Malik Dilasa Khan was a Military chief and Warrior from Bannu. ^{[1] [2]} He is known as the warlord against the Sikh Empire (Khalsa Army) and Britishers, also He was the Head of Daud Shah Tappa. ^{[3] [4]}

Early life

Malik Dilasa Khan was born in Khattak Khan's residence in 1777. ^[5] His lineage can be traced back to his great-grandfather Ghazi Khan and his grandfather Alam Khan. ^[6] Dilasa Khan's ancestor, Malik Daud Shah, was a descendant of Suranaey, son of Shitak, in the third generation. He resided in Daud Shah village. ^{[7] [8]}

Career

Ranjit Singh initiated efforts to integrate Bannu into the Sikh dominion in 1822. ^[9] The Sikhs conducted multiple attacks on the Banuchi walled villages and successfully marched through Isa Khel and Marwat unopposed in 1823, eventually reaching the outskirts of Bannu. Over the course of 1823 to 1845, the Sikh army invaded Bannu nine times. ^[10] Despite their attempts to extract profit, ^[11] the Sikhs often faced significant defeats at the hands of resilient insurgents. ^[12] Notably, Dilasa Khan of Bannu was particularly hostile towards the Sikhs. In June 1838, Shah Shuja Saddozai, in a tripartite pact with Ranjit Singh and the British government, granted the Sikhs control over the Trans-Indus region, including Bannu. Ranjit Singh then sought to colonize the area, demanding one lakh rupees in tribute from the Bannuchis. Despite encountering little resistance elsewhere, the Bannu valley proved to be a challenge, leading to the adoption of a strategy involving the regular dispatch of forces to cause havoc and seize booty. ^[13] Additionally, Dilasa Khan emerged victorious over the Sikh empire in the Battle of Bannu. ^{[14] [15] [16] [17]}

References