Dir (princely state)

Dir state
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c. 1600–28 July 1969
Flag
Dir (highlighted red) shown within the former exclave of West Pakistan
StatusIndependent Kingdom (c. 1600-1897)
Princely state under British Raj(1897-1947)
Princely state of Pakistan (1947-1969)
CapitalDir
Common languagesPashto
Religion
Islam
GovernmentAbsolute Monarchy
Khan 
• 1626-1676
Akhund Baba (Mulla Ilyas Khan) (first)
• 1960-1969
Nawabzada Shahabuddin Khan(last)
History 
• Established
c. 1600
1895
8 February 1948
1959–1960
• Disestablished
28 July 1969
Area
• Total
5,282 km2 (2,039 sq mi)
Succeeded by
Dominion of Pakistan
Today part of

Dir was a princely state in a subsidiary alliance with the British Raj, located within the North-West Frontier Province. Following the Partition of British India, Dir remained independent and unaligned until February 1948, when the Dominion of Pakistan accepted its accession.

The princely state ceased to exist as a distinct political entity in 1969, when it was fully incorporated into Pakistan. The territory it once covered is today located in the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, forming two northern and southern districts called Upper Dir and Lower Dir, respectively.