, 3(1979).
32. ^ SUFI SAINTS AND STATE POWER, by SARAH F. D. ANSARI, Cambridge University Press

A certificate issued in 1905 by theDeputy Commissioner of Shahpur, C.H. Atkins, a representative of British Raj, to Khan Sahib Qazi Zafar Hussain, the father of Safdar Hussain. This document also demonstrates the influence wielded by his grandfather among the tribe, and the tribe in the Punjab, during the era of the British Raj.

Inspector of Police

Deputy Superintendent of Police