Gomal River
Encyclopedia
Gomal River((SARAIKI daryae gumal)) is a river in the historical region of Pashtunistan
, consisting of areas in Afghanistan
and Pakistan
, inhabited by the Pashtuns. The Gomal River's headwaters are located south-east of Ghazni
.
The springs which form the headwaters of the Gomal's main branch emerge above the fort at Babakarkol in Katawaz, a district inhabited by Ghilzai
Pashtuns from the Kharoti
and Suleiman Khel
clans, in Paktika Province
. The Gomal's other branch, the "Second Gomal", joins the main channel about 14 miles below its source. The Gomal flows southeast through eastern Ghilzai country for approximately 110 miles before it merges with the Zhob River
, its major tributary, near Khajuri Kach. It is about 100 miles from the Zhob River to the Indus River
.
Within Pakistan, the Gomal river surrounds the South Waziristan
agency and forms the boundary between Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan
. From South Waziristan , the river enters the Gomal Valley in the district of Tank, Pakistan at a place known as Girdavi, Murtuza which is inhabited by the Miani tribe. It is mainly here that the water of Gomal is used to cultivate the lands in Gomal Valley through Zam System
(Rod Koh
i). The river passes then through the Damaan plain in Kulachi
Tehsil and later on through Dera Ismail Khan
Tehsil, It then joins the Indus River 20 miles south of Dera Ismail Khan.
The river lends its name to the Gomal University
in Dera Ismail Khan and the like-named Gomal District
in Paktika.
There is also a street in E-7, Islamabad
called the "Gomal Road".
Pashtunistan
Pakhtunistan or Pashtunistan, meaning the "land of Pakhtuns" or "land of Pashtuns", is a modern term used for the historical region inhabited by the native Afghans or Pashtun since at least the 1st millennium BC...
, consisting of areas in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , 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...
, inhabited by the Pashtuns. The Gomal River's headwaters are located south-east of Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
.
The springs which form the headwaters of the Gomal's main branch emerge above the fort at Babakarkol in Katawaz, a district inhabited by Ghilzai
Ghilzai
Ghilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...
Pashtuns from the Kharoti
Kharoti
Kharoti is a Pashtun tribe of Ghilzai origin. The tribe has an estimated population of about 2.5 million ....
and Suleiman Khel
Suleiman Khel
The Suleiman Khel are a Pashtun sub-tribe of the Ghilzai confederation. In the early 20th century, the tribe was recognised as generally pastoral.In 1924, the Suleiman Khel joined in the Khost Rebellion initiated by the Mangal tribe....
clans, in Paktika Province
Paktika Province
Paktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
. The Gomal's other branch, the "Second Gomal", joins the main channel about 14 miles below its source. The Gomal flows southeast through eastern Ghilzai country for approximately 110 miles before it merges with the Zhob River
Zhob River
Zhob River is located in Balochistan, Pakistan. The name is Iranic in its origin and etymologically identical to those of the Little Zab and Great Zab rivers in Iraq and the Pamirs....
, its major tributary, near Khajuri Kach. It is about 100 miles from the Zhob River to the Indus River
Indus River
The 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...
.
Within Pakistan, the Gomal river surrounds the South Waziristan
South Waziristan
South Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
agency and forms the boundary between Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
. From South Waziristan , the river enters the Gomal Valley in the district of Tank, Pakistan at a place known as Girdavi, Murtuza which is inhabited by the Miani tribe. It is mainly here that the water of Gomal is used to cultivate the lands in Gomal Valley through Zam System
Zam System
Zam System is a form of irrigation system in Pakistan. Zam means the flow of perennial water coming out of various springs, whereas Rod Koh is the main torrent bed which remains usually dry, when there is no flood....
(Rod Koh
Rod Koh
Rod Koh or Rod Kohi is a form of irrigation system in Pakistan. Rod means channel and Koh means mountain in Persian). The Rod Kohi system based on Kulyat Riwajat governed the irrigation system ever since the Pashtun tribes had moved into Damaan...
i). The river passes then through the Damaan plain in Kulachi
Kulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
Tehsil and later on through Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
Tehsil, It then joins the Indus River 20 miles south of Dera Ismail Khan.
The river lends its name to the Gomal University
Gomal University
Gomal University is located in Dera Ismail Khan in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the founder of the university, laying the foundation store on May 1, 1974...
in Dera Ismail Khan and the like-named Gomal District
Gomal District
Gomal District is a district of Paktika Province, Afghanistan.It is named after the Gomal River....
in Paktika.
There is also a street in E-7, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
called the "Gomal Road".
See also
- Gomal Zam DamGomal Zam DamGomal Zam Dam is a hydro-electric power and irrigation project under construction in northwest Pakistan. It sits on the Gomal River in the South Waziristan Agency. The Gomal flows from neighboring Afghanistan southeast to the Indus River, of which it is a tributary...
- Gomal Pass
- Gomal DistrictGomal DistrictGomal District is a district of Paktika Province, Afghanistan.It is named after the Gomal River....
- Gomal UniversityGomal UniversityGomal University is located in Dera Ismail Khan in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the founder of the university, laying the foundation store on May 1, 1974...
- Zhob RiverZhob RiverZhob River is located in Balochistan, Pakistan. The name is Iranic in its origin and etymologically identical to those of the Little Zab and Great Zab rivers in Iraq and the Pamirs....
- South WaziristanSouth WaziristanSouth Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
- Paktika ProvincePaktika ProvincePaktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
External links
- http://www.khyber.org/places/2005/TheGomalRiver.shtml