Mir Bahadir Khan Ozgen

Mir Bahadir Khan (son of Mir Abdullah Khan) was a rich businessman in Fergana, Uzbekistan. He was an Uzbek hailing from Khojand. He lived uneasily under Russian rule due to Russian opression and over taxation of his family. Eventually things went bitter between his family and Russian administration resulting in execution of several of his relatives. Mir Bahadir Khan got away. He assembled his household and left without even taking time to dig up all the gold he had hidden in the garden. He along with his four children and many clan members set out with the precious stones-mostly diamonds-sewn into the seams of their coats. Travelling by night to evade the Russians, he managed to reach Ladakh. He was looted and many of his clan members died or were killed during the journey.
Bahadir Khan eventually settled in Rawalpindi, Pakistan by 1945 and started a woolen weaving business from scratch. In 1954, his son Ahmed Khan Ozgen started a woolen textile mill called Rahat Woolen Mills, which eventually made him one of the richest families in Pakistan. During 1960 and 1970, Rahat Woolen Mills was one of the major suppliers of the Armed Forces of Pakistan. Ahmed Khan Ozgen expanded his business and built nine mills, including wool, silk and leather mills. Due to his passion of being close to his roots, he made considerable investments in Kabul, Afghanistan which was flourishing at the time of President Mohammed Daoud Khan. However due to Russian invasion he had to give up all his investment and move back to Pakistan where his sons were handling the business. Invasion of Afghanistan and policies of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto led to downfall of Ahmed Khan’s businesses. Out of nine mills, only Rahat Woolen mill remains.
Ahmed Ozgen’s son Hussain Ahmed Ozgen was the president of Chamber of Commerce and Industries, and his other son Akbar Ahmed Ozgen is the president of Pak-Uzbek society. He had liaisons with the Uzbek government and was the member of a team monitoring Uzbek presidential elections.
Bahadir Khan donated an Eid Gah and graveyard right off Peshawar Road Rawalpindi. Administration of Rahat Woolen Mills still arranges Eid prayers every year and maintains the graveyard. The Mir Bahadir Khan Street near Westridge Rawalpindi is also named after him.
Reference
* Land Beyond River - The Untold Story of Central Asia by Monica Whitlock

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