 His father, Aziz Khan belonged to the Khattak tribe.Khan Bahadur Sher Jang joined Coke's Rifles in 1887 and took part in the 1st and 2nd Miranzai Expeditions of 1890-91 and accompanied the Kurram Column in 1892-93.He joined the Survey of India as a Soldier-Surveyor in 1895.