Mir Alam (a Kohistani Tajik) in his summer dress, 1841.

 Mir Alam (a Kohistani Tajik) in his summer dress, 1841.

Painting by James Rattrey.

Mir Alam belonged to a band of infamous Tajik highway robbers, who infested the Ghorband pass (in Parwan province, Afghanistan) and levied blackmail on every thing passing through their mountain defiles. The band was commanded by a chief called Hassan. When British occupied Kabul, Hassan approached the British political agent William Macnaghten and offered to bring him the head of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan Barakzai who was then hovering about Nijraw (in Kapisa province, Afghanistan) and the Ghorbund Pass. Macnaghten turned down the offer but afterwards Hassan and his bandits were enlisted in the newly raised 'Kohistan rangers' which was commanded by British officers.

On 3 November 1841, the troops of Kohistan rangers at Kahdarrah (about 20 miles north west of Kabul) revolted and killed their British officers Lieutenant Richard Maule and Lieutenant Wheeler.

Note: The mountainous regions north of Kabul (Panjshir, Parwan, Andarab etc.) were referred to as Kohistan. The Kohistani Tajiks of Afghanistan are not to be confused with the inhabitants of Kohistan district of KPK in Pakistan who are Dardic. Kohistan simply means highlands in Farsi.

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