AKBAR KHAN MUHAMMAD (d. 1848), son of Dost Muhammad Khan, the ruler of Afghanistan. He was a very young man of great dash and daring. Like his father, he was keen to regain the Afghan possessions in India Multan, Kashmir, Attock and Peshawar. In 1837, Dost Muhammad Khan declared a holy war against the Sikhs and attacked the fortress of Jamrud at the entrance to the Khaybar Pass. An attack led by Akbar Khan was repulsed, though the valiant Sikh general, Hari Singh Nalva, was killed in the action.
After the assassination of Maharaja Sher Singh in September 1843, Akbar Khan’s ambition to recover Peshawar was revived. Early in 1844 he set up his camp at Jalalabad and began to make preparations for an attack on Peshawar, but failed to take possession of the city. He died in 1848.
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1. Suri, Sohan Lal, `Umdat-ut-Twarikh. Lahore, 1885-89.
2. Gupta, Hari Ram, Panjab on the Eve of First Sikh War. Chandigarh, 1975
3. Hasrat, Bikram Jit, Life and Times of Ranjit Singh. Hoshiarpur, 1977
Akbar Khan—more famously known as Wazir Akbar Khan—stands as one of Afghanistan’s most iconic military figures, whose daring exploits during the First Anglo-Afghan War encapsulate a relentless pursuit of national glory. Born into the illustrious Barakzai dynasty in 1816 as Mohammad Akbar Khan, he was steeped in a tradition of military prowess from an early age. His initial forays into battle against the Sikh forces, notably at the Battle of Jamrud in 1837 near Peshawar, announced the arrival of a commander with both strategic brilliance and an unyielding sense of destiny for his homeland .
In the charged atmosphere of the early 1840s, as British influence steadily crept into Afghanistan under the guise of protecting interests in the region, Akbar Khan emerged as both a military and political leader committed to reclaiming Afghan autonomy. Tasked with resisting the incursion, he led a revolt in Kabul against a British Indian mission led by officers like William McNaughten and Alexander Burnes. His bold decision to besiege Major-General William Elphinstone’s force—approximately 4,500 strong—set the stage for one of the most dramatic episodes in the annals of military history. As the British-led army retreated from Kabul, Akbar Khan relentlessly pursued them, culminating in the ambush at Gandamak in January 1842. This pursuit, which left behind the enduring image of the sole surviving assistant surgeon, William Brydon, symbolized both the ferocity of Afghan resistance and the catastrophic collapse of a once-formidable invader .
Beyond the battlefield, his actions embodied the spirit of Afghan national pride. For a brief period, his military success translated into political power—he even assumed rulership as the Emir of Afghanistan from 1842 until his father, Dost Mohammad Khan, reclaimed authority in 1843. His leadership, marked by tactical audacity and a sharp political acumen, has since been immortalized as a beacon of resistance against foreign domination. Akbar Khan’s legacy lives on not only in historical accounts but also in the cultural memory of Afghanistan, where his daring pursuit of a hostile enemy is celebrated as both a personal triumph and a symbol of the country’s broader quest for freedom and self-determination .
His story resonates through the ages, influencing military scholarship, literature, and even art. The dramatic retreat of the British-led forces and the ruthless efficiency of his pursuit have become a part of the folklore surrounding the “Great Game,” the high-stakes geopolitical struggle between Britain and Russia over Central Asia. Akbar Khan’s actions remind us that the narrative of national glory is often written in blood, tactical genius, and the unyielding will of a people defending their identity.
There’s also a rich tapestry of interpretations regarding his actions—a blend of admiration, controversy, and historical fascination. Some accounts praise his ability to combine military tenacity with political shrewdness, while others debate the humanitarian and ethical dimensions of his tactics during the retreat. This multidimensional legacy prompts further reflection on how the actions of one leader can reverberate through time, influencing both national identity and the art of warfare.
