Nazir Muhammad Sarwar Khan facts for kids

Nazir Muhammad Sarwar Khan was an important leader in Afghanistan. He was the Governor of Herat from 1882 to 1886. He was a very loyal friend and helper to Abdur Rahman. Abdur Rahman later became the ruler (Amir) of Afghanistan. Sarwar Khan even went with him when he had to leave the country for a while. When they came back, Sarwar Khan was given important jobs. But later, he lost his job because people said he wasn't honest. He sadly died in prison.

Early Life and Loyalty

Sarwar Khan was from Afghanistan, belonging to the Ghilji tribe. He strongly supported Abdur Rahman, who was part of Afghanistan's ruling family. In 1869, Abdur Rahman had to leave Afghanistan after losing a fight against Sher Ali Khan. Sarwar Khan stayed with him during this time away, even when they lived in Samarkand.

When the Second Anglo-Afghan War started, it gave Abdur Rahman a chance to return to Afghanistan. Sarwar Khan went with him. Their return was very successful. The British army, led by General Roberts, agreed that Abdur Rahman should be the new Amir of Afghanistan.

After Abdur Rahman became Amir, he gave Sarwar Khan important roles. First, Sarwar Khan became the Governor of Takhtapul in Balkh. Later, he led soldiers in Badakhshan. He was also part of the group that announced Abdur Rahman as the new Amir in Kabul. By 1881, he was known as one of the Amir's trusted advisors.

Governor of Herat Province

In August 1882, Sarwar Khan was chosen to be the Governor of Herat. This was a very important job because Herat had been ruled separately by Ayub Khan until 1881. Sarwar Khan's main task was to help Herat become a stronger part of Afghanistan.

During his time as governor, a group called the Afghan Boundary Commission visited Herat from 1884 to 1886. This group was working to draw the border between Afghanistan and the Russian Empire. In March 1885, a disagreement over the border led to the Panjdeh Incident. This event almost caused a war between the Russians and the British. The British people on the commission even gave Sarwar Khan a nickname: Henry VIII. They thought he looked a lot like the famous English king.

Challenges and Final Days

The Afghan Boundary Commission finished its work in September 1886. When they returned to India through Kabul, it seems someone gave a bad report about Sarwar Khan to the Amir.

Because of this, in November 1886, Sarwar Khan was called to Kabul. He lost his job as governor, and another person, Kazi Saad-ud-Din, took his place. Sarwar Khan was then arrested. He was asked to pay large amounts of money and faced harsh treatment.

However, in May 1887, the Amir seemed to feel sorry for him. The Amir remembered how Sarwar Khan and his father had helped him with money when he was in exile. He told Sarwar Khan that he would forgive most of the money he owed. But even after this, Sarwar Khan was arrested again. In December 1887, he was kept in very strict confinement. The Amir even ordered that he should only have one rug for his bed. The Amir was very angry with him and made serious threats. Sarwar Khan sadly died in prison in Kabul on February 21, 1888.