Khattak

Khattak Warrior with old rifle.jpg.

Khattak or Khatak (Pashto: خټک [xaˈʈak], Urdu: خٹک), is the name of an Pashtun 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 Garh near Malakand to South through the district of Karak. Their historic capital is Akora Khattak, a town 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of the provincial capital, Peshawar, with small pockets also living in Kandahar, and Khost. A warrior poet by the name of Khushal Khan Khattak (1613–1690) belonged to this tribe, and his contributions to Pashto literature are considered as classic texts. They have been translated into numerous languages.The Khattaks have high literacy rates in comparison to other Pashtun tribes having achieved positions of influence throughout history.

Karlani Afghan Tribes Genealogy & Family Tree.

Flag of the Afghan Tribe, The Khattak. Made from historical references related to Malik Shehbaz Khan, Khushal Khan Khattak and the Khattak Tribe in general. It shows the famous Eagle of Khushal Khan, the sword of the Khattak Attan Dance, and the book; Khattaks are known as the scholars of the Afghans.

Origins

According to Nimatullah's 1620 work History of The Afghans, Khattaks are amongst the oldest of the Afghan tribes. Their history has been closely knit with that of the Yusufzai Tribe from their first settlement around the mountains of Ghor and Ghazni to present day East-Central and North-Eastern Pukhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan.

Herodotus, Book 3, 91. (In this and the two succeeding passages the historian is giving a list of the Achaemenian satrapies and their peoples.)

The Sattagudai and the Gandarioi and the Dadikai and the Aparutai, who were all reckoned together paid 170 talents.

Herodotus, without assigning a name to the satrapy, tells us that Darius' yth Satrapy was inhabited by four tribes, the Sattagudai, the Gandarioi, the Dadikai, and the Aparutai.

The addition of the Aparutai/Aparidai correspondence helps to buttress the case for finding in Herodotus traces of names which carry through to the present day. Bellew has gone further and identified the Sattagudai with the famous Khatak tribe. "The Pathans 55O B.C.-A.D. 1957" printed St Martin's Press 1958 by MacMillan and Company Limited"

Sattagudai

Numerous historians identify the Khattak with the Sattagudai.

Sir Olaf Caroe, The Pathans 550BC 1957AD:

"Let us now refer to the third passage cited, in which Herodotus, without assigning a name to the satrapy, tells us that Darius' yth

Satrapy was inhabited by four tribes, the Sattagudai, the Gandarioi, the Dadikai, and the Aparutai.

Bellew has gone further and identified the Sattagudai with the famous Khatak tribe, and the Dadikai with an obscure branch of Kakars whom he calls Dadi."

Khattaks - Shetaks

Sir Olaf Caroe, The Pathans 550BC 1957AD:

"Neither Khataks nor Shitaks appear by name until the period of publication of genealogies under the Mughals, and the time of Akbar's dealings with the Khataks for the protection of the highway to Peshawar. Babur indeed in his memoirs mentions the Karranis (Karlanris) whom he encountered in 1505 around Bannu along with the Niazis and Isakhel. It is probable that this reference of his is to Khataks or Shitaks, or both, for both are Karlanri tribes, and the other Karlanris who live in that area, Wazirs and Bangash, Babur mentions by name when he comes to them."

It is thus clear that Babur & other Mughals in their descriptions identify Khattaks & Shetaks together without any differentiation.

In Afghan History

Sir Olaf Caroe, The Pathans 550BC 1957AD:

"Taken together, the Khataks and the Shitaks, who now have a common boundary close to Bannu, cover a stretch of territory as large as that held by any Afghan or Pathan tribe, whether Ghilzai, Yusufzai or Durrani. From the Khatak settlements around Lundkhwar, close to the Malakand Pass, to the Shitak villages in Upper Daur in the Tochi, the distance is over 200 miles. The wide extent of their present territory, their large population, and the association of both groups of tribes at one time or another with the rich oases of Bannu and the Tochi, suggest sufficiently their importance in this family of peoples."

Theory of descent from Israelites

Main article: Theory of Pashtun descent from Israelites

The Afghan Tribe Khattak has Oral Traditions & History of descent from the Israelites.
Khushal Khan Khattak chosen Malak in 1641 believed that Malak was a continuation of the Israelite title Malak given to the legendary progenitors King Saul and Malak Afghana.
A famous Pushto historian and scholar Qazi Fazl e Azeem in his book, the Bani Israel in Pakistan also expresses this view.
During the expansion of their territories the Khattaks were renowned and fierce Knights and Warriors. Khushal expresses that this valor stems from the fact that Khattaks and Afghans have been nursed by the Lioness’s (King Saul’s wife) milk.
One of the first progenitors of the modern tribe is Manal. Manal is considered to be a modification of Manas from the word Manasseh.

Theory of Descent from the Greeks

After the creation of Pakistan, some Pakistani scholars, suggested a Greek descent for the Khattaks. However from the Histories of Herodotus, Herodotus, Book 3, 91., it is clear that a tribe by the name of SattaGydae (or Sattagudai) were already settled in the area around current day Ghor in Afghanistan and paid as tribute coinage and materials to the Greeks when they subjugated these areas:

"The Sattagudai and the Gandarioi and the Dadikai and the Aparutai, who were all reckoned together paid 170 talents."

Later Bellew, Caroe and other historians both Afghan and Western through their works identified the Sattagudai with the famous Khatak & Shitak tribes. "The Pathans 55O B.C.-A.D. 1957" printed St Martin's Press 1958 by MacMillan and Company Limited"

Though all Afghan DNA including Khattak DNA has minor contributions from haplogroups more common to the Greeks, these are minor enough to rule out a direct lineage. Together with works from Herodotus and more recent historians, the theory of Khattak descent from the Greeks is unfounded.

Afridi & Khattak History

Sir Olaf Caroe, The Pathans 550BC 1957AD:

"The Afridis and Khataks lumped together as Karlanris, can be held to reflect a knowledge that they represented a more aboriginal stock, which only later absorbed the characteristics of the invaders. In other words, it is not surprising that in looking for a prototype in the oldest recorded history bearing on this region we hit on the ancestor of the Pakhtun."

Though Afghan DNA has minor contributions from Greeks, Turks, Arabs & Persians, this represents the inter marriages (albeit in minor proportions) between local Afghan Tribes and foreign invaders throughout the ages. This is the basis for some of the Theories though in error of Afghan descent from these peoples.

Molding and amalgamation

Sir Olaf Caroe, The Pathans 550BC 1957AD:

"This is not to assert that the ethnic or linguistic stock can be traced through to tribes of similar names today. The case would be rather that these were sub-stratum agglomerations of people who, through contact with later-comers, modified their language and were assimilated to later cultures, but retained in the more inaccessible places sufficient of their older inspirations to boast their original names. The theory does at least give a starting-point to Pathan history & the stock belief in the Bani Israel."

Migration of the Khattak & Shetak Tribe through the ages.

Migration from Afghanistan

Earliest records show their migration from Ghazni, Ghor and Loghar and Qandahar to Zhob. Afterwards to Bannu, then northwards towards modern day Kohat, Karak, Nowshera, Attock, Mianwali and finally Mardan and Malakand. . A warrior poet by the name of Khushal Khan Khattak (1613–1690) was once the chief of this tribe, and his contributions to Pashto literature are considered as classic texts . His life and times are one of the most chronicled and discussed subjects in Pashtun history, as he was active on the political, social and intellectual fora of his times and contributed significantly at each front. He was a most voluminous writer, and composed no less than three hundred and sixty literary works, both in the Pashto and Persian languages . His poetry revolves around concepts of Honour, Justice, Bravery and Nationalism and his works have been translated into numerous languages, English and Urdu being the primary ones. . The Khattaks have achieved positions of influence throughout history .

The Khattak super Tribe and sub tribes. Khattak Family Tree.

Khattak super tribe & sub tribes

Khattak Super Tribe

Bolak

Akori Khattak

Areas: Peshawar, Nowshera. City Centers: Peshawar, Akbar Pura, Akora Khattak,Mansehra, manki sharif and cherat, ilaqa Khwara

Yusufzai Khattak

Areas: Mardan, Sawabi, Malakand, Charsadda. City Centers: Lund Khwar, Jamal Garhi, Sher Garh, Katlang, Hatia'n (alternatively Hatiaan), Sakha Kot.

Taraki

Bangi Khel KHATTAK

Bangi khel are sub tribe of Khattaks.Bangi Khel are completely located in distric mianwali.(Province of punjab) the tribe is bounded by distric karak in north east kotat in north and indus river in the south.The capital of bangikhel is Tabbisar.The area is completely dominated by singl tribe.Bangi khel are divided in two part that upper and lower.The main villages o Bangi khel are Tola,manja ghondi, Madochanda, Neryob, mezrena,Missar wala, chapry and Tola magali.The main Sub Tribe are Hakeem khel,Jani khel,Saho khel and Manki khel. Missar wala is the main part of the political and Development of the area. The people of Missar wala is divided a small tribe just like Saduo Khel, Muhram Khel, Hashim Khel. Most of the Missar Wala people served in Pak Army. Honorary Lieutenant (R) Alam Sher Khan, Sitra Jurat and Sepy Zafar Mehmood (Shaheed) sitra Imtiaz also belong to Missar wala. The people of Missar Wala is well educated and well known in the area and District.This is the main part of Tabbi sar.

Barak Khattak of Karak

Areas: Karak District, which includes three Tehsils, named Karak, Banda Dawood Shah and Takht-e Nasrati. District Karak has the highest literacy rate after Islamabad and Wah. Since both Islamabad and Wah are mainly composed of temporarily migrated people, therefore Karak is ranked as the highest educated district.

Interestingly, this is the only area where no other tribe except Khattaks are living. The only zest, if these people have any, is their love for education. As Khattaks are primarily brave and well-built people, most of the Khattaks living in Karak District, have been serving the armed forces of Pakistan, both as soldiers and officers. Khattaks in Karak District are famous throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and beyond for their highly educated background, sophisticated and respectful way of living and their love for religion.

The main reason why the curse of extremism has not struck the Khattaks of Karak District is the widespread trend of love for education. Despite the fact that the people in this area are not as well-off as others, a whole chain of government as well as well private schools and colleges is evidently visible here. Female education is also on the rise, while the love for religion among these Khattaks remains true as it was in the past.

Seni

Areas: Kohat

Seni khattak live in district kohat, especially in areas of village seni gumbat; seni gumbat is the village of SENI KHATTAK they came from lachi side. TEHSIL LACHI is the main land of seni khattak, from where they came to city areas. GUMBAT, LACHI, TERI BANDA, MANDORI TULANJ, CHORLAKKI, GHUROZAI ZIARAT SHEIKH ALLAH DAD SHAHAB (UNION COUNCIL AND VILLAGE) WHERE seni khattak settled.^{[citation needed]}

Sagri

Areas: Shakardarra, Narra Kanjoor, Jand,Chhab Dakhnair,Lakarmar,Injra Afghan, Nakka Afghan, Nakka khurd, Haddowali, Sur Kamar (ratti Dandi) Kot Kalla (Kotiwali), Injra Khurd Chhab, Aziz abad, Nandrak Abad, Faisal Banda, Mansoor Banda, Torangabad, Mianda Kalla, Kanjoor, Hotakay, Lakkarmor, Kabul Banada, Mirza Banda, alamabad, Jamdar Banda, Valley mela, tora Khelo Mela, Chismai, Yingora, Eerr, Toada Mela, Tora Bera , Tori Kala, Sihola, Jabbi, Baz Gul Banda , Malangai, Dupper, Girdi, Rag (Dakhnair), Dhok Pai Khel, Girdi, Ratti Kiri, Ratti Kassi, Attock.they do have some scattered population katcha koh vehari more Multan, pi mahal faisalabad , sagodha, district Dadu Sind and Saghri colony Karachi.

The distribution of the Khattak Tribe in modern day Pakistan. Also shows major Khattak centers, cities, Tribal capitals and Districts where the Khattak Tribe is populated. All percentages shown are related to census demographics of population surveys of Pakistan.

Demographics

The Khattak sub tribes include the Seni Khattak (Kohat), Barak Khattak (Karak), Akora Khel Khattak (From Lundkhur to Nizampur), Mungi Khel Khattak (Shakar Dara), Mattu Khel Khattak (Shakar Darra), and the Saghri Khattak (Narra Kanjoor, chhab, nakka afghan, INJRA AFGHAN, injra, Jand - Attock). They also live in Sndh, Balochistan and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. In past there was democratic process to make a new leader of the tribe by vote of leaders of clans. each tribe leader was given extra land as Jagir (padgai or pagrrai) to cover the expenses of his Public Kitchen (Langer). There are 3 Chieftain of Khattak's, Khan of Terri, Akora and Makhad. it seems till the time of Khushal Khan, khattaks were having one Chieftain at Akora. Bangi khels live at Narrah (Taraf Jamal Khel of Narrah) Bani Afghan, Tabbi sari at Mianwali and some village at Shakar Dara District Kohat. Bangi khel are much in count so mostly considered separate tribe of Khattak's but actually Bangi khel and Akora's are part of Saghri's. Saghris living at Shakardara are called as "Topi Sughri" whereas at Attock are called "nar-rray sughri" in local dialect. According to punjab government revenue record Saghri khattak's living at Tehsil Jand belong to the following clans/ Pats. Taraf Narrah comprise the Patti khosar khel, Patti Nanadrak, Patti Khatter khel, Patti Abdullh Khel and Patti Chandel Khel, Patti Taraf Syeded Khel comprise of Patti Nanadrak, Kotiwal, Qureshi, Bangash, Awan, Malyar and Sarban and Patti Taraf Jamal khel. The property belonging to each Patti is separately compiled as book to avoid mistake due to repetition of names. This system provide authentic family tree through inherited land transfer record. today each Patti is sub divided in dozens of sub khels

Saghris in the past were warlike people and didn't have written history but wisely they recorded their existence through naming their new settlements with old names. Saghris seems to have existence before first migration from Syria. it is pertinent to note that Syria and Iran still have a good number of Saghris. After Qandhar they moved to Zhob area where they again left their signs as Saghri ghar and Saghri lake.

Lund Khwar

Lund Khwar was known in the old days as Sammah. The Khattaks here are the direct descendants of Khushal Khan Khattak through his son Sadar Khan. In his campaign of Swat, Khushal Khan Khattak had camped here and those of the Khattaks that live here today are his children through his Yousafzai wife. She was the daughter of the Yusufzai chief of the time in Mardan.

Prominent Khattaks

• Khushal Khan Khattak, The best popular poet whose poems are highly esteemed is Khushhal Khan. His life was spent in struggling against the oppressive Mughal governmment of India. In order to restore Afghan freedom Khushhal Khan challenged Aurangzeeb power. He defeated the Mughal troops in many engagements. Khushal Khan wrote many books in Pashto and Persian, ten of them are very popular.
• Afzal Khan Khattak, 1664–65, Chief of the Khattak tribe, Pashto poet, and author of Tarikh-e-morassa was the eldest son of Ashraf Khan in 1635 to 1693-94). In 1672-73 Ashraf succeeded his father Khoshal Khan in the chieftancy of the Khattak tribe.
• Muhammad Aslam Khan Khattak, was an Ambassador, Federal Minister and Governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
• Ajmal Khattak, (born 15 September 1925, died 7 February 2010) was a Pakistani politician, writer, Pashtun poet, Khudai Khidmatgar, former President of Awami National Party.
• Alam Khattak, Lieutenant General Muhammad Alam Khattak, HI (M), TBt, is a Pakistan Army general who is the presently the Commander Southern Command based at Quetta. He took over the command in October 2011 after staying as Chief of Logistics Staff (CLS) at the Army GHQ for two years. Khattak was previously in charge of the Frontier Corps as its Inspector-General.
• Habibullah Khan Khattak, Lieutenant General Habibullah Khan Khattak (October 17, 1913–1994).
• Abbas Khattak, NI (M), SBt, (born 16 July 1943), is a retired four-star general and air force officer in the Pakistan Air Force who served as the 14th Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force from 8 November 1994 to 7 November 1997.
• Ali Kuli Khan Khattak, Lieutenant General Ali Kuli Khan Khattak, is senior retired three-star general and military strategist who was a former Chief of General Staff (CGS), Commander X Corps (Rawalpindi) and Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) of the Pakistan Army.
• Major General Obaidullah Khan Khattak, Inspector General of Frontier Corps Balochistan.
• Ghulam Faruque (1899–1990) was a dynamic bureaucrat,politician and industrialist of Pakistan. He belonged to the village Shaidu (Khan Khel) in Nowshera District.his contribution to Pakistan's Industrial development he is sometimes described as "The Goliath who Industrialized Pakistan".
• Khan Malik Madad Khan Khattak (1854–1918) (Chief Of Khattak Nama).He was born To Malik Mansoor Khan Khattak in 1854, grandson of Shahzab Khan Khattak and great-grandson of famous Pushto poet and warrior Khushal Khan Khattak. He Served As Deputy Superintendent Police Of Bhopal State And Retired In 1893.
• Pareshan Khattak, (b.10 December 1931 - d. 16 April 2009) real name Gahami Jan Khattak, former Vice-Chancellor, Pashto poet and writer and former Chairman University Grants Commission. His books titled “Pukhtana Kochay,” “Dozakhi Pakhto,” “Drana Pukhtana,” “Khyber,” “Iteraff,” and “Aziza Meena” are popular reads in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan.
• Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak, Sindh Police Inspector General.
• Lt Gen Rakhman Gul NI (M), SBt,. Lt Gen Rakhman Gul Born in Tarkha koi small village in District Karak served as the commandant frontier corps when he was brigadier,He got commission in 1940 in british army after passing out from British Indian military academy Dera dhun,In 1947 he joined Pakistan army as a major,He led mujahidins in kashmir war and got Tamgha-e-Jurat ,He became Cor Commander Karachi in 1969,and during martial law he served as governor sindh from 1970-72.After retirment he served as Pakistan Ambassador to Libya and Afghanistan.He also got Sitara-e-Imtiaz for his services.He also played an important role in bring electricity to Karak district.He is still know as the pioneer of Frontier crops.

See also

• Pashtunistan
• Pakthas
• Afridi
• Yusufzai
• Zazi
• Nimat Allah al-Harawi Author of Tarikh-i-Khan Jahani Makhzan-i-Afghani

References

• David M., Hart. Guardians of the Khaibar Pass, the social organisation and history of the Afridis of Pakistan. p. 7.