History of the Pashtun people
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
Shalmanis of Ashnaghar Shalmanis of Ashnaghar were people of Dehgan or Dardic roots, usually but erroneously styled Tajiks. According to Tawarikh-i-Hafiz Rahmat Khani, the original abodes of Shalmanis were Shalman (i.e Shaluzan) and Karman valleys (of present-day Kurram district) which were dependencies of Tirah at that time. They migrated to and settled in Ashanghar on … Read more
Origin legend According to the legends prevalent amongst the Orakzai elders, Tirah was formerly occupied by the Hindu non-Pashtun race, called the Tirahis whose descendants are, to this day, found in some villages as ‘Hamsaya‘ (dependents) of the Orakzai. Tirahis were ruled by different rajas whose names can still be traced in several places in … Read more
The Tirahis are Dardic people who once populated the whole Tirah valley. They were driven out of Tirah by Bayazid Ansari, the Pir-i-Roshan, in 16th century and their lands were given to Afridis and Orakzais. At the present day the chief seat of the Tirahi is in the Kotrud valley of the Shinwari country in … Read more