Yusufzai

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The Yūsufzai (also Youssofzay, Yousafzai, Esapzey, Yousufi, or Yūsufi) (Urdu: یوسف زئی) are one of the largest Pashtun tribes. The majority of the Yusufzai tribe reside in the North West Frontier Province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, with some tribal Yususfzais settled along the Afghan border. Yusufzais are the predominant population in the districts of Swat, Mardan, Malakand, Swabi, Buner and Shangla. Still other Yusufzai colonies can be found in the inner city of Sialkot and Lahore where they have established themselves as landowners arriving in the 13th century. They speak the northern variant of "Pukhtu" with the hard "kh" replacing the softer "sh" of southern Pashtun tribes.

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[edit] History

In their migration eastward, arrived at Kabul when Mirza Ulugh Beg was governor. He succeeded his father, Shah Rukh, who was a son of Timur (Taimur-e-Lang), in 1446 A.D. In the time of Babur, who first came to Kabul in 1504 A.D. the whole of the Peshawar district had already been colonized by different Afghan tribes e.g Swatis and Dilazaks; and, on his second visit, fourteen years later, he found the Yusufzais had spread well into Swat. The settlement of the Yusufzais in their present limits, on these data, must, therefore, have been and subsequent to the dates above-mentioned.

An account of the Yusufzai migration from Kandahar, their wanderings, and final settlement in their present limits, is their take over on the lands from the Afghan tribes Dilazaks and Swatis, whom, with much difficulty, they had been forced to leave the land, across the Indus to the Hazara mountains (now known as Hazara Division) where lies the beautiful city of Abbottabad and Mansehra (where Swatis predominated with their surname Swati, reflecting their link to the region) after a single but desperate and decisive battle fought on the plains between the villages of Gadar and Langarkot. Babur himself took part to subdue the tribes against Yususfzais, matchlocks had been used for the first time against the Jahangiri sultan Mir Haider Ali Gebri of Bajour. Bibi Mubarka had married to King Babur, and had also been titled as "Afghani Agacha".

Historically, Yousafzais have shown great bravery against Sikhs and British in the 18th and 19th century, especially the clans of Swat and Black Mountain of Hazara, The famous battle of Ambela took place in 1863. (1)The sikh General Harri singh was killed by the yousafzai in a battle that was fought out side peshawar in a place called chamkani Bakht Khan Rohilla (1797 - 1859) was nominal commander-in-chief of Indian rebel forces in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British East India Company.He too was a yousafzai

One of the first tribal millita that was sent to liberate Kashmir in 1948 war was a 10000 strong tribal army of yousafzai from distt Mardan ,swabi , malakand

The great Captain Karnal Sher Khan who was awarded the highest galentry award of pakistan army the Nishan-e-Haider was aYousafzai from distt Swabi

[edit] Demographics

After settling themselves firmly in the plains, the Yusufzais pushed on into the hill country beyond and in a few years became the masters of Swat and Buner. Three sections of the tribe, the Hassanzai, Akazai and Chagharzai, inhabit the west slopes of the Black Mountain, and the Yusufzai country stretches thence to the Utman Khel territory. The Kamalzai Yusufzais inhabit Toru and Hoti of Mardan District. The population demographics of entire Yusufzais (of all linguistic groups but have Yusufzai blood line) is unknown but the Pashtu speaking Yusufzais are from 3-6 million in numbers.

[edit] Sub-Tribes

  • Amazai
  • Akazai
  • Babozai
  • Shamozai
  • Chagharzai
  • Hassanzai
  • Isazai
  • Kamalzai
  • Kumar
  • Niamatkhel
  • Maddakhel
  • Malizai
  • Ranizai
  • Utmanzai
  • Rohilla
  • Jalozai
  • Shamizai
  • Nikpikhel
  • Suleman Khel
  • Sarobi (Sarobi is situated in the district Mardan, this area is famous for a natural beauty and hospitability. Sarobi is the last border of the district Mardan, nearby by Malakand Agency,... * Mahabat Khel(These tribe is living in Mansehra,Allai, chattar plain, and some part of swat and mardan)
  • Musa Khel
  • Taju (Tajo Khel) Living in Beka, Sala, Haryan, LAhore,Anbar, Nabi, Zida, MArghoz, and in Bopal (India), Dehli,Agra (india) and in Pathan Coat India.
  • Zakaria khel Living in various villages of swabi distt in village Lahor
  • Taous-Khani living in swabi distt village Lahor

[edit] See also

[edit] References

(1) The history of Youasfzai ,author Khan Roshan Khan

[edit] External links