" Government Reports about Hur Activities"
Gul Hayat Institute has done wonderful work for the bahamas preservation and protection of the Source-Material on Sindh History. As for as the Hur Movement is concerned, my father has collected every activity of Hurs during British Period. Soon after separation of Sindh, the Governors were appointed to head and supervise the Province. They used to to updated the Viceroy of India about Sindh situation. Here is from their Secret Reports, about Hur Activities of two months- March and April 1942. They wrote as under:
The measures taken to put an end to the outrages being committed by the followers of the Pir Pagaro have not yet had any marked effect and crimes continue to be committed in spite of the numbers of police in the affected areas and the vigorous patrolling being carried on. On the 1st instant, a dacoity occurred in the Hyderabad District in which one person was killed and two injured and property Stolen. One Hur has been arrested in connection with this dacoity. On the 3rd night, a party of 10 to 15 dacoits raided the village of Kamil Laghari in Nawabshah District in spite of the fact that an armed Police post of 1 Head Constable and 5 Constables was stationed there. The post, which seems to have been badly located, apparently allowed itself to be taken by surprise and was overwhelmed by the dacoits. Two policemen were killed and two seriously injured. The dacoits killed in addition a Hindu resident of the village and then made off with 5 police muskets, 3 bayonets, 100 rounds of ammunition, 2 shotguns and 61 cartridges and other property. Further dacoities took place on the night of the 8the and 11th resulting in the death of two persons and the inflictions of injury on 4 others together with loss of property. On the 11th also the trouble spread to the Sukkur District and a part of 14 or 15 persons said to be in search of on Moulvi Abdul Ghani, who in 1938 had held a meeting condemning the practices of the Pir Pagaro, hindered 5 Muslims in a Masjid and 2 others in the street of a small village near Pir jo Goth, the former residence of the Pir, Again on the 12th another dacoity occurred in the Nawabshah District in which 2 men were injured and property was stolen And added to these offences there have been further instances of damage or attempts to damage railway property 3 cases in which telegraph wire have been cut and the poles damaged.
The Situation is undoubtedly serious as the people in the affected areas are reported to be in a complete state of panic but with the whole of the country side unwilling through fear to give the Police any assistance whatsoever the tracing and apprehension of eh ascending Hurs who are believed to be responsible for the crimes is a matter or great difficulty. So far about 22 arrested have been made and it is hoped that this will prove to be first step towards breaking up the gangs. In order to encourage the police and to raise the morale of the local population the District Commander has arranged for demonstration marches of infantry in mechanized transport in the two districts. There is no doubt however, that very special measure must be employed and it is for this reason that the issue of a special ordinance has advocated.
[No. P.25 H(S)/42, HOME DEPARTMENT (SPECIAL), SIND Secretariat, Karachi, Report for the First half of February 1942, 19th March, 1942.]
There has been a further deterioration in the situation in the Nawabshah and Thar Parkar Districts where the outrages committed by the Hur adherents of the Pir Pagaro have increased in number in spite of the fact that 7 Police officers an 454 other ranks of the Police over and above the normal strength of these districts have been on continuous duty in the affected areas, carrying out the most vigorous patrolling and investigation Dacoities with murder continue and the causality list for the past three months (December, 10 killed and 3 wounded; January , 5 killed and 11 wounded; February, 26 killed and 23 wounded) shows that the measures so far employed which have included demonstration marched by troops in mechanized transport are not proving effective. Thar is no doubt that extra ordinary measures are called for, the press of the ordinary law are of no avail. In view of the difficulties which have been raised in connection with promulgation of an Ordinance, Legislation is being resorted to but there is no doubt that measure which might have been effective two months ago will now be little use. It now seems probable that the extensive as of troops will be necessary.
[No. P.25 H(S)/42, HOME DEPARTMENT (SPECIAL), SIND Secretariat, Karachi, Report for the Second half of February 1942, 5th March, 1942.]
The criminal activities of the Hurs continue and there is no doubt, as I have personally explained in my recent visit to Dehli, that the outbreak will not be put down without the extensive use of military forces. There is little to add to the note I left with you except to say that the G. O.C of the western District is now in Karachi investigating the possibilities of such action. The latest serious outrage was the recent murder of the chief officer of the Khairpur State Police at Kenwari in the State. On receipt of the news all possible assistance was sent and arrangements were made in Dehli for the dispatch of Crown Representative Police Forces.
[No. P.25 H(S)/42, HOME DEPARTMENT (SPECIAL), SIND Secretariat, Karachi, Report for the First half of March 1942, 20th March, 1942.]
Outrages by the Hur Followers of the Pir Pagaro continue and fourteen crimes involving robbery dacoity, incendiaries and murder were committed by them during the fortnight under review resulting in the death of thirteen persons and in injury to twelve others. There was an attack on Bhitshah Railway Station in the Hyderabad District, some damage was done and Rs 105/- stolen and there have also been three cases of the cutting of telegraph wires. The most serious incidents was an attack by some fifteen Hurs, reported to have come from Bahwalpur State, on the village of a rival Pir, the Pir of Bharchundi in the Sukkur District. During the attack nine inhabitants of the village were killed and five injured. Causalities among the Hurs are reported to be six killed and two injured. Special steps are being taken to protect the village as further attack on it is expected.
As we had failed to secure assent to the promulgation of an ordinance to assist in dealing with the problem, a Hur Outrage Suppression Bill was passed in a secret session of the Legislative Assembly. The Bill is awaiting the assent of the Governor-General.
Government have now appointed an experienced I.C.S officers as Additional District Magistrate with an additional District Superintendent of Police in the three affected talukas of Thar Parkar and Nawabshah Districts and he will be in complete charge of that area. His first task will be to assess the position, for this he is being accompanied by a field officer from the regiment stationed at Hyderabad, and to submit his recommendations for operations against the Hurs and their strongholds. That his recommendations will involve the extensive use of troops is certain and the real question at issue will be whether the troops will be able to give sufficient help while acting in aid of the civil power or whether the promulgation of martial law will be found necessary. As far as information ‘goes at present, the odds are on martial law being inevitable. [No. P.25 H(S)/42, HOME DEPARTMENT (SPECIAL), SIND Secretariat, Karachi, Report for the Second half of March 1942, 4th April, 1942.]
The Hur trouble continues and thirty three crimes of murder, robbery and dacoity were committed by the Pir’s followers during the fortnight. Fourteen deaths and twenty-one cases of injury resulted. The Special Additional Magistrate has taken charge as a preliminary has carried out a reconnaissance march through the Makhi Dhand reported to be the chief stronghold of the ringleaders of the revolt. An early report from his is expected but meanwhile, on his recommendation, over 700 Hurs have been arrested and confined to jail in order to clear the countryside of abettors sympathizers. Until his report is received, the general plan of campaign cannot be settled and our efforts are at present concentrated on strengthening our Police and in securing outside assistance. His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General has given his assent to the Hur Outrage Suppression Bill.
[No. P.25 H(S)/42, HOME DEPARTMENT (SPECIAL), SIND Secretariat, Karachi, Report for the First half of April 1942, 18th April, 1942.]
The Hurs still hold the centre of the stage. Eighteen crimes of violence have occurred during the period under report resulting in 6 deaths and 5 cases of injury. There have also been instance of the breaching of canals and of the burning of crops. The securing of firearms is one of the main motives for many of the Hur raids and there is no question that the possession of a firearm is a positive danger in a vest number of cases. The police forces at the disposal of the Special Additional District Magistrate have now been reinforced by 6 platoons of the North-West Frontier Province Constabulary and by 2 platoons of Zhob Militia and further assistance has been promised from the Punjab. Thus strengthened, the District Magistrate is now pursuing a policy of clearing up the open areas of the affected talukas combined with rounding up operations in the Makhi Dhand. As a further preliminary to more intensive action, the Pir’s bungalow at Garang was raided in the early morning of the 30th April and the Pir’s Family removed there from and brought to Karachi. This was done as the presence of the family in the heart of the Hur country was considered to provide a stimulate to the criminal activities of the Hurs which it was necessary to remove. The raid on the bungalow was without incident and care was taken to have a lady present to deal with the lady members of the family as they are purdah. Wide publicity was given to the nature of this arrangement by means of the issue of a Press Note. The bungalow is being searched prior to its complete destruction which it is hoped will be a step towards the eradication of the Pir’s influence. Government are now considering the further disposal of the family.
[No. P.25 H(S)/42, HOME DEPARTMENT (SPECIAL), SIND Secretariat, Karachi, Report for the Second half of April 1942, 5th May, 1942.]
The “Hur” situation has very definitely worsened during the fortnight and the following crimes have been committed by the Pir’s “murids’ since my last report:-
Thirty-four crimes involving dacoity and murder (including two derailments of trains) in which 33 persons have been killed and 44 injured. Of these, 24 persons were killed and 27 injured in the derailment of the Karachi-Lahore Mail on the night of the 16th instant and in the looting and murdering carried on by the Hurs after the train had been put out of action. Among the injured were 7 Europeans.
Six offences against railway property (including the two derailment on the North-Western Railway), one attack on a railway station on the Jodhpur Railway in which an Assistant Station Master was murdered and two cases of telegraph wire cutting.
