Khalil (Pashtun tribe)

The Khalil (Pashto: خليل) is a Pashtun Ghoryakhel subtribe primarily living in the Peshawar Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, with some members in Nangarhar, Herat, Ghazni, and Kandahar in Afghanistan. The Khalils are settled in Peshawar, to the West are Afridi tribe North to Daudzai tribe and Peshawar Mohmand are to the South.

Origins

Ghoryakhel had four sons Daulatyar, Zeerani, Khalil, Chamkani tribe, Daulatyar had two sons Mohmand, Daudzai. The Khalil originally lived in Ghwara Marghay Arghistan Qandahar Afghanistan, in the Qalat Zabul and Ghazni. Khalil Mattezai still living on the basin of the Tarnak River north of Ghazni and Sheikh Matte BaBa Shrine is close to Tarnak River on the Hill. Mongols invaded the region in 13th century, the Khalils, along with the Momands who were also Ghoryakhel, formerly settled in central Afghanistan, were driven out. The Khalil first migrated northeastwards to Kabul and then to Nangrahar further eastwards along the Kabul River. The Khalil came in 1530-1535 from Nangrahar to their present settlement in Western part of the Peshawar valley according to the Babur history book Baburnama and Pashto History Book Pata Khazana written by Abdulhai Habibi.

According to Pashtun historion Books. (Rahmatat Khani, Khurshed Jehan, Pukhtaney Qabele Wopejaney ). Khalils still living in Qandahar and they have been known as Baro Durani Pashto word mean upper Durani. There is a gate name is Baro Durani in Qandahar which is refer to Khalils.

Sub-Tribes

• Barozai
• Mattezai
• Ishaqzai
• Tarllarzai
• Afuzai
• Noorzai
• Tarakzai
• Saagh

Barozai Khalil

This is by far the most powerful sub tribe among the Khalils. The leading Khan of the Barozai sub tribe during the British empire was Malik Afridi Khan (K.B.) of Mulazai. Later his son, Malik Muhammad Zaman Khan (K.B.) and Muhammad Akbar Khan of Mulazai became the leading men of the tribe.