Batkhela

During the Ashoka and Kanishka Empires Batkhela was ruled by a leader named Butt hence city has given the name Batkhela.

Batkhela water canal

District Headquarters Hospital Batkhela OPD

District Headquarters Hospital Batkhela Casualty

Batkhela Rural side

When Mahmud of Ghazni (997-1030) was attacking India against the Hindus, during this time one of his army leaders Pir Khushal assailed Batkhela, during the course of this assault most of his soldiers were sunk in a big marsh at a place called Ghelai in Batkhela. However, soldiers of his army that survived have preferred to stay in this region. They have not only changed the culture and customs of the local inhabitants but also exerted a strong influence on them to make them convert to Islam.

Amandara Head Works (water flow on floor)

Early in the 17th century an Afghan tribe Yusufzai (Yusufzai Pathan) invaded Swat region [4] under the leadership of Malik Ahmad Khan, during this period Batkhela was part of Swat valley. At the time Swat was ruled by a ruler named Raees and Swati tribe was permanent inhabitant here. After the invasion most of the Swati tribesmen left this area and escaped to Hazara region. It gave Yusufzai an opportunity to settle here permanently and they declared Thana region (currently part of Batkhela tehsil) is their administrative headquarters.

In the beginning three family classes of Yusufzai tribe were settled in Batkhela (Ibrahim Khel, Husain Khel and Nazrali Khel).

In March 1895 the British Empire invaded this region including Batkhela. Malak Mir Azam Khan of Ibrahim Khel was leading the army of Batkhela. A new political agency for Dir, Swat and Chitral was established.[5] The first officer to be placed in charge of the new Malakand Agency was Major Harold Arthur Deane(1854–1908),[6][7][8][9][10] later on 9 November 1901 Lieutenant Colonel Sir Harold Arthur Deane also became the first Chief Commissioner on the formation of the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).[7][9][10][11][12]

Amandara Head Works (Batkhela Water Canal Bridge)

This year when Batkhela was stormed by the 45th Sikhs after a fierce resistance Lieut.-Colonel McRae was the very first British army personnel to enter Batkhela.[13] Before 1895 Batkhela was invaded by different outsiders including Khan of Dir Rahmatullah Khan in 1869 and Wali-i-Dir/Nawab Muhammad Umara Khan as well as Swatis. On capturing Malakand Agency British army have decided to prevent this area permanently from these outside aggressions. The British rulers declare this area as ‘Malakand Protected Area’ (same as present) and so they prepared a police force called Malakand Levies.

Between 1895 and 1912 British made a huge impact on developmental works and infrastructure. They built roads (Batkhela to Chakdara), raised Chakdara and Malakand forts, set up Levies posts all over Malakand Agency, dug Upper Swat Canal and The Benton Tunnel (locally known as Tandail) and construct Headwork’s scheme at Batkhela, Churchill Picket and Jabban Hydropower Station (Jabban Hydropower Plant). The most important of all is the Amandara (part of Batkhela) Irrigation Scheme (bridges) which were designed and built by British firm Ransomes & Rapier, Ltd. Makers of Ipswich in 1912, which is still irrigating a vast land of Sama Tehsil, Mardan and Sawabi Districts and Chakdara area.

The British was ruling this area until the independence of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. All matters of the Tribal system were settled through ‘Jirga System’. The Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) system or status was established in 1974 here. Furthermore, regular laws prevailing and the settle laws of district were also extended. Under the FCR Political Agent exercised his powers as a supreme authority while regular courts were established (Civil & Crime courts) after the year 1974.