British Colonial Imperialism and Pashtun Resistance under Islamic Jihad: An Analysis of Umbeyla Campaign (1863)

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyze the British Colonial Rule in the Indian North-West Frontier Region with respect to the Islamic Jihad led by Pashtuns tribes at Umbeyla (Buner) in 1863. The British annexation of this region resulted in bringing the Pashtoons into direct contact with their new master. Afterwards, the British launched almost sixty expeditions against the tribes of this region between 1849 to 1899. The Umbeyla campaign-in 1863 was one such expedition which showed British imperial design, the first ever large-scale confrontation between the two opponents in this region. Here, the British tested their forces against the native Pashtoon tribes,where the latter engaged the colonial forces and attacked them frequently. Religious and ideological resistance by the Pakhtun tribes will be focused on in this work. The British successfully defeated the stronghold of Pukhtuntribes in the town of Malka. The Umbeyla Campaign was part of a Britain strategy to assert control of the North West Frontier by countering the increasing unrest and resistance in Buner to British rule. The British succeeded in extending their rule at Pukhtuns' territory but at the cost of huge losses.