History of the Pashtun people
Sardar Muhammad Aslam Khan (a Kamran Khel Saddozai) was the first Muslim Commandant of Khyber Rifles. Aslam Khan’s father Usman Khan, who had served as Grand Wazir of Shah Shuja Durrani in 1840-1842, fled to Peshawar after the Anglo-Afghan war and joined the British.
Utman Khels are Karlanri Pashtuns whose territory lies between Swat and Bajaur. According to a local legend the Utman Khels are the descendants of Baba Utman, a follower of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. It is said that their original abode was in the mountains about Tank and Gomal from which they moved away in early … Read more
Mullagori tribe is found in the Mullagori tehsil of the Khyber district . The author of Hayat-i-Afghani writes: “The Mullagori clan, with its four sub-divisions of Pahar-Khel, Tar-Khel, Ahmad-Khel and Daulat-Khel, is held by some not to be of Afghan stock at all. Its ancestor, say these, was a stranger who attached himself to the … Read more
Adam Khel Afridis, 1890 (c). From “tribes on our frontier series of photos by Bourne and Shepherd.
Shaikh Baitan Bab, son of Qais, had three sons, namely, Ismail, Warsapoon, and Kajeen and a daughter named Bibi Mato. Saraban, the elder brother of Baitan, adopted Ismail. The progeny of Warsapoon and Kajeen collectively comprise the Baitani tribe and that of their sister Bibi Mato, the Mati tribes. Initially Baitanis were settled on the … Read more
Sayyids of Kunar: For centuries the long and narrow valley of Kunar with Pashat as its main town had been ruled by a Pashtunized Sayyid family of Arab descent. They were descendants of Sayyid Ali Tirmizi, popularly referred to as Pir Baba by Pashtuns. The latter had accompanied Zahir al-Din Babur from Tirmiz. His shrine … Read more
Ustrana tribesmen, 1861. From Watson and Kaye’s collection Snippets of the description given along with the photograph; “The Oosteranees are Soonnee Mahomedans, and display no peculiarities to distinguish them from other frontier Mahomedan tribes and clans. They have, however, a high local reputation for valour, and, armed with sword and shield, are considered … Read more
Khattak horsemen as described in 17th century by their chieftain Khushal Khan Khattak in his poetry: خټک چه به اس سور شي درسته وتړی په کونه شمله ډ دستار پريږدي په ټڼدي کښي اوږده پلنه “A Khattak, when he mounts on horse-back, Binds his shield upon his back ; Lets loose the end of … Read more
Khogiani tribesmen, ca.1890. From “The tribes on our frontier” series of photos by Bourne & Shepherd. . Source Source According to Khulasat-ul-Ansab (p-146-7), “Khugaey was the seventh son of Kodi (Kodaey) and his … Read more
Gandapur tribe is extracted from the Ustarani tribe of Pashtuns. Ustaranis allege themselves to be descended from the famous saint Sayyid Muhammad Gaisu Daraz by one of his Sherani Pashtun wives. Ushtarani had five sons, of whom the descendants of four (Tarri or Gandapur, Sheikhi, Mareri and Umra) are collectively known as Gandapur, while those … Read more