The colonial period ended in 1947, yet the Hur rebellion continued under the leadership of Rahim Hingoro
- He was captured in July 1953 when villagers betrayed and handed him over to the police. He was hanged on April 30, 1954 when his appeal for commutation of the life sentence was denied by the Governor of Sindh
Farooq Sargani
The colonial period ended in 1947 with the partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan, yet the Hur rebellion continued under the leadership of Rahim Hingoro, also known as “Rahim Badshah,” targeting those who had betrayed Pir Sighatullah Shah, their spiritual leader martyred by the British rulers. To curb the resistance movement, Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan went to England to meet the sons of Pir Pagaro. As a result of negotiations, Pir Pagaro’s two sons returned to Pakistan and assured the Prime Minister that they would not disturb law and order in the new country. Consequently, in 1952, the Gadi (the spiritual headship) was restored.
The Hur uprising continued for a few years after independence but gradually petered out as their leaders, including Hingoro, were gradually rounded up. In the last phase of the Hur insurgency, Rahim Hingoro led the Hur guerrillas from his headquarters in the Makhi forest. Even H. T. Lambrick confirmed that regular commands were issued under Hingoro’s seal. After the restoration of the Gadi, Pir Pagaro Shah Mardan Shah ordered his followers to surrender, but Hingoro, along with many other Hur insurgents, refused.
The state declared Hingoro the most notorious terrorist of South Asia, accusing him of murdering hundreds of people and disturbing the India–Pakistan border area. Hingoro reportedly moved from one region to another without restriction because supporters of Pir Pagaro resided on both sides of the border. He was captured in July 1953 when villagers betrayed and handed him over to the police. He was incarcerated in Hyderabad jail. According to the New York Times, Pir Pagaro, instead of condoning Hingoro, helped police and military authorities track him down.
Meanwhile, his wife, Bhagi Hingoro, continued to wander the deserts. She was also a freedom fighter in her own right and, along with Hur guerrillas, engaged British troops on several occasions. After Rahim Hingoro’s imprisonment, she organized plans to liberate him, and with bands of Hur guerrillas attacked Hyderabad jail. Six hours of tension ensued between the police and the Hur guerrillas. In the ensuing chaos, Rahim Hingoro attempted to escape the prison but was injured by electrocution from the electric fence. Ultimately, the government decided to hang him on April 30, 1954, and his appeal for commutation of the life sentence was denied by the Governor of Sindh.
Nevertheless, Rahim Hingoro and other Hur guerrillas remain heroes in the history of Sindh. With Hingoro’s death, the second phase of the Hur movement came to an end.
Read: Hur women of Sindh fought guerrilla war against the British
_____________
The author is freelance writer. He has graduated from Karachi University
