Achakzai

Achakzai (Pashto: اڅکزی ) are Durrani Pashtuns primarily found in southern Afghanistan and northern regions of Balochistan Province.

Demographics

Achakzais of Afghanistan are mainly located in Spin Boldak, Reg, Kandahar, Helmand, Oruzgan and Herat. Achakzais on the other side of Durrand Line, in Pakistan, live in Chaman, Pishin, Gulistan, Qilla Abdullah, Quetta and other northern districts of Balochistan. Chaman is considered to be the center of Achakzais.

According to Hyat Khan's history of Afghanistan, there are two main divisions descending from their progenitor Bor Tareen: the Zirak and the Panjpai. The term Abdal, however, gradually superseded Bor Tareen and came into special prominence when Ahmad Shah Abdali, commonly known as Durrani, began his career of conquest. The Achakzais are strictly a branch of the Barakzai but Ahmad Shah Durrani, himself an Abdal Tareen, fearing the growing numbers of the Barakzai, separated them from the parent stock, since which time they have remained distinct.

Sub-Tribes

This tribe is mainly divided into two sub-tribes

1. Badinzai
2. Gujanzai

Nationalism

The Achakzais have been very active in the Pashtun nationalist movement. Most Achakzais wish to be joined back to Afghanistan. They desire, among other things, a separate province for the Pashtuns living in Pakistan to be named Pashtunistan, which would include: Quetta, Qilla Abdullah, Mianwali and the Pashtun parts of Balochistan, NWFP, FATA.

Historically, the Achakzais have always fought for their land and most of the Achakzais are good in negotiation and conflict resolution. In addition, Achakzais are famous for their outspokenness.

Prominent Achakzais

• Mahmood Khan Achakzai --MNA & Chairman of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
• ahmed Khan Achakzai --chief of ghabizai subtribe of achakzai
• Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai --founder of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
• Haji Muhammad Zaman Khan Achakzai --former federal minister
• Haji saifullah khan Achakzai --promienent businessman
• Malik Mohammad Younas --politician, 1945 to 1988, belong to the Ashazai subtribe of Achakzai
• Mulla Abdul Salam Asheyzai --nationalist poet who wrote books based on Islamic issues and Pashtun nationalism. his famous books include: "Talab-e-Mazhab" and "Sosan-e-Chamman".
• Ghazi Abdullah Khan Achakzai --was one of the leaders of the Afghan War of Independence 1839. This war resulted in the destruction of a British Army that was 18,000 strong. The lone survivor was a doctor who made it to the fort of Jalalabad.
• Ghazi Maedad Khan Achakzai --son of Badin Khan Achakzai, was a commander of the Afghan Army in second Anglo-Afghan war. He fought on the side of Ghazi Ayub Khan in the Battle of Maiwand and was injured in this battle. He belonged to the Tharhatzai subtribe of Hamidzai Achakzai and was born in the Jilga district of Toba Achakzai. He died in the province of Herat (Afghanistan) where he had been serving in the Afghan Army.
• Madat Khan Ghabizai was chief of Ghabizai tribe, a subtribe of Achakzai lived in village Gulistan some 75km from Quetta and fought against British alongside Tareens and Syed. British general Major General England wrote in District Guzutiear of 1906.

See also

• Pathan
• Pashtun tribes
• Pashtunistan

External links

• Encyclopedia Iranica: ACƎKZĪ