YAR MUHAMMAD KHAN

YAR MUHAMMAD KHAN (d. 1829), the Barakzai ruler of Peshawar. In November 1818, Ranjit Singh seized the city from him and placed it in the charge of Jahandad Khan another of the Barakzai brothers, but no sooner did Ranjit Singh return to Lahore than Yar Muhammad Khan emerged from his hiding, expelled Jahandad Khan and resumed control of Peshawar. In June 1822, Yar Muhammad Khan agreed to become a tributary of Ranjit Singh, but soon thereafter Muhammad Azim Khan, the Kabul Wazir, expelled him from Peshawar. Ranjit Singh defeated the Kabul Wazir in the battle of Naushehra on 14 March 1823, and installed Yar Muhammad Khan, governor of Peshawar. Shortly afterwards, Sayyid Ahmad Barelavi proclaimed a holy war against the Sikhs, Yar Muhammad Khan joining hands with him. 

A battle was fought between the Ghazis and the Sikhs on 21 December 1826, at Akora, 18 km from Attock, across the River Indus. The Ghazis were repulsed and Peshawar was reoccupied. Yar Muhammad was pardoned and restored to his old position. Sayyid Ahmad again attacked Peshawar in 1829 and Yar Muhammad was killed in action.

References :

1. Cunningham, Joseph Davey, A History of the Sikhs. London, 1849
2. Griffin, Lepel, Ranjit Singh. Oxford, 1965
3. Latif, Syad Muhammad, History of the Punjab, Calcutta, 1891
4. Ganett,H.L.O.,andChopra,G.L., Eventsatthe Court of Ranjit Singh, Lahore, 1935
5. Khushwant Singh, History of the Sikhs, vol. I. Princeton, 1963