Mullah Powindah

Who was Mullah Powindah?

Mullah Powindah born Mohiuddin Mahsud was a religious leader in the Pashtun tribe of the Mahsuds. Mullah Powindah led a long standing guerilla insurgency against the British forces in the late 19th century.

Mullah Powindah used the Tochi Valley as his centre of operations and incited people from the area to revolt in Jihad against the British. He became known first as the Selani Mullah and later as Mullah Powindah rather than by his rarely used real name of Mohiuddin. He was not a scholar in real terms but was familiar with the main tenets of Islam, and due to his closeness with the clergy came to be known as a Mullah. He was a revolutionary National leader and even the staunchest and most unwilling Wazir and Mahsud tribesmen supported him and united on his call.

Mullah Powindah did Bai'ath from Mullah Muhammad Anwar of Tirah under the Qadiriyyah Tarikah. His teacher was Maulana Hamzullah Wazir who also was a prominent mujahed of his time. Along with religious teachings, Mullah Powindah also received military training from Maulana Hamzullah Wazir.