WESH (Land distribution)

Wesh means distribution. When the Yusufzais migrated from the neighbourhood of Kabul and occupied the territories yet in their possession, their saintly leader Shaikh Mali distributed the land among the branches of the tribes. However the lands were not allotted permanently but the system of land tenure was devised which is called wesh, because the land differed in composition, location, fertility, availability of water, accessibility and so forth.

Under this system the lands were redistributed every ten years between the sub-branches of each main branch. Thus every seven, nine and ten years all the landowners, which had a share in the available lands, used to move and settle in the villages allotted to them for the next period, and to divide the houses and lands of these villages between themselves for the period within the village.

The lands were classified and each shareholder had to receive his share in all the categories. It is pertinent to dispel the notion that under the system the land has been redistributed among the members equally. In fact it wasn't the case and every landholder received the share he possessed previously. Even some weak people got deprived of their shares.

There were lands that were under permanent ownership and were not redistributed or allotted in the wesh. These were granted to the holy families and persons by the tribe, and were called serai, while those liable for redistribution were known as Dawtar (Dawter) and its owner a Dawatari.

The British abolished the system in the territories under their control and in Swat State by Miangul Abdul Wadud. Nevertheless within the villages wesh of the land ended in the post merger time.

Jirga means consultation and consultative council. The men of Swat had the centuries old consultative virtue. They used to assemble and discuss the issue whenever some problem came or necessity felt. Every attendant could express his opinion and point of view without any taboo or hindrance. It is noteworthy that the decisions were not majority imposed but be made unanimously after the deliberations.

However, it depended on the nature of the problem and issue in question that who had to attend. Generally the common people did not participate in proceedings of the Jirga. Only a Dawtari (person having share in the landed property) had to participate in Jirga on the tal (a particular quarter of a village) at village level; and the leading among them, according to their privileges and positions in the Jirgas on the locality and regional basis. It is worth mentioning that gradually the institution of Jirga receded from the scene in Swat State era, especially in the Wali's reign. Its functions as a consultative body, its traditional role in dispensing communal affairs came to an end on the whole. The word Jirga has its own other meaning, composition, functions, and uses in other contexts as well. Here its meaning has been briefly discussed in the context in which it generally and practically has been used and worked.