Langah Sultanate

There is much uncertainty about the ethnic origins and even the chronology of Langah rulers as primary accounts differ among them widely. According to the 16th-century writer and author of the Tārīkh-i ḥaqqī, Abd al-Haqq, the founder of the dynasty was one "Buddhan Khan Sindhi", chief of the Langah tribe of the Baloch. Another origins is given by Nurul Haq, the son of Abd al-Haqq, who (writing during the reign of Jahangir) in his Zabdat al-Tawarikh gives the name of the founder as Badan Khan and calls him Sindi Jat chief of Lahri. André Wink describes the Langahs as being one of a number of Baloch tribes which moved eastwards into the region of Multan. According to the historians Mafizullah Kabir and Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi Sihrah Langah was a Rajput chief who had converted to Islam on the hands of Bahauddin Zakariya or one of his successors. Other sources have assigned the dynasty as Rajputs or Jats. The historian, Suhail Zaheer Lari, who specialises in the history of Sindh and southern Pakistan, also calls the tribe as Baloch. The 17th century Deccan-based historian Firishta on the other hand gives the name of the founder as "Rai Sahra" and further calls the Langahs as Afghans. He also notes that the local traditions of Multan ascribe a Rajput origins to Langahs, although contemporary Langahs are classed as Jats now. According to the historian Dr. Hameed-ud-Din the title Rai prefixed to Sahra's name suggests a Rajput origin. The place of origins for Langah sultans is similarly disputed, with Siwi (modern Sibi) and Rapar in Mailsi near Multan being usually suggested. According to Siddiqi, it seems more than probable that Langahs were initially settled near Rapar, and their association with Siwi is probably a transcription error as they have never been noticed near it. == History ==