Economic Administration of Swat State: A Study of Ushar Collection during Sayyid Abdul Jabbar Shah’s Rule (1915-1917)

Abstract

This research article examines the early state-building efforts of Sayyid Abdul Jabbar Shah during his reign in Swat (1915-1917), with a particular focus on his introduction and institutionalization of ushar—a tithe on agricultural produce. Drawing upon archival sources and historical analyses, the study situates his taxation policies within the broader context of Swat State’s transition from tribal fragmentation to a state formation. It studies Abdul Jabbar Shah’s initiatives and the considerable resistance from various tribal factions, revealing the persistent tensions between traditional autonomy and centralized authority. The study also critically focuses on lack of institutional infrastructure that undermined the long term viability of his system. While Abdul Jabbar Shah’s tenure was brief and ultimately unsuccessful in institutionalizing a durable fiscal regime, this article argues that his initiatives laid the foundational groundwork for the more systematic and effective tax administration developed under his successors, the Walis of Swat.