Magsi
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Magsi (Balochi: مگسی) is the name of a Baloch tribe in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan
The Magsi tribe came from Iran, hailing from a place named Magas in Lishar. They migrated to modern Pakistan with Lashari and Rind tribes and that is the reason some historians call them the branch of Lashari tribe. The origin of the Magsi tribe is also related to Jamots. In Baluchistan, province of Pakistan, they are known as Magsi Baloch. In Sindh they are considered Sindhi Baloch. In northern Punjab they speak Punjabi while in southern Punjab they speak Seraiki. Most of the Magsi tribe is settled in the Jhal Magsi District. The clans of Magsi tribe include: Buhtani and Shambani. The Butani is the Nawab family. Shambani is Tumandar (chief Makhdoom). The clans of Shambani are: Vasdani, Salokhani, Muglani, Laskani, Bungulani, Sargani, etc. The current Nawab of the Magsi tribe is Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Khan Magsi. He is from the Buhtani sector of the tribe and the Tumandar is Mir Mousa Khan Magsi. He belonged to the Shambani family and then Hesbani, which includes Berkani and then Anglani. Mir Jangi Khan Magsi Baloch was their leader. They speak Sindhi and Balochi as their primary languages.
Magsi Force
In 1988, President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq died in an air crash and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's daughter Benazir Bhutto was elected as Prime Minister. Benazir Bhutto's government decided to replace the Hur Force with a new force called Magsi Force, consisting of militants from the tribe of Mir Nadir Ali Magsi, a rival of Hurs. Benazir Bhutto encouraged and supported clashes between the forces and after bloody wars the Hur Force was weakened substantially.
Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi is the current chief of the Magsi tribe, and he is also the current Governor of Balochistan.
Family Tree
Nawab Sardar Mir Kaisar Khan Magsi (K.C.I.E) Nawab Sardar Mir Mehboob Ali Magsi 2 sons Nawab Saifullah Khan Magsi and Nawab Yousuaf Ali Khan Magsi
Nawab Saifullah Magsi has the following children with two wives: Allah Dinni Magsi & Fauzia Magsi 7 sons Nawab Zulfiqar Mir Tariq Mir Akbar Mir Nadir Mir Amer Mir Khalid Mir Zafar 2 daughters Farah Magsi Scherezade Magsi
Eighty percent of the land in Jhal Magsi belongs to the Nawab and his brothers. The rest belongs to the tribal members. Amongst the many landmarks of Jhal, it is most famous for the Mula river.
[edit] History
The Magsi tribe is known to have converted to Islam during the Umayyad era and thenceforth the tribe is even known to have profited from their trade with Damascus. They were in charge of the Magas area of eastern Iran in the Sistan, Balochistan area of Iran. Then, at the time of Jalal Khan Magsi the tribe migrated to present day Baluchistan in around 1423.
Among the many prominent acts of courage by the Magsi’s include giving refuge to Mughal Emperor Humayun and challenging the ruthless usurper Sher Shah Suri. The tribe is known to have allied with the Mughal commander Bayram Khan and helped win the Second Battle of Panipat and were officially given the title Nawab by the Mughal Emperor Akbar during the early years of his reign. Later on Dara Shikoh took refuge among the Magsis, but he was betrayed by his own commanders and later executed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The Magsi tribe is also known to have allied itself with Ahmed Shah Durrani and fought against the Maratha Hindus during the Third Battle of Panipat.
