The ruling family of Chitral was the Katur dynasty, founded by Shah Katur (1585-1630), which governed Chitral until 1969 when the government of Pakistan took over. During the reign of Mehtar Aman-ul-Mulk, known as Lot (Great) Mehtar, the dynasty's sway extended from Asmar in the Kunar Valley of Afghanistan to Punyal in the Gilgit Valley.
Tribes in Upper Swat, Dir Kohistan and Kafiristan (present day Nuristan, not to be confused with the Kalasha valleys which have always been an integral part of Chitral) paid tribute to the Mehtar of Chitral.
The ruler's title, Mehtar, is unique; his male descendants were styled Mehtarjao, equally rare, until the higher (Persian) royal style Shahzada, originally reserved for the Crown Prince (Tsik mehtar, again unique, as Heir Persumptive, becoming Wali-Akht Sahib when heir Apparent), was extended to all princes of the Mehtar's blood since the rulers at that point.
The scions of the Katur dynasty are still widely respected and honoured by the people of Chitral today, but the current Mehtar, H.H. Mehtar Muhammad Saif ul-Mulk Nasir does not hold any official powers. He is married to the daughter of Nawab Muhammad Said Khan, the Nawab of Amb and has two sons and two daughters including:
1. Mehtarbaak Shahzada Fateh ul-Mulk 'Ali Nasir, Wali-Akht Sahib, born 27th November 1983, educated at the University of Buckingham
2. Shahzada Hammad ul-Mulk Nasir, born 20th September 1990
Tenure Mehtars of Chitral[1] 1712 - 1745 Sangeen Ali 1745 - Unknown date Mohammad Beg Unknown date - 1775 Unknown ruler 1775 - 1790 Faramarz Shah of Yasin 1790 - 1795 Shah Afzal I 1795 - 1798 Shah Fazal 1798 - Unknown date Shah Khairullah Khuswaqte Unknown date - 1818 Mohtaram Shah II (1st time) 1818 - 1820s Nawaz Khan 1820s - 1833 Aman ul-Mulk I 1833 - 1837 Mohtaram Shah II (2nd time) 1837 - 1853 Shah Afzal II 1853 - 1857 Mohtaram Shah III 1857 - 30th August 1892 Aman ul-Mulk II 30 August1892 - 1 December1892 Afzal ul-Mulk 1 December1892 - 12 December1892Shir Afzal Khan 12December1892 - 1 January1895 Nizam ul-Mulk 1 January1895 - 2 September1895 Amir ul-Mulk 1 May 1895 - 13 October1936 Shuja ul-Mulk 13 October1936 - 29 June1943 Mohammad Nasir ul-Mulk 29 June1943 - 7 January1949 Mohammad Muzaffar ul-Mulk 7 January1949 - 14 October1953 Saif ur-Rahman 14 October1953 - 28 July1969 Mohammad Saif ul-Mulk Nasir 28 July1969 State of Chitral dissolvedgraph.
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