Sher Singh's Justice

BBC Urdu

Publishing Date: Friday, January 30 2004

Around 40 Kilometers North of Peshawar lies the old town of Shabqadar. This small town is not much different then others in the country. The governments influence is almost nill here and beyond this place is the semi-autonomous tribal region of Mohmand Agency.

Before marching on the tribal areas, both the British and the Sikhs made this small town in Charsadda District as their base camp. Due to this reason, a fort was constructed here to serve the armies which is still existing today and is under the control of the Frontier Constabulary.

A unique thing about this fort is that at its epicenter is a tall minaret, to which is chained a hundred year old prisoner. This prisoner had been imprisoned for hundred years and despite serving the sentence, nobody takes any pity on it in order to free it.

The prisoner is the fort's old central gate. Both the doors of the gate are chained with three big chains to this very day. This gate has been named "the weeping willow". The gate is almost twenty feet tall and is painted black. The black paint resembles sadness.

According to historians, a Mohmand Lashkar (army) attacked the Shabqadar Garrison in the winters of 1840. They succeeded in breaking down this very gate and took over the fort from the Sikhs. The Sikh commander at that time was Sardar Sher Singh who was Ranjeed Singh's son. In his fury, Sardar Sher Singh put the gate under trial for treason.

A tablet next to the gate mentions that a French General by the name of Jacquo Ventura held court for two days and finally found the gate 'guilty' and announced his verdict; condemning the gate to be imprisoned for one hundred years.

That was over 160 years ago. The gate should have now long ago been freed but the present occupiers of the fort; the Frontier Constabulary have no intentions to show any mercy.

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