Ancient History
Genesis of the name Hangu:
The Hangu valley is scarcely mentioned in the ancient history. The historical events or ancient history of this area is confined to mere hearsays unreliable stories but no degree of surety can be placed upon these gossips. History is quiet over the genesis of the name of Hangu, however, efforts are made here to make a reasonable attempt in this regard.
By about 79 A.D. the Kushans coming from Central Asian highlands, were ruling in Taxila and the Sakas and pahlaras continued to rule their own states in the country of lower Indus under Kushana Suzerainty.1
Kanishka was the
3rd king of Kushan Empire. During his rule Buddhism was on its peak
and its followers scattered in various regions of India. Some of the Buddhist moved
towards Peshawar and then to various deserts and unsettled lands. Wherever they
found the favourable atmosphere, they settled there. The followers of Buddhism
were expert in engraving stones and thus started making various poses of
Mahatma. They also started to make coins on one side of which there were
pictures of elephant and on the other side the portrait of lion was engraved
and some words of Pali language were inscribed. During the period of 120 A.D to
139 A.D. the followers of Buddhism approached Kohat. Some stayed there while
others moved to “Kata Kanrhi” a village near Hangu, which is located at a
distance of about 26 miles away from Kohat. This place of their residence was
named after one Sardar (lord) among the followers of Buddhism, Angu or Hangu.2
During the decade of 40’s some hunters were on their hunt in the mountains when they found some coins of Aluminum having a picture of elephant and lion on each side and some words in Pali language.3 One of the khans of Hangu showed me those coins and I personally inspected them. This shows that this land was originally settled by Buddhist Kushans.
According to an ancient historical document of 1131 Hijra, a khan named Ali Sher Khan, laid down the foundation of Hangu. The headmen of the area gave this historical acknowledgement to the chief khan Shah Wali Khan of that time. It runs thus, “we, the Ulema, Sheiks, Sayeds and other luminaries of Miranzai area (Hangu) accept the reality that Hangu was founded by Ali Sher Khan whose period is traced back to the time of Taimur when the latter drove them off from Persia and settled in the Kurram valley and then in the beginning of 15th century they gradually moved down into Miranzai valley and Ousted Orakzai from this area with the alliance of Khattak.4 The history of the Bangash settlement and the Dismissal of Orakzai from the area has been given in detail in the next chapter. After Kushans till the arrival of Mughals, the history of Hangu is limited to the small vaguest traditions and lies in obscurity. Babar, who laid the foundation of the Mughal dynasty that remained for about three hundred years in 16th century, mentioned the area as Hangu. He has not described any particular tribe rather he mentioned the residents of this area as Afghans. This shows that Hangu was established before the arrival of Babar.