Sheikhan Haveli: A fading monument to Peshawar's past

Once the seat of political power, the historic village’s grand Qalla struggles for survival

Sheikhan, a historic village on the outskirts of Peshawar, stands as a living testament to a glorious past that has largely vanished. Once renowned for its abundant irrigation water from the Bara River and the prized Bara Rice variety, believed to owe its exquisite taste to the river’s mineral-rich waters, the village’s glorious past today survives mostly in stories.

The Bara River, which made Sheikhan the first village in the district to benefit from its flow, was diverted in the 1980s to irrigate lands in the Khyber tribal district, ending an era of agricultural prosperity.

The village derives its name from Sheikh Abu Saeed Baba, a saint who migrated from Ghazni in Afghanistan. The local Mohmand tribe gifted him vast fertile lands with plentiful water. His jagir reportedly spanned over 45,000 kanals.

During the British Raj, Sheikh Akbar Khan, head of the Sheikhan clan, was appointed ‘Hakim’ of the area. In 1870, he constructed a magnificent haveli outside the village. His son, Nawab Mehboob Ali Khan, later expanded the structure. Mehboob Ali Khan rose to prominence as the Political Agent of Malakand Agency, overseeing Swat, Dir, and Chitral, and also served in Afghanistan.

Today, the three-acre haveli of Nawab Mehboob Ali Khan continues to dominate the landscape, a proud but weathered reminder of a time when the village was a hub of political influence for the family.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Sheikh Akbar Ali Khan, grandson of Nawab Mehboob Ali Khan, said his clan has inhabited the village for nearly 400 years.

“This haveli, locally called Qalla in Pashto, was built in phases starting from 1870,” he explained. “Initially, two rooms were constructed to handle the constant flow of guests. It was expanded in 1912 and finally in 1945.”

Akbar Ali Khan recalled that the imposing structure was the only landmark visible for miles across the vast hinterlands. It featured a public kitchen (langar) as well as a separate one reserved for special guests with cooks specialised in English, Arabic and local cuisines.

Nawab Mehboob Ali Khan, an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University, adorned the haveli with rare paintings and decorative items collected from across India.

His brother, Sher Ali Khan, joined the police and served as Station House Officer (SHO) of Yakatoot police station in Peshawar, but passed away at a young age.

Maintaining the historic structure has become an uphill task. “In Lahore and other parts of the country, families have converted their palaces and havelis into hotels, but this is not feasible in Sheikhan because it borders Bara in Khyber tribal district, where terrorism remains a concern,” Akbar Ali Khan said.

He added that millions of rupees are required to preserve the building and keep it intact for future generations.

The haveli of Sheikhan, though still standing tall, now symbolises both the enduring legacy of a powerful clan and the challenges of preserving history in a changing and uncertain region.