A page from the history of Chitral – By: Prof. Rahmat Karim Baig
During my field work on the history of Chitral more than four decades ago one old man told me a story of his failure to avail of a golden opportunity. That he was in the Body Guard Force of Chitral and was on duty in the capital Fort. On that day Mehtar Shujaul Mulk had breathed his last and a scramble for immediate occupation of the Throne was in progress. Prince Nasirul Mulk was at Mastuj, Muzaffarul Mulk at Shagram, Khadive Mulk at Drasen and according to old family tradition the one who reached the Fort occupied the Throne as well known by the people.
Prince Nasirul Mulk sprinted from Mastuj on receiving the obituary and changed his tired horses at each village and the man in question was on duty at the main Gate which had been shut in the evening. He had been instructed not to open the gate before asking the identity of anyone of the princes. Nasirul Mulk reached first at the gate at night , was asked about his identity but the Sepoy of the Body guard on duty at the Gate did not have the smartness to take a written promise from the prince before opening the door nor could get oral promise for good prize for opening the Gate as the prince outside was in a hurry to enter the Fort to occupy the Fort.
The unlucky Sepoy opened the gate and let him in. The prince also did not ask about his identity so the chance to get some good prize or gift/ landed property was lost and the golden opportunity was missed. That man regretted his absence of intelligence for the rest of his life. He could clinch some valuable gift from the prince at that critical hour when he was entering to occupy the Throne.
