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Garhi Habibullah

Coordinates: 34°24′05″N 73°22′49″E / 34.4014°N 73.3803°E / 34.4014; 73.3803
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Garhi Habibullah
Upper Pakhli
Union council and town
Garhi Habibullah
A view of Garhi Habib Khan Jehangiri from Aznali Hills
A view of Garhi Habib Khan Jehangiri from Aznali Hills
Garhi Habibullah is located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Garhi Habibullah
Garhi Habibullah
Location in Pakistan
Garhi Habibullah is located in Pakistan
Garhi Habibullah
Garhi Habibullah
Garhi Habibullah (Pakistan)
Coordinates: 34°24′05″N 73°22′49″E / 34.4014°N 73.3803°E / 34.4014; 73.3803
CountryPakistan
RegionKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa
DistrictMansehra District
Government
 • MPAMunir Lughmani Swati
 • General Councilor (Chairman)Fahad Yalmaz Khan Swati (Hundi Samandar Khan)
 • General Councilor (Vice Chairman)Dr Wajid Hamayun Khan Swati (Hundi Behram Khan)
 • General Councilor (Member)Danish Khan Swati (Hundi Hassan Ali Khan)
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)
Area code0997

Garhi Habibullah is a town, union council of Mansehra District in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan[1] and former capital city of Pakhli State. It is located in Balakot Tehsil and lies to the east of district capital Mansehra, towards the Kashmir frontier (near to Muzaffarabad the capital of Azad Kashmir). It was affected by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.[2] It is named after Habibullah Khan Swati who was the 6th Chief of Swati tribe, 5th Chief of Pakhli and 2nd Khan of Garhi Saadat Khan.

Chiefs[edit]

  • Saeed Khan Khankhail Swati (Founder of Garhi)
  • Saadat Khan Khankhail Swati(1768-1780) bin Saeed Khan — Chief of Swati tribe, Ruler of Pakhli State.
  • Ali Khan Khankhail Swati (1780-1800) bin Saadat Khan
  • Najeebullah Khan Swati bin Saadat Khan (1810-1823) — Chief of Swatis, Ruler of Pakhli State and 2nd Khan of Garhi.
  • Haibat Khan Khankhail Swati (1823-1830)
  • Habibullah Khan Swati I bin Saadat Khan (1830-1844) — Chief of Swatis, Ruler of Pakhli, 3rd Khan of Garhi.
  • Jagirdar Ameen Khan Swati bin Habibullah Khan(1844-1854) — Chief of Swatis, 4th Khan of Garhi, 1st Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdhani State
  • Jagirdar and Magistrate Samandar Khan Khankhail Swati bin Ameen Khan(1854-1889)
Samandar Khan Swati(1854-1889) —Chief of Swati tribe, Khan of Garhi Habibullah and honoury magistrate of Hazara, 2nd Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdahani State
Khan Bahadur Hussain Khankhail Swati(1889-1920) Biggest Jagirdar of KPK. Chief of Swati tribe and Khan of Garhi Habibullah, 3rd Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdahani State
Khan Sahib Akram Khan Swati(1920-1939) - Biggest Jagirdar of KPK,Chief of Swati tribe, Khan of Garhi, 4th Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdahani State
Khan Bahadur Aslam Khankhail Swati(1939-1964) , Conquerer of Muzafarabad, Biggest Jagirdar of KPK, Chief of Swati tribe, Khan of Garhi, 5th Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdahani State
  • Naseem Khan Khankhail Swati bin Aslam Khan(1964-1980)
Khan Sahib Naseem Khankhail Swati(1964-1980)— Chief of Swatis, Khan of Garhi, 6th and last Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdahani State
  • Babar Naseem Khankhail Swati bin Naseem Khan(1980-2012)
Babar Naseem Khan(1980-2011), Food Minister KPK, 2 times MPA, Chief of Swati tribe,Khan of Garhi, 7th honoury Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdahani State
  • Habibullah Khan Khankhail Swati II bin Babar Khan(2012-Present)
Habibullah Khan Khankhail Swati II (The Current and 11th Chief of Garhi Habibullah, Chief of Swati tribe, 8th honoury Nawab of Neelishang-Rajdahani State

Language[edit]

The people of Garhi Habibullah primarily speaks Hindko and Urdu as their second language. Garhi Habibullah was considered as Pashto speaking area when the Swatis used to speak Pashto during 18th and 19th centuries but shifted to Hindko with the passage of time.

Land Estates and Khans[edit]

According to 1872 division of Hazara District, Garhi Habib Khan was divided among 5 families into 5 Hundis/Estates.[3]

  • Estate of Samundar Khan Khankhail Swati
  • Estate of Habib Khan Jehangiri Swati
  • Estate of Ameen Khan Jehangiri Swati
  • Estate of Hassan Ali Khan Arghushal Swati
  • Estate of Behram Khan Sarkheli Swati.[4]

Only estate owners have rights in Shamlat and forest share.

Government document of 1872 showing the names of 5 Headmen of the land estates in Garhi Habibullah.

Tribes[edit]

Landlords:

  • Gabri Swati
    • From Deshrai section (تپہ دیشرائی) : Khankhails (Chief of Swatis and Garhi), Jehangiris, Arghushals and Aznalis. This section is direct descendent to Sultan Pakhal Gibari (Chief of Swatis and Sultan of Swat Sultanate)
    • From Sarkheli section(تپہ سرخیلی) : Lughmanis and Teetwals. This section is direct descendent to Sultan Bahram Gibari who was a younger brother of Sultan Pakhal.
    • From Mir section(تپہ میر) : Panjmerals, Dodal and Panjghols. This section is direct descendent to governors or Mirs of Swat Sultanate.
  • Palal Tanoli
    • From Labeyal section : Khankhails only. This Tanoli Khankhail family is direct descendent to Suba Khan (Chief of Tanawal ) younger brother Himat Khan whose grandson Nawab Khan migrated to Garhi Habibullah in 1872 AD.

Others:

Majority of people from Kami castes now identify themselves as Awans, Rajas, Qureshis, Kashmiris or Mughals to hide their real identify however their real caste is persevered in the Patwar Khana of Garhi Habibullah and Mansehra.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Mansehra - Government of Pakistan Archived July 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Earthquake Affected Area Overview - United Nations Joint Logistics Centre Archived September 13, 2012, at archive.today
  3. ^ "Swati Family : History of Garhi Habibullah". Swati Family. 2023-07-25. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  4. ^ British Government (1872). Five Khans of Garhi Habibullah, District Mansehra 1872.