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.
Garhi Habibullah
Upper Pakhli | |
|---|---|
Union council and town | |
| Garhi Habibullah | |
 A view of Garhi Habib Khan Jehangiri from Aznali Hills | |
  Garhi Habibullah Location in Pakistan  Garhi Habibullah Garhi Habibullah (Pakistan) | |
| Coordinates: 34°24′05″N 73°22′49″E / 34.4014°N 73.3803°E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Region | Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Mansehra District |
| Government | |
| • MPA | Munir 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 zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Area code | 0997 |
Chiefs edit
- Saadat Khan Khankhail Swati(1768-1780) — 4th Chief of Swati tribe, 3rd Ruler of Pakhli State and founder of Garhi Saadat Khan.
- Najeebullah Khan Swati bin Saadat Khan (1780-1810) — 5th Chief of Swatis, 4th Ruler of Pakhli State and 2nd Khan of Garhi.
- Habibullah Khan Swati I bin Saadat Khan (1830-1844) — 6th Chief of Swatis, 5th Ruler of Pakhli, 3rd Khan of Garhi.
- Jagirdar Ameen Khan Swati bin Habibullah Khan(1844-1854) — 7th 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)
- Jagirdar and Khan Bahadur Hussain Khankhail Swati bin Samandar Khan(1889-1920)
- Jagirdar and Khan Sahib Akram Khan Khankhail Swati bin Samandar Khan(1920-1939)
- Jagirdar and Khan Bahadur Aslam Khan Khankhail Swati bin Akram Khan (1939-1964)
- Naseem Khan Khankhail Swati bin Aslam Khan(1964-1980)
- Babar Naseem Khankhail Swati bin Naseem Khan(1980-2012)
- Habibullah Khan Khankhail Swati II bin Babar Khan(2012-Present)
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]
Tribes edit
- Gabri Swati
- From Sultan Pakhal family(تپہ دیشرائی) : Khankhails, Jehangiris, Arghushals and Aznalis
- From Sarkheli section(تپہ سرخیلی) : Lughmanis and Teetwals
- From Mir section(تپہ میر) : Panjmerals and Panjghols
- Tanoli
- From Palal section(تپہ پلال) : Labeyals Only)
- Qureshi
- Awan
- Mughal
- Syeds
- Rajput
- Sarara Abbasi (Now identify themselves among Swatis of Naral village)
- Kami(کمی،کمین، قصبی) castes in Garhi Habibullah are following:
- Kumar caste/کمہار (Pot-makers)
- Teli caste/تیلی (Oil pressers)
- Julaha caste/جولاہے (weavers)
- Dhobi caste/توبے (washermans)
- Nai caste/نائی (barbers)
- Mirasi caste/مراثی (traditional singers)
- Mochi caste/موچی (shoe-makers)
- Lohar caste/لوہار (Blacksmiths)
- Kanjar caste/ کنجر
- Chuhra caste/چوڑے (pollutings)
- Tarkhan caste/ترکھان (carpenters)
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
- ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Mansehra - Government of Pakistan Archived July 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Earthquake Affected Area Overview - United Nations Joint Logistics Centre Archived September 13, 2012, at archive.today
- ^ "Swati Family : History of Garhi Habibullah". Swati Family. 2023-07-25. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ^ British Government (1872). Five Khans of Garhi Habibullah, District Mansehra 1872.