Page 36 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

Chapter 3

LAND REVENUE

In order to understand the history of land revenue system in Muzaffargarh it
would be important to have an understanding of evolution of land tenure in
the district too. Land tenure simply means the rights and obligations of the
person or a group by which property is held. Such rights therein or
obligations thereto arise as a consequence of the utilisation of the land.
Historically, property in land passed through three stages; Firstly, it was held
by the tribe and clans and was regarded as a common property of the whole
body. The next stage was reached when though the land was held by a tribe
or clan but its exchange and redistribution was abandoned because of the
improvement carried out by a particular family which retained it
permanently. Finally, the families broke up and individual ownerships came
into being, which was the third and eventual outcome.

EVOLUTION OF LAND TENURE IN MUZAFFARGARH
Of the early history and art of agriculture little is known about Muzaffargarh.
The tribes who are found today were originally nomadic, and agriculture was
a second string to their bow. Nevertheless agriculture must have started in
central irrigated tract long ago.
Keeping in view the nature of ownership rights and tenures that existed in
this district, the evolution of land tenures can be studied in following phases.

First Phase, from 510 to 1200
The first phase, though started much earlier but became more marked from
the settlement of Tocharis (Gujjars) followed by Arabs and culminated into
Rajput settlements. Roughly it covers a period from 510 to 1200 Tocharis
were pastoral people. It seems probable that they did not adopt agriculture
as it was of insignificant value for them. The execution of tax, however, must
have lead them to recognize the users but without the sanctity of being the
owners. The advent of the Arabs did not alter the conditions materially. The
main Arab tribes which settled in this district were also pastoral.
Conceptually they must have recognized the users as owners to a limited
extent for the purpose of rent. In fact Muhammad Bin Qasim on conquest
did not disturb the existing system. Since they were pastoral people, it is
certain that Arabs for grazing of their herds must have occupied some
suitable Rakhs at the expense of earlier tribes. The levy of grazing fee as Tirni
seems to owe its revival to Arab supremacy, Nevertheless, in this phase, land
was in abundance. One tribe, subject to its strength for possession, could
occupy as much land as possible for their herds. The transplanting of tribes
i.e. Tocharis displaced by Arabs who in turn were up-rooted by Sumras and

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