South Waziristan - Races and Tribes

Races and Tribes

The Mahsuds(Led By Khanzada Nawab Naeem Khan Mahsud), Burki's ghilzai suleimankhail's and Waziris are the three main tribes of this Agency. Known to belong to the Karlanri confederation of the Pashtun; many until fairly recently believed they—like the Bangash, Yusufzai, Barakzai—are Bani Israel and were called to accept Islam through contact with Khalid bin Walid which also espoused one God, Allah. some Dotanis settlers in the southwest corner of the Agency Thati. suleimankhail lives in Zarmelan and wana. The Bhittanis inhabit a strip of country along the southeast border of the Agency. According to their own traditions, the Waziris call themselves the descendants of Waziri who was the son of Sulaiman, the son of Kuki, the son of Karlan and grandson of Qais Abdur Rashid. They are usually described as being a tribe of Karlani Pashtuns. From this common origin come the Wazirs, a title which properly includes both the Wazirs and Mahsuds, although in practice the word Wazir has come to primarily represent the former. The Mahsuds are divided into three main divisions referred to as the Dremahsuds. These are Alizai (Shabi Khel and Manzai), Shaman Khel and Bahlolzai. Each of these are divided into sections and sub-sections. These three divisions share benefits and losses equally according to what is known as Nikat or Niktay. The Manzais are divided into Giddi Khel and Palli Khel. The Shaman Khel of Shah are commonly known as "Shahoor Shaman Khel" are a mixed community of Khalli Khel and Char Khel but are treated separately. The Marsanzai is a small tribe living in Shaktu.

There are also the Baraki/Urmur(not of pakhtun origin) (who presently are called Burki (whose enclave is in the heart of Mahsud territory), The Mahsud and Burki tribe has a reputation for courage and many are in the Pakistani army. The Burki primarily inhabit Kaniguram, the most populous settlement in South Waziristan, at around 6700 feet above sea level. This has been their tribe's focal point for over 800 years. Kaniguram has historically been off limits to outsiders except for the Burki and, more recently, the Mahsuds.

The Mahsud tribe inhabits the northern regions of South Waziristan near Razmak in North Waziristan. There are no flat-plains type geography in the Mahsud tribal regions, thus the Mahsud tribe moves nomadicly through these mountainous regions and have no primary source of business or trading. They rely on the Burki for their armaments while the Burkis rely on the mighty mahsuds for protection.