North Waziristan - British Era

British Era

When the British took over the administration of the settled district of Bannu in 1849, the tribes of North Waziristan were under the sovereignty of the Kabul government. The British, therefore, entered North Waziristan in 1894 and made agreements with the tribes. The British introduced a regular system of land record and revenue administration for the most fertile part of the Tochi valley. It was later in the year 1910 when North Waziristan was made a full-fledged agency.

In 1935–36, a Hindu-Muslim clash occurred over a Hindu girl of Bannu, who had married a Muslim. The tribesmen rallied around Mirzali Khan, a Tori Khel Wazir, who was later given the title of "the Faqir of Ipi". Jihad was declared against the British. The Faqir of Ipi, with his huge lashkar (force), remained at war until the British retreated in 1947. In spite of his opposition to the newly-formed independent Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the jirgas in Waziristan decided in favour of joining Pakistan. The Faqir of Ipi died in 1960.