'Memoir for the Indian Political Service - Scheme by Lieut. Colonel L.A.G. Pinhey O.B.E.' [‎7r] (13/44)

Description of places where I served
My early posts in the Political Service were
in Pathan country - Loralai, Quetta and the Northern half
of Sibi.
Loralai was a small garrison town in a beautiful fertile
valley with many fruit gardens, particularly of almonds and
apples. The tribes were almost entirely Pathans, mostly of
the Kakar section. The District varied in altitude from
about 4,000 ft. to 8,000 ft. It bordered on the Northern side
with the Zhob agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , on the South-west with the Sibi agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
and in the East with the Punjab district of Dera Ghazi Khan.
The principal tribes in this District were the Panezai and
Sarangzai Kakars, peaceful and, on the whole, law-abiding. The
shooting and fishing facilities were excellent. The Loralai
District held joint Jirgas at Duki with Dera Ghazi Khan and
the Zhob Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. and Sibi Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
Quetta was, of course, a very large garrison town and at that
time it was said to be the biggest cantonment in the Empire
after Aldershot. It consisted of a City area and a Canton
ment area and in that area v/as subject to the regular judicial
system of India.
Outside the city of Quetta the District was subject to the
Frontier Crimes Regulations which administered the law among
all the Tribal areas under the Jirga system. Under this system
the tribesmen under their Maliks were responsible for the
taking of evidence, the consideration of the verdict and the
sentence. The only duty of the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. was to approve
or disapprove the recommendation and carry out the sentences.
The Quetta-Pishin District comprised the City of Quetta and
the sub-divisions of Pishin and Chaman. This latter sub
division ran along the border of the Kandahar Province of
Afghanistan and the only official crossing was at Chaman itself.
Between the border and Pishin sub- agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. was the Khojak range
of mountains. This area was inhabited by the Achakzai Pathans
who were much more aggressive and a more volatile race than
their more peaceful Kakar neighbours in Pishin and Quetta.