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Shujaur Rehman-An upright Prince

By Dr. Inayatullah Faizi:

Way back in the eighties, of 20th century, I watched a movie “Last of the Mahakans”. Today I am looking at the grave of Prince Shujaur Rehman and I think he was in his own way and right “Last of the Katoors” of Central Asia and Chitral. At the age of 5, he went to Aitcheson College Lahore for his studies and as luck would have it, at the age of 55, he breathed his last at the intensive case unit of the Combined Military Hospital Lahore. Papers wrote, he was son of the 2nd last ruler of Chitral and brother of the last ruler of Chitral. Papers wrote that his grand father took a lead among the princedoms of the Indian subcontinent to accede to Pakistan in May 1947. But papers failed to write that he was an upright man. He was a man with strong will power, and a man with Iron hand and kind soul. This is a rare combination and leaders who combine these two qualities perform extra-ordinarily and do miracles.

Shuja-ur-Rehman neither liked the prefix “Shahzada” with his name, nor he liked the suffix “Prince”, however he was proud of his ancestral legacy and he was committed to the collective cause of his family. This is again a combination of two qualities which ensures broader outlook and unbiased approach towards day to day matters of mortal life.

Shuja-ur-Rehman was born in Chitral in 1953. His father HH Saifur Rehman was ruler of Chitral since 1949. His grand father ruled Chitral during the crucial period of the partition of India. His name was HH Muzaffarual Mulk and he took timely decision to accede to Pakistan and communicated his consent to the Government of India through secretary home Col. SB Shah on May 5th 1947. He signed the accession document along with founder of nation Qauide-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Nov 7, 1947. He joined the citizens of Peshawar in hosting a reception in honour of the father of nation at Jinnah Park in April 1948 and accompanied Qauid-e-Azam on his historic visit to Torkham border post in Khyber. Shujar-r-Rehman’s grand- grandfather Shujaul Mulk ruled Chitral for 41 year (1895-1936). His family rule extends to 374 years, 300 years (1595-1895) as independent state, 52 year (1895-1947) as British protectorate and 22 years (1947-1969) after accession of the state to Pakistan. His father HH Saifur Rehman died in an air crash near Lawari in Dir in 1954, when Shuja was hardly one year old. His elder brother HH Saiful Muluk Nasir was coronated at the age of 4. Shuja followed his elder brother to be admitted in Aitcheson College Lahore at the age of 5 in 1958. Hostel life at such an early age was a unique and interesting experience for the young princes. Recalling his hostel days he used to say that hostel life at such an early stage leads to sense of insecurity in the personality of an individual, which could be overcame through strong will power. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Provincial Minister Pervez Khattak and Development Consultant Khalid Saranjam Khan were among his friends of the good Aitchesonain days. Shuja attended 52 long course at PMA Kakool from 1974 to 1976 and was commissioned in Pakistan Army. Due to his domestic obligations and temperament, he resigned from the army in 1980. He was elected to the Town Committee of Chitral in local bodies elections in 1983 and served his constituency till 1987. He along with like-minded friends and social workers, established Society for Sustainable Mountain Development in 1994.He joined International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as District Manager for Chitral in 1997. He held public consultation meetings throughout the district for the formulation of Chitral District Conservation Strategy, Which was adopted by the District Government of Chitral as integrated Development Vision in 2003. Shuja was elevated to the post Manager Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (SPSC) in 1999 and took over as Head IUCN, Sarhad Office in 2004. He was suffering from lever serosis since September 2007. However, he did not give up his hope and courage. He used to perform normal duties in his office till July 7, 2008 when he proceeded to Lahore for routine check up and suffered from the failure of vital organs at CMH Lahore on the 9th of July, and went in to coma. He passed away on 14th July 2008 at CMH Lahore and was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Chitral on 15th July 2008. When I recall the life and struggle of Shuja ur Rehman, it reminds me of the famous poem of Shakespeare which says the world is a stage and we are all actors, who act according to a well thought script from early child hood to young age, to man hood and from manhood to the old age.

Shuja’s part ended at manhood and he was shown exit before old age. No doubt it was part of script, however his vacuum at the stage will be felt till long long days and years to come. Katoor’s are there, but I believe he was “Last of the Katoors” in his own right and place.