They were freedom fighters! Interestingly there are no Sindhi topies to be seen here!
That was the time when British-educated and trained ICS (Indian Civil Service) officers advocated the benefits of British raj over the sub-continent and ordinary people were utterly confused because ICS officers were far more educated and knowledgeable so their arguments sounded much better than those fighting the British raj. Allama Iqbal cleared that confusion through his poetry and one such timeless sher about the ICS officers and the Hurs was:
Bharosa Kar Nahin Sakte Ghulamon Ki Baseerat Par,
Ke Dunya Mein Faqat Mardan-e-Hur Ki Ankh Hai Beena
(Bal e Jibril)