From Lyari to Australia

By Aftab Ahmed Baloch

Disclaimer: This article is the product of hard research work & has also been published in the daily Dawn, Sunday, January 13, 2002 (Magazine section). For any use, permission of the author is requested. From various sources & persons who are said to be the close relatives of Dost Muhammad Baloch, it is learnt that Mrs. Jane Garnand, granddaughter of Dost Muhammad Brohi came to Pakistan, Karachi in the year 1993. Her basic mission and aim for visiting Karachi was to find out the family roots of her grand father Dost Muhammad & grave of her slain grand-mother, Annie (wife of Dost Muhammad Brohi) who was assassinated in Sharafi Garden, Malir, Karachi on 8th Aug, 1910. She was referred by the then Commissioner of Karachi to meet with Mr. Sattar Gabol, former Minister during Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto’s tenure. She stayed in Karachi for about 10 days, during that period, she met with the family of Dost Muhammad & Zorak and visited several related places to find out the grave of her grand-mother, which after thorough search, she learnt that it was at a former graveyard near, British Embassy in Clifton, Karachi. Based on this experience, Mrs. Jane Garnand has written a book by the title of “STORY OF MY GRAND FATHER FROM LAL BAKKAR TO AUSTRALIA”.

Mrs. Jane’s husband was a diplomat of Australia, and was also stationed at China, but he is now a retired person. Jane Garnand and her family are now living in a city 400 miles away from Sydney and she also remained in contact with Mr. Gabol. The tragic story commence like this: Australia, being a partly-desert country had a need for camels for travel & trade upto to the end of 19th century. Camels from Asian regions, especially from Balochistan & Afghanistan were very popular in Australia. At that time, steam ships were used for traveling abroad and it took several months to reach the destination. Ships commonly employed business routes, plying from India through Burma, Asaam, Sri Lanka and then Australia. It was the time when British had just discovered Australia. Our central character, Dost Muhammad Brohi(born in 1870) was an AMEER (Lord) of his tribe and very much interested in exporting camels to Australia. He first visited Australia and landed at Albany in 1893 to asses the trading opportunities of camels in Australia from British India. After analyzing the need of trading, Dost Muhammad with his elder brother, Zorak (born in 1853) left for Australia in the year 1894 with 25 camels for selling. Few Afghanis were also with them with their camels for business. After trading & selling camels, Zorak left for Karachi & thereafter several time visited Australia for business, while Dost Muhammad, 26, remained in Australia & got married with a British origin girl, Annie, who had been working in a bakery, near his residence in 1896. Life was going happily, Dost Muhammad & Annie had six children (3 Boys & 3 Girls), namely Mustafa, Haggu (nick name Bill), Ilyas, Fatima, Lillian, Janet. Annie had two brothers, namely Harry & Bill but Dost didn’t like them at all because they were all the time drunk, since according to the tradition of Australian, drinking & visiting of friends is common and Dost Muhammad, being a Baloch & Muslim did not like these customs and by nature Dost Muhammad was also a noble & honest person, famous for keeping deposits of people in Lyari. The reasons mentioned above, he had serious disputes with his brothers-in-law and it was also rumored that Dost Muhammad had also broken the arm of one of his brother-in-law, Bill in a quarrel. Afghan friends of Dost Muhammad were also aware of the disputes. These disputes grew deeper, and on the night of April 7, 1909, Bill & Harry killed Dost Muhammad by crushing his skull, using a heavy piece of timber. Bill was the prime suspect, Dost Muhammad died at the spot. Bill & Harry were charged for murder in May, 1909, they were committed for trial and record shows that a correspondence for several years had taken place between the then Prime Minister of Australia and Premier Provincial Minister of British India when the news broke-out in newspapers. This news came to Karachi through Afghan friends and the brothers of Dost Muhammad were shocked, Zorak with his two sons namely, Lal Muhammad & Qadir Bux left for Australia to find out the cause of the murder of his brother and also to see, if there was any property, left by Dost Muhammad in Australia, because Zorak was the executor of Dost Muhammad’s will. As per will of the Dost Muhammad, the property left by him was to be divided between Annie and her children when they reached the age of maturity. Zorak pressurized and induced Annie to move to Karachi, (British India – now Pakistan), alongwith her 6 children where they could be given good English education and proper care, Zorak bought one way ships tickets for Australia to Karachi for them but Annie had a suspicion that Zorak will not keep his promise. Annie with her children left for Karachi and two sons of Zorak, namely, Lal Muhammad & Qadir Bux were with Annie in the ship. Annie reached Karachi and stayed at Lal Bakkar & New Kumbharwara, Layri with the relatives of Dost Muhammad. They were treated well because Dost Muhammad was a well-off person. A period of about one year passed peacefully & happily. In Australia, Zorak finally reached to the conclusion that Bill & Harry (Annie’s brothers) were involved in the murder of his brother, he then wrote a letter to his sons in Karachi, namely, Gul Muhammad, Qadir Bux & Rozi, mentioning that Annie was responsible for conspiring with the murderers of their uncle, Dost Muhammad, sayings such stupid words in Balochi in his letter “SPETHEN GOKAA BOKOSHEEN” meaning ‘Kill the white Cow’. Somehow, Annie become aware of the threat to her life and she went to British Authority, seeking help, where-after she was taken alongwith her children to Malir to a residency surrounded by Garden, owned by Sharafees. At a mile’s distance there was a camp of British Security Officers. From the evidence, a group of attackers including sons of Zorak i.e. Gul Muhammad Qadir Bux & Rozi, equipped with knives daggers & axes attacked the house at night of Aug. 08, 1910, where Annie was staying with her 6 children. Annie with her two children were on the same bed while her eldest son, Mustafa, was sleeping outside in Veranda; it is believed that they entered through the window of bathroom, supposedly opened by Mustafa, the eldest son of Dost Mohammad & Annie. The attackers went into the house and attacked Annie with knives & axes, some of her fingers were cut-off, and she resisted but eventually was knifed to death. Some of her children were also wounded and they were taken to the then Lady Dufferin Hospital for treatment. According to findings, a murder attempt was also made earlier, but there was a dog guarding the house and it had failed. Zorak’s three sons, namely, Gul Muhammad, Qadir Bux & Rozi were arrested by the British India Police and charged with murder. Rozi & Qadir Bux were released due to non availability of solid evidence, but Gul Muhammad, being the prime suspect, remained in jail for about one more year. Zorak was also wanted by the police but he was in Australia. Finally 5 children were sent to Australia, with a British Officer, except eldest son, Mustafa, aged about 12, as it was believed that he was involved with the attackers, by making their way clear. But later investigation proved it wrong and Mustafa because of fear, remained in Karachi, married & died here, he also paid a visit to Australia when he was young.

From the sources found, it is disclosed that Dost Muhammad & Annie had six children, (3 boys & 3 girls), namely Mustafa, Haggu (nick name Bill), Ilyas, Fatima, Lillian, Janet. Mustafa, & Lillian had no children, while Haggu/Bill had children. Rozi’s (Son of Zorak) son & many other relatives are still living in Kumbharwara, Lyari, Karachi. *************** FACTS FILE ABOUT THE STORY: ü Dost Muhammad Brohi born in 1870 in Lal Bakkar, Maripur. ü Jorak, elder brother of Dost Muhammad born in 1853 in Lal Bakkar ü Dost Muhammad’s first visit to Australia in 1893 (when he was 23) ü Dost Muhammad’s second visit to Australia in 1894 (when he was 24) ü Dost Muhammad & Annie was married in 1896 (when he was 26) ü Period of Marriage about 13 ½ years ü Dost Muhammad was murdered in Australia in 7.4.1909 (when he was 39) ü Annie was murdered in Malir, Karachi in 8.8.1910 ü Annie spent time in Karachi till her assassination about 1 Year & four months ü Number of Children of Dost & Annie were 6 (3 boys & 3 girls)

ü Name of the Children 1) Mustafa – boy (he lived, married & died in Karachi), he had no children 2) Haggu or Bill – boy 3) Ilyas - boy 4) Fatima – girl 5) Lillian –girl (had no children) 6) Genet ü Both Dost Muhammad & Annie were murdered while sleeping ü Name of brothers of Annie who involved in murder of Dost Muhammad

1) Harry, 2) Bill ü Harry & Bill charged for murder of Dost Muhammad in May, 1909 ü Jane Garnand grand-daughter of Dost Muhammad visited Karachi in 1993 stayed for about 10 days