Siraj ul-Mulk, whose grandfather was defended by colonial troops in the 1895 Siege of Chitral, has asked staff to scour mountain villages.
In 1895, British troops fought and died to defend the mountain realm of Chitral, now in Pakistan, and to protect its young ruler from thousands of rebellious tribesmen.
After the conflict, a Christian cemetery was built for colonial officials who died in service, and potentially for the war dead, including an officer whose rescue led to the awarding of a Victoria Cross.
It is not clear exactly who was buried at the site because the gravestones have vanished, and a search has begun to find and restore these memorials to the British dead.
Siraj ul-Mulk, a prince of Chitral’s remaining tribal royalty and grandson of the ruler defended by colonial troops more than 100 years ago, has launched an attempt to trace the headstones. The former pilot and polo player has asked his staff to scour mountain villages for any clues.
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