Zazi (Pashtun Tribe)

Zazi (Pashtun Tribe)

Zazi (Pashto: ځاځی dzādzai; plur. ځاځي dzādzi‎), also spelled Dzadzi, Jaji, is a Karlan Pashtun tribe. Zazi is a sub-tribe of Khogyani which falls under the Karlan tribe of the Pashtuns. They are primarily found in Paktia and Khost provinces of Afghanistan, but they have a big population in Kabul city and Baghlan province of Afghanistan as well. Zazis also reside in the Kurram Agency of North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. The Zazi are divided into nine wands: 1(Hashim Kehil),2(Lehwani), 3(Ada Khel), Petla (combined with the Allisemgeh), Husain Khel, Karaia Ahmad Khel, Ahmad Khel (combined with the Bayan Khel), Ali Khel, and the Jamu Khel.

The Zazi are similar to the Turi, except in that the Zazi are Sunni Muslims.

Zazi tribe is inhabited in four major geographic locations in Afghanistan and Pakhtunkhwa.

• Aryob Zazi Aryob zazi is in Paktia province and Zazi tribe is mostly associated with this area mainly because majority of this tribe live here.
• Maidan Zazi The district in the khost province.
• Kwarma (Kurram) Zazi Kwarma is a political agency in the Federal Administered Tribal Area (FATA) in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan bordering with Aryob Zazi. A large population of Zazi have started migrating to kwarma over the past few decades.
• Kabul Zazi A very large population of Zazi tribe are also living in the Kabul city of Kabul province. Majority of the population in areas like Kalacha, kart-e naw, Shashdarak, Pul-e Mahmood Khan are inhabited by Zazi.

Population

The exact population of the Zazi tribe living in Aryob Zazi district of Paktia, Maidan Zazi district of Khost, Kurram agency of Pakistan, city of Kabul, Baghlan & other provinces and those who have migrated to other countries including UAE is unknown. The population of settled Zazi in Aryob Zazi district is 60,200 and population in Maidan Zazi is 22,600.

Origin and History

As regards the Afghan origin of the Zazis, we know that Qais Abdul Rashid had three sons by the names of Saraban, Ghurghusht and Bitan. The Zazis are descended from Ghurghust and the genealogy according to Ridgway reads as, Zazi son of Khugyani, son of kakai, son of karlani son of Ghurghusht. Ridgway describes the karlanis as being of Turkish admixture. From Khugyani are descended the Zazis, Turis, Khostwal, darman, Parya and Khugyanis proper. The first two live in Kurram and Aryob Zazi, in south eastern slopes of Speen Ghar, and the next three in Khost (Afghanistan) and the Khugyanis on the North Western slopes of Speen Ghar, west of Shinwaris in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. According to Sher Muhammad Khan Gandapur, the Turis are descended from Khugianis second wife and are closely related to the Zazis. He states that according to Khushal Khan Khattak, a contemporary of Shah Jehan, the Turis and Zazis are Karlanis, and they themselves also support this fact. Mr. Sial Mohammad writes that Khugyani had four sons from his second wife. Their names were Kharbuni, Turi, Zazi and Mandozi. This supports the view that the Zazis are Ghurghusht Pathans.

The Role of Zazis in Kurram and Afghan History

The Turis, along with Zazis have played an important role in the affairs of Kurram. It is certain that before they occupied Kurram, it was in the hand of Bangash, who had come to the area during 14th and 15th century AD. The Bangash dislodged the Orakzais from Kohat and Hangu (Miranzai) with help of the Khattaks and got settled there, having no more interest in the Kurram.

According to Muhammad Yaqub Khan of Shahbaz Garhi, Mardan, the Zazis supported General Nadir Khan in taking Kabul and defeating Bacha Saqao. The general, who was ambassador of Afghanistan in France, came to Peshawar and stayed with a friend M.A. Hakim, in the area of Chawk Nasar Khan Peshawar. Then he left for Afghanistan through Kurram and with the help of the Zazis captured Kabul to become the king of Afghanistan. Because of this the Zazis enjoyed a special status in the Royal Afghan Darbar. Even today all the Shia tribes of Turis and the Sunnis of Kurram agency play an important role in shaping the course of event of the area.

Sardar Sher Muhammad Khan Gandapur (Tarikh-i-Khurshid Jehan) writes that they are a rice-eating people and used to wear chaugha and white daster (turban). They are very hospitable and very good at fighting, and that is why the Amir of Kabul built a fort to keep watch on them. They lead a tough militant life right from the beginning. When a child is born, shots are fired near to him so that he is not afraid of firing in later years.