 Towards 1897 , news of unrest in the nearby Pashtun villages had reached the British garrisons in Malakand . Major Deane , the British political agent , noted the growing unrest within the Pashtun sepoys stationed with the British . His warnings were officially distributed to senior officers on 23 July 1897 ; however , nothing more than a minor skirmish was expected . Rumours of a new religious leader , Saidullah the Sartor Fakir ( also known as Mullah of Mastun ) , arriving to " sweep away " the British and inspire a jihad , were reportedly circulating the bazaars of Malakand during July . Saidullah became known to the British as " The Great Fakir " , " Mad Fakir " or the " Mad Mullah " , and by the Pashtuns as lewanai faqir , or simply , lewanai , meaning " god @-@ intoxicated " . 
