Hassanzai
Encyclopedia
The Hassanzai is a Pakhtoon/Pashtoon/Pathan
tribe. It is one of the division of Isazai clan of the Yousafzai
tribe which is one of the most powerful, famous and respected tribe of Pashtoons. Colonel Wylly, Harold Carmichael, 1858-1932, has described these great people in just one sentence; laeving no space for further descriptions and definitions.
. They are division of the Isazai clan of the great Yousafzai
tribe. Hassanzais are the descendants of Hassan the son of Isa (Isazai) and the grandson of Yusaf/Yousaf/(Yousafzai
). The Hassanzais are further divided into ten sections.
s, on the west by the Indus,and on the south the Hassanzai border adjoins the territory of Tanawal, the former state of Amb
.. Some people who migrated from there are now living in tehsil Oghi of Mansehra district (adjoining Tor Ghar) and upper Tanawal. Beside these areas, Hassanzais have also settled in Karachi in a large number and are mainly involed in the transport business.
had never been under the British Rule. Hassanzais along with Akazai
s had been actively involved in fighting with British for quite some time. Brief account of the Briitish Expeditions against the Tor Ghar Tribes is as under:-
The Kandaro tehsil now comprises most of the areas of Hassanzais.
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...
tribe. It is one of the division of Isazai clan of the Yousafzai
Yousafzai
The Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
tribe which is one of the most powerful, famous and respected tribe of Pashtoons. Colonel Wylly, Harold Carmichael, 1858-1932, has described these great people in just one sentence; laeving no space for further descriptions and definitions.
Origin
The Hassanzais are amongst the The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) TribesThe Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) Tribes
The original name of the Black Mountain is Tor Ghar, which is a Pushto word which means Tor Ghar . Tor Ghar is situated in Hazara division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Tor Ghar is lying to the east of the Indus river from Thakot to Darband...
. They are division of the Isazai clan of the great Yousafzai
Yousafzai
The Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
tribe. Hassanzais are the descendants of Hassan the son of Isa (Isazai) and the grandson of Yusaf/Yousaf/(Yousafzai
Yousafzai
The Yūsufzai is one of the largest Pashtun tribes...
). The Hassanzais are further divided into ten sections.
Sections
| Sub Clan | Sections | |
| Hassanzai | Khan Khel | |
| Kotwal | ||
| Zakaria Khel | ||
| Mir Ahmad Khel | ||
| Lughman Khel | ||
| Kaka Khel | ||
| Dada Khel | ||
| Mamu Khel | ||
| Nanu Khel | ||
| Nasrat Khel |
Demographics
The Hassanzais live on either side of the Indus; those cis-Indus occupy the most southern portion of the western slopes of Tor Ghar, while those trans-Indus live immediately opposite to them. The Hassanzai area is bounded on the north and east by the AkazaiAkazai
The Akazai is a Pakhtoon/Pashtoon/Pathan tribe. It is one of the division of Isazai clan of the Yousafzai tribe which is one of the most powerful, famous and respected tribe of Pashtoons. Colonel Wylly, Harold Carmichael, 1858–1932, has described these great people in just one sentence; laeving no...
s, on the west by the Indus,and on the south the Hassanzai border adjoins the territory of Tanawal, the former state of Amb
AMB
Amb may refer to:* Amb , a town in the Azad Kashmir, Pakistan* Amb, India, a town Himachal Pradesh, India* Amb , a region in the former Indian Empire* Amb special form, a nondeterministic programming construct using continuations...
.. Some people who migrated from there are now living in tehsil Oghi of Mansehra district (adjoining Tor Ghar) and upper Tanawal. Beside these areas, Hassanzais have also settled in Karachi in a large number and are mainly involed in the transport business.
Culture and traditions
Like all other Pashtoons, Hassanzais have maintained their cultural identity and individuality. They lead their lives strictly in accordance with code of ethics of Pashtoonwali which comprises Manliness, Goodness, Gallantery, Loyalty and Modesty. Hassanzais have also maintained the great Pashtoon customs of Jirga (Consultative Assembly), Nanawati (Delegation pleading guilty), Hujhra (Large drawing room) and Melmasteya (Hospitality).Language
Pushto is the basic language of Hassanzais. Being away from the urban centres and less interaction with people from other languages, Hassanzais of Tor Ghar speak the purest form of Pushto. Due to migrations to other areas of Pakistan for better prospects of life and marriages in non-Pushtoon families, some Mada Khels have adopted other languages like Hindko and Urdu etc.Fighting against the British
The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) TribesThe Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) Tribes
The original name of the Black Mountain is Tor Ghar, which is a Pushto word which means Tor Ghar . Tor Ghar is situated in Hazara division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Tor Ghar is lying to the east of the Indus river from Thakot to Darband...
had never been under the British Rule. Hassanzais along with Akazai
Akazai
The Akazai is a Pakhtoon/Pashtoon/Pathan tribe. It is one of the division of Isazai clan of the Yousafzai tribe which is one of the most powerful, famous and respected tribe of Pashtoons. Colonel Wylly, Harold Carmichael, 1858–1932, has described these great people in just one sentence; laeving no...
s had been actively involved in fighting with British for quite some time. Brief account of the Briitish Expeditions against the Tor Ghar Tribes is as under:-
- Under Lieutenant Colonel F. Mackeson, in 1852-53, agninst the Hassanzais. The occasion was the murder of two British customs officers. A force of 3800 British troops traversed their country, destroying their villages, grain and crops.
- Under Major-General A. T. Wilde, in 1868. The occasion was an attack on a British police post at Oghi in the Agror Valley by all The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) TribesThe Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) TribesThe original name of the Black Mountain is Tor Ghar, which is a Pushto word which means Tor Ghar . Tor Ghar is situated in Hazara division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Tor Ghar is lying to the east of the Indus river from Thakot to Darband...
. A force of 12,500 British troops entered the country and the tribes made peace.
- The First Hazara Expedition in 1888. The cause was the constant raids made by the tribes on villages in British territory, culminating in an attack on a small British reconnaissance troop, in which two British officers were killed. A force of 9,500 British troops traversed the country of the tribes, and severe fighting took place.
- The Second Hazara Expedition of 1891. The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) TribesThe Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) TribesThe original name of the Black Mountain is Tor Ghar, which is a Pushto word which means Tor Ghar . Tor Ghar is situated in Hazara division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Tor Ghar is lying to the east of the Indus river from Thakot to Darband...
fired on a force within British limits. A force of 7300 British troops traversed the country. The tribesmen made their peace and entered into an agreement with government to preserve the peace of the border.
New developments
On 28 January 2011, Tor Ghar became the 25th District of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. Judba is the Capital of this newly born district with following tehsils:-- Judba.
- Kandaro.
- Mada Khel.
The Kandaro tehsil now comprises most of the areas of Hassanzais.