Nauroz Khan Nawab Nauroz (Nowroz) Khan, (1874?-1964), respectfully known by Balochis as Babu Nowroz, was the head of the Zarakzai ( Zehri), a Brahui people subject to the Khan of Kalat in Balochistan, Pakistan . After his failed rebellion against the Pakistani central
government in 1959, he became a symbol
of the Baloch independence movement. Early years Little is known about Nowroz Khan's
early
years.
He was born some time in the
1870s or 1880s (sources disagree on the
date) at a time when Kalat was a princely state within the framework of the British Raj. By 1887 the British had reached a settlement with Kalat agreeing on
limited autonomy in exchange for British
authority in military affairs and external
relationships, but the country remained
instable, with periodic fighting against
the authorities or between tribal groups. Nauroz Khan became Nawab and leader
of the Zehri tribe in the Jhalawan area of Kalat at a time before the introduction of
electricity or motor vehicles, head of a
largely nomadic people in a harsh
mountain / desert environment, but with
a rich tradition of Baluchi, Persian and
Muslim culture. The First and Second World Wars were distant events in this
world, but the creation of the state of
Pakistan in 1947 was disruptive. Background to revolt In 1955 the various states of Balochistan
were dissolved and merged into the
province of West Pakistan under the "One Unit" policy. In 1958 the Khan of the largest state, Kalat, Ahmad Yar Khan
organized a rebellion to secede from
West Pakistan. The Pakistan army took
control of the Kalat palace and arrested
the Khan for sedition on October 6, 1958.
The next day, the president Iskandar Mirza declared martial law. This led to disturbances in parts of Balochistan that lasted for about a year.
[1] Nawab Nowroz Khan was one of the leaders. Rebellion and imprisonment Nowroz Khan's band of fighters, which
may have numbered as many as 1,000 at
times, was involved in several sharp
skirmishes with forces led by Lt. Col. Tikka Khan . Nowroz agreed to surrender on May 15, 1959 in exchange for amnesty and
settlement of the Baluchi grievances.
Tikka Khan was said to have agreed to
the terms of the surrender through an
oath on the Quran. However, when Nowroz Khan came down from the hills,
he and about 150 of his followers,
including his sons and nephews, were
arrested for armed rebellion against the
state. On July 15, 1960 five of the leaders
were executed by hanging in Hyderabad Jail. Nowroz was spared execution on
account of his age, but died in Kohlu Jail in 1964. they are fighting for baloch
independence The Khan of Kalat was subsequently forgiven and freed.