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The following information is from Halaat-e-Khandaan-e-Malik Dost Muhammad Bin Jaan Muhammad Seeah Malik [History of the Extended Family of Malik Dost Muhammad son of Jaan Muhammad, Seeah Malik], which is a booklet written by Muhammad Hussain Malik:
Muhammad Daim came from the "Suah-Malik" or "Seeah-Malik" family of Kashmir. "Suah" or "Seeah" means lion in the local dialect. This title was bestowed upon an ancestor who, according to legend, killed a lion before the lion could attack the visiting emperor, Jahangir (fourth Mughal emperor who ruled from 1605 to 1627).
In reality Malik was not a family or tribal name, but a title given to tribal leaders, large land owners, and high ranking military officers. This title was given to various clans of Rajputs, Butts, Shaikhs, and Dars. According to books on the history of Kashmir, the Seeah-Maliks were probably a branch of the Shaikh family. This particular branch had looked after the local highways from ancient times, and presented local affairs at the royal court.
The Seeah-Maliks; who lived in Shahabad, Verinag, and Shupiyan; were close to the Mughal royal family and had relative access to the royal court due to the fact that the royal highway between India and Central Asia passed through their lands. The Seeah-Maliks were responsible for; security in the regions of Kushtwarah and Banehaal, repair and maintenance of the royal highway, and logistical support of the Imperial army.
Muhammad Daim Malik was born in 1754, and took up the family's traditional responsibilities upon reaching adulthood. He also delved in agriculture. Soon after his birth, control of Kashmir shifted from the Mughal empire to the Afghans in 1756. The Afghans ruled Kashmir until 1819, when the Sikh Maharaja of Punjab, Ranjit Singh, conquered Kashmir. It is likely that the fortunes of the Seeah-Malik family had been affected by this transfer of power from the Mughals to the Afghans.
Muhammad Daim Malik had a grandson by the name of Ghulam Hassan Malik. When Ghulam Hassan Malik was born in 1808, Kashmir was still ruled by the Afghan king, and the governor of Kashmir was Sardar Azeem Khan. However, after a series of wars, Maharajah Ranjit Singh of Punjab was able to conquer Kashmir in the beginning of 1832. By the end of that year, the orphaned Ghulam Hassan Malik migrated from Kashmir to the city of Lahore in Punjab; with his paternal aunt, cousin Muhammad Sultan Mian, father's maternal grandfather, and a few other relatives. At that time he was 24 years old. Ghulam Hassan Malik and many others were forced to leave Kashmir due to famine, outbreak of cholera epidemic, and mistreatment by Ranjit Singh's occupying forces. It is said that Ranjit Singh's men would take hungry Muslim villagers in boats and drown them in the rivers. It is also possible that the Seeah-Maliks were given especially tough treatment by Ranjit Singh's men since they were considered part of the nobility, and were close to the previous Muslim rulers.
Both, Ghulam Hassan Malik and his cousin Mian Muhammad Sultan , were tall and muscular young men by that time, and took up wrestling at Ranjit Singh's royal akhaara (a traditional place prepared with dirt for wrestling matches) in Lahore. Both cousins learned the art of wrestling very well, and soon were able to defeat wrestlers from nearby regions who visited the royal court. Maharajah Ranjit Singh, being a fan of traditional wrestling, was very impressed with the two young Kashmiri men. Mian Muhammad Sultan also learned the art of construction from his step-uncle, the Maharajah's minister for construction. Eventually he became a contractor who enjoyed enormous success in his business. He even employed his cousin, Ghulam Hassan Malik as his treasurer. Before becoming Mian Sultan's treasurer, Ghulam Hassan Malik had a business of making thin wires from gold and silver. Thus, by an ironic twist of fate, Ranjit Singh, the very man responsible for Ghulam Hassan Malik's desperate situation in his youth, became the source of his livelihood.
Ghulam Hassan Malik's family spiritual guide (peer), Abdul-Ghani Shah, used to visit him in Lahore. Peer Abdul-Ghani Shah used to call Ghulam Hassan Malik by the name of "Hassan Sooah". The reason for this is that the family's actual surname in Kashmir was Sooah-Malik or Seeah-Malik (it is not known which pronunciation is correct, but the meaning is "Lion King").
Ghulam Hassan Malik and his descendants (down to his great great grandchildren) are all buried in the section of the Miani Shareef graveyard known as "Mian Sultan ka Ahaata" or Mian Sultan's enclosure. This graveyard is very large, and it is located outside the old walled city of Lahore.
One of Ghulam Hasan Malik's sons was named Jan Muhammad Malik. Jan Muhammad Malik went to elementary school with one of Maharajah Ranjit Singh's sons. They studied together up till the fifth grade.
Jan Muhammad Malik was famously known as Jan Muhammad Pehelvan, because he was an accomplished and experienced wrestler. He traveled with his brother-in-law, Muhammad Buta Butt "Pehelvan", to various training centers and wrestling arenas through out India. Jan Muhammad was very intelligent and had a scholarly personality. He loved scholarly and philosophical discussions. His best friends were scholars and historians. One of his best friends was the famous historian from Lahore, Maulvi Muhammad Deen Fauq.
Jan Muhammad's Shoe store in front of the church in Anarkali was very successful. The store was named Dillhouse Footwear House. The specialty of the store was formal and executive shoes for the British. He had an exclusive contract to supply shoes for students of Chief College (now Atchison College) in Lahore.
The family's peer (spiritual guide) used to often come from Kashmir and stay with Jan Muhammad Malik. Peer Abdul-Ghani Shah would tell Jan Muhammad's children that their grandfather, Ghulam Hassan Malik's orchards and lands were still laying unclaimed in Kashmir. He told them that a very old man still comes and tends to Ghulam Hassan's orchards. Peer Abdul-Ghani came once to stay with Jan Muhammad's son, Dost Muhammad Malik. At that time he was very old and weak.
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"Malik" [Excerpts from pages 275 to 278 of vol.1 of Tawaareekh Aqwaam e Kashmir {Histories of the Tribes of Kashmir} by Muhammad Deen Fauq, written in 1934 A.D. ; Published by Nigarshat, 24 Muzang Road, Lahore, Pakistan, in 2003 A.D.]:
It is written in Taareekh Hassan that Malik is not the name of any particular tribe. Malik was a title given by royalty. During the reign of the Sultans of Kashmir (before the Mughal period) all the leaders, courtiers, land owners, and high ranking military officers were addressed using this title (Malik). The protectors of the royal highway between India and Turkestan (Xinjiang Uygur province of China and Central Asia) were also awarded with this title (Malik). This tribe (land owners who protected the imperial highway) were also a branch of the Shaikh nation.
Taareekh Gulshan Kashmir also mentions the duties and rights of this respected group, but does not shed light on any other aspect of their lives. Hence it is written that in ancient times these people not only watched over the highways, but also presented important matters to the king. The forefathers of the current Malik families of Shahabad/Verinag (Kashmir) were close to the Mughal kings, and had considerable access to them; on account of the fact that the royal highway passed through their lands. Protection of the areas around Kushtwar and Banehal was also the responsibility of their forefathers. The Maliks of Shupiyan (Kashmir) were responsible for the protection of the royal highway and citizens in their area. They were also responsible for providing logistical support to the royal army. The Maliks of Khulnara Dau and Adun were responsible for these things in their respective areas. The Maliks of Bonakot Khoihama were responsible for keeping peace in Laddakh and Skardu. All these families still carry this ancient title of Malik.
Many of the Muslims of Palanpur (India) are known by the name "Raees Malik". This title was given to them by the Sultans of Gujarat. In Punjab, people belonging to the Kakkayzai (Pathan) tribe call themselves Malik. The Malik name is even used by some hindus in Punjab, Jammu, and Kashmir. The Tawana tribe of district Shahpur in Punjab is also called Malik. Among the hindus of Bengal there is a tribe known as Malik. All this confirms that Malik is merely a title awarded by kings to those who performed certain services, and it was given regardless of religious or ethnic affiliation. The later generations of these titled persons also came to known by this name. (Bilal: The Malik name is also found in eastern Europe, particularly Slovakia. It's origins there are not known at this time)
According to the census of 1911 the number of muslim Maliks in Jammu and Kashmir was 55,009 individuals. In 1931 they numbered 57,959 persons, out of which 31,211 were male and 26,748 were female. Like other tribes in Kashmir, these days most Maliks live in villages and are involved in the business of agriculture. They (Maliks of Kashmir) include Rajputs, Afghans, Butts, Dars, and many other respected tribes of Kashmir. But now due to the title of Malik, they are all known as Malik. Some of the (Kashmiri) Maliks of Punjab have been mentioned in chapter 5. (See personal notes for Ghulam Hassan Malik and Jaan Muhammad Malik for excerpts from chapter 5.)
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"The Late Malik Jaan Muhammad (Lahore)" [Excerpts from pages 652 to 654 of vol.2 of Tawaareekh Aqwaam e Kashmir {Histories of the Tribes of Kashmir} by Muhammad Deen Fauq, written in 1943 A.D. ; Published by Nigarshat, 24 Muzang Road, Lahore, Pakistan, in 2003 A.D.]:
Malik Jan Muhammad's father was Malik Ghulam Hassan (1808-1870), who emigrated from Kashmir during the last days of Maharah Ranjit Singh's rule (1832 A.D.). Prince Sher Singh's cruelty and the great famine forced Malik Ghulam Hassan to say farewell to his orchards and vast land holdings in Shahabad/Verinag Kashmir and migrate to Lahore as a refugee. Ghulam Hassan belonged to the Maliks of Shahabad/Verinag. Along with Ghulam Hassan Malik were his widowed paternal aunt and his aunt's son, Mian Muhammad Sultan. These poor people were in dire straits, but their hard work, and God's grace, eventually lead them to very good positions in society. Ghulam Hassan Malik was an adult and Muhammad Sultan Mian was perhaps 10 or 12 years old at the time of their migration to Lahore. When God took Muhammad Sultan to the pinnacle of society and he became "Sultan" in the true sense of the word, it was his older cousin Ghulam Hassan who was his confidant and treasurer. (Fauq writes that he saw Ghulam Hassan Malik's marriage certificate, dated 1st of Muharram, 1256 A.H., which has some Farsi notes written in the margins. These notes indicate that Muhammad Sultan Mian paid for his cousin's wedding feast.)
When the news of Ghulam Hassan Malik's and Muhammad Sultan Mian's wealth reached Kashmir, their former peer (spiritual guide) started visiting them in Lahore. The peer tried to convince Ghulam Hassan to return to Kashmir since conditions there had improved significantly, but he did not think it was appropriate to uproot his life once more and move back to his former country.
Mian Muhammad Sultan got along very well with Ghulam Hassan Malik's son-in-law, Muhammad Buta Butt "Pehelvan" (Rustam-e-Hind). Muhammad Buta used to wrestle at the court of Maharajah Malhar Rao of Baroda. Whenever Mian Sultan visited Buta Pehelvan in Baroda, the Maharaja would welcome him warmly. After Muhammad Buta Butt's wedding, Mian Sultan requested him to stay in Lahore, but Buta Pehelvan decided to go back to his patron in Baroda.
Malik Ghulam Hassan had two sons; Malik Jan Muhammad and Malik Faiz Muhammad. Malik Jan Muhammad used to live with his brother-in-law, Muhammad Buta Butt "Pehelvan" in Baroda, and was an accomplished wrestler in his own right. Jaan Muhammad's brother-in-law was a world class wrestler, since he had claimed the title of "Rustam-e-Hind" by defeating all challengers in Imperial India. Eventually Jaan Muhammad Malik moved back to Lahore and started a business. Despite being a wrestler and a businessman, Jan Muhammad was a literary person, and was very fond of reading newspapers. Jaan Muhammad and the writer of these words (historian Muhammad Deen Fauq himself) had friendly, rather even brotherly relations. He died in his seventies on June 8th 1935.
Jan Muhammad Malik has three sons. His eldest is Dost Muhammad Malik, who retired from the position of Auditor in the Accountant General's office. The second son is Abdul-Azeez Malik, who has followed his father's footsteps and runs the shoe factory. The third son is Malik Abdul-Majeed, M.A., B.T., who is extremely bright and capable, and works for the Punjab Department of Education.
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Information about Emperor Jahangir from Encarta Encyclopedia:
Jahangir (1569-1627), fourth Mughal emperor of India (1605-1627), the eldest son of Emperor Akbar, born in Fatehpur Sikri. He rebelled (1601-1604) against his father but was pardoned and acceded to the throne (1605), only to be faced with rebellion by his own eldest son, Khosrau. The decisive event of Jahangir's reign was his marriage (1611) to Nur Jahan, an Iranian widow, who gradually became the real ruler of the empire; his last years were plagued by her intrigues and by the rebellion of his third son, who eventually succeeded him as Shah Jahan. Jahangir was a patron and connoisseur of the arts and a skillful poet who also wrote a volume of memoirs of his reign.
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Information about Ranjit Singh from Encarta Encyclopedia:
Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), Indian warrior, who founded the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab. He succeeded to the leadership of a small Sikh confederacy at the age of 12, and Afghan incursions soon forced him to take the offensive. He occupied Lahore in 1799 and subsequently was declared maharaja of the Punjab. During the following years he consolidated his control of the region, but his attempts to expand eastward met with British resistance. He then signed with them the Treaty of Amritsar (1809), recognizing the Sutlej River as his eastern boundary, while he continued his conquests in other directions; (In 1819, after a period of Afghan rule extending from 1756, Kashmir was also conquered by Ranjit Singh) eventually his kingdom reached from the Khyber Pass to the Himalayas and as far south as the Sind River. Ranjit did not, however, create suitable administrative machinery for his state, and it fell apart ten years after his death.
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Information about Kashmir from Encarta Encyclopedia:
Jammu and Kashmir, disputed territory in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. Commonly known as Kashmir, the territory is bounded on the north by Afghanistan and China, on the east by China, on the south by the state of Himachal Pradesh and the state of Punjab in India, and on the west by the North-West Frontier Province and the Punjab Province of Pakistan. Kashmir covers an area of 222,236 sq km (85,806 sq mi).
Both India and Pakistan have claimed all of Kashmir since 1947, when they gained independence from Great Britain. The territory has been divided along a cease-fire line since 1949. The Indian-controlled portion is organized as the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan administers the northern portion as the Northern Areas, and indirectly controls the extreme western portion as Azad (Free) Kashmir, which has an autonomous government. China controls a portion of the territory in the east. The capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is Srinagar. The administrative center of Azad Kashmir is Muzaffarabad. Indian-controlled Kashmir has an area of 100,569 sq km (38,830 sq mi) and a 2001 population of 10,069,917. Pakistani-controlled Kashmir has an area of 78,932 sq km (30,476 sq mi) and a population (1985 estimate) of about 2.8 million. The area controlled by China covers about 42,735 sq km (16,500 sq mi).
Kashmir is almost entirely mountainous and is topographically divided into three regions: the valley of the Jhelum River, which includes the Vale of Kashmir, in the central portion; the mountains around Jammu in the south; and the great mountains of the Karakoram Range in the north. The Indus River flows through Kashmir, and the Jhelum River rises in the northeastern portion of the territory. Kashmir possesses a more equable climate than that of southern and central India, and the beautiful Vale of Kashmir is a noted resort region.
Kashmir is the habitat of numerous game animals, including the markhor and ibex (wild goat), stag, and bear. Most of the population is engaged in agriculture; the principal crops are rice, corn, wheat, and oilseeds. Among livestock raised are buffalo, cattle, sheep, goat, and poultry. Silk weaving and carpet weaving are major industries. The majority of the population is Muslim. Hindus and Sikhs are concentrated in the south around Jammu; a Buddhist minority is present in the northeast.
Kashmir is an ancient area, deriving its name, according to tradition, from the Khasi, a people who lived in the northern mountains several centuries before the Christian era. The country was originally a stronghold of Hinduism; Buddhism was introduced about 245 BC. Beginning in the mid-14th century AD, Muslim sultans controlled the area for two centuries. Akbar, the Mughal emperor of Hindustan (name for India derived from Persian, meaning the land beyond the Hindukush mountains), conquered Kashmir between 1586 and 1592, and it became a part of the Mughal Empire. In 1819, after a period of Afghan rule extending from 1756, Kashmir was conquered by Ranjit Singh, the Sikh maharaja (Indian king or prince) of the Punjab. In 1846 Galub Singh, the ruler of Jammu, concluded a treaty with Britain, which by then dominated most of India, and was confirmed as ruler also of Kashmir.
Following the August 1947 partition of British India into Pakistan and the Republic of India, a small portion of the predominantly Muslim population of Kashmir demanded accession to Pakistan, a Muslim state. The reigning maharaja, Sir Hari Singh, a Hindu, resisted the pro-Pakistani movement. Pakistan invaded the area, after which the maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession to the Indian Union. India thereupon dispatched troops to Kashmir and in the ensuing conflict forced the Pakistanis to yield ground. Through mediations organized by the United Nations (UN), a cease-fire agreement between the two nations was concluded in January 1949. The agreement created a cease-fire line that divided the territory into Indian and Pakistani areas of control. Subsequent UN efforts to secure troop withdrawals and mediate a resolution satisfactory to both sides were unsuccessful. Heavy border fighting broke out in 1965, resulting in the second Indo-Pakistani war. A UN-brokered cease-fire agreement ended the war in late September, after three weeks of fighting.
In 1972 both sides agreed to abstain from the use of force to settle the Kashmir dispute. However, a militant Muslim separatist movement opposed to Indian control in Kashmir emerged in the late 1980s, and India increased its troop deployment in the region. India accused Pakistan of covertly supporting the militants, who were mostly based in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, but Pakistan claimed it provided only moral and diplomatic support. India refused secessionist demands to hold a plebiscite (a vote in which the local population would determine the territorial status) in the portion it controlled, claiming that the vote of the Jammu and Kashmir legislature in the mid-1950s to integrate fully into India made a plebiscite unnecessary. In the absence of a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, violent clashes continued between Indian troops and secessionist militants in the region. Armed conflicts escalated in 1999 and 2002, raising concerns in the international community that India and Pakistan were on the brink of another war over the disputed territory.
The border between India and China in Kashmir has also been a matter of dispute, and the issue flared into open battle in 1962. Since then the two countries have respected current lines of control, and in the 1990s the countries' leaders signed agreements to reduce troops along the line, open border posts to trade, and to resolve the dispute by peaceful means.
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