Attock District is a
districtThe Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
in the north-west
Punjab ProvincePunjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
of
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of
Talagang TehsilTalagang Tehsil is a subdivision of Chakwal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil, which is headquartered at the city of Talagang, is administratively subdivided into 23 Union Councils. Qaderpur is a well known village of tehsil Talagang due to the famious shrine of Baba shah...
in the
Jhelum DistrictJhelum District is in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According the 1998 census the district had a population of 936,957, of which 31.48% were urban. Jhelum is known for providing a large number of soldiers to the British and later to the Pakistan armed forces due to which it is also known as...
with the
PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
, Fatehjang and
AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
tehsils from
Rawalpindi DistrictRawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
of the
Punjab provincePunjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
of British India.
Attock District is a place of great historic significance. Alexander the Great of Macedonia passed through it as did the first Mughal, Babar, and the various
AfghanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
Sultans before him.
Emperor Akbar the Great, the grandson of Babar, recognizing the strategic importance of this area in 1581 built his famous Attock Fort complex here. The fall of Mughal Empire in 18th century saw the rise of Hindu Maratha state and Sikhs in Punjab and Durrani Afghans to the west. Once again Attock became a battle ground between two contending powers. Maratha Peshwa's brother Raghunathrao won Attock and flagged Hindu dominance over this area in 1758. But in Third battle of Panipat Marathas lost to Ahmead Shah Abdali and lost the control of this region. British finally ended the feud by subjugating both Sikhs and Afghans in the 19th century.
Name
Attock District original name was Attock it changes Campbellpur after the Briton Sir Colin Campbell who founded the city of Campbellpore. The name of the district was changed to Attock as of 1978 again.
AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
city is the district headquarters.
Neighbours
Attock District is bordered by the
HaripurHaripur is a district in the Hazara region of Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan with an altitude of around above sea level. Haripur District has the highest Human Development Index of all the districts in the Hazara....
and
SwabiSwabi District is the fourth most populous district of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It lies between the Indus and Kabul Rivers. The residents are referred to as Swabva'l. The Mandanr Yusufzai subsection of the Yousafzai clan of the Pashtuns form a majority of the population.-...
districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the north, the district of Rawalpindi to the east, the district of
ChakwalChakwal is the capital of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located 90 km south-east of the federal capital, Islamabad and is named after Chaudhry Chaku Khan, chief of the Mair Minhas tribe from Jammu, who founded it in 1525 CE during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur...
to the southeast, the district of
MianwaliMianwali is the capital city of Mianwali District and situated in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is located on the eastern bank of the Indus River...
to the southwest, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's districts of
KohatKohat is a district of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Kohat city is the capital of the district. It is inhabited by various Pashtun tribes such as Afridi,Khattaks, Bangash and the Orakzaies. The main language of the district is Pashto....
and
NowsheraNowshera is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan - the principal city is Nowshera. Nowshera District is divided into 47 Union Councils and 5 provincial seats....
to the west and northwest. The river
IndusThe Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
forms the western boundary of the district.
Kabul River
Attock is the eastern terminus of the Kabul-Attock corridor to the Central Asia through which for centuries have passed the armies and the caravans alike. However unlike the modern highways, this corridor is not a work of engineering marvel but an act of nature as it was naturally carved through the Hindu Kush Mountains by the legendary Kabul River.
The 435 miles long journey of River Kabul starts just west of the Kabul city in Afghanistan and ends at Attock where it ultimately falls into the River Indus.
Resources
Dhullian is a village in
PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil. This village has important resources namely oil and gas. It has been providing oil since the 1930s. There are all types of soil as mountains, plain areas fertile grounds and it also has a river flowing through it. There is a famous Ghala Mandi located in Dhullian Chowk. Here 90% of the total population area agricultural. This historical village is located at the end of Attock District.
Geography and climate
Attock District has a climate of hot summers and cold winters. The northern part of the district is more humid and is more moderate in climate relative to the southern part of the district due to the higher altitude. Geographically, the district is mainly hills, plateaus and dissected plains. The
Indus RiverThe Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
flows on the northern and western borders of the district. After Haripur, the
Haro RiverHaro is the name of a river and its valley in Abbottabad District in the North West Frontier Province of northern Pakistan, identified with the Rigvedic Arjikiya...
passes through the north of the tehsil of Attock where there is a flood plain with fertile soil. The District's average annual rainfall is 783 mm.
Population
According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the district had a population of 1,274,935 of which 20.45% were urban, The estimated population in 2008 was 1.58 million.
The city also had a significant Muhajir population. In fact, Attock city was dominated by the immigrants from India but gradually their population has dwindled and now they are a minority - mostly living in old quarters of Attock city.
During the soviet war in Afghanistan a great number of afghan refugees came to Attock as it is closed to Peshawar, although many of these refugees have moved back to Afghanistan but still there is a considerable percentage of those who chose not to go back and have started their lives in Attock.
The remaining population of Chach consists of Mughals, Kashmiris, Jats,
BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
, Rajputs, qureshis, Gujjars,
SyedsSayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
,(Pakistan)
Main tribes
The yed] wans],
SardarSardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
,
KhattarKhattar , is an upper caste Pushtun tribe in Afghanistan and Punjabi, in Punjab, it is variously classified asJatt and Khatri caste in India.-Origins:...
,Qanungoh Shaikhs,}, , Paracha, , Pathans,
BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
s, Malik 2 number,
GujjarThe Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s,
RajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
, qureshis,and
MughalThe term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
s are the main tribes of Attock District. The main Rajput tribes are the
AlpialThe Alpials are a Muslim Rajput tribe, found mainly in Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan. According to 1931 census of India, their approximate population was 4,500.- History and origins :...
,
JodhraThe Jodhra are a Muslim Rajput tribe found in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According to the 1931 census the male population was 1,400.- Locations :...
, Janjua
ChauhanChauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
and Bhatti. The Chauhan of Khaur, the Alpial of Chakri and Jodhra of Kamlial are important families in the district.
The main Royal Mughals
SardarSardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
tribe is Mughal
GhebaThe Gheba are a tribe found in the Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan. According to the 1931 Census of India, they numbered about 4,800.-Location:...
.The Sardars of Fateh jang,Pindigheb and Jand Tehsils are important in the District.
malik karam dad awan]
kda11394@gmail.com
0333-6208476
Pathan/pashtun
The
PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, or as they are referred to in the this region, Pathans, are found principally in the Attock District and belongs to
Qais Abdur RashidQais Abdur Rashid Khan , also known as Kesh, Kish, Qesh and Imraul Qais is a legendary ancestor of the Pashtun race, claimed to be the first ethnic Pashtun who travelled to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia during the early days of Islam.) He is believed to be the 37th descendent of King Saul .He...
(father of all
pashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s).
There are two Pathan settlements in that district, one in the south-west of
PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil at
MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
and in the Narrara hills, the other in the
Attock TehsilAttock Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It lies between 33º38' and 34º0' N. and 72º7' and 72º50' E, with an area of . The Indus bounds it on the north-west, dividing it from the North-West Frontier Province, while the Haro flows through from...
, chiefly in the
ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
illaqa. In addition, there are also a few scattered villages, in
Rawalpindi DistrictRawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
.Almost 50% of the population of this city near area chachh are of
PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
) origin, who speak Hindko language. There is also significant villages of predominately Pashto speaking Pashtuns in Attock , who have managed to keep their Pashto language, but are often bilingual in both Hindko and Pashto. The remaining population consists of Bangash, Sayyeds, Gujjars and other non-Pathan tribes.
A large percentage of the population of
ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
have Pashtun roots and are mostly descendants of the tribes of
DurraniDurrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
,
Alizai,
YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
,
KakarThe Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
,
DilazakThe Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
,
TareenThe Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
, Tahir Khel (
TahirkheliThe Tahir Kheli are a Pashtun tribe who mainly dwell in the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Most Tahirkhelis have adopted the language of Hindko, which is the native language of the people of Haripur. However, there is still a substantial number of Tahirkhelis that...
), Qazikhel,
khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
,
TanoliThe Tanoli are a Hazarewal tribe of the Tanawal valley, Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Although not usually acknowledged as Pashtuns, the Tanoli have to an extent assimilated many Pashtun cultural features and become Pashtunified. Tribally allied with the Pathans,. The...
,
Sadozai and
Barakzai- History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
. They arrived in the area around 1000 AD as part of the army of
Mahmud of GhazniMahmud of Ghazni , actually ', was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands. Mahmud turned the former provincial city of Ghazni into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire which covered most of today's Iran,...
and made it their permanent home after defeating the
HinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
confederation near
HazroHazro is a district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. The populatrion is 4,488 as of 2010....
.
Proof of this is that many of the villages & individual quarters of chachh are named after certain Pakhtun personalities & tribes, markedly proving who had founded them. For example Aka Khel,
NasozaiThe Nasozai are a Pashtun tribe. They are largely literate. Nasozai is the second largest and most important mohallah of the village of Nartopa in Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan, naming that part of the village after their tribe. The people of Nasozai migrated from Afghanistan to Chhachh,...
, Inayat Khel (the founding and
KhanKhan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
tribe of
GhorghushtiGhorghushti is one of the largest towns of Chhachh in Attock District and is on the border of North-West Punjab , and Hazara in Pakhtunkhwa/North-West Frontier Province...
village), Utman Khel,
Saleem KhanSaleem Khan or Salim Khan is a town and Union Council of Swabi District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located at 34°10'0N 72°28'0E with an altitude of 348 metres ....
,
GhorghushtiGhorghushti is one of the largest towns of Chhachh in Attock District and is on the border of North-West Punjab , and Hazara in Pakhtunkhwa/North-West Frontier Province...
, Adalzai,
BarazaiBarazai is a village situated in the east of Hazro Tehsil, Attock District in northern Punjab in Pakistan. Its altitude is 315 metres .-Demographics:...
, etc. Most of these Pashtuns now refer to themselves as Pathans and speak Hindko as their main language, were as the Pashto speaking Pashtuns are still referred to as Pashtuns.
Some of the Pashto speaking Pashtuns of chach (Attock) belong to the following Pashtun tribes namely
Ismail KhelIsmail Khel also rendered as Ismael Khel, Ismaeel Khel and Ishmael Khel is a Pakhtun tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ismail Khel is settled and resides in area such Behboodi; a village in the North West of Pakistan; Province Punjab; District Attock; area Chhachh, and Khost Province of...
, Tarakhel Khel, Salat Khel, Hisab (Yusuf) Khel, Tur Khel and Babarkarzai. There is also a steady flow of Pashtuns from Afghanistan settling into the area, and are hospitably welcomed by the local Pashtuns.
Chach Pashtuns are revered for their fighting ability in ancient times and more recently for their many advancements in education, culture, and society. It is claimed that Hindko was the original ancient language of Chhachh when it was part of the
GandharaGandhāra , is the name of an ancient kingdom , located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was located mainly in the vale of Peshawar, the Potohar plateau and on the Kabul River...
civilisation and was adopted over time by the Pashtun tribes of the area.
According to the 1901 Census of India, these were the main sub-divisions of the
PathanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s in Attock District.
-
| Tribe | Attock Tehsil Attock Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It lies between 33º38' and 34º0' N. and 72º7' and 72º50' E, with an area of . The Indus bounds it on the north-west, dividing it from the North-West Frontier Province, while the Haro flows through from...
| Pindigheb Pindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil | Fateh Jang Tehsil Fateh Jang Tehsil is an administrative subdivision , of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 14 Union Councils...
| Talagang Tehsil Talagang Tehsil is a subdivision of Chakwal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil, which is headquartered at the city of Talagang, is administratively subdivided into 23 Union Councils. Qaderpur is a well known village of tehsil Talagang due to the famious shrine of Baba shah...
|
Total |
| Akhund Khel |
722 |
|
|
|
722 |
|
| Alizai |
4,415 |
|
|
|
4,415 |
| Babar |
|
615 |
|
|
615 |
| Babi |
581 |
|
|
|
581 |
| Barakzai - History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
|
578 |
|
|
|
578 |
| Dilazak The Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
|
1,070 |
3 |
43 |
|
1,116 |
| Jamal Khel |
|
579 |
|
|
579 |
| Lodhi Lodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
|
727 |
1 |
5 |
|
733 |
| Manduri |
864 |
|
|
|
864 |
| Piru Khel |
594 |
|
|
|
594 |
| Saddo Khel |
801 |
|
|
|
801 |
| Sagri Khattak Khattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
|
|
4,759 |
|
|
4,759 |
| Tareen The Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
|
658 |
|
|
|
658 |
| Tanoli The Tanoli are a Hazarewal tribe of the Tanawal valley, Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Although not usually acknowledged as Pashtuns, the Tanoli have to an extent assimilated many Pashtun cultural features and become Pashtunified. Tribally allied with the Pathans,. The...
|
650 |
|
|
|
650 |
Sagri Khattak Pathans
The PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Pathans are practically all Sagri Pathans, a branch of the Bulaki KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s. The BabarBabur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
family of Bhangi Khel KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s is also represented in the Narara hills. Another branch of the KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, the Jamal Khel also have a presence in settlements near the town of MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
.
Accoding to their traditions, the khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s came across the Indus river from the neighbourhood of KohatKohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
, and drove out the AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
, whom they found in possession. The khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s look up to the Khans of MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
" Sher Ahmed KhattakSher Ahmad Khan, known as Khan of Makhad, was the Chief of the Sagri Khattaks. He was also a Jagirdar of Shakardara in Kohat District. The Dynasty was started by Ghazi Khan in the early 16th century during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Ghazi Khan moved from Kohat to Makhad after...
", as their headmen. They own seven villages, of which MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
and Narara are the largest. The village of Hadowali is their boundary to the east, where the AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
are their neighbours. Throughout the tract they occupy, they have completely dispossed all other tribes. Their speech is the soft or western dialect of Pashto.
Chhachh Pathans
The Attock Pathans are found in two parts of the tehsil, those of Sarwala, and those of ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
. The Chhachh Pathans have very little in common with the Sagri khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, as they are separated by the Kala Chita mountains.The chhachhies are also known as Chhachi (Pashtun)The Chhachi Pashtuns consist of a variety of Pashtun clans inhabiting the region of Chhachh in the northern half of the Punjab province of Pakistan, which is home a large community of Pashtuns.-Major tribes:...
. The Chhachh have Hindko and pushto speaking community, and have much in common with the PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribes settled in the neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Chhachh have pukhtun culture and peoples are following PashtunwaliPashtunwali or Pakhtunwali is a non-written ethical code and traditional lifestyle which the indigenous Pashtun people from Afghanistan and Pakistan follow. Some in the Indian subcontinent refer to it as "Pathanwali". Its meaning may also be interpreted as "the way of the Pashtuns" or "the code of...
code of conduct strictly like in NWFP. Mostly pathans in chhachh came with
GhaznaviGhaznavi Missile is a short range ballistic missile with an optimal range of 290 km, produced by Pakistan and named after the 11th century Afghan conqueror Mahmud of Ghazni. The missile has a length of 9.64m, diameter of 0.99 m, launch weight of 5256 kg and is powered by a single stage solid fuel...
from Afghanistan.
The largest clan are the AlizaiThe Alizai are Pashtun Tribe of Afghanistan and Balochistan . The Alizai tribe usually reside in Afghanistan and Balochistan as well as various areas of Tarbela Dam and Attock. Alizai is the biggest tribe of Afghanistan and the Alizai tribe are considered to be a warrior tribe since their...
, who include the TahirkheliThe Tahir Kheli are a Pashtun tribe who mainly dwell in the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Most Tahirkhelis have adopted the language of Hindko, which is the native language of the people of Haripur. However, there is still a substantial number of Tahirkhelis that...
, one of three main septs of the Alizai. The Tahirkheli inhabit villages along the HaroHaro may refer to:*Los Haro, a town in Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico*Haro, La Rioja, a town in Spain**Haro family, a noble Spanish family, lords of the mentioned town*Haro River, a river in Pakistan...
river. The other tribe along the Haro are the Sadozai, and both they and the Alizai, are branches of the DurraniDurrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
-tareens tribe. Together with the Manduri and Barahzai, who are also found in numbers in the district, they are all sections of the great YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
tribe. By far the greater proportion of the AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
Pathans are Yousafzai, allied to the YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
of SwabiSwabi is the capital of Swabi District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°7'0N 72°28'0E. Its residents are referred to as 'Swabiwaal.'-Geography:...
and MardanMardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
districts and other tribes are kakarThe Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
, nasozaiThe Nasozai are a Pashtun tribe. They are largely literate. Nasozai is the second largest and most important mohallah of the village of Nartopa in Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan, naming that part of the village after their tribe. The people of Nasozai migrated from Afghanistan to Chhachh,...
, barakzai- History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
, khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, lodhiLodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
, BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
, ismail khelIsmail Khel also rendered as Ismael Khel, Ismaeel Khel and Ishmael Khel is a Pakhtun tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ismail Khel is settled and resides in area such Behboodi; a village in the North West of Pakistan; Province Punjab; District Attock; area Chhachh, and Khost Province of...
, utmanzaiUtmanzai is a town in Charsadda District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°22'24N 71°45'33E with an altitude of 390 metres and lies to the north of Charsadda city. Utmanzai is famous for being the birth place of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan....
, sadozai and many others
The Attock District Gazetteer gives the following description regarding PathanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
settlement in the district:
The Chhachh ilaqa is almost entirely held by the Pathans, as is the Nala estates, along the Haro river valey. The Attock Pathans were the earliest group of this reigon to start emigrating to EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.There are now large communities of Chhachh Pathan settled in British cities, such as BradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Hindu population before 1947
Attock District had a heterogeneous mix of religious and ethnic populations before 1947. The Gazetteer of the Attock District 1930 records
Attock District ({{lang-ur|ضلع اٹک}}) is a districtThe Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
in the north-west Punjab ProvincePunjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
of PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang TehsilTalagang Tehsil is a subdivision of Chakwal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil, which is headquartered at the city of Talagang, is administratively subdivided into 23 Union Councils. Qaderpur is a well known village of tehsil Talagang due to the famious shrine of Baba shah...
in the Jhelum DistrictJhelum District is in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According the 1998 census the district had a population of 936,957, of which 31.48% were urban. Jhelum is known for providing a large number of soldiers to the British and later to the Pakistan armed forces due to which it is also known as...
with the PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
, Fatehjang and AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
tehsils from Rawalpindi DistrictRawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
of the Punjab provincePunjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
of British India.
Attock District is a place of great historic significance. Alexander the Great of Macedonia passed through it as did the first Mughal, Babar, and the various AfghanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
Sultans before him.
Emperor Akbar the Great, the grandson of Babar, recognizing the strategic importance of this area in 1581 built his famous Attock Fort complex here. The fall of Mughal Empire in 18th century saw the rise of Hindu Maratha state and Sikhs in Punjab and Durrani Afghans to the west. Once again Attock became a battle ground between two contending powers. Maratha Peshwa's brother Raghunathrao won Attock and flagged Hindu dominance over this area in 1758. But in Third battle of Panipat Marathas lost to Ahmead Shah Abdali and lost the control of this region. British finally ended the feud by subjugating both Sikhs and Afghans in the 19th century.
Name
Attock District original name was Attock it changes Campbellpur after the Briton Sir Colin Campbell who founded the city of Campbellpore. The name of the district was changed to Attock as of 1978 again.
AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
city is the district headquarters.
Neighbours
Attock District is bordered by the HaripurHaripur is a district in the Hazara region of Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan with an altitude of around above sea level. Haripur District has the highest Human Development Index of all the districts in the Hazara....
and SwabiSwabi District is the fourth most populous district of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It lies between the Indus and Kabul Rivers. The residents are referred to as Swabva'l. The Mandanr Yusufzai subsection of the Yousafzai clan of the Pashtuns form a majority of the population.-...
districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the north, the district of Rawalpindi to the east, the district of ChakwalChakwal is the capital of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located 90 km south-east of the federal capital, Islamabad and is named after Chaudhry Chaku Khan, chief of the Mair Minhas tribe from Jammu, who founded it in 1525 CE during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur...
to the southeast, the district of MianwaliMianwali is the capital city of Mianwali District and situated in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is located on the eastern bank of the Indus River...
to the southwest, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's districts of KohatKohat is a district of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Kohat city is the capital of the district. It is inhabited by various Pashtun tribes such as Afridi,Khattaks, Bangash and the Orakzaies. The main language of the district is Pashto....
and NowsheraNowshera is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan - the principal city is Nowshera. Nowshera District is divided into 47 Union Councils and 5 provincial seats....
to the west and northwest. The river IndusThe Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
forms the western boundary of the district.
Kabul River
Attock is the eastern terminus of the Kabul-Attock corridor to the Central Asia through which for centuries have passed the armies and the caravans alike. However unlike the modern highways, this corridor is not a work of engineering marvel but an act of nature as it was naturally carved through the Hindu Kush Mountains by the legendary Kabul River.
The 435 miles long journey of River Kabul starts just west of the Kabul city in Afghanistan and ends at Attock where it ultimately falls into the River Indus.
Resources
Dhullian is a village in PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil. This village has important resources namely oil and gas. It has been providing oil since the 1930s. There are all types of soil as mountains, plain areas fertile grounds and it also has a river flowing through it. There is a famous Ghala Mandi located in Dhullian Chowk. Here 90% of the total population area agricultural. This historical village is located at the end of Attock District.
Geography and climate
Attock District has a climate of hot summers and cold winters. The northern part of the district is more humid and is more moderate in climate relative to the southern part of the district due to the higher altitude. Geographically, the district is mainly hills, plateaus and dissected plains. The Indus RiverThe Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
flows on the northern and western borders of the district. After Haripur, the Haro RiverHaro is the name of a river and its valley in Abbottabad District in the North West Frontier Province of northern Pakistan, identified with the Rigvedic Arjikiya...
passes through the north of the tehsil of Attock where there is a flood plain with fertile soil. The District's average annual rainfall is 783 mm.
Population
According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the district had a population of 1,274,935 of which 20.45% were urban, The estimated population in 2008 was 1.58 million.
The city also had a significant Muhajir population. In fact, Attock city was dominated by the immigrants from India but gradually their population has dwindled and now they are a minority - mostly living in old quarters of Attock city.
During the soviet war in Afghanistan a great number of afghan refugees came to Attock as it is closed to Peshawar, although many of these refugees have moved back to Afghanistan but still there is a considerable percentage of those who chose not to go back and have started their lives in Attock.
The remaining population of Chach consists of Mughals, Kashmiris, Jats, BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
, Rajputs, qureshis, Gujjars, SyedsSayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
,(Pakistan)
Main tribes
The yed] wans], SardarSardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
, KhattarKhattar , is an upper caste Pushtun tribe in Afghanistan and Punjabi, in Punjab, it is variously classified asJatt and Khatri caste in India.-Origins:...
,Qanungoh Shaikhs,}, , Paracha, , Pathans, BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
s, Malik 2 number, GujjarThe Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s, RajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
, qureshis,and MughalThe term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
s are the main tribes of Attock District. The main Rajput tribes are the AlpialThe Alpials are a Muslim Rajput tribe, found mainly in Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan. According to 1931 census of India, their approximate population was 4,500.- History and origins :...
, JodhraThe Jodhra are a Muslim Rajput tribe found in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According to the 1931 census the male population was 1,400.- Locations :...
, Janjua ChauhanChauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
and Bhatti. The Chauhan of Khaur, the Alpial of Chakri and Jodhra of Kamlial are important families in the district.
The main Royal Mughals SardarSardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
tribe is MughalGhebaThe Gheba are a tribe found in the Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan. According to the 1931 Census of India, they numbered about 4,800.-Location:...
.The Sardars of Fateh jang,Pindigheb and Jand Tehsils are important in the District.
malik karam dad awan]
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Pathan/pashtun
The PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, or as they are referred to in the this region, Pathans, are found principally in the Attock District and belongs to Qais Abdur RashidQais Abdur Rashid Khan , also known as Kesh, Kish, Qesh and Imraul Qais is a legendary ancestor of the Pashtun race, claimed to be the first ethnic Pashtun who travelled to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia during the early days of Islam.) He is believed to be the 37th descendent of King Saul .He...
(father of all pashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s).
There are two Pathan settlements in that district, one in the south-west of PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil at MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
and in the Narrara hills, the other in the Attock TehsilAttock Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It lies between 33º38' and 34º0' N. and 72º7' and 72º50' E, with an area of . The Indus bounds it on the north-west, dividing it from the North-West Frontier Province, while the Haro flows through from...
, chiefly in the ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
illaqa. In addition, there are also a few scattered villages, in Rawalpindi DistrictRawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
.Almost 50% of the population of this city near area chachh are of PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
) origin, who speak Hindko language. There is also significant villages of predominately Pashto speaking Pashtuns in Attock , who have managed to keep their Pashto language, but are often bilingual in both Hindko and Pashto. The remaining population consists of Bangash, Sayyeds, Gujjars and other non-Pathan tribes.
A large percentage of the population of ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
have Pashtun roots and are mostly descendants of the tribes of DurraniDurrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
, Alizai, YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
, KakarThe Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
, DilazakThe Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
, TareenThe Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
, Tahir Khel (TahirkheliThe Tahir Kheli are a Pashtun tribe who mainly dwell in the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Most Tahirkhelis have adopted the language of Hindko, which is the native language of the people of Haripur. However, there is still a substantial number of Tahirkhelis that...
), Qazikhel, khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
, TanoliThe Tanoli are a Hazarewal tribe of the Tanawal valley, Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Although not usually acknowledged as Pashtuns, the Tanoli have to an extent assimilated many Pashtun cultural features and become Pashtunified. Tribally allied with the Pathans,. The...
, Sadozai and Barakzai- History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
. They arrived in the area around 1000 AD as part of the army of Mahmud of GhazniMahmud of Ghazni , actually ', was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands. Mahmud turned the former provincial city of Ghazni into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire which covered most of today's Iran,...
and made it their permanent home after defeating the HinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
confederation near HazroHazro is a district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. The populatrion is 4,488 as of 2010....
.
Proof of this is that many of the villages & individual quarters of chachh are named after certain Pakhtun personalities & tribes, markedly proving who had founded them. For example Aka Khel, NasozaiThe Nasozai are a Pashtun tribe. They are largely literate. Nasozai is the second largest and most important mohallah of the village of Nartopa in Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan, naming that part of the village after their tribe. The people of Nasozai migrated from Afghanistan to Chhachh,...
, Inayat Khel (the founding and KhanKhan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
tribe of GhorghushtiGhorghushti is one of the largest towns of Chhachh in Attock District and is on the border of North-West Punjab , and Hazara in Pakhtunkhwa/North-West Frontier Province...
village), Utman Khel, Saleem KhanSaleem Khan or Salim Khan is a town and Union Council of Swabi District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located at 34°10'0N 72°28'0E with an altitude of 348 metres ....
, GhorghushtiGhorghushti is one of the largest towns of Chhachh in Attock District and is on the border of North-West Punjab , and Hazara in Pakhtunkhwa/North-West Frontier Province...
, Adalzai, BarazaiBarazai is a village situated in the east of Hazro Tehsil, Attock District in northern Punjab in Pakistan. Its altitude is 315 metres .-Demographics:...
, etc. Most of these Pashtuns now refer to themselves as Pathans and speak Hindko as their main language, were as the Pashto speaking Pashtuns are still referred to as Pashtuns.
Some of the Pashto speaking Pashtuns of chach (Attock) belong to the following Pashtun tribes namely Ismail KhelIsmail Khel also rendered as Ismael Khel, Ismaeel Khel and Ishmael Khel is a Pakhtun tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ismail Khel is settled and resides in area such Behboodi; a village in the North West of Pakistan; Province Punjab; District Attock; area Chhachh, and Khost Province of...
, Tarakhel Khel, Salat Khel, Hisab (Yusuf) Khel, Tur Khel and Babarkarzai. There is also a steady flow of Pashtuns from Afghanistan settling into the area, and are hospitably welcomed by the local Pashtuns.
Chach Pashtuns are revered for their fighting ability in ancient times and more recently for their many advancements in education, culture, and society. It is claimed that Hindko was the original ancient language of Chhachh when it was part of the GandharaGandhāra , is the name of an ancient kingdom , located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was located mainly in the vale of Peshawar, the Potohar plateau and on the Kabul River...
civilisation and was adopted over time by the Pashtun tribes of the area.
According to the 1901 Census of India, these were the main sub-divisions of the PathanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s in Attock District.
-
| Tribe | Attock Tehsil Attock Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It lies between 33º38' and 34º0' N. and 72º7' and 72º50' E, with an area of . The Indus bounds it on the north-west, dividing it from the North-West Frontier Province, while the Haro flows through from...
| Pindigheb Pindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil | Fateh Jang Tehsil Fateh Jang Tehsil is an administrative subdivision , of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 14 Union Councils...
| Talagang Tehsil Talagang Tehsil is a subdivision of Chakwal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil, which is headquartered at the city of Talagang, is administratively subdivided into 23 Union Councils. Qaderpur is a well known village of tehsil Talagang due to the famious shrine of Baba shah...
|
Total |
| Akhund Khel |
722 |
|
|
|
722 |
|
| Alizai |
4,415 |
|
|
|
4,415 |
| Babar |
|
615 |
|
|
615 |
| Babi |
581 |
|
|
|
581 |
| Barakzai - History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
|
578 |
|
|
|
578 |
| Dilazak The Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
|
1,070 |
3 |
43 |
|
1,116 |
| Jamal Khel |
|
579 |
|
|
579 |
| Lodhi Lodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
|
727 |
1 |
5 |
|
733 |
| Manduri |
864 |
|
|
|
864 |
| Piru Khel |
594 |
|
|
|
594 |
| Saddo Khel |
801 |
|
|
|
801 |
| Sagri Khattak Khattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
|
|
4,759 |
|
|
4,759 |
| Tareen The Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
|
658 |
|
|
|
658 |
| Tanoli The Tanoli are a Hazarewal tribe of the Tanawal valley, Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Although not usually acknowledged as Pashtuns, the Tanoli have to an extent assimilated many Pashtun cultural features and become Pashtunified. Tribally allied with the Pathans,. The...
|
650 |
|
|
|
650 |
Sagri Khattak Pathans
The PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Pathans are practically all Sagri Pathans, a branch of the Bulaki KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s. The BabarBabur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
family of Bhangi Khel KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s is also represented in the Narara hills. Another branch of the KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, the Jamal Khel also have a presence in settlements near the town of MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
.
Accoding to their traditions, the khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s came across the Indus river from the neighbourhood of KohatKohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
, and drove out the AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
, whom they found in possession. The khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s look up to the Khans of MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
" Sher Ahmed KhattakSher Ahmad Khan, known as Khan of Makhad, was the Chief of the Sagri Khattaks. He was also a Jagirdar of Shakardara in Kohat District. The Dynasty was started by Ghazi Khan in the early 16th century during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Ghazi Khan moved from Kohat to Makhad after...
", as their headmen. They own seven villages, of which MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
and Narara are the largest. The village of Hadowali is their boundary to the east, where the AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
are their neighbours. Throughout the tract they occupy, they have completely dispossed all other tribes. Their speech is the soft or western dialect of Pashto.
Chhachh Pathans
The Attock Pathans are found in two parts of the tehsil, those of Sarwala, and those of ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
. The Chhachh Pathans have very little in common with the Sagri khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, as they are separated by the Kala Chita mountains.The chhachhies are also known as Chhachi (Pashtun)The Chhachi Pashtuns consist of a variety of Pashtun clans inhabiting the region of Chhachh in the northern half of the Punjab province of Pakistan, which is home a large community of Pashtuns.-Major tribes:...
. The Chhachh have Hindko and pushto speaking community, and have much in common with the PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribes settled in the neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Chhachh have pukhtun culture and peoples are following PashtunwaliPashtunwali or Pakhtunwali is a non-written ethical code and traditional lifestyle which the indigenous Pashtun people from Afghanistan and Pakistan follow. Some in the Indian subcontinent refer to it as "Pathanwali". Its meaning may also be interpreted as "the way of the Pashtuns" or "the code of...
code of conduct strictly like in NWFP. Mostly pathans in chhachh came with
GhaznaviGhaznavi Missile is a short range ballistic missile with an optimal range of 290 km, produced by Pakistan and named after the 11th century Afghan conqueror Mahmud of Ghazni. The missile has a length of 9.64m, diameter of 0.99 m, launch weight of 5256 kg and is powered by a single stage solid fuel...
from Afghanistan.
The largest clan are the AlizaiThe Alizai are Pashtun Tribe of Afghanistan and Balochistan . The Alizai tribe usually reside in Afghanistan and Balochistan as well as various areas of Tarbela Dam and Attock. Alizai is the biggest tribe of Afghanistan and the Alizai tribe are considered to be a warrior tribe since their...
, who include the TahirkheliThe Tahir Kheli are a Pashtun tribe who mainly dwell in the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Most Tahirkhelis have adopted the language of Hindko, which is the native language of the people of Haripur. However, there is still a substantial number of Tahirkhelis that...
, one of three main septs of the Alizai. The Tahirkheli inhabit villages along the HaroHaro may refer to:*Los Haro, a town in Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico*Haro, La Rioja, a town in Spain**Haro family, a noble Spanish family, lords of the mentioned town*Haro River, a river in Pakistan...
river. The other tribe along the Haro are the Sadozai, and both they and the Alizai, are branches of the DurraniDurrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
-tareens tribe. Together with the Manduri and Barahzai, who are also found in numbers in the district, they are all sections of the great YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
tribe. By far the greater proportion of the AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
Pathans are Yousafzai, allied to the YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
of SwabiSwabi is the capital of Swabi District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°7'0N 72°28'0E. Its residents are referred to as 'Swabiwaal.'-Geography:...
and MardanMardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
districts and other tribes are kakarThe Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
, nasozaiThe Nasozai are a Pashtun tribe. They are largely literate. Nasozai is the second largest and most important mohallah of the village of Nartopa in Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan, naming that part of the village after their tribe. The people of Nasozai migrated from Afghanistan to Chhachh,...
, barakzai- History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
, khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, lodhiLodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
, BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
, ismail khelIsmail Khel also rendered as Ismael Khel, Ismaeel Khel and Ishmael Khel is a Pakhtun tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ismail Khel is settled and resides in area such Behboodi; a village in the North West of Pakistan; Province Punjab; District Attock; area Chhachh, and Khost Province of...
, utmanzaiUtmanzai is a town in Charsadda District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°22'24N 71°45'33E with an altitude of 390 metres and lies to the north of Charsadda city. Utmanzai is famous for being the birth place of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan....
, sadozai and many others
The Attock District Gazetteer gives the following description regarding PathanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
settlement in the district:
{{cquote|The connection of Pathans with the tahsil is not very ancient. The earliest comers may have been the LodhiLodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
s, who are a section of the GhilzaiGhilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...
nation, and accompanied Mahmud Ghaznavi as mercenaries on his invasions of IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Their numbers are inconsiderable. Next after a long interval came the DilazakThe Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
who were gradually driven from the Safed KohSpin Ghar or Safed Kuh or the Indian Caucasus, also known as the Safīd Mountain Range or Morga Range, is a mountain range on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, up to above sea-level at Mount Sikaram, straight and rigid, towering above all surrounding hills...
by the YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
. About the end of the 16th Century they crossed the river, and found the Chhachh, then a swamp being slowly recovered from the Indus, in possession of the GujjarThe Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s. Apparently they never settled down and in consequence of the turmoil caused by their constant attempt to recover MardanMardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
illaqa of PeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
from the Yousafzais, were finally deported by Jahangir and scattered over the India Peninsula. "A Gazetteer of Attock District 1929 Part A page 91}}
{{cquote|The great Pathan invasion of the Chhachh took place much latter. About the end of the 17th Century the KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, pushing up from KohatKohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
at the south,began to press on the flanks of the Yousafzai between AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
and Peshawer of which they had been put in charge. At the same time too the Gujars of HazaraOn the dissolution of West Pakistan in 1970, Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad...
has summoned the Yousafzais across the river to help against the TareenThe Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
, a tribe of original AfghansPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
of Jewish and ArabArab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
origin, who had fallen on the HaripurHaripur is a district in the Hazara region of Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan with an altitude of around above sea level. Haripur District has the highest Human Development Index of all the districts in the Hazara....
plain. Later in the middle of the 18th Century the Piro Khels who are Afridis and Pathans proper, came with Nadir Shah perhaps from Persia, and remained behind when he returned.By the end of the 18th Century DilazakThe Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
s, Tareens, Yousafzais and Afridis had settled down in the Tahsil, with the Yousafzai numerically immensely superior. Since then no immigration has taken place. The chief accretion to Pathan strength has been that of the Akhund Khel. Akhund is the title given to any chief of special sanctity, and Akhundzada is the title of his descendants. Many Akhund Khel are by origin Gujar and AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
. , perform no priestly functions, and live like ordinary Pathans. The Tahirkheli Pathans who inhabit the north-east of the Tahsil below the main wall of the Gandgarh Hills and along the line of the Haro by tradition and sentiment have little to with Attock. They live or own land in the Hazara DistrictOn the dissolution of West Pakistan in 1970, Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad...
, and many are Jagirdars.}}
The Chhachh ilaqa is almost entirely held by the Pathans, as is the Nala estates, along the Haro river valey. The Attock Pathans were the earliest group of this reigon to start emigrating to EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.There are now large communities of Chhachh Pathan settled in British cities, such as BradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Hindu population before 1947
Attock District had a heterogeneous mix of religious and ethnic populations before 1947. The Gazetteer of the Attock District 1930 records
Attock District ({{lang-ur|ضلع اٹک}}) is a districtThe Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
in the north-west Punjab ProvincePunjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
of PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang TehsilTalagang Tehsil is a subdivision of Chakwal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil, which is headquartered at the city of Talagang, is administratively subdivided into 23 Union Councils. Qaderpur is a well known village of tehsil Talagang due to the famious shrine of Baba shah...
in the Jhelum DistrictJhelum District is in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According the 1998 census the district had a population of 936,957, of which 31.48% were urban. Jhelum is known for providing a large number of soldiers to the British and later to the Pakistan armed forces due to which it is also known as...
with the PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
, Fatehjang and AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
tehsils from Rawalpindi DistrictRawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
of the Punjab provincePunjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
of British India.
Attock District is a place of great historic significance. Alexander the Great of Macedonia passed through it as did the first Mughal, Babar, and the various AfghanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
Sultans before him.
Emperor Akbar the Great, the grandson of Babar, recognizing the strategic importance of this area in 1581 built his famous Attock Fort complex here. The fall of Mughal Empire in 18th century saw the rise of Hindu Maratha state and Sikhs in Punjab and Durrani Afghans to the west. Once again Attock became a battle ground between two contending powers. Maratha Peshwa's brother Raghunathrao won Attock and flagged Hindu dominance over this area in 1758. But in Third battle of Panipat Marathas lost to Ahmead Shah Abdali and lost the control of this region. British finally ended the feud by subjugating both Sikhs and Afghans in the 19th century.
Name
Attock District original name was Attock it changes Campbellpur after the Briton Sir Colin Campbell who founded the city of Campbellpore. The name of the district was changed to Attock as of 1978 again.
AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
city is the district headquarters.
Neighbours
Attock District is bordered by the HaripurHaripur is a district in the Hazara region of Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan with an altitude of around above sea level. Haripur District has the highest Human Development Index of all the districts in the Hazara....
and SwabiSwabi District is the fourth most populous district of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It lies between the Indus and Kabul Rivers. The residents are referred to as Swabva'l. The Mandanr Yusufzai subsection of the Yousafzai clan of the Pashtuns form a majority of the population.-...
districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the north, the district of Rawalpindi to the east, the district of ChakwalChakwal is the capital of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located 90 km south-east of the federal capital, Islamabad and is named after Chaudhry Chaku Khan, chief of the Mair Minhas tribe from Jammu, who founded it in 1525 CE during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur...
to the southeast, the district of MianwaliMianwali is the capital city of Mianwali District and situated in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is located on the eastern bank of the Indus River...
to the southwest, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's districts of KohatKohat is a district of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Kohat city is the capital of the district. It is inhabited by various Pashtun tribes such as Afridi,Khattaks, Bangash and the Orakzaies. The main language of the district is Pashto....
and NowsheraNowshera is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan - the principal city is Nowshera. Nowshera District is divided into 47 Union Councils and 5 provincial seats....
to the west and northwest. The river IndusThe Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
forms the western boundary of the district.
Kabul River
Attock is the eastern terminus of the Kabul-Attock corridor to the Central Asia through which for centuries have passed the armies and the caravans alike. However unlike the modern highways, this corridor is not a work of engineering marvel but an act of nature as it was naturally carved through the Hindu Kush Mountains by the legendary Kabul River.
The 435 miles long journey of River Kabul starts just west of the Kabul city in Afghanistan and ends at Attock where it ultimately falls into the River Indus.
Resources
Dhullian is a village in PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil. This village has important resources namely oil and gas. It has been providing oil since the 1930s. There are all types of soil as mountains, plain areas fertile grounds and it also has a river flowing through it. There is a famous Ghala Mandi located in Dhullian Chowk. Here 90% of the total population area agricultural. This historical village is located at the end of Attock District.
Geography and climate
Attock District has a climate of hot summers and cold winters. The northern part of the district is more humid and is more moderate in climate relative to the southern part of the district due to the higher altitude. Geographically, the district is mainly hills, plateaus and dissected plains. The Indus RiverThe Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
flows on the northern and western borders of the district. After Haripur, the Haro RiverHaro is the name of a river and its valley in Abbottabad District in the North West Frontier Province of northern Pakistan, identified with the Rigvedic Arjikiya...
passes through the north of the tehsil of Attock where there is a flood plain with fertile soil. The District's average annual rainfall is 783 mm.
Population
According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the district had a population of 1,274,935 of which 20.45% were urban, The estimated population in 2008 was 1.58 million.
The city also had a significant Muhajir population. In fact, Attock city was dominated by the immigrants from India but gradually their population has dwindled and now they are a minority - mostly living in old quarters of Attock city.
During the soviet war in Afghanistan a great number of afghan refugees came to Attock as it is closed to Peshawar, although many of these refugees have moved back to Afghanistan but still there is a considerable percentage of those who chose not to go back and have started their lives in Attock.
The remaining population of Chach consists of Mughals, Kashmiris, Jats, BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
, Rajputs, qureshis, Gujjars, SyedsSayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
,(Pakistan)
Main tribes
The yed] wans], SardarSardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
, KhattarKhattar , is an upper caste Pushtun tribe in Afghanistan and Punjabi, in Punjab, it is variously classified asJatt and Khatri caste in India.-Origins:...
,Qanungoh Shaikhs,}, , Paracha, , Pathans, BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
s, Malik 2 number, GujjarThe Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s, RajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
, qureshis,and MughalThe term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
s are the main tribes of Attock District. The main Rajput tribes are the AlpialThe Alpials are a Muslim Rajput tribe, found mainly in Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan. According to 1931 census of India, their approximate population was 4,500.- History and origins :...
, JodhraThe Jodhra are a Muslim Rajput tribe found in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According to the 1931 census the male population was 1,400.- Locations :...
, Janjua ChauhanChauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
and Bhatti. The Chauhan of Khaur, the Alpial of Chakri and Jodhra of Kamlial are important families in the district.
The main Royal Mughals SardarSardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
tribe is MughalGhebaThe Gheba are a tribe found in the Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan. According to the 1931 Census of India, they numbered about 4,800.-Location:...
.The Sardars of Fateh jang,Pindigheb and Jand Tehsils are important in the District.
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Pathan/pashtun
The PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, or as they are referred to in the this region, Pathans, are found principally in the Attock District and belongs to Qais Abdur RashidQais Abdur Rashid Khan , also known as Kesh, Kish, Qesh and Imraul Qais is a legendary ancestor of the Pashtun race, claimed to be the first ethnic Pashtun who travelled to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia during the early days of Islam.) He is believed to be the 37th descendent of King Saul .He...
(father of all pashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s).
There are two Pathan settlements in that district, one in the south-west of PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil at MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
and in the Narrara hills, the other in the Attock TehsilAttock Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It lies between 33º38' and 34º0' N. and 72º7' and 72º50' E, with an area of . The Indus bounds it on the north-west, dividing it from the North-West Frontier Province, while the Haro flows through from...
, chiefly in the ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
illaqa. In addition, there are also a few scattered villages, in Rawalpindi DistrictRawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
.Almost 50% of the population of this city near area chachh are of PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
) origin, who speak Hindko language. There is also significant villages of predominately Pashto speaking Pashtuns in Attock , who have managed to keep their Pashto language, but are often bilingual in both Hindko and Pashto. The remaining population consists of Bangash, Sayyeds, Gujjars and other non-Pathan tribes.
A large percentage of the population of ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
have Pashtun roots and are mostly descendants of the tribes of DurraniDurrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
, Alizai, YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
, KakarThe Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
, DilazakThe Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
, TareenThe Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
, Tahir Khel (TahirkheliThe Tahir Kheli are a Pashtun tribe who mainly dwell in the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Most Tahirkhelis have adopted the language of Hindko, which is the native language of the people of Haripur. However, there is still a substantial number of Tahirkhelis that...
), Qazikhel, khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
, TanoliThe Tanoli are a Hazarewal tribe of the Tanawal valley, Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Although not usually acknowledged as Pashtuns, the Tanoli have to an extent assimilated many Pashtun cultural features and become Pashtunified. Tribally allied with the Pathans,. The...
, Sadozai and Barakzai- History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
. They arrived in the area around 1000 AD as part of the army of Mahmud of GhazniMahmud of Ghazni , actually ', was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands. Mahmud turned the former provincial city of Ghazni into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire which covered most of today's Iran,...
and made it their permanent home after defeating the HinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
confederation near HazroHazro is a district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. The populatrion is 4,488 as of 2010....
.
Proof of this is that many of the villages & individual quarters of chachh are named after certain Pakhtun personalities & tribes, markedly proving who had founded them. For example Aka Khel, NasozaiThe Nasozai are a Pashtun tribe. They are largely literate. Nasozai is the second largest and most important mohallah of the village of Nartopa in Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan, naming that part of the village after their tribe. The people of Nasozai migrated from Afghanistan to Chhachh,...
, Inayat Khel (the founding and KhanKhan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
tribe of GhorghushtiGhorghushti is one of the largest towns of Chhachh in Attock District and is on the border of North-West Punjab , and Hazara in Pakhtunkhwa/North-West Frontier Province...
village), Utman Khel, Saleem KhanSaleem Khan or Salim Khan is a town and Union Council of Swabi District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located at 34°10'0N 72°28'0E with an altitude of 348 metres ....
, GhorghushtiGhorghushti is one of the largest towns of Chhachh in Attock District and is on the border of North-West Punjab , and Hazara in Pakhtunkhwa/North-West Frontier Province...
, Adalzai, BarazaiBarazai is a village situated in the east of Hazro Tehsil, Attock District in northern Punjab in Pakistan. Its altitude is 315 metres .-Demographics:...
, etc. Most of these Pashtuns now refer to themselves as Pathans and speak Hindko as their main language, were as the Pashto speaking Pashtuns are still referred to as Pashtuns.
Some of the Pashto speaking Pashtuns of chach (Attock) belong to the following Pashtun tribes namely Ismail KhelIsmail Khel also rendered as Ismael Khel, Ismaeel Khel and Ishmael Khel is a Pakhtun tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ismail Khel is settled and resides in area such Behboodi; a village in the North West of Pakistan; Province Punjab; District Attock; area Chhachh, and Khost Province of...
, Tarakhel Khel, Salat Khel, Hisab (Yusuf) Khel, Tur Khel and Babarkarzai. There is also a steady flow of Pashtuns from Afghanistan settling into the area, and are hospitably welcomed by the local Pashtuns.
Chach Pashtuns are revered for their fighting ability in ancient times and more recently for their many advancements in education, culture, and society. It is claimed that Hindko was the original ancient language of Chhachh when it was part of the GandharaGandhāra , is the name of an ancient kingdom , located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was located mainly in the vale of Peshawar, the Potohar plateau and on the Kabul River...
civilisation and was adopted over time by the Pashtun tribes of the area.
According to the 1901 Census of India, these were the main sub-divisions of the PathanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s in Attock District.
-
| Tribe | Attock Tehsil Attock Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It lies between 33º38' and 34º0' N. and 72º7' and 72º50' E, with an area of . The Indus bounds it on the north-west, dividing it from the North-West Frontier Province, while the Haro flows through from...
| Pindigheb Pindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Tehsil | Fateh Jang Tehsil Fateh Jang Tehsil is an administrative subdivision , of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 14 Union Councils...
| Talagang Tehsil Talagang Tehsil is a subdivision of Chakwal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil, which is headquartered at the city of Talagang, is administratively subdivided into 23 Union Councils. Qaderpur is a well known village of tehsil Talagang due to the famious shrine of Baba shah...
|
Total |
| Akhund Khel |
722 |
|
|
|
722 |
|
| Alizai |
4,415 |
|
|
|
4,415 |
| Babar |
|
615 |
|
|
615 |
| Babi |
581 |
|
|
|
581 |
| Barakzai - History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
|
578 |
|
|
|
578 |
| Dilazak The Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
|
1,070 |
3 |
43 |
|
1,116 |
| Jamal Khel |
|
579 |
|
|
579 |
| Lodhi Lodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
|
727 |
1 |
5 |
|
733 |
| Manduri |
864 |
|
|
|
864 |
| Piru Khel |
594 |
|
|
|
594 |
| Saddo Khel |
801 |
|
|
|
801 |
| Sagri Khattak Khattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
|
|
4,759 |
|
|
4,759 |
| Tareen The Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
|
658 |
|
|
|
658 |
| Tanoli The Tanoli are a Hazarewal tribe of the Tanawal valley, Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Although not usually acknowledged as Pashtuns, the Tanoli have to an extent assimilated many Pashtun cultural features and become Pashtunified. Tribally allied with the Pathans,. The...
|
650 |
|
|
|
650 |
Sagri Khattak Pathans
The PindighebPindigheb is a town in Punjab province Pakistan and seat of Pindi Gheb Tehsil of Attock District.-History:...
Pathans are practically all Sagri Pathans, a branch of the Bulaki KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s. The BabarBabur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
family of Bhangi Khel KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s is also represented in the Narara hills. Another branch of the KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, the Jamal Khel also have a presence in settlements near the town of MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
.
Accoding to their traditions, the khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s came across the Indus river from the neighbourhood of KohatKohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
, and drove out the AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
, whom they found in possession. The khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s look up to the Khans of MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
" Sher Ahmed KhattakSher Ahmad Khan, known as Khan of Makhad, was the Chief of the Sagri Khattaks. He was also a Jagirdar of Shakardara in Kohat District. The Dynasty was started by Ghazi Khan in the early 16th century during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Ghazi Khan moved from Kohat to Makhad after...
", as their headmen. They own seven villages, of which MakhadMakhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province...
and Narara are the largest. The village of Hadowali is their boundary to the east, where the AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
are their neighbours. Throughout the tract they occupy, they have completely dispossed all other tribes. Their speech is the soft or western dialect of Pashto.
Chhachh Pathans
The Attock Pathans are found in two parts of the tehsil, those of Sarwala, and those of ChhachhChhachh is a region consisting of an alluvial plain extending from Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan, south-west to Topi - Swabi. The word Chhachh is derived from the Pashto word Chaj. It is bounded on the north and west by the river Indus, and is about long from east to west, and broad...
. The Chhachh Pathans have very little in common with the Sagri khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, as they are separated by the Kala Chita mountains.The chhachhies are also known as Chhachi (Pashtun)The Chhachi Pashtuns consist of a variety of Pashtun clans inhabiting the region of Chhachh in the northern half of the Punjab province of Pakistan, which is home a large community of Pashtuns.-Major tribes:...
. The Chhachh have Hindko and pushto speaking community, and have much in common with the PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribes settled in the neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Chhachh have pukhtun culture and peoples are following PashtunwaliPashtunwali or Pakhtunwali is a non-written ethical code and traditional lifestyle which the indigenous Pashtun people from Afghanistan and Pakistan follow. Some in the Indian subcontinent refer to it as "Pathanwali". Its meaning may also be interpreted as "the way of the Pashtuns" or "the code of...
code of conduct strictly like in NWFP. Mostly pathans in chhachh came with
GhaznaviGhaznavi Missile is a short range ballistic missile with an optimal range of 290 km, produced by Pakistan and named after the 11th century Afghan conqueror Mahmud of Ghazni. The missile has a length of 9.64m, diameter of 0.99 m, launch weight of 5256 kg and is powered by a single stage solid fuel...
from Afghanistan.
The largest clan are the AlizaiThe Alizai are Pashtun Tribe of Afghanistan and Balochistan . The Alizai tribe usually reside in Afghanistan and Balochistan as well as various areas of Tarbela Dam and Attock. Alizai is the biggest tribe of Afghanistan and the Alizai tribe are considered to be a warrior tribe since their...
, who include the TahirkheliThe Tahir Kheli are a Pashtun tribe who mainly dwell in the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Most Tahirkhelis have adopted the language of Hindko, which is the native language of the people of Haripur. However, there is still a substantial number of Tahirkhelis that...
, one of three main septs of the Alizai. The Tahirkheli inhabit villages along the HaroHaro may refer to:*Los Haro, a town in Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico*Haro, La Rioja, a town in Spain**Haro family, a noble Spanish family, lords of the mentioned town*Haro River, a river in Pakistan...
river. The other tribe along the Haro are the Sadozai, and both they and the Alizai, are branches of the DurraniDurrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
-tareens tribe. Together with the Manduri and Barahzai, who are also found in numbers in the district, they are all sections of the great YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
tribe. By far the greater proportion of the AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
Pathans are Yousafzai, allied to the YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
of SwabiSwabi is the capital of Swabi District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°7'0N 72°28'0E. Its residents are referred to as 'Swabiwaal.'-Geography:...
and MardanMardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
districts and other tribes are kakarThe Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
, nasozaiThe Nasozai are a Pashtun tribe. They are largely literate. Nasozai is the second largest and most important mohallah of the village of Nartopa in Attock District, Punjab, Pakistan, naming that part of the village after their tribe. The people of Nasozai migrated from Afghanistan to Chhachh,...
, barakzai- History :Barakzai is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means . Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan...
, khattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, lodhiLodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
, BangashBangash is the name of a Pashtun clan. The Bangash clan inhabit regions within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , the Kurram Agency, the Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Naryab, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar within the Sarhad province...
, ismail khelIsmail Khel also rendered as Ismael Khel, Ismaeel Khel and Ishmael Khel is a Pakhtun tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ismail Khel is settled and resides in area such Behboodi; a village in the North West of Pakistan; Province Punjab; District Attock; area Chhachh, and Khost Province of...
, utmanzaiUtmanzai is a town in Charsadda District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°22'24N 71°45'33E with an altitude of 390 metres and lies to the north of Charsadda city. Utmanzai is famous for being the birth place of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan....
, sadozai and many others
The Attock District Gazetteer gives the following description regarding PathanPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
settlement in the district:
{{cquote|The connection of Pathans with the tahsil is not very ancient. The earliest comers may have been the LodhiLodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
s, who are a section of the GhilzaiGhilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...
nation, and accompanied Mahmud Ghaznavi as mercenaries on his invasions of IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Their numbers are inconsiderable. Next after a long interval came the DilazakThe Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
who were gradually driven from the Safed KohSpin Ghar or Safed Kuh or the Indian Caucasus, also known as the Safīd Mountain Range or Morga Range, is a mountain range on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, up to above sea-level at Mount Sikaram, straight and rigid, towering above all surrounding hills...
by the YousafzaiThe Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
. About the end of the 16th Century they crossed the river, and found the Chhachh, then a swamp being slowly recovered from the Indus, in possession of the GujjarThe Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s. Apparently they never settled down and in consequence of the turmoil caused by their constant attempt to recover MardanMardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
illaqa of PeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
from the Yousafzais, were finally deported by Jahangir and scattered over the India Peninsula. "A Gazetteer of Attock District 1929 Part A page 91}}
{{cquote|The great Pathan invasion of the Chhachh took place much latter. About the end of the 17th Century the KhattakKhattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
s, pushing up from KohatKohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
at the south,began to press on the flanks of the Yousafzai between AttockAttock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
and Peshawer of which they had been put in charge. At the same time too the Gujars of HazaraOn the dissolution of West Pakistan in 1970, Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad...
has summoned the Yousafzais across the river to help against the TareenThe Tareen are a prominent Sarbanri Pashtun tribe residing in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. They are one of the largest Pashtun tribes.-History:...
, a tribe of original AfghansPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
of Jewish and ArabArab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
origin, who had fallen on the HaripurHaripur is a district in the Hazara region of Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan with an altitude of around above sea level. Haripur District has the highest Human Development Index of all the districts in the Hazara....
plain. Later in the middle of the 18th Century the Piro Khels who are Afridis and Pathans proper, came with Nadir Shah perhaps from Persia, and remained behind when he returned.By the end of the 18th Century DilazakThe Dilazak are a Pashtun tribe of the Afghan Karlani branch, found in Pakistan and India.-History:The Dilazak descended from the Suleman Range into the valley of Peshawar during the time of the Samanid Dynasty, between 750 and 850 CE. They expelled or subdued local people of the Swati, Degan and...
s, Tareens, Yousafzais and Afridis had settled down in the Tahsil, with the Yousafzai numerically immensely superior. Since then no immigration has taken place. The chief accretion to Pathan strength has been that of the Akhund Khel. Akhund is the title given to any chief of special sanctity, and Akhundzada is the title of his descendants. Many Akhund Khel are by origin Gujar and AwanAwan , is a South Asian Zamindar tribe, putatively of Arab origin, living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Punjab, Pakistan...
. , perform no priestly functions, and live like ordinary Pathans. The Tahirkheli Pathans who inhabit the north-east of the Tahsil below the main wall of the Gandgarh Hills and along the line of the Haro by tradition and sentiment have little to with Attock. They live or own land in the Hazara DistrictOn the dissolution of West Pakistan in 1970, Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad...
, and many are Jagirdars.}}
The Chhachh ilaqa is almost entirely held by the Pathans, as is the Nala estates, along the Haro river valey. The Attock Pathans were the earliest group of this reigon to start emigrating to EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.There are now large communities of Chhachh Pathan settled in British cities, such as BradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Hindu population before 1947
Attock District had a heterogeneous mix of religious and ethnic populations before 1947. The Gazetteer of the Attock District 1930 records {{cquote|Hindus, who make up 8.5% of the total population are by tribes and in order of numerical importance, KhatriKhatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...
s, AroraArora is an Indo-Aryan community of the Punjab region. Commentators differ in their opinions regarding the relationship between the Arora and the Khatri community....
s, BrahmanIn Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
s and MohyalMohyal is the name of an endogamous ethnic group that originates from the Gandhara region and consists of seven Brahmin lineages of that area that left the usual priestly occupation of Brahmins long ago to serve as soldiers and in government services.The...
s
Administration
The district of Attock is administratively subdivided into six tehsilA Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s, each with an elected NazimA nazim is the coordinator of cities and towns in Pakistan. Nazim is the title in Urdu of the chief elected official of a local government in Pakistan, such as a district, tehsil, union council, or village council....
: However it should be noted that the Nazim system is no longer part of any administrative duties in all of Punjab. So the following administrators are no longer office holders.
Attock District: Tehsils and Nazims
| Tehsil |
Nazim |
| Attock Attock Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It lies between 33º38' and 34º0' N. and 72º7' and 72º50' E, with an area of . The Indus bounds it on the north-west, dividing it from the North-West Frontier Province, while the Haro flows through from...
|
Qazi Khalid Mehmood |
| Fateh Jang Fateh Jang Tehsil is an administrative subdivision , of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 14 Union Councils...
|
Sardar Arjamand Zaheer Afzal Khan |
| Hassan Abdal |
Haji Shafqat Ali Khan Tahirkheli |
| Jand Jand Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan.-Administration:The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 12 Union Councils, these are:- Village of Khunda, Punjab :...
|
Sardar AAmer Khan |
| Pindi Gheb Pindi Gheb Tehsil an administrative subdivision , of Attock District in the Punjab, Pakistan, the capital is the town of Pindi Gheb. The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 13 Union Councils, two of which form the capital - Pindi Gheb.-History:...
|
Malik Liaqat Ali khan |
| Hazro Hazro Tehsil is one of the six tehsils of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan, it is a newly created tehsil and forms parts of the NA-57 constituency of Attock . It's capital is Hazro...
|
Raza Khan |
Senators
The district has been represented in the Senate of PakistanThe Senate of Pakistan is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. Elections are held every three years for one half of the senate and each senator has a term of six years...
by the following senators:
- Late Ahmad Waheed Akhtar (Pakistan Peoples Party)
- Sardar Mehmood Advocate
- PPP Central Leader Malik Hakmeen Khan
MNAs
- Shiekh Aftab Ahmed (Chief Whip PMLN).
- Perwaiz Elahi (PMLQ).
- Sardar Salim Haider Khan (PPPP).
- Malik Allahyar Khan (PML)1956-2007
Village of Thatta
Village of Thatta and "Tarap" have been two of the most important villages of the District. It is believed to have been founded by Sher Shah SuriSher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
, while some believe that these was founded much earlier, in the time of Alexander's invasion. The Khattar family of this village has played a very important role in the progress of the country and the region.
Prominent personalities of this village include:
- Sardar Lal Khan, known for his courage and bravery against the Bristish Raj and Sikhs. He fought many wars against them and never accepted their government. He was offered a lot of property, but declined; rather, he lost a lot of his own property as a Freedom Fighter and political activist. Although British colonial rulers did bring some other people against him politically by rewarding them with big jageer
In historic India, a jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond his lifetime, in recognition of his military service...
s, his influence never ended. His sons, Sardar Zakri Khan and Sardar Ghulam Khan, also worked hard in the political movement against British Raj.
- Major General Javed Afzal, Brig Afzal's Son, who served with the British Army.
- Brig. Afzal, political and social figure, Father of Javed Afzal.
Current important personalities include:
- Sardar Saleem Khan, is a grandson of Sardar Lal Khan and son of Sardar Ghulam Khan, a social worker, political activist, and founder of various charity and philanthropic organizations, is currently Chairman of the Social Development Organization, one of the largest NGOs in the District.
- Sardar Abdul Rashid Khan,Advocate, elder brother of Sardar Saleem Khan,and son of Sardar Ghulam Khan has played a very active role in the restoration of Judiciary.He is a distinguished lawyer of district. He is a well-respected and learned person, who commands respect in the whole region, due to his humble and down to earth behaviour.
- Cdr Abdul Qayyum Khan is also an important and widely respected personality. He also belongs to Village of Thatta and grandson of Sardar Lal Khan. He has been playing a very active social and political role since after his retirement from Pakistan Navy on completion of his meritorious service.
- Sardar Manzar Ameer is tehsil Nazim
Sardar Abbas Khan (Khan mulkhial Khattar)
Sadar Young Political Group Thatta