Gabol

Gabol
گبول

A Gabol tribal meeting at Baran
Total population
300,000
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Balochi, Sindhi, Siraiki, Persian, Arabic
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Other Baloch tribes

Gabol (Balochi: گبول, literally aggressor or Warrior) is a Baloch tribe settled in the Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Gabols claim Rind origin, and are mostly settled in Tikko Baran surrounding the Kirthar Mountains Range, Karachi, Ghotki, Alipur, Sibi, and Jacobabad. This tribe is also considered to be present in Iran and Syria. The exact population of this tribe is unknown, but estimated by some to be over 300,000. Gabols residing in Sindh are bilingual in both Balochi and Sindhi. Members of the Gabol tribe living in Balochistan ( Jhatt Patt District Jaffarabad and Lehri ) speak Balochi, while tribe members speak Balochi and Siraiki in Punjab. Gabol is the major Baloch tribe found in Karachi; some people of this tribe migrated to Tehran, Iran. Gabols are still living there, and speak the Balochi language to this day alongside the national language Persian.

History

According to 12th century Baloch epics, only twenty-six tribes survived.

The Balochi poem is:

کھيڑد، گبول، گدائی، تالپور، کاہان ء مری ايشياں غلام ء مير چاکری

The translation of Balochi poem is found among the Kurd, Gabol, Gadai, Talpur, and Marri of Kahan, who are followers of Mir Chakar (Chakar-e-Azam).^[1] Gabol was the forefront warrior in Tricennial Battle of Mir Chakar Rind and Mir Gwahram Khan Lashari from 1456 - 1486 A.D., and during the time of Mir Chakar Khan Rind, the Baloch who fought against the Lasharis were called Rind and their rivals were the Lasharis. The Gabol claim Domki Rind origin, who are also included in the Rind of Kachhi (Balochistan).

Chief Sardar

Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol is the Chief Sardar of the Gabol tribe,^[2] a testament to which is the solidarity amongst the Gabols under his leadership. Nabil Gabol's reign is not only restricted to Karachi, or a particular region, but in every Gabol populated area of Pakistan, including Gabols settled internationally such as those in Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Sardar Nabil Gabol is the son of Sardar Ahmed Khan Gabol, and the grandson of Sardar Allah Bakhsh Gabol the first Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly and a former Mayor of Karachi (twice).^[3] The Sardar has served as the Federal Minister of Ports and Shipping of Pakistan, a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, and has won his fifth consecutive election from the Lyari constituency. At the age of 29, the Sardar became the youngest deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly from 1993-1996.^[4] He has also been included on a special team of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to provide relief and reconciliation to Balochistan and the Baloch.^[5]

Under the Chief Sardar there is a network of village and regional heads called "waderas."

Personalities

Sardar Khudadad Khan Gabol owned vast land in Karachi (the economic capital of Pakistan) during the British Raj. His descendents currently own vast acres of land across the nation, including The Quaid-e-Azam International Airport of Karachi and the land around Quaid-e-Azam Mausoleum.^[6] Allah Bakhsh Gabol, the son of Sardar Mir Khudadad Khan Gabol, was the leader of the Congress Party, and was the first Deputy Speaker of the Provisional Assembly of Sindh from 1937 to 1938, the Mayor of Karachi (twice) and elected to the parliament several times. The grandsons of Sardar Mir Allah Bakhsh Gabol filed a case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan to change the name of Quaid-e-Azam International Airport to Gabol Airport as the Government of Pakistan has failed to pay the value of the land to the Gabol family, but there is much opposition from other Baloch tribes due to inter tribal rivalry and the government has not felt the need for a name change.

The tribe has great political and government influence in Pakistan.^[7] Apart from Nabil Gabol, and his grandfather, the late Abdul Sattar Gabol, son of Allah Bakhsh Gabol and Nabil Gabol's uncle, had been a Federal Minister twice in 1970s during the age of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. After qualifying as a barrister from Lincoln's Inn he held various government portfolios including Minister of Labour, manpower and health. He represented his country at various international forums, including the United Nations.

Gabol in Punjab With Mir Chakar Khan Rind

When Mir Chakar Khan Rind left Balochistan and travelled to Punjab, the majority of Gabol tribe accompanied him. Upon reaching the Montgomery District, they fought against Sikh Yatri living there. As a result, all tribes were dispersed in Punjab and Sindh. The Gabols then travelled to Muzaffargarh, Alipur in Panjnad, and reached Sindh where they settled till Karachi (which was part of Balochistan).

Gabols that survived, some lived in Balochistan, while others migrated to Rajanpur District and began to live with the Gorshani tribe as a Clan of Lasharis in the mountains of Harand where they also fought against Sikh Yatris and settled around Dera Ghazi Khan^[8] and the Sulaiman Range. In Rajan Pur they settled in Jageer Gabol and in Bungla Gabol, Dera Ghazi Khan in Thatta Gabolan (Choti Zeren), and the tribal area of Dera Ghazi Khan in Koh-e-Suleman Range.

Gabol in Sindh With Bijjar Khan Dombki

When the British Raj government moved the Domkis in Sindh, the Gabols also migrated. The Domkis used to loot the those travelling all around Balochistan, Sindh, along with the Jakhrani. In 1845, The Governor of Sindh General Sir Charles James Napier sent his army to shift them in Sindh near Cantonment area so that they could hold peace in the area. Gabol^[9] along with Domkies shifted to Sindh with Bijjar Khan as Tribal Leader and Jhakrani along with Darya Khan as Tribal Leader. In Sindh they were shifted in Dera Jani a few miles away from Jacobabad where they are living in Domki.

Mr. Leech in his report 1835 to 1837 deeply discusses the Balochis, and recorded about sixty Balochi tribes living in mountains of Border (Balochistan and Sindh) .

Mr.Leech in his report comments as follows:

Similarly, discussing "The order of tribes in mountains between Karachi and Sehwan," he writes in his report:

See also

• Alipur
• Balochi History
• Jangi

References

• Albloushi.net
• Ansab-online.com
• Koach and Baloch" Urdu Translation Of "Baloch Race" by Mir Gull Khan Naseer Page No. 174, 175, 36, 39.
• Runni Kot author Badr Abro, Page 73.
• History of Dera Ghazi Khan by Abdul Qadir Khan Ahmadani Leghari Part-1.
• Baloch By M.K. Pikolian Translation by Dr. Shah Muhammad Marri, Page No. 74.
• Role Of Sindh In History Of Independence and Hurr Movement by Abid Leghari.
• Muhimmaat-e-Baluchistan Translation of Baloch, a Geoghrafical and Ethnological Sketch by Professor M. Anwar Roman. Same by Sardar Mazhar Ali Khan Lashari in Baloch In Light Of History.
• Baloch Nation And Its Fights By Nazeer-ul-Haq Dashti.
• Baloch Nation And Its Fights Also in Muhimmaat-e-Balochistan In Tribal Division Section (Appendix,Rind Of Kachhi).
• Baloch In Light Of History By Sardar Mazhar Lashari.
• Land of Baluchistan By A. W. Huges Page No. 161.
• Muhimmaat-e-Baluchistan In Tribal Division Section (Rind Of Kachhi).
• Baloch Nation In Light Of History Sardar Mazhar Ali Lashari Page No. 100.
• Gazetteer Of Balochistan.
• Land Of Balochistan Page No. 153.
• The Baloch Race by Long Worth Dames translated as Koach and Baloch by Mir Gull Khan Naseer Page No. 99, 109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 161, 162.
• Baloch in Light of History.
• Baoch Tribes of Baluchistan by Denezil Ibsten.
• Baloch Nation and its Fights.
• Reports papers, Political, Geoghraphical and commercial Submitted to English Government
• By Sir Alexander Burne's, Bo. N. I.; Lieutenant Leech, Bo. E.; Doctor Lords, Bo. M. S.; and Lieutenant Wood, I. N.; Employed on mission in the years 1835-36-37 in Sindh Baluchistan Afghanistan and Adjuscent countries. Printed in Calcutta G. H Huttmann, Bengal Military Orphan Press 1839.
• Muhimmat-E-Balochistan, Section-I By M.L Dames.