Gandapur
Encyclopedia
The Gandapurs are a Pashtun tribe inhabiting the environs of Dera Ismail Khan
, a major commercial center on the west bank of the Indus River
, in the southern region of the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa of Pakistan
, near the frontier with South Waziristan
. The Gandapurs reside principally in the small town of Kulachi
on the bank of the Gomal River
, a tributary of the Indus River. They trace their origin to Afghanistan
.
They settled in the Dera Ismail Khan area in the 17th century AD. A part of the tribe lives in Sur Kalay in Ghazni Province
of Afghanistan.
The Gandâpûr, like many other nomadic Pashtun
groups in the region, regularly moved between Afghanistan and the Dâmân plains stretching from the Indus to the eastern slopes of the Solaymân mountains. They combined pastoral
nomadism with the transportation and peddling of goods between Central Asia
and South Asia
. The pattern of these nomadic movements and the transformations of their society fluctuated with the rhythms of trade
and the nature of their contacts with the surrounding political economies throughout their history. During the 17th century, most of the Gandâpûr had settled in Dêra Ismâîl Khân, with large numbers engaged in the trade between India and Khorasan
, which intensified in the next two centuries.
s. There is a tradition that they are the descendants of Syed Muhammad Gaisu Daraaz who was a Sufi poet of the 16th century AD (it is 14th century); the saint died in 1422. This tradition, as supported by Tarikh-e-Pushtun and Tarikh-e-Gandapur, and by Tarikhe Khan Jahani of the early 17th century, traces the origin of Gandapurs as follows:
The tradition tells us that Tairi married a girl named Gul Andama. Gul Andama belonged to a hostile tribe and so Tairi had to migrate to avoid revenge from his wife's tribe. His father Storay bid him farewell and prayed for him as "Ganda pura" (Pashto words: ganda = "bag" and pura = "full") and it meant "Tairi should always have full bounties and blessings of all kinds" and hence it became the epithet of Tairi and was later known as Gandapur.
The original name of Gandapur was Tairi Khan. He had four sons and a daughter. Their names are as follows:
district in northwest Balochistan
. Gandapurs used to pass through their area while going from their place in Ghazni
to Dera Ismail Khan
in a usual annual cycle of nomadic life.
Khaddal Lavuñ was chief of the Lavuñ tribe in the 16th century AD. He chose a narrow pass in the way of nomadic tribes going to Dera Ismail Khan
and the rest of Indus plain passing through his area and laid there. He demanded that girls from various tribes should come and lift him in their shawls. That was very humiliating demand and none of the tribe could accede to that. When the Gandapurs arrived at the narrow pass, they found Khaddal Lavuñ lying in the pass. When lengthy negotiations bore no fruit, some of the Gandapur young men disguised themselves as girls wearing shawls of women and came to Khaddal. Apparently they had come to lift him in their shawls but they divided him into pieces.
The death of Khaddal Lavuñ brought them in confrontation with the Lavuñ tribe and their route from Ghazni
to Dera Ismail Khan
no longer remained safe. This led to the separation of the tribe into two parts. One part of the tribe settled in Damaan, Kulachi
, Dera Ismail Khan
and the other part remained in their original abode in Ghazni
, Afghanistan
. A distance of more than 450 kilometers between the two places and the enemy tribe inhabiting the route divided the tribe. Over a period of almost four centuries, the two parts of the Gandapur tribe have lost any contact between them.
King and warrior Ahmad Shah Abdali gathered all the Pashtun tribes and conquered a large part of the area presently comprising Afghanistan
and Pakistan
, Gandapurs were part of his army. As the tradition goes, soldiers speaking Persian
used to pronounce the "d" in the word Gandapur as soft "d" (like "th" in the English
word "the"). With the soft "d", the word "Ganda" would become a Hindustani language
word "Ganda" (meaning "not clean" or "untidy"). When Ahmad Shah Abdali came to know that fact, he bestowed upon Gandapurs the title of "Afghanpur". Gandapurs were held in high esteem by Ahmad Shah Abdali.
. The area occupied by Gandapurs is roughly one-third of the area as occupied by the Marwat
tribe. The population of Gandapurs may range from 70,000 to 90,000. But their influence is relatively large.
The Gandapurs living in Afghanistan may also range between 30,000 to 40,000, according to conservative estimates. They live in Ghazni
district in Afghanistan, where they associate themselves with the Tarakai tribe.
There is no interaction between Gandapurs living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
, Dera Ismail Khan
region at present. It is also possible that some of these sub-tribes may not be part of the original lineage of Gandapur. They may have been living with Gandapurs and may have merged with them over a period.
Some of the sub-tribes, though living with Gandapurs, are not considered part of the original tree. They are as follows:
In Afghanistan, Gandapurs are considered as cousins or a part of the large Tarakai
tribe.
. Important settlements or villages are Maddi
, Hathala
, Takwara, Rori, Looni
,Kundo Kot,Zarkani,Kanori Pota and Gara Abdullah,Gara madda.
Gandapur are a Pashtun tribe and they only speak Pashto language. Large number of Seraiki people also reside with them but they are not Gandapur and do not know Pashto.
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
, a major commercial center on the west bank of the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
, in the southern region of the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, near the frontier with South Waziristan
South Waziristan
South Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
. The Gandapurs reside principally in the small town of Kulachi
Kulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
on the bank of the Gomal River
Gomal River
Gomal River is a river in the historical region of Pashtunistan, consisting of areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan, inhabited by the Pashtuns...
, a tributary of the Indus River. They trace their origin to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
They settled in the Dera Ismail Khan area in the 17th century AD. A part of the tribe lives in Sur Kalay in Ghazni Province
Ghazni Province
Ghazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
of Afghanistan.
The Gandâpûr, like many other nomadic Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
groups in the region, regularly moved between Afghanistan and the Dâmân plains stretching from the Indus to the eastern slopes of the Solaymân mountains. They combined pastoral
Pastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
nomadism with the transportation and peddling of goods between Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. The pattern of these nomadic movements and the transformations of their society fluctuated with the rhythms of trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
and the nature of their contacts with the surrounding political economies throughout their history. During the 17th century, most of the Gandâpûr had settled in Dêra Ismâîl Khân, with large numbers engaged in the trade between India and Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
, which intensified in the next two centuries.
Tradition of tribe's origin
In sources, Gandapurs are described as syedSyed
Syed is a masculine given name derived from the title Sayyid, it is not to be confused with the similar looking name Sayid...
s. There is a tradition that they are the descendants of Syed Muhammad Gaisu Daraaz who was a Sufi poet of the 16th century AD (it is 14th century); the saint died in 1422. This tradition, as supported by Tarikh-e-Pushtun and Tarikh-e-Gandapur, and by Tarikhe Khan Jahani of the early 17th century, traces the origin of Gandapurs as follows:
- Syed Muhammad Gaisu Daraaz =>> Storay (meaning Star in Pashto) =>> Tairi Khan or Gandapur
The tradition tells us that Tairi married a girl named Gul Andama. Gul Andama belonged to a hostile tribe and so Tairi had to migrate to avoid revenge from his wife's tribe. His father Storay bid him farewell and prayed for him as "Ganda pura" (Pashto words: ganda = "bag" and pura = "full") and it meant "Tairi should always have full bounties and blessings of all kinds" and hence it became the epithet of Tairi and was later known as Gandapur.
The original name of Gandapur was Tairi Khan. He had four sons and a daughter. Their names are as follows:
- Yaqub Khan (His descendants are known as Yaqub Zai)
- Ibrahim Khan (His descendants are known as Ibrahim Zai) Sardar Mohd Nawrang Khan, Sardar Haq Nawaz Khan, Sardar Salah ud Din Khan are the wellnown persons of this tribe .
- Hussain Khan (His descendants are known as Hussain Zai)
- Imran Khan (His descendants are divided into many sub-branches; the first two main branches are Isa Khel and Gund Khel which again have a number of sub-branches). The Bara Khel branch of Isa Khel is the most dominant one; it has so far produced two Chief Ministers, Sardar Aurangzeb Khan (May 1943 to March 1945) and Sardar Inayatullah Khan (April 1973 to Feb 1975), and one Minister Aminullah Khan (October 2000 to December 2002).
- Khubai, the daughter of Gandapur. Her descendants are known as Khubezai. The two major branches named after her sons are Zuhakzai and Sikanderzai. Sikandar Khan has two sons: Kamal Khan and Hafiz Bakhtiar Khan. The descendants of Kamal Khan are known as Kamal Khel, while descendants of Hafiz Bakhtiar Khan are known as Hafiz KhelHafiz KhelHafiz Khel is a sub-tribe of Gandapur tribe. About 80-85% are now migrated to Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Zhob Districts of North West Frontier Province and Baluchistan.-Language:They are bilingual. Members living in Zhob and Tank speak Pashto...
.
The Khaddal Lavuñ episode
Lavuñ is a small Pashtun tribe residing in and around Qamardin Karez in the west of ZhobZhob
-Roads:Zhob is 333 kilometers from Quetta, 225 kilometers from Dera Ismail Khan. However, the road linking with Dera Ismail Khan is for most part fair nowadays track passing through water streams and almost complete road is metalloid....
district in northwest Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
. Gandapurs used to pass through their area while going from their place in Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
to Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
in a usual annual cycle of nomadic life.
Khaddal Lavuñ was chief of the Lavuñ tribe in the 16th century AD. He chose a narrow pass in the way of nomadic tribes going to Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
and the rest of Indus plain passing through his area and laid there. He demanded that girls from various tribes should come and lift him in their shawls. That was very humiliating demand and none of the tribe could accede to that. When the Gandapurs arrived at the narrow pass, they found Khaddal Lavuñ lying in the pass. When lengthy negotiations bore no fruit, some of the Gandapur young men disguised themselves as girls wearing shawls of women and came to Khaddal. Apparently they had come to lift him in their shawls but they divided him into pieces.
The death of Khaddal Lavuñ brought them in confrontation with the Lavuñ tribe and their route from Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
to Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
no longer remained safe. This led to the separation of the tribe into two parts. One part of the tribe settled in Damaan, Kulachi
Kulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
, Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
and the other part remained in their original abode in Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. A distance of more than 450 kilometers between the two places and the enemy tribe inhabiting the route divided the tribe. Over a period of almost four centuries, the two parts of the Gandapur tribe have lost any contact between them.
Gandapur or Afghanpur
When the great AfghanPashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
King and warrior Ahmad Shah Abdali gathered all the Pashtun tribes and conquered a large part of the area presently comprising Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Gandapurs were part of his army. As the tradition goes, soldiers speaking Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
used to pronounce the "d" in the word Gandapur as soft "d" (like "th" in the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
word "the"). With the soft "d", the word "Ganda" would become a Hindustani language
Hindustani language
Hindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
word "Ganda" (meaning "not clean" or "untidy"). When Ahmad Shah Abdali came to know that fact, he bestowed upon Gandapurs the title of "Afghanpur". Gandapurs were held in high esteem by Ahmad Shah Abdali.
Size of the tribe
Gandapurs living in Pakistan do not form a very large tribe. They have occupied northern part of Tehsil KulachiKulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
. The area occupied by Gandapurs is roughly one-third of the area as occupied by the Marwat
Marwat
Marwat مروت, refers to a Pashtun tribe, located primarily in Lakki Marwat District in the south of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan as well the districts of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan...
tribe. The population of Gandapurs may range from 70,000 to 90,000. But their influence is relatively large.
The Gandapurs living in Afghanistan may also range between 30,000 to 40,000, according to conservative estimates. They live in Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
district in Afghanistan, where they associate themselves with the Tarakai tribe.
There is no interaction between Gandapurs living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Sub-tribes
The tribe is further divided into the following sub-tribes; it has not been possible to trace how these sub-tribes are interrelated. These are the sub-tribes existing in KulachiKulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
, Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
region at present. It is also possible that some of these sub-tribes may not be part of the original lineage of Gandapur. They may have been living with Gandapurs and may have merged with them over a period.
- Ali Zai (not to be confused with the Alizai of Dera Ismail KhanDera Ismail KhanDera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
) - Allah Dad Khel
- Bahadar Khel
- Bara Khel
- Behlol Khel
- Bazeed Khel
- Hafiz KhelHafiz KhelHafiz Khel is a sub-tribe of Gandapur tribe. About 80-85% are now migrated to Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Zhob Districts of North West Frontier Province and Baluchistan.-Language:They are bilingual. Members living in Zhob and Tank speak Pashto...
- Hammarh (cousins of Gandapur)
- Hussain ZaiHussain ZaiHussainzai is a Pashtun sub-tribe. They are the descendants of Hussain, the third son of Gandapur. Hussainzais are a small segment of the whole tribe of Gandapurs. Most of them live close to Mosa Zais in Kulachi, Dera Ismail Khan....
- Ibrahim ZaiIbrahim ZaiIbrahim Zai is one of the largest sub-tribes of the Gandapur tribe of the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa of Pakistan. They are the descendants of Ibrahim, the second son of Gandapur. They have been leading the Gandapur tribe for a very long time only to be over taken by Bara Khels.Large sections of the tribe...
- khadar khel
- Kamal Khel
- Khadarzai
- Khwaji Khel
- Marirh (cousins of Gandapur)
- Musa Zai
- Nakunder Zai
- Nasar Khel
- Natthu Zai
- Pira khel
- Rana Khel
- ShakhiShakhiShakhi is a sub cast of Pashtoons/Pakhtoons residing in the north part of Kulachi city, Pakistan.Shakhis live in Mohallah Shakhi inside Shakhi Gate.Shakhi Gate is of one of six gates of Kulachi city,located at the northern side of the city.It was named after Shakhi tribe residing inside the Shakhi...
(Cousins of Gandapur) - Shehzad Khel
- Usman Khel
- Yakhel (or Yahya Khel)
- Yaqub ZaiYaqub ZaiYaqubzai are a Pashtun tribe of Gandapur living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.- History :Yaquzais are the descendants of Yaqub, the eldest son of Gandapur. Yaqub though the eldest one, was not the most brilliant of his four sons and hence the whole family of Gandapur was led by Ibrahim Khan the...
- Zarni Khel
- Zuhak Zai
Some of the sub-tribes, though living with Gandapurs, are not considered part of the original tree. They are as follows:
- Ghurani
- Marhail
- Rana Zai
- Noor Ahmad Khel
In Afghanistan, Gandapurs are considered as cousins or a part of the large Tarakai
Tarakai
The Tarakai are a Ghilzai Pashtun tribe; many are found in Ghazni and Zabol provinces of Afghanistan. They are divided into six khels: the Firoz, Suhail, Gurbuz, Badin, Saki, and Na....
tribe.
Gandapur villages in Kulachi
Gandapurs reside in many villages other than the city of KulachiKulachi
Kulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
. Important settlements or villages are Maddi
Maddi
Maddi is a town and union council of Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located at 31°52'59N 70°34'27E and has an altitude of 198 metres . He is also a god like character who hails from Auckland New Zealand-References:...
, Hathala
Hathala
Hathala is a town and union council in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located at 32°2'56N 70°34'18E and has an altitude of 208 metres .-References:...
, Takwara, Rori, Looni
Looni
Looni is a town and union council in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa....
,Kundo Kot,Zarkani,Kanori Pota and Gara Abdullah,Gara madda.
Gandapur are a Pashtun tribe and they only speak Pashto language. Large number of Seraiki people also reside with them but they are not Gandapur and do not know Pashto.
Notable people
Since Gandapurs live in Kulachi on lands most barren due to paucity of water, education has been the only means to move forward on the path of development and prosperity. Gandapurs have made a mark in various walks of life and the ratio of educated and talented people is more than any other tribe of Southern Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa as compared to their total population. Some of the important personalities are as follows:Politics
- Sardar Haq Nawaz Khan: (Shaheed) A matchless out spoken son of the soul revenges his father murderer alone bravely when he was teen age school boy. He was elected twice President of the college union along with his whole cabinet during his graduation from Government College Dera Ismail Khan. Sardar Akbar Hayat Khan and Sardar Abdul Wahab Khan were very well included in his cabinet. Khan Abdul Qayum Khan was his political god-father. But after Tashkent conference he was very much convinced and impressed by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto PPP constitution. He started his new PPP political campaigned from D I Khan city against the strongest dictator of the time Field Marshal General Muhammad Ayub Khan. He was hit by thunder lightning stroke during PPP election campaign in 1970 near Yarak at a distance of about 25 kms away from the city towards Bannu-Peshawar.
- Noor Muhammad Tarakai: He was the President of AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
after the Communist Revolution. He founded the Afghan Peoples Party. He was also a great literary figure. He belonged to Shabi Khel tribe of the Tarakai which in fact are the Gandapurs who remained in Afghanistan after the Khaddal Luvañ death.
- Naurang Khan: He had in his possession some two and half lac kanal (almost 30000 acres (121.4 km²) of land) in tehsil Kulachi. (Please refer to the "Mahfoz Khana, ("Taqsem-i-kalan and Taqsem-i-Khurd) Maal Record of District D. I. Khan Revenue department.) According to the Gazetteer of Dera Ismail Khan District 1882-83, Naurang Khan "did a yeoman service" and saved the British forces in Multan in the fighting of kaneri agisnt the than Punjab rular "Molraj Singh" the Indian War of Independence 1857 AD. He was rewarded jagir in Multan and also in MarwatMarwatMarwat مروت, refers to a Pashtun tribe, located primarily in Lakki Marwat District in the south of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan as well the districts of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan...
area near BannuBannuBannu is the principal city of the Bannu District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It is an important road junction and market city. Bannu is a very old city, founded in ancient times; however, the present location of the downtown Bannu was founded by Sir Herbert Edwardes in 1848,...
and the village has been named after him as Sarai Naurang Khan. He had six sons. Before going to settle down in "the New village of Serai Naurang", the sardar awarded some of his property (around the then Railway line, currently GT Road) to the Kundi tribesman from Gul Imanm "Tank" area and the rest he allotted equally to his five out of six sons. The five villages were named after his sons (Kotka Meherdil Khan Gandapur, Kotka Nawaz Khan Gandapur, Kotka Sarfraz Khan Gandapur, Kotka Bakhtyar Khan Gandapur, i.e. the son of Zaman Khan elder son of Sardar Naurang Khan Gandapur, and the younger one Kotka Sikandar Khan Gandapur). All these properties lie on the bank and around the Kakki Road in Tehsil Serai Naurang Khan.Now currently the descendants of Meherdil Khan Gandapur and Sikandar khan Gandapur are inhabited in their respective villages while the descendants of other three sons have migrated back to tehsil kulachi. Sikandar khan Gandapur had two sons,Hussain khan Gandapur and abdul Rahim khan Gandapur. Hussain khan gandapur died issueless while Abdul Rahim khan Gandapur had got four son: Naeem Khan Gandapur,Shah Aurangzeb Khan Gandapur,Ramzan khan gandapur and Aman Ullah khan Gandapur. Aman Ullah khan Gandapur had premature death while Aurangzeb khan Gandapur died issueless.
- Sardar Sarwar Jan Khan Gandapur: He has in his possession some two and half thousand kanal (almost 300 acres (121.4 ha) of land) in tehsil Sarai Naurang. (Please refer to the " Sardar Gandpur, ("Taqsem-i-kalan and Taqsem-i-Khurd) Maal Record of tehsil Sarai Naurang. Khan Revenue department.) According to the Gazetteer of tehsil Sarai Naurang 1865.
- Aurang Zeb Khan: An Aligarh law graduate who had been the President of the Student Union there. Practiced law at Peshawar. Participated in the second Round Table Conference held in London in 1931 as the Assistant of Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayoom, who represented NWFP(Now Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa) there. Became a member of the First Legislative Council in 1934; re-elected to remain a member of the first legislative assembly of NWFP(Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa) from 1937 to 1946. Founded first Muslim League Parliamentary Party in the Assembly in 1937 and became its leader and the Leader of Opposition in December 1937. He was one of the seconders of the Lahore (Pakistan) Resolution (the only one from Frontier) and was the only Frontier leader to have the honour to address that Open Session of All India Muslim League, at Minto Park Lahore on 23 March 1940. Became the first Muslim League Chief Minister in May 1943 and remained so till March 1945 when a No-Confidence Motion moved Congress led by Dr. Khan Sahib was successfully carried. (Incidentally it was with the support of two Muslim League members, Saadullah Khan of Umarzai and Khan Faizullah Khan Ghazni khel, who voted for Congress.) After the No-Confidence he completed his tenure as Leader of the Opposition but did not take part in the next election and retired from politics immediately after independence.
- Freedom Fighter: An other law graduate from Aligarh Alhaj Muhammad Ramzan Khan MA LL B Advocate who started his politics from Islamia College Peshawar right from student life. He was arrested three time for the national cause and was awarded regorious imrissionment for 7 years. He was the son of Islamia Collegiate first ever Headmaster KS Haji Ghulam Sarwar Khan the lonely BA BT muslim teacher of his time. The Government of KPK awarded Silver Madal in recognition of his services toward Pakistan Movement.
- Sardar Muhammad Hayat Khan Gandapur: Son of Sardar Jehangir Khan Gandapur "Embassador to Burma (now known as Myanmar)". President of All India Muslim League Students Federation during his graduation at Aligarh University. Childhood friend of Sartaj Aziz, an ex-Finance minister of Pakistan.
- Inayat Ullah Khan: Born in KulachiKulachiKulachi is a city and the headquarters of Kulachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at at an altitude of 209 metres...
on 27 August 1919, famous for his Texan attire, served as Chief Minister of the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa from 1973 to 1975, and held various portfolios of Revenue, Excise & taxation, Transport, Law & Parliamentary affairs, Communication and works, Irrigation, Finance, Agriculture from his tenure in 1970s to 2005. He would always stand as an independent candidate in his political career. He was the oldest member of the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa Parliament and died, while still being a member of parliament at the age of 86, on 28 April 2005.
- Sardar Aminullah Khan Gandapur Born in Kulachi 1944, graduated from Pakistan Military Academy in 1964 and served in the Frontier Force Regiment of Pakistan army. In 1974, he got his premature retirement. In his brief service of ten years he saw action in Rann of Kutch (Mar 1965- wherein he was awarded Commander in Chief Commendation card for gallantry and devotion to duty) and the Indo Pak wars of 1965 and 1971. He had been an instructor in the two prestigious institutions of Pakistan army; the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul and School of Infantry and Tactics, Quetta. He remained Provincial Minister for Revenue and Excise and Taxation in N.W.F.F. (now renamed as Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa from 2000-2002. It was during his tenure in the cabinet (2001) that the work on Gomal Zam Dam, a mega irrigation and power project. The project would boost the economy of the area and tribe as most of 163,000 acres of land lies in the Gandapuri area. Is also the author of a book "Tarikh-i-Sar Zamin-i-Gomal (The History of the Gomal land) published by National Book Foundation, Islamabad.
Literature
- KS Haji Ghulam Sarwar Khan Gandapur: BA BT PES-11 the only qualified teacher of the KPK Province was appointed the first ever Muslim Headmaster of Islamia Collegiate School Peshawar by Sahibzada Sir Abdul Qayum Khan in 1913. He remain Principal of Government High School Mardan in 1926 and retired as PA Diractorate of Education in 1935. His books "Khansahib ka Hisab and Asan Arabic were included in the KPK High school sallaybus up to partition of Indo-Pak sub-continent. Died at Kulachi at the age of 85 on 21st Jan 1963.
- Dr. Muhammad Jan Khan Gandapur: A Ph.D. in Atomic Energy (Gold Medalist) from Aligarh University. He was also Director of the Peshawar Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education.
- Sher Muhammad Khan: He belongs to Ibrahim Zai sub-tribe of Gandapur.Author of Persian book Tawaikh Khurshid e jahan with urdu translation on the name ofTarikh e Pashtun in the latter half of the 19th century.
- Aminullah Khan Gandapur: Author of "Tarikh-i-Sarzamin-i-Gomal" (The History of the Gomal Land)(Urdu) National Book Foundation, Islamabad 2008)
- Atta Ullah Khan Atta: Persian poet and scholar of the 20th century. He belongs to the Bahadur Khel sub-tribe of Gandapur. He was educated at Aligarh and was a famous lawyer practicing in the D. I. Khan region. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan did his law apprenticeship under him.
- Faqir Noor Muhammad: Sufi and writer of various books. He was an authority on interpretation of the teachings of Sufi Hazrat Sultan Bahu. He translated Risala-Roohi, written by Hazrat Sultan Bahu in Urdu.
- Tahir Kulachvi: Son of Faqir Noor Muhammad; Pashto poet. Received pride of performance for his literary services.He wrote three Pashto poetry books "Da Meene Ghaizh","Da Hussan Laman and "Mizrab".
- Qadir Dad Khan: Author of Tarikh e Gandapur ("History of Gandapurs"). A teacher by profession, he also wrote other books.
- Sana Ullah Shamim: Son of Fateh Ullah Khan (Assistant Commissioner), is currently Deputy Advocate General of Peshawar High Court, Poet of Pashto. He has been elected as general sectary and president of district bar D.I.Khan. He also worked in radio Pakistan for 15 years.
Sports
- Aman Ullah Khan: Son of Atta Ullah Khan (see above in Literature); played football/soccer for Punjab University, Aligarh University, Mohammadan Sporting, and was a pivotal full-back of the All-India Football Team.
- Abdur Rashid Junior: Highest hockey goal scorer of the 1960 Mexico Olympics and winner of all three Olympic medals: Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
- Abdul Hamid Hamidi: The Captain of the Pakistan Hockey Team in 1960, winners of Pakistan's first Olympic Gold Medal. A veteran of four Olympic games.
- S Abdul Wahab Khan He was SET teacher and died at the age of 55 years only due to heart Attack in 1991. He was Joint Secretary with Akbar Hayat Khan and Ahmad Nawaz (Wazi Khan) Gandapur student union of Sardar Haq Nawaz Khan Shaheed cabinet. He was secretary D I Khan Divisional Badminton and Table tennis Association and organized three (3) All Pakistan Ranking level tournaments in Dera Ismail Khan City.
- Inam Ullah Khan: Winner of two Gold medals in the Free Pistol event of the 1993 Dhaka SAF Games.
- Anwar Zeb Jan: Son of Dr. Muhammad Jan Khan Gandapur. President Pakistan Cricket Board (North West Frontier Province).
Future of the tribe
The future of the tribe is brighter than that of the other tribes living nearby. The main obstacles to their well-being have been poverty, trade, internal feuds and political maneuvering of the tribe. The completion of the Gomal Zam Dam (presently under construction) would change the economic conditions of the tribe as the barren land would get canal irrigation facilities.Further reading
The most important sources regarding the history of Gandapurs are as follows:- Tarikh-e-Pushtun (History of Pushtun) by Sher Muhammad Khan Ibrahim Zai Gandapur. It is originally a book written in Persian under the title "Khurshid e Jahan" (Sun of the World) for Begum of Bhopal. The Urdu translation of this book was published in the 80s by Alauddin Khan Gandapur, the great grandson of Sher Muhammad Khan in collaboration with the Urdu research writer Jamil Jalibi who arranged the book to be translated in Urdu by Siraj Uddin Alvi. The book was written in the later half of the 19th century.
- Tarikh-e-Ganadapur (History of the Gandapurs) by Qadir Dad Khan Gandapur. This book is mainly based on information drawn from Tarikh-e-Pushtun (History of Pashtun) by Sher Muhammad Khan. This book was written in the 1970s and also gives valuable information about Gandapurs and their town Kulachi in the mid-twentieth century.
- Tarikh-e-Sarzamin-e-Gomal (Urdu) (History of the Gomal Land) by Aminullah Khan Gnadapur, published by National Book Foundation, Islamabad, 2008. The book besides other tribes of D.I.Khan, Tank and Waziristan; comprehensively covers the details about this tribe from their origin and migration into this area right up to 1977. The only book on the subject having a detailed bibliography and further reading references.
- Gazetteer of District Dera Ismail Khan (1882–83) provides valuable information about the Gandapurs and their areas. This is one of the most authentic sources about the Gandapurs from the latter half of the 19th century. It provides various statistics regarding the Gandapur population and their area.