The Tranquilo Traveler
The Tranquilo Traveler is a celebration of voluntourism, slow travel, and other interesting ways to see the world. Travel writer and award- winning Moon Handbooks author Joshua Berman created The Tranquilo Travel as a resource for world trippers and international volunteers, a window to the author’s travels in Nicaragua, Belize, and beyond, and an update of his books and articles.
The Mir of Hunza, Part 2
By Joshua | July 10th, 2005 | 
51 Comments » Our reception at the Royal Palace was short and official, about the minimum of what our imaginations had conjured up; we were led directly through a side door to the Mir’s office, where, for the first several stiff-backed minutes, we sat and watched him open and scan his mail (he’d been away in Gilgit all week). Finally, he looked up and received us — kindly but not necessarily warmly. It was a long shot, we knew, this tenuous Gordon College connection, but there we were.
The New Royal Palace of Hunza
The Mir’s features were large, rectangular jowls, high forehead, full head of black hair. His piercing blue eyes matched his Saturday-morning shulwar-kameez. He invited us to tea, of course, milky chai and sweet biscuits, brought to us in fine china; and he never smiled, not once during the interview, though he softened his face a bit for the photo op at the end.
Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan, heir to the defunct dynastic throne that ruled Hunza Valley for a thousand years until the Hunza State was swallowed by Pakistan in 1974; he is now an elected official, Chief Administrator for the Northern Areas, head of the local jirga, or village court, and Chairman of the Northern Area talks on Kashmir. Before serving seven years in the foreign service (in Washington, D.C and Iran) Ghazanfar Ali Khan received advanced degrees in Political Science and International Relations (Lahore and London, respectively), and before that, he attended Gordon College in Rawalpindi.
Class of 1966, the Mir arrived at Gordon College about a decade too late to know Tay’s Great-Grandfather, Dr. Stewart. He knew of him, of course, but as far as our quest was concerned, without the personal connection, we’d reached a dead-end. Almost.
We learned more about the downfall of Gordon College; that it began in 1967 when President Bhutto nationalized the mission-run schools and hospitals. A “huge mistake,” the Mir said. “I love the Gordon College, it was the best college – excellent professors, all trained abroad, it’s a shame to see that college now. When I walk by it, there are tears in my eyes.” Like Prof. Masud, he expressed his wish that the Presbyterians would return to raise it back up to the prestigious institution it once was, schooling generals and heads of state.
The Mir was gracious and generous with his time, but displayed zero curiosity about us. I took advantage of the opportunity to ask some tourism questions that may serve me if I publish any pieces about Karimabad or the Hunza Valley. In short, this spectacular (but hard-to-reach) destination was devastated by 9/11 and the events that followed. Tourism had just begun to take hold, the only real industry in an area whose rising population had made traditional survival – mainly potato and fruit farming – inadequate. Only in this last year, have tourists begun to return, mainly Japanese, and still in low numbers.
As I was preparing to wrap up and leave the Mir to his business, my fearless wife brought up the hottest potato in the country: Kashmir. I didn’t think either of us were informed enough to discuss it, but again, there we were. The Mir wants Kashmir as part of the Northern Areas, which would then be given status as Pakistan’s fifth province, retaining some sort of confusing independence. President Musharraf supports him on this, he said. Tay told him we were with him for a peaceful resolution.
“This is up to the Indians,” he said. “First they must settle their own problems in Kashmir, the human rights abuses.”
He then gave us another clue, the name of another Gordonian, the Mir’s classmate and currently, the political head of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. “He is a very friendly man, he will certainly meet with you - if he is in the country.”
Finally, we left, walked across the wide lawn to the Mir’s own tourism venture, the Hotel Darbar Hunza, by far the nicest accommodations in Karimabad. I’d had the honor of speaking with the Mir’s wife, Rani Atiga Ghazanfar, the previous day in her office here. That’s how we got our interview. She was upset by the London bombings, expecting that Pakistan would unfairly receive blame for the events, as it always does, she said, despite it’s being “a peaceful country, a peaceful people, a culture of hospitality, not violence.”
Of the hotel’s 40 rooms, only six were occupied, by a Japanese tourist group paying $35 a night – less than half the normal price. The façade is ugly and modern but the lobby, great room, bar, and dining room are truly impressive; large open spaces with many artifacts from the Khan Dynasty. It was a museum-like room with grand views of the surrounding mountains.
And there were the framed photographs, through which one could trace the Mir’s family, including pictures of him as a child Prince, riding in black sedans with his father, the King. The rest of the photos traced the Mir and his wife’s diplomatic career: “The Mir of Hunza with King Hussein of Jordan,” “Rani of Hunza with Mrs. Clinton,” “Queen Elizabeth with Mir and Rani of Hunza,” Mir of Hunza with Marshall Tito, with the Duke of Edingurgh, with King Zaheer Shah of Afghanistan, etc.
And now, dear readers, I present you with one more photo:
The Mir of Hunza with Mrs. Tay Berman of Colorado:
51 Responses to “The Mir of Hunza, Part 2”
Dear Friends,
I very much enjoyed the lovely article by you. Which is very amusing and informative.
YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO HUNZA LAND.
Sincerely,
Ejaz
Curator
Hunza-Baltit Fort
Dear Sir,
thanks for to visited your webside this is good i have injoied by your good informaion, inshaallah i will visit and i get informaion from you, further i will send my comments this is enghf for uor firs mulaqat.
thanks
Altaf CLP
hi! glad to know you enjoyed Hunza and had nice things to say about it. My name is Prince Shehryar Khan, son of Mir Ghazanfar, Mir of Hunza. I read your interview with my Mother and Father. Found it quite interesting. Good Luck. Next time you are in Karimabad, your wife and you must stay at our Hotel, the Darbar.
Hunda’s people are with origine illyrians ( now albanians), they was alexander military officers.
I’m albanian and i like contact with one hundanian
Hunza as a state does not exist, any more. So there is no question of having Mirs, Ranis, Princes and Princesses of Hunza. It is ridiculous that the Westerners want liberation and collaps of monarchs in their home lands but would not condem chiefdom, mirdom in Hunza. It is the hypocracy of the West, fully manifested.
Ah yes, the Hunza way….Back in the day, say 84-96, middle of summer, all the hotels full, taking clients away from other hotel because of Kalbi’s double fry chips. Mr. Alex here, ya the Tourist Park hotel still rules ?
Thank you for a unique perspective of Pakistan and Hunza valley. I agree that Pakistani institutions suffered greatly under socialist leftist onslaught. This massacre of intellectual sort was conducted by none other than that the pseudo-democrat Bhutto.
To Mr. Aazur Hunzai, please keep your socialist leftist drivel to yourself. Amir of Hunza and other nobles deserve their due place in Pak society. And yes major European powers have kept their monarchs even as ceremonial head. Queen of England is the prime example. With mutual respect, democratic institutions can exist in the same country.
Mr. Skandar, I agree with what you have to say about Bhutto, who successfully eliminated the princely states, much to the dismay of the natives. As far as Mr. Aazur Hunzai is concerned, he seems to belong to the sadist minority who burned all their bridges with the valley, and reside in places like
Karachi; a community who will never be happy for the success and the identity Hunza brings about in their lives. Its sad.
Dear Friends,
Being a local historain of the valley to some level, I fully understand the causes of the founding of Pakistan and India due to the strong jolts caused to the British Empire by the World WarII . Thus a number of countries got freedom. Subsequently,small semi independent states like Hunza, Qalat,Kalabagh, Bahawalpur,Swat, Chitral,Yasin and Nager were abolished by the then governments in Pakistan. Which is understandable and more practical. But we (People of Hunza) must honour our history,our Mirs, brave and wise ancestors and traditions as well as we should honour our mother country Pakistan, which has achived so much despite the hard situations in the world.
Thus WE people of Hunza, honor every human being regradless of his race, belief etc, because we believe in a global brotherhood. YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO HUNZA…
wonderful novelic statement of facts around the former Royal family. Mr. sheryar Remember nowadays every educated youth from Hunza make distance from your family. These are the elders who somehow respect you people. And you must understand the local community even not accept you people as inhabitant of Hunza. Can you tell us the name of any of your family member who ever married within Hunza. You and your brothers are just punjabi. Your father Mir Ghazanfar will be the last one people give respect. Your uncles are educated and they also have distance fro you. what is your contribution for Hunza these days nothing just trying to monopolise everywhere as doing in Dry Port Sost.
Dont overexegerate informations …present the truth.
Hi everyone, thanks a lot for sharing thoughts about Hunza and Hunzukutch. Whatever, you have written about mirs and pirs is just your personal opinion and it is not a researched and peer reviewed worked. We should not generalise and call all westerns as hypocrates. However, I request everyone not to call Ghanzanfer and Atiqa Mir and Rani. They are no more Mir and Rani of Hunza. By merci of Allah Almighty every one in Hunza is Mir today. It is insult of historic decision Z.A Bhutto made in favor of Hunzukutch. Otherwise, there would have been few Mirs and Baigs who would have access to education and better quality of life.
London
Dear Friends,
It is a fact that great nations never forget their history and Mirs of Hunza have a great contribution in making Hunza a great state as compared to our neighbouring states like Nagar,Yasin etc.All the credit goes to our Mirs who established very cordial and highly skilled diplomatic relations not only with the kingdoms in Indo Pak but also with great rolyal families like British Crown.It was the great statesmanship of mirs that made Hunza a very polpular state.Although Hunza is no more a state but we should give respect to Mir family, as by doing so we do no degrade ourself but respect our history. Long live hunza
Mr. Ali hunzai commented on the Mirs marrying women from other regions. Mr. Ali should read the history of Hunza, and will discover that the Mirs married women from other regions to strengthen political alliances. Women from chitral, baltistan, afghanistan and nagar were married into the Mir family.( Also Mir Nazim Khan did marry a hunzakut lady) Also he forgets that in our society and culture (as is the case in the rest of the world)children are recognized by their father’s bloodline. If Mir Ghazanfar’s sons were ‘punjabi’ so to speak they would not be living in Hunza and investing their livelihood in Hunza and Northern Areas. Instead they would be residing comfortably in some cosmo city of the Punjab. It gives me immense pride to know that the Mirs family have been able to maintain the history and prestige of Hunza, while the history of other princely states have faded into oblivion. The greatest testimony of the popularity of the Mirs family lies in the fact that Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan is currently the elected represenatative of the HUnzakuts. From Monarch to Democratically elected leader, this is no small achievement. Mr. Ali should be proud of the History of Hunza and its present rather than polluting his own mind with vendettas!
Further More I would like to inquire from Mr. Ali, does he have first hand information of the truth? Is this the truth he would like to belive or the truth in the real sense of the word. Facts are that had it not been for the Mir family the dry port would have been in Jutial, then who’s monopoly would have prevailed. How can the Mirs monopolise the dry port, when the sost land owners are shareholders as well as the Chinese. You choose to doubt your own rather than even the foreign party. Why? is there some colonial submmissive instinct ingrained in ur thinking? And to clarify ur misconception it is not thanks to Bhutto that Hunzakuts have the opportunity today to educate themselves and better their lives. Hunza was isolated from the rest of the world till the KKH was built. Initially it was to go thru Nagar which the then Mir of Nagar did not allow. It was Mir Jamal Khan who had the vision to allow the KKH to cross thru Hunza’s territories, thus ending its isolation from the rest of the world. Consequently allowing Hunzakuts to look for better sources of income which is why they can afford to educate themselves today!! Yes, the State of Hunza no longer exists, but that will never change the fact that the ruling family does exist. In the same manner just because Hunza is a part of Pakistan now, doesn’t mean that people from Hunza can only call themselves Pakistani!!
To: Joshua
I want to draw your notice that the Rush lake, Hamdar Valley and Barpu Glacier are not part of Hunza. These areas including Golden Peak, Rakaposhi Peak are the part of the Nagar Empire. The many western tourist been provided fake information regarding areas and jurisdictions(Since Tour Operator mostly belong to Hunza). One thing more the Hunzakutc should be thank full to Mirs Of Hunza Because they never put a ban on education like Mirs of Nagar. So today if Hunza is popular and well known (although with limited natural resources, including glaciers, forests) in the world than this because of Mir Jamal Khan of Hunza.
Hello again to all,
I appriciate all your comments and your thoughts. In short words, please allow me to say there is not ’such prejudice’ among the strong nations of the world, as we are expressing this way…And the worse thing is we claim to be ‘educated’. Please forget this thing, remember if prince charles gets married with a girl from a remote corner of his country, no one makes an objection, so why we are feeling bad?
Remember, Pakistan is a republic not a colonial empire to rule its nation through indirect rule by petty state nawabs and rajas. What I want to say is during the colonial period, the Mirs (rulers) of Hunza, Nager etc were no longer really independent to run the state affairs with the consensus of their court of elders. They were bound to follow the dictations of the so called British Political Agents (December 1891 to 1947). Let’s understand the history from a very neutral point of view, and please write your correct names and locations, instead of pinching each other with nick names, because honesty is the best policy. After all an open debate is the right solution.
Pakistan Payindah Baad and Hunza Zindah Baad
It is very easy to criticise Mir Ghazanfar and his family because they are in the spotlight.I would like to state a few facts.The fact is that the most development in Hunza came during Mir Ghazanfar’s time in office. There was not even that much development in all the previous Mirs time in office or other political representatives combined.When Mir Ghazanfar lost the elections two times in a row there was no development in Hunza that is why he was elected again by a massive mandate.He did not come into power thru a barrel of a gun but thru the vote of the people.We hunzakuts should be proud that he even brought the seat of Deputy Chief to our area which is the highest seat in the Northern Areas Legislative Council.As far as his wife is concerned.We do not consider her punjabi but we consider her as a hunzakut.She has also done a lot of work for the people.She considers herself as part of Hunza that is why today she is also a member of the NALC and pushes for the empowerment of the people of the Northern Areas.As far as their sons are concerned they spend most of their time in Hunza.We will give them the same honor as we gave their father because they are not punjabis they are HUNZAKUTS. We should be proud that Hunza is the only princely state whose royal family still lives in Hunza and has come into power democratically.Even after the abolishment of the state the MIR family has done the most development in the area and helped the people out more than any other person.
Dear All and Prince,
It dose not matter if the Mir are or are not ruling Hunza, the fact remains, they are history and not such a great one to. If one keeps saying I am a prince my father is a King, then Japan, China, most of the European countries and few African and Middle East countries will say, we were Monarchy and we are and we want.
The past has past, and we live in today and tomorrow. Hunza boys you are not royal anymore, and respect is gained and demanded from a title, wake up and smell the coffee, its 2007
hey it was awesome to go through the artical… it was simply great! I really like the way Joshua has described Hunza and its enchanting enigmatic beauty. We, the native Hunzais, are really fortunate to live in this Shangri la.
i want to ask just one thing. Where are you guys heading next? somewhere in the Northern Areas or .. ‘coz i would love to read the next “story”.
Shoaib
London
During my internet search on Northern Areas which I wish to visit this year,I came across your article on Hunza and Mir Ghazanfar Ali and and Rani Attiqa. I have had the pleasure of being guest at their Islamabad residence in late eightieswhen visiting Pakistan.
We had found them to be very modern and progressive and not at all feudal and conservativeas former heads of Hunza state.
They were promoting the tourism to Hunza by establishing hotel industry locally and also by democratic representation to the the Northern Areas Council and playing administrative role as traditional head of jirga.They promoted Hunza by establishing contacts with westen countries and their links with Agha Khan Foundation which does tremendous humanitarian and educational projects in the Northern Areas.
The Mir and Rani have played a very benevolent role in the progress and prosperity of their area with their foresight and enterprise and the people are proud of their contribution.
I hope to see them again when visiting Hunza next.
Shamim A.Sheikh, London
Its immence pleasure and pride to be an hunzai, but it is not due to Mirs,its due to the sucess of hunzai’s in every field of life. it is a reality that the youngsters( educated) of the area does not like these rubber stamped useless Mirs or prince’s. We have little respect for Mr. Ghuzanfar Ali Khan, then after there will be no respect for them.
Mr. Nazeem Ali, its better to know the exact situationOfSost Dryport before commenting on. who is saying this ” Dry port at sost is due to Mr. Ghazanfar Ali” please read the Proposed report of CBR about the preferable place for dry port in Northern Area’s. the sost dryport trust failed to complete the construction of the phase -1, and handover it to the land holders of the port. it was the Land Holder of Sost who collceted money from every source to complete the project Now these(Mirs) are there just to take the batah(tax) weekly from the port, the collect the money from there beloveds. they hire person they like and fire the person the dislike, they are treating with this public asset as there personal property. allthough they have not invested a single penny in it. So Dear Hunza’s Enjoy your fame and be confident in your own shoulders. God Bless Every Hunza.
Nice commentary about Mir family. As a Hunzukutz i want to say very frankly that Ghazanfar, Atiqa and their sons are the real barrier for the development of Hunza. We respect our history but we feel shy from the present faces of the former Rulers of Hunza. We can not compare Ghazanfar with his father or grandfather. Ghanzanfar is like to say KING for a DONKEY.
We are thankful to AKDN for the development initiatives and the awareness.
I had the honor of studying with Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan at Punjab University, Political Science Dept., & Gordon College. He is one of the most refind gentleman I ever met. All my American friends are so much impressed with Hunza that they constantly ask me to take them there. Perhaps, we could make it this year.
Best wishes for Hunza & Best regards to Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan.
Murad Hussain, New York
muradenator@gmail.com
Last week I was watching NAT GEO. The lady comments about Hunza. I have never seen a place so beautiful in my whole life. I feel proud to be a HUNZUKUTZ. moreover I am proud of the History of Hunza, The princely state the great ancestors, the able Mirs, For General information. No body selects his/her parents and no body can change his her parentage. If a Person rules he is a Mir/King/Queen, His/her children shall be Princes and Princesses. Lets admit Princes and Princesses are part of our society.
By not accepting their position in society one can not get out of quagmire of Inferiority complex.
Lets respect any one and everyone around us.
We are very much thankful of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who has toppled unjustic rule of Hunza. One can realise reading one of Ghazanfar;s unknown son who even can not speak our Burushki language and do not even heard of Hunza culture which gives respect to elders now he claims that he is so called prince.
Remember there is no prince or Mir in Hunza. the authors should note please.
To Sheheryar (so-called prince of Hunza)
What you call the sadist minority is the reality that you can not face. I can be anywhere on the plant and still I have my roots in Hunza. And I am proud of Hunza. I will always be proud of Hunza. Your callous statements about the so-called development of Hunza is not only fictitious, it is also rooted in your views that you get from the comfort zone of your houses in Islamabad/England/Lahore and elsewhere. If you knew the real Hunza you would not have made such ridiculous statements.
For information of the readers let me share a piece of what the 25 years of \
I agree with some of my friends that, the Hunza state is not longer exists so there is no question of Mirs, Prince, or princess. Some of our friends use Princess …… before, after or during their holy name might be they want to pretend to be princess. We do respect Mr Ghazanfar Ali Khan for his work for the local people but his children missed everything in Hunza. In current situation they are robbers at SDP. so Mr. Salim (as he calls him son of Prince lol) get your facts right mate… Your four father’s state is no longer exist. You might be prince for your own f…kng house but not for Hunza. you are proud of political power that you got from local people’s vote…. soon it will got out of your ask* and there will be nothing left for our Little poor prince… lol.
And people will read it as stories… once upon a time there was a poor man called salim (prince salim)
Some times i feel sorry for you…. how innocent you are… like a baby… or a baby girl who pretend to be princessssss…
Hello Mr Salim…
what do you think? if you will invite a journalist to your hotel, they will call you prince? I am sure they can pay few bucks for that hotel. They are educated and earning enough money to pay for their accommodation. You call yourself Prince of no Kingdom but your thoughts are very cheap,,, unbelievable… next time instead of using Prince its better you use Mr Sharyar… sounds natural but if not may be this Mr will also finish…
Tell me your worth…. I ll buy you with your hotels….
The so called Mir Ghazanfar will be burried soon as the last family member of Hunza ruler. The other Punjabies from Hira Mundi will soon start their real business again.
dear all,
i would like to express my sentiments about the royal family of hunza bieng a dweller of the valley, being a neutral person, we should not forget our history. it is written in the hearts and minds of people to respect their throne,to defend their kingdom, to fight for the region.
the royal family are like taj, like dignity or you can say pride of the region. the moment the fall, dignity of hunza will shake. and apart from that, bieng hunzukutz we should respect our royals, because they are the symbol of our identity.
Hi Everyone,
I have a question about the history of Hunza:
The Khan Dynasty of the former Mirs of Hunza was said to have ruled from Baltit/Karimabad for approximately 1000 years.
Does anyone know precisely when they began to rule there, under what circumstances (conquest, a feudal grant by another ruler, etc.) and particularly, what is their ethnic origin?
There seems to be a real lack of reliable information out there about the early Medieval history of Hunza, aside from some speculations about a Greek origin.
We now know from the study of the Y chromosome, which follows male lineages, that some Burushos are in Y haplogroup G2c, which is quite rare. Haplogroup G2c is found among approximately 10% of Pashtuns. Some preliminary evidence indicates that G2c occurs among the Orakzai, Mohmand, a few Afridis, and perhaps the Sadozai Pashtuns. It may be that Ahmad Shah Durrani of Afghanistan also belonged to haplogroup G2c.
Haplogroup G2c certainly has connections to the West, perhaps to some ancient Greeks or Anatolians, or Syrians, since the common ancestor may have lived around approximately 220 BCE. It seems there may be some matches with one or two Greeks, but this isn’t certain at this point, since we don’t have enough data from either group. There is also a more distant relationship with some European Jews as well.
I’m curious if anyone knows of people in Hunza who tested their Y chromosome DNA for the National Geographic Genographic project, or any of the studies which have looked at the genetic ancestral relationships between Burushos and other peoples.
In particular, has the family of the ex-rulers been tested to see what are their male origins, perhaps Pashtun, and then at an earlier time, Greek?
Thanks everyone for your help with this.
Hi there,
I’m coming to Hunza this summer with a film crew making a documentary which will in part feature Hunza. Does anyone have an email address I can use to contact the mir’s family or the curator at the fort? If you do please email me at sophie@tracingtea.com Thanks
Dear All
The acrimonious attitude exhibited by the youth of Hunza towards the Mr. Ghazafar and his family is understandable because of later’s nexus with the Civil / Military beuracracy and other interst groups of Pakistan who have lead the nation to the current abysmal state and total disregard exhibited towards the natives of Hunza.
If Mr. Ghazanfer and his scions want to live in Hunza with reverence, they should establish themselves among the people of Hunza instead of the aforementioned interst groups at the expense of Hunza people.
If they think that the people of Hunza are naive and can be exploited, they will surely feel ostracized by the people of Hunza .
Having said that, Mr. Ghazanfar and his family are our fellow Hunzakuts and we should help them graft into Hunza society and releive them from the pain of finding external sources of strength for survival.
We will welcome them, if they are able to supercede their complex.
After all, families of greater worth like Wazir family have blended themselves in Hunza despite being among the Civil / Military beuracracy.
Ghazanfar’s family should imitate them.
hi reader,
i am very much happy to see that Hunza is such a famous place and a unique destination of every nature loving human. i personaly feel that some fellows r not happy to see the famousness of Hunza. i ask those dears who egoistly upset-down the image of peace-full Hunza.Y r v so jealous of Hunza’s fame? insted of this v should’ve get the guidence to make our places also a dream destinations for tourist as Hunza is. kindly think deeply on this littel advice rather reacting as irrationals.
Be bridge-makers not bridge-burners.
Thanks
Karim Yar Baig
Dear Friends,
It’s pleasure while reading something good about hunza, no doubt it’s the best place to live. i personally reallize the importance of my homeland hunza while being away. We respect the mir of hunza, as he is an international figure.
Seeing the photo of Mir Ghazanfer Ali Khan after 42 years gives me the impression that time rages on, and everybody gets affected by it.I knew Mir Ghazanfer when he was about 24 years of age at Rawalpindi. I being an accomplished guitarist and he an excellent drummer jammed togather in Peshawar and in Rawalpindi. I used to play with the Megatons a rock and roll band created by me and Mohd. Khalid.
In 1969 after working on Tarbela Dam I came to the United States on Immigration Visa and have been extremely sucessfull. Married here and have a girl and a boy. My daughter who is going to be 25 this year will graduate from medical college at U Penn. I would like to take a trip with my family and stay a week in Hunza. I would like to know which month is the best weather-wise to travel there.
The late Mir Jamal was my grandfather and no i dont need to call myself a prince or any other title to make myself important, i go about as just Ajaz Khan.My mother i will call her a princess (her name Princess Nelofer) I am proud to say I am from Hunza and i know many people still love my grandfather and his children including the current Mir. Some people dont like our family for whatever reason i respect that too but to be rude and nasty is not the way to go. I am just a regular person with a job now living in Texas USA and i enjoy talking to anyone from Hunza and miss the only place i call home I look forward to talking to Mr. S.Haider and the Fake Prince .
If there is anyone from Hunza living in USA I look forward to talking to you please drop me a line.
Dear Friends,hi to u
today i got this id & i would like to share my comments with you people especially the people of hunza. it is very easy to critisie other but we should try to think what is reality my few friend from hunza have complainted about royal family of hunza and why Mir Ghazanfar married with punjabi Woman. i have a question to these guys why he shouln’t? is there any kind of rule to marrige only from our own area? is he not a human being? I HAVE A QUESTION TO THESE PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR NAZIR SABBIR (EX MNA) WHY HE MARRIED FROM JAPAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! was his wife from hunza or nagar? WHY U DON’T ask a question to him about this So These r the people who only make a confusions amoung other and they can’t bear. We have Seen WAZIR BAIG AND NAZIR SABIR and their politics in hunza before mir of hunza what they did for you people even they didn’t show any kind of progress in their own villages TODAY WE ALL SHOULD THANKFULL OF THE MIR GHAZNAFAR who has struggled a lot to bring these remote areas infront of the world It is a fact that great nations never forget their history and Mirs of Hunza have a great contribution in making Hunza a great state as compared to other.All the credit goes to our Mirs who established very cordial and highly skilled diplomatic relations not only with the kingdoms in Indo Pak but also with great rolyal families like British Crown. I am proud that i belongs to ROYAL FAMILY OF NAGAR my half family is in hunza. i can give every each answer of your question about ROYAL FAMILY OF THESE AREAS AND THEIR STRUGLES to make these areas great.
U MAY heard About Capt RAJA BABAR KHAN(Nagari)And his companion Raja Shah Khan(hunzai) they belongs to Royal family of nagar and hunza if they had not thought about these vallye had u any chance to live independentily like today? So it is request to all of you if there any question rises in ur mind about Royal Family especially HUNZA- NAGAR. u can ask me at raajatariq@yahoo.com. thank u very much.
can i ask these people who claim to be prince and royals! where were the rest of Hunza people in mid 70’s and 60’s era, while Wazirkutz and Tharakutz families used to lick prince’s shoes and got opportunity to gain education in different parts of pakistan, And the rest of hard working labour, our grandfathers used to plough fields in tough weather and when the harvesting comes, the fudal and oppressor slaves(wazirkutz and tharakutz) of ruler show up and took taxes( called Bap in Brushaski0
GROW UP PEOPLE, why dont you talk about the AKDN, which has the only credit to exclaim the development not only in Hunza but throughout northern areas, thanks GOD that AKES spread the network of schools during 90’s, now that we stand here.
DO you think these MIR’S have done anything to boost the living standard of HUNZA, no way? its all because of hardworking people of Hunza, or else if AKDN didn’t showed up in 90’s we would have sitting in our homes ploughing fields.
MR SHEHERYAR SAHAB, shame on you, though i am in Hong Kong now but i have seen you closely in Islamabad, just think for a while do you even deserve to be called Hunzukutz?? if you get chance may be someday get off of your custom unpaid 5 door pajero and try to merge with common people, instead of Partying at HOT SPOT in islamabad.
it’s right that Mir’s were our history, a cruel history!! we common people of Hunza inquire you that what was the guilty of our grandfathers that they didnt got chance to avail education??? why? and WAZIRKUTZ and THARAKUTZ got only chance ?? NOW their grand kids like NAZIM ALI , NAVEEDULLAH BAIG and MR RAJA TARIQ ABBASS, for Gods Sake grow up and stop praising your cruel forefathers who have ruled like barbarians on Hunza people. and you talk about MIR has relation through out the country??? let me ask you? what has MIR’S PICTURE WITH ELIZBETH , AND OTHER KINGS has brought forth anything good for a farming family living in far flung village like Shimshal?/ what those so called pictures has brought prosperity to the families who still wonder that what will they do in scorching winter? Today we are thankful with our deepness of heart that AKDN has brought ous out of dark kingdom of MIR’s . We Hunzukutz now are leading in every field in different countries. i want to speak more but i think this is enough,,
Hi everyone, thanks a lot for sharing thoughts about Hunza and Hunzukutch. Whatever, you have written about mirs and pirs is just your personal opinion and it is not a researched and peer reviewed worked. We should not generalise and call all westerns as hypocrates. However, I request everyone not to call Ghanzanfer and Atiqa Mir and Rani. They are no more Mir and Rani of Hunza. By merci of Allah Almighty every one in Hunza is Mir today. It is insult of historic decision Z.A Bhutto made in favor of Hunzukutch. Otherwise, there would have been few Mirs and Baigs who would have access to education and better quality of life.
Shame on all those who have no respect for the heritage of Hunza. The Family discussed here is the architect of Hunza heritage and is representing the whole of NA, not just Hunza, and democratically elected. It is sad to see people use bad language for these people. nobody is perfect in this world friends. it is easy to point fingers, but difficult when it comes to self evaluation, and those who used disgusting language and disrespect, need no evaluation. i feel sorry to see such faces of hunza too.
You bloody mirs of Hunza..paltoo kutay of pakistan..you are not a prince..u rascal.
Ruling over Hunza the Mirs have played a very pivotal role by administering the area in a peaceful manner. Every government and person is being criticised for not doing well, the question is that what I have contributed to that area where I live ? secondly every person is having his own limitations overall Mir Ghazanfer Ali khan & his family have done their best for the betterment of their area which is praiseworthy.
salam,
we are really thankful to honourable Zulfiqar ali bhutto for ending-up th raja system in GILGIT especially Hunza, and today we are able to enlighten ourselves with knowledge and skill which was impossibe under MIR (RAJA) system before 1974.so is the reason that our forefathers are illitrate because they were beaten if someone wears new white clothes and try to go school,,,
i think shehriyar shouldnt be proud of belonging to that family,, one should be proud of for his own capabilities and status not for that acquired from his ancestors,,,
hunza people are graet and now every one is more educated than these so caleed mirssss……
GOd bless Hunza and BHUTTOISM
@Hunzai!
Plz go through my last comment.You will find no any boasting about my family and I dont belong to any royal family.And I am not favouring any Mir.I accept Mir Jamal Khan as the last ruler of Hunza.Now there is no any Mir or Rani in Hunza.The gist of my post was to show respect to our heritage.I wonder how could you use such cheap words for my family specify my name..Dont worry I will not use such words for you.
Naveed
Naveed
don,t say any thing about,Mir of hunza,and his family.some people not all of them who are against the mir family. they are loaders(baldakio) in that time.
first of all i wana tell the above uneducated and un mannered pupil who raised negative points obout the mirs of hunza;that what ever our fathers and fore fathers have done is done now think about the future.dont bother about that what they have done in the past.i also belong to the royal family or THE AYASHUKUCH of hunza.you all talk about the injustice done by our forefathers and you all thought that all of the mirs of hunza were curel.now you are educated and free so now you have all the rights to do what ever you want.so now competet us in the field of education.our fore fathers have ruled the hunza for more than 900 years.and now we are also ruling in education.still you people are un mannered and uneducated.if you have power than competet us in the field of education.you punks have just jelousy in yourself.now do whatever you want.
MUHAMMAD JAMAL KHAN, MIR
(1912-1976)
Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan (d. 1864), the ruler of Hunza State in the northern area of Pakistan, was succeeded by his son, Mir Muhammad Ghazan Khan I, whose successor Mir Safdar Ali Khan had taken refuge in Shagnan during the British invasion in 1891. The British commissioned his half-brother, Mir Muhammad Nazim Khan as the ruler of Hunza. Mir Muhammad Ghazan Khan II and then Mir Muhammad Jamal Khan followed him.
The entire area including Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan was known as the Gilgit Agency till October, 1947. Sandwiched between the high peaks of Hindukush and Karakorum on the north and those of western Himalaya on the south, is now called as the Northern Areas of Pakistan, which should also be called the Trans-Himalaya Districts of Pakistan, covering an expanse of about 27,188 square miles, thickly populated by the Ismailis.
Major General, Hilal-e-Pakistan, Hilal-e-Juraet, Ghazi-e-Millat, the President and Personal Representative of the Imam in Central Asia, Muhammad Jamal Khan was the prominent Ismaili ruler of an enchanting valley of Hunza, situated in the remotest northern corner of Pakistan bordering with China and Russia. The high fascinating mountains surround the valley.
Muhammad Jamal, the ruler or the Mir of Hunza was born on September 23, 1912. He was educated in Gilgit and mostly at home and succeeded his father, Mir Ghazanfar Khan, C.B.E. in April, 1945 at the age of 33 years. His grandfather, Sir Mir Muhammad Nazim Khan. K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E., who ruled in Hunza for 79 years, was a prolific writer and wrote the history of Hunza. It was in his days that Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of British India, visited Hunza and described it as “the ultimate manifestation of mountain grandeur.”
In 1947, he visited Kashmir to convince the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir to join the dominion of Pakistan. In October, 1947, he and his Ismaili subjects of Hunza state declared their accession to Pakistan and rendered meritorious services in the struggle of the liberation of Jammu and Kashmir, and crowned with the title of Ghazi-e-Millat.
In 1951, the Imam formed 64 local councils in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, and the Mir of Hunza executed as the President of H.R.H. Prince Aga Khan Ismailia Supreme Council for Hunza State, Gilgit Agency, Chitral State and Central Asia and also acted as the Personal Representative of the Imam in Central Asia.
The Italian Government awarded him the “Order of the Grand Official” for his valuable help to the Italian mountaineering expedition to K-2 peak in 1962. This award was meant for persons assisting the Italian Government in cultural field.
In recognition of his yeoman services to his people, Mir Jamal Khan was also awarded high civil and military titles, viz. Hilal-e-Pakistan and Hilal-e-Juraet by the President of Pakistan. In December, 1964, the Government of Pakistan promoted him to the rank of Honorary Major General.
It is to be noted that the Ismailis from 20 countries gathered at Aswan to pay their last tribute to the 48th Imam, whose official resting of body was to take place in a mausoleum on Friday, February 20, 1959. There was a distance of 1600 feet between the Imam’s bungalow, called Nur al-Salam and the mausoleum on a hill. According to the expressed will of the 48th Imam, the bier was lifted from the front left side by Mawlana Hazar Imam and Prince Sadruddin on front right side. Prince Amyn Muhammad was on back side from left and Mir of Hunza on back from right side. It was lifted and carried from Nur al-Salam to the mausoleum in 45 minutes.
The Ismailis of Gilgit and Hunza were submerged in the ocean of immense mirth and joy when they had seen Hazar Imam for first time in their territory on October, 1960. During the grand darbar held on October 24, 1960 at the Polo Ground of Baltit in Hunza, the Mir of Hunza presented a welcome address and said that, “Mawlana Hazar Imam is the first Ismaili Imam, who visited Hunza.”
He also was invited in Paris with his wife to attend the marriage ceremony of the Imam with Begum Salimah on October 28, 1969. Soon after the ceremony, he and his wife showered down 49 pearls at the feet of the Imam in reverence.
In May, 1973, he represented a delegation of 12 members from Hunza, Gilgit and Chitral and had an audience with the Imam in Paris. They held discussion with the Imam on the socio-economic development programmes for the jamats. It was a historic occasion for the Ismailis of northern area of Pakistan, as no such delegation ever travelled abroad and was first ever international conference.
The Mir of Hunza lived in a newly built modern styled two-storied palatial castle, known as the “Jamal Palace” situated on a 8000 ft. high mountain peak in the village of Karimabad, the state capital. The Jamal Palace overlooks the whole of settled valley for several miles in each direction. The Palace is built and furnished in a European style, but is embellished with an assortment of oriental carpets, ornaments and paintings. There are life-size portraits of previous rulers on the walls of the lounge, and remarkably enough, a piano stands in the Palace. The Mir proposed to make a small museum in the castle and to house the big collection of old arms and munitions, manuscripts and photographs.
Mir Jamal Khan was extremely hospitable. He entertained his guests with the music of a band and male dancers. The band, consisted of a tudak (flute), sutar (banjo) and drums, beat out a penetrating rhythm, which seemed to fit so well into the mountain setting. The ensuing performances in the castle ground were watched from comfortable lounge chairs on the balcony.
Short by Hunza standards, sturdy and squarely built with fair complexion, Mir Muhammad Jamal Khan was a benevolent ruler. He was like a likeable man, self-educated to a high standard. He travelled widely to Europe and the United States. He loved his people. Each morning, he met his Council of Elders, none under 65 years old, and his grand vizir to decide the day to day problems of his mountainous state. Each matter was put to votes. By his own decree, the Mir’s vote normally counted no more than any other did. In an emergency, he could veto his Council, for he was an absolute monarch. But in fact, he ruled entirely as a wise and respected mediator. He travelled the length and breadth of his land at least once a year, accompanied by his wife. Each winter, he was called upon to perform a mass wedding ceremony in Hunza.
The Mir of Hunza expired on March 18, 1976 at his residence in Hunza. He married to a princess of Nagar State in 1934 and had 2 sons and 3 daughters.
I knew the Mir’s family very well. They were down to earth and very hospitable. I knew Mir Ghazanfer Ali.s sister, Nilofer. I would very much like to get in touch with them.
How can I get in touch with them? We were old friends and wouild live to hear from them. I wonder if they remember the late Gen. Musa.
Best regards
Mariam Musa
I am the grandson of Mir jamal and the son nilofer .. I am just a normal person but very proud of my heritage .. I know my grandfather was the last ruling Mir of hunza .. I also know my uncle very well and he is a wonderfull person down to earth he is a great man with or without a title ..mariam musa my mother lives in manchester England .. My email is ajaz-khan@sbcglobal.net if any people from hunza now living in USA would like to drop me a line just to say hi. I be honoured and ms musa please drop me a line so I can give you my mothers phone number ..
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Rash lake sems incredible and the hwy. seems even more challenging. Carry on U2 .The brits will be swarming the area after news states people fled to Pakistan yesterday.
we identified your flower photograph as a Phlox, same one in our Alps. The plant families cover the continents as you do to. Good eating.