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SETTLEMENT OF PRISONERS OF WAR.
Ali Sher Khan brought to Skardu
prisoners of war in a large number from Chitral, Gilgit, Chilas and
Astore. They were settled in the following places:
1. Satpur and Tandal
villages in Skardu Valley.
2. Kinksho in Parkutta
valley
3. Thang Chan in Tilti
Valley.
4. Ingut, Giliakhs,
Torgoond, Harghos, Memush and Karkit in Kharmang valley.
Besides the above, it is related that
the Kaffirs were settled in Dah, Garkon and Ganukh which bordered
Laddakh. Now only Ganukh village of the three is in the liberated
part of Baltistan.
Biddulph has discussed this topic at
length. Brokpas had given an account to him about themselves. They
had said that Shah Murah with the help of his brother, conquered the
country to the west as far as Chitral, and in the course of
different expeditions, they (Brokpas) were carried off from their
own countries, Astor and Chilas and were forcibly settled in the
places in which they were now found.
It may be added that it was Ali Sher
Khan Anchan who had been forced to go on his military expedition to
Gilgit to punish the people from that side, who, from time to time,
plundered the border villages in Shingo Shigar and Dras. He settled
the prisoners of war in the border villages as mentioned above and
his descendents especially Shah Murad also took steps to settle the
prisoners of war in different villages of Baltistan.
PA CHONES OR THE TWELVE
FAMILIES OR THE TRAQCHHOS OF HIGHER FAMILIES.
Local legends also
state that when Ali Sher Khan regained his kingdom after his early
sojourn in adversity either in Hindustan, Purik or Laddakh, he
instituted the system of Pa Chones meaning the ‘Twelve families;.
The heads of these families were his twelve nobles who were
hereditary. The country under the direct administration of the
Maqpon was divided into districts for each of which a Wazir was
appointed the Wazirs were selected from the Traqchhos families
twelve
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