Tahir Khel
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The Tahir Khel (also Tar Khel, Tahirkheli, Tarkheli) are a Hindko and Pushtu speaking tribe, and mainly dwell in the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Although a majority of Tahirkhelis speak Hindko, they are ethnically Pashtun and originate from the Alizai Pathan tribe (Sub tribe of Toor Tareen) that migrated from Afghanistan. As a result they follow the pukhtunwali code of conduct. The closest tribe that can be compared to the Alizai tribe is Durrani (No longer a part of Toor Tareen).
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[edit] History & Origin
After their migration to Hazara, which occurred in the late-18th to early-19th century, most Tahirkhelis settled in that area. The earliest written accounts of British encounters with the Tahirkhelis is by Watson’s Gazeteer of the early-20th century, during an evaluation of ancient art from the area of the Hazara.[1] A Tribe Called Tahirkheli
The Tahir Khel (also Tar Khel, Tahirkheli, Tarkheli) are a Pathan sub-group of the Utman Khel tribe, and are originally from the Hazara region of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Although ethnically Pashtun, Tahirkhelis are a Hindko-speaking people. Their ancestry can be traced back to Afghanistan, and likely Eastern Iran. (Caroe 1984)
After their migration to Hazara, which occurred in the late-18th to early-19th century, most Tahirkhelis settled in Salamkhand village that is situated in the Gandghar Mountains east of the Indus River. The earliest written accounts of British encounters with the Tahirkhelis is by Watson’s Gazeteer of the early-20th century, during an evaluation of ancient art from the area of the Gandghars. (Frembgen 1998)
The Kharri Gandger area, currently hazara area was given to this Alizai tribe after their bravery shown in war along side Ahmed Shah Abdali and since then the Tahirkheli family is a Khan family and has been renowned for being a very prominent land owning family for many generations.
In recent generations, Tahirkhelis have inhabited the eastern Indus River banks near the village Ghazi as well as other various parts of the Haripur and Attock districts. There are small Tahirkheli communities outside of Pakistan as well, such as in California, Bradford, London, and other places of Pakistani expatriation.
[edit] Distribution
In recent generations, Tahirkhelis have inhabited the eastern Indus River banks near the village Ghazi as well as other various parts of the Haripur of the North West Frontier Province and Attock District of Punjab. There are small Tahirkheli communities outside of Pakistan as well, such as in California, Bradford, London, North Carolina, and other places of Pakistani prominence.
[edit] Famous Tahirkhelis
Dr. Rashid Ahmed Khan Tahirkheli, Semiconductor Engineer Tahir Naseer Khan Tahirkheli BS Engineering, Intel Corp Santa Clara, CA, USA, Shirin R. Tahir-Kheli, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli Squadron Leader Khalid Latif TahirKheli Nasir Zareen Khan Tahirkheli MD Dr. Pupa Tahirkheli MD back-end process specialist Baland Zaman Khan as known as Zabardast Singh Tahirkheli
[edit] References
- ^ J. W. Frembgen, "Religious Folk Art as an Expression of Identity: Muslim Tombstones in the Hazara Mountains of Pakistan Vol. 1, 1998
