The Afshars and Bichaqchis of
Kerman
Aqta Afshar
Asaf-ul-Mulk
held the post of Deputy Governor of this district up till September and was
then relieved by Mirat-us-Saltaneh, son of Sardar Nusrat. Shortly after
Mirat-us-Saltaneh’s arrival, in Kerman from Tehran, the Governor-General and
Sardar Nusrat approached His Majesty’s Consul re this appointment. At that time, His Majesty’s Consul personally
knew little of Asaf-ul-Mulk’s work or capabilities, and asked that the question
might be left over till he had opportunity of visiting the district. In August,
when His Majesty’s Consul visited Aqta Afshar, he found that Asaf-ul-Mulk was
by no means a good Governor, and that a change was desirable.
The
important tribe of the district is the Afshars. The Ilkhani of the tribe is
Hujabr-us-Saltaneh. His summer headquarters are at Hushun and winter
headquarters at Urzu. The tribe is divided into the following four sections, viz:―
1) Ali
Ghazalu, or Ilkhani
2) Amooi
3) Jallalu
4) Kasimlu
Throughout
the year, the behaviour of the tribe has been good. In august His Majesty’s
Consul paid a visit to the Ilkhani at Hushun and was cordially received by
Hujabr-us-Saltaneh and the leading Raises of the tribe. The present Ilkhani is
an oldish man without any great force of character, and said to be addicted to
opium smoking, and in 1918 owing to the death of the well-known Gunj Ali Khan,
was appointed Ilkhani by the present Governor-General. In September 1919, the
Governor-General was anxious to appoint Salar Ashayir as Ilkhani but was
persuaded by His Majesty’s Consul not to make this change as the tribe
apparently did not desire it.
The
chief Rais of the Amooi section is Mohamed Khan, Saulat-us-Sultan, and is the
nominal Ilbegi of the Afshar tribe.
The
chief of the Jallalu tribe is Salar Ashayir, who is clever and
well-intentioned.
The
chief of the Qasimlu section is Ahmad Khan. Lately the Ilkhani was anxious to
replace Ahmad Khan by his own brother Doran Khan, but as the former and his
family had held the Sultanship of this section for many years, His Majesty’s
Consul advised the Governor-General not to support the wishes of the Ilkhani in
this matter. The Afshar tribe consists of over 2,700 houses with an estimated
fighting strength of one man per house.
Nasir
Nizam, the son of the Ilkhanis is the head of the Afshar section of the South
Persia Rifles. Baft levies which have lately been reduced to 40 Tufangchis.
Medhi Khan, the youngest brother of the Ilkhani, has lately joined the South
Persia Rifles as an aspirant and several Afsharis are serving in the South
Persia Rifles.
Sirjan
Mirza
Mahmud Khan has held the post of Deputy Governor throughout the year and has
worked well. His relations with the South Persia Rifles have been most
satisfactory.
The
chief tribe of the district is the Buchaqchis, under Murad Khan
Shikuh-us-Sultan, and throughout the year this tribe has behaved well. The
nominal chief of the tribe is Hussein Khan, who fled to Tehran after his most
treacherous behaviour in Saidabad in 1916. Hussein Khan is most anxious to
return to Kerman. The matter is under discussion with His Majesty’s Minister,
Tehran.
Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political
Residency for the Year 1919, Delhi: Superintendent Government Printing, 1920, pp.
23―24.
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