Afridi fighters seen in a battle.

Afridi (Pashto: اپريدي, Urdu: آفریدی) is the name of a Pashtun tribe. The Afridi is the most powerful and dominant tribe of the Khyber Agency. The Afridis inhabit about 1,000 square miles of rough hilly area in the eastern Safed Koh range, west of the Peshawar Valley. Maidan in Tirah, which can be accessed by the Kajurhi plains and the valleys of Bara and Churah. The tribe contains about 315,000 people. Image File history File links Sangarsmall. ... Image File history File links Sangarsmall. ... Pashto (پښتو; also known as Afghan, Pushto, Pashto, Pashtoe, Pashtu, and Pukhto) is the language spoken by the ethnic Afghan otherwise known as the Pashtun people who inhabit Afghanistan and the Western provinces of Pakistan. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, ethnic Afghan, or Pathan) are an ethno-linguistic group consisting mainly of eastern Iranian stock living primarily in eastern and southern Afghanistan, and the North West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. ... Khyber (Urdu: خیبر) is a tribal area in FATA region of Pakistan. ... Safed Koh (white mountain) is a range of mountains on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, up to 15,620ft (4,761 m) above sea-level at Mount Sikaram, straight and rigid, towering above all surrounding hills, it is near the Kabul River. ... Peshāwar (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ... Tirah is a mountainous tract of country in the west-central North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. ...

History

The famous historian Herodotus mentions a country bordering on the banks of the Indus occupied by a people called the Pactyans who were divided into four nations, one which was the Aparthea, or Aparutai, identified with the modern Afridis. They lay claim to an inaccessible upland area of refuge, the Tirah and its central place, Maidan and at Bagh. As a result, they have literally have been able to force every passing conqueror to pay toll tax for use or passage through the Khyber Pass. Some writers think that some tribes like the Afridis and Khattaks are indigenous, considering, for instance, that the Afridis inhabited this terrain even during pre-historic times, which is before the recorded movement of other notable Pashtun tribes to their present abodes. Olaf Caroe and Aurel Stein are reported to have suggested that the Afridis may be the original inhabitants of the Gandhara area rather than an integral part of the great clans allegedly descended from the tribes of Israel. According to Pashtun folklore, the Afridi tribe can trace its origin back to the eponymous ancestor of all Pashtuns, Qais Abdur Rashid, through his youngest son, Karlan. Thus the Afridi tribe is one of the infamous Karlanri tribes, who have a formidable reputation as warriors. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Mountain passes of Afghanistan The Khyber Pass, also referred to as The Khyber (also spelt the Khaiber Pass or Khaybar Pass) (Urdu: درہ خیبر) (el. ... Khattak or Khatak (Urdu: خٹک ) is a Pashtun tribe. ... Pashtun tribes are divided into four tribal groups: Sarbans, Batans, Ghurghusht and Karlans. ... Sir M(arc) Aurel Stein (1862 - 1943), born in Budapest, was a Hungarian Jewish archaeologist who became a British citizen. ... Gandhāra (Sanskrit: गन्धार, Persian; Gandara, Waihind) (Urdu: گندھارا) is the name of an ancient Indian Mahajanapada, currently in northern Pakistan (the North-West Frontier Province and parts of northern Punjab and Kashmir) and eastern Afghanistan. ... This is a list of the Tribes of Israel. ... Qais Abdur Rashid is thought, among Pashtuns, to be the first Pashtun who traveled to Mecca and Madina during the early days of Islam. ... Karlan is believed to be one of the sons of the legendary Qais Abdur Rashid, the folklorish ancestor of the Pashtun people. ...

Clans

The Khyber Rifles from 1895 comprising an all Afridi personnel.

There are eight clans in the Afridi tribe: Image File history File links Khyberrifles. ... Image File history File links Khyberrifles. ... The Khyber Rifles is a para-military force forming part of the modern Pakistan Army. ...

1. Adam Khel
   1. Jawakies
   2. Bosti Khel
   3. Sherakies
   4. Zarghoon Khel
   5. Tor Chaaper
   6. Akhorwal
   7. Hassan Khel
2. Aka Khel
3. Hassan Khel
4. Kamar Khel
5. Kambar Khel
6. Kuki Khel
7. Malikdin Khel
8. Sipah
9. Zakka Khel

All of the Afridi clans have their own areas in the Tirah, and most of them extend down into the Khyber Pass over which they have always exercised the right of toll. The Malikdin Khel live in the center of the Tirah and hold Bagh, the traditional meeting place of Afridi jirgas or assemblies. The Aka Khel are scattered in the hills south of Jamrud. All of this area is included in the Khyber Agency. The Adam Khel live in the hills between Peshawar and Kohat. Their preserve is the Kohat Pass. In which several of the most important Afridi gun factories are located. The Adam khel Afridis are further divided into seven clans. Darra Adam Khel is a town in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan, located between Peshawar and Kohat, very close to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. ... Mountain passes of Afghanistan The Khyber Pass, also referred to as The Khyber (also spelt the Khaiber Pass or Khaybar Pass) (Urdu: درہ خیبر) (el. ... A jirga (occasionally jirgah) is a tribal assembly which takes decisions by consensus. ... Jamrud, located at an altitude of 1512 ft (461 meters) above sea level, is a town located in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. ... Peshāwar (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ... Kohat (Urdu: کوہاٹ) is a medium sized town in central North West Frontier Province in Pakistan. ... Kohat Pass is a mountain pass in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, connecting Kohat with Peshawar, crossing the Khigana Mountain. ...

Crime

Main article: Pashtun Mafia

Afridis fought bravely against the British dictatorship during the British rule. In return they were not given any government jobs and no developments were undertaken in their areas. That resulted in considerable hardships for the Afridis. From those times on, they were compelled to use illegal means of trade. During the Cold War, they were the most suited for smuggling in Afghanistan, supplying arms and ammunation to American allied Jihadis. They have also sold their arms and ammunition to Kashmiri Jihadis and to the Sikhs of India wanting independence. The Afridis gained notoriety for indulging in smuggling of foreign goods and narcotics. They are also well-known as robbers of merchant caravans in the past, and in the present day context, Spain notes them to be "consummate smugglers", with an avid interest in trade. Some are also involved in kidnapping for ransom. Pashtun Mafia (also known as Pakhtun mafia, Pukhtun Mafia, Opium Mafia, Pathan Mafia) is a global criminal organization among the fifteen million Pashtuns in the NWFP in Pakistan (with roughly the same number of Pashtuns living in the contiguous Afghanistan). ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Kashmir (or Cashmere) may refer to: Kashmir region, the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent India, Kashmir conflict, the territorial dispute between India, Pakistan, and the China over the Kashmir region. ... Mujahideen (Arabic: , ; Turkish: , literally strugglers) is a term for Muslims fighting in a war or involved in any other struggle. ... Religions Sikhism Scriptures Guru Granth Sahib Languages English, Punjabi] A Sikh (English: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is an adherent to Sikhism. ... The term ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner to extort money or property extorted to secure their release, or to the sum of money involved. ...

Religion

Most Afridis follow the religion of Islam. The Afridis are said to have been initially converted to Islam during the time of Mahmud of Ghazni, and then during the time of Muhammad of Ghor. The Afridis are found to throng the Masjids at the time of prayers. For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Mahmud and Ayaz The Sultan is to the right, shaking the hand of the sheykh, with Ayaz standing behind him. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...

Description

Olaf Caroe refers to their Grecian features, standing as a model of the Greek god Apollo, and the elderly lot resembling Zeus. To Spain they convey an impression of an assembly of Old Testament Prophets because of their light skin, pleasant looks, Hebraic cast of features and beards. Languages Greek Religions Predominantly Greek Orthodox, with Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and Atheist minorities. ... Lycian Apollo, early Imperial Roman copy of a fourth century Greek original (Louvre Museum) In Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo (Ancient Greek , Apóllōn; or , Apellōn), the ideal of the kouros (a beardless youth), was the archer-god of medicine and healing, light, truth, archery and also a... The Statue of Zeus at Olympia Phidias created the 12-m (40-ft) tall statue of Zeus at Olympia about 435 BC. The statue was perhaps the most famous sculpture in Ancient Greece, imagined here in a 16th century engraving Zeus (in Greek: nominative: Zeús, genitive: Diós), is... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ... In religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has directly encountered the numinous or the divine and serves as an intermediary with humanity. ... The Modern Hebrew language is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. ...

Cuisine

Most of the Afridis are healthier compared to other Pakistanis which is evidence of their good eating habits. Meat is an important part of their diet which they eat in the form of kabab (minced meat fried in oil in a special way), lamb curry (lamb is the favourite meat of Afridis in contrast with other groups in Pakistan who mostly like goat), chicken curry, goat curry and much more. The hotels in Peshawar Namak Mandi Bazar represent the traditional food of Afridis, especially Lamb Karahi. In vegetable cuisine bendi (okra), kurkha (red beans), dal (lentils) and sag (spinach) are notable. Their desserts include kheer (rice pudding), meenchai (sugared noodles). They drink a lot of kava (green tea). Left to right: Chenjeh Kabab, Kabab Koobideh, Jujeh Kabab Kebab (kebap in Turkish, kabab in Iran, India and Pakistan, Kabab or كباب in Arabic, also spelled kebob, kabob) means grilled (or broiled) meat in Persian and Turkish. ... Pilau rice, cucumber rhaita and Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi. ... Binomial name (L.) Moench Okra (American English: , British English ), also known as ladys finger, bhindi and gumbo, is a flowering plant valued for its edible green fruits. ... Red bean can mean: Azuki bean (Vigna angularis), most common in East Asia Rice bean (Vigna umbellata), common nowhere Any of various red varieties of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), including the kidney bean, Honduran red bean, and Salvadoran red bean This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which... Binomial name Lens culinaris Medikus Red lentils Lentils (Lens culinaris, Fabaceae) are lens-shaped pulses that grow on an annual, bushlike plant. ... Binomial name Spinacia oleracea L. Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Rice pudding being served during the traditional Scandinavian Christmas meal, in Denmark Rice pudding (Arroz Doce) in a typical Christmas meal, in Portugal Pulut hitam served in a Malaysian restaurant Rice pudding is a dessert enjoyed by people of different cultures all over the world. ... It has been suggested that Legal drugs#Kava be merged into this article or section. ... Green tea (绿茶) is tea that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. ...

Famous Afridis

• Nawab Zaman Khan Afridi Kuki Khel Sherkhan Khel, awarded the Khan Bahadur Laqab posthumously. He had three sons Ajab Khan, Muhammad Ali Khan and Khaleefa Khan (original name Saifullah). Muhammad Ali Khan remained a member of the legislative assembly while Khaleefa Khan was the member of Majlis-e-Shura from 1983-84. The White Fort of Tirah in Khaist/Dwa Toey still witness the glory and command of his leadership towards his great tribe of Afridis. He and his family commanded the tribe for almost a century.
• Ajab Khan Afridi, a brave Pashtun who fought with the British soldiers, kidnapped the daughter of the then British Army Chief in the region and handed her back to them himself. She was kept in respect and hospitality and when she went back to her family and army, she used to tell stories of the respect and hospitality that was given to her by the family of Ajab Khan Afridi.
• Khatir Afridi, a prominent poet who wrote over 40,000 poems in his only four years of writing poetry. He died very young at the age of 32. Only one of his sons is still alive, and this man has collected all his poems and made a book out of them, a book which has achieved a good market value among speakers of Pashto.
• Shahid Afridi, Pakistani cricketer. Holds world record for fastest century (off only 37 balls).
• Haji Ayub Afridi, an associate of Abdul Qadir, described as a notorious drug baron from the Pashtun Mafia.^[1]
• Malik Nader Khan Afridi Zakka Khel, A leader in the Khyber Agency.
• Barrister Salman Hamid Afridi, a prominent lawyer and philanthropist.
• Dr. Munawar Khan Afridi, Chairman & President of WHO.
• Retd Lt Gen K K Afridi, Ex-Governor of Balochistan (Pakistan).
• Masood Khan Afridi, Deputy Inspector, General of Police .
• Rehmat Ali Afridi, owner and chief editor of the Frontier Post.
• Burhan Afridi-Adam Khel, Washington DC Realtor (USA).
• Kashif Khan Afridi-Adam Khel, Mechanical engineer (USA).

Khatir Afridi, born Misree Khan in 1929 at Landi Kotal to Zakha Khel Afridi, was a prominent poet of the Pushto language. ... Pashto (پښتو; also known as Afghan, Pushto, Pashto, Pashtoe, Pashtu, and Pukhto) is the language spoken by the ethnic Afghan otherwise known as the Pashtun people who inhabit Afghanistan and the Western provinces of Pakistan. ... Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi (Urdu: صاحبزادہ محمد شاہد خان آفریدی) (born 1 March 1980 in Khyber Agency to Pashtun parents of the Afridi tribe in kohat ) popularly known as Shahid Afridi is a Pakistani cricketer and all-rounder who has represented Pakistani cricket since 1996 at international level. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hajji Abdul Qadir (c. ... Pashtun Mafia (also known as Pakhtun mafia, Pukhtun Mafia, Opium Mafia, Pathan Mafia) is a global criminal organization among the fifteen million Pashtuns in the NWFP in Pakistan (with roughly the same number of Pashtuns living in the contiguous Afghanistan). ... Balochistan, or Ballsforchinstan, Balochi, Pashto, Urdu: بلوچستان) is a province in Pakistan, the largest in the country by geographical area. ... The Frontier Post is a newspaper based in Peshawar in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. ...

See also

• Pashtun tribes
• Pashtunistan

Pashtun tribes are divided into four tribal groups: Sarbans, Batans, Ghurghusht and Karlans. ... Pashtunistan (Pashto, Persian: پشتونستان) or Pakhtunistan (Pashto, Persian: پختونستان), is what many Pashtun nationalists call the Pashtun-dominated areas of Pakistan. ...

References

• Asia Times, July 9, 2002