Sultan Muzaffar Khan

Sultan Muhammad Muzaffar Khan (سلطان محمد مظفر خان) was a chief of the Bomba Tribe, who inhabited, established and eventually became the namesake of the modern city of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-Administered Kashmir.

Muzaffar Khan was originally from Hazara region in modern day Khyber-Pakthunkhwa, a Province of Pakistan. Around the late 1600's, Khan united various hill tribes around Kashmir-Hazara border and convinced them to settle near the site of two rivers, Jhelum and Kishenganga (now Neelum). Turning a small village into a big city, which today is named after him.

When Khan arrived at this location, it was known locally as "Chakri Behak." a sparsely populated village, mostly by Hindu and Muslim farmers. He turned a small agricultural village into a well functioning and fortified city.

Khan built his palace near a (now dried) creek. Locally known today as Shah-Nara, which can directly be translated as "Creek of the Ruler." He also established a local mosque, Sultani Masjid, which still operates today with regular prayers. In a small area, He built a courthouse, police station, jail and a regular bazaar. He helped thrive the city by inhabiting various families belonging to arts, crafts and traditional fields. Such as:

Hakeem (medical professionals)

Sonayar (goldsmiths)

Mirasi (musicians)

Taili (oil-dwellers)

Qasai (butchers)

Tarkhan (carpenters)

NaanBai (bakers)

Tajir (traders) etc.

Descendants of these families continue residing in their ancestral homes, around the vicinity of Kahn's original residence. This area is known today as Khawaja Muhalla, or Kashmiri Muhalla.

Very little is known about his personal life. According to a submission on Geni.com, he had 2 sons: Sultan Habibat Khan and Sultan Rehmat Khan.

According to his tombstone, Muzaffar Khan passed away in 1740.

His descendants continued to govern the City after him, up until the Dogra Rule (1846-1947). His grandson, Sultan Zaberdast Khan, is described in German traveler Baron Charles Hugel's book Travels in Kashmir and the Punjab (published 1845). Hugel visited Muzaffarabad in the winter of 1835. He described Muzaffar Khan's grandson as the local governor of Muzaffarabad in his later years of life.

Sultan Muzaffar Khan is buried in Muzaffarabad.