{{Short description|Region in Hazara Division}}

'''Pakhli'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 19, page 319 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_325.gif |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref> '''or Pakhal''' (اردو''': پکھلی''') is a historical region located in [[Hazara Division]] of [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province]], [[Pakistan]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-06-17 |title=History of Swatis and Pakhli by Huzaifa Khan |url=https://swatifamily.blogspot.com/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Swati Family}}</ref>

Pakhli is divided into two parts:

Upper Pakhli (اتلی پکھلی) or Gabri and Lower Pakhli (ترلی پکھلی) or Mamaili - Mitravi<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Gazetteer_of_the_Hazara_District_1883_4.html?id=g5Q3AQAAMAAJ |title=Gazetteer of the Hazara District 1883-4 |date=2000 |publisher=Sang-e-Meel Publications |isbn=978-969-35-1069-0 |pages=73 |language=en}}</ref>

According to Hazara Gazetteer, Upper Pakhli belongs to the Gabri Swatis, and Lower Pakhli belongs to the Mitravi-Mamiali Swatis. In [[Hindko]], the word "Utli" is used for Upper and "Tarli" for Lower.

{{Infobox former subdivision

| common_name = Pakhli

| conventional_long_name = Pakhli

| native_name = پکھلی<br>[[Historical region]]

| subdivision =

| image_flag =

| image_map = File:Pakhli Of Swatis in 1703.png

| image_map_caption = Pakhli State in 1703

| capital =

| stat_year1 =

| stat_area1 =

| year_start = 1190

| today = [[Pakistan]]<br>{{·}} [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]

| footnotes =

| p1 = Chief of Swatis

| s1 = West Pakistan

| era = since 1190-Present

| event1 = Ruled by [[Sultanate of Swat|Pakhal Sarkar of ]] [[Swatis]]

| date_event1 = 1190-1399

| event2 = Ruled by [[Timurid dynasty| Timurid Kingdom]]

| date_event2 = 1399-1480

| event3 = Ruled by [[Sultanate of Hazara]] of [[Karluks]]

| date_event3 = 1480-1703

| event4 = Conquered again by [[Swatis]]

| date_event4 = 1703

| event5 = Ruled by [[Chief of Swatis|Khanate of Swatis]] under [[Durrani Empire|Durrani Empire Afghanistan]]

| date_event5 = 1768-1830

| event6 = Ruled by [[Chief of Swatis|Khanate of Swatis]] under [[Sikh Empire]]

| date_event6 = 1830-1840

| event7 = Ruled by [[Chief of Swatis|Khanate of Swatis]] under [[British Rule]]

| date_event7 = 1840-1947

| event8 = Part of [[Pakistan]]

| date_event8 = 1947-Present

| flag_p1 =

| flag_s1 = Flag_of_Pakistan.svg

| image_coat =

| motto =

| demonym = Pakhliwal

| government_type = Historical Region

==Etymology==

Pakhli is named after [[Sultan Pakhal Swati]] who was the First Sultan of [[Gibarid dynasty|Gabari Kingdom of Swat]] also known as [[Sultanate of Swat|Pakhal Sarkar]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 19, page 319 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_325.gif |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=dsal.uchicago.edu |page=319 Volume 19 |quote=In Babur's time this tract was held by Khakha and Bamba tribes, whose chiefs had been the ancient rulers of the country east of the Indus, but had been driven out by Gabari Sultans of Bajaur and Swat; and the tract derives its name from Pakhal, one of these conquerors.}}</ref>

==Areas==

According to the Hazara Gazetteer 1883, Pakhli is the country of Swatis, comprising all areas of [[Mansehra District|District Mansehra]] and [[Battagram District|District Battagram]] excluding [[Amb (princely state)|Feudal Tanawal]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Irvine |first=William |date=January 1910 |title=Gazetteer of the Hazara District (1907). By H. D. Watson, Civil Service, Settlement Officer. London: Chatto &amp; Windus, 1908. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0035869x00081880 |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain &amp; Ireland |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=183–184 |doi=10.1017/s0035869x00081880 |issn=0035-869X}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> Today due to a lack of knowledge, people consider only "Pakhli Plains" as the entire Pakhli. Pakhli plains consist of areas like Shinkyari, Bhogarmang, Dhodial, Bherkund, Malakpur, Sherpur, Konsh, and Battal only.

[[File:Pakhli Areas 1883.png|thumb|Page no 73 of Hazara Gazetteer-1883 showing the areas of Pakhli which are now divided into many new tehsils.]]'''Present Tehsils in Pakhli region:'''

1- [[Mansehra Tehsil]]

2- [[Balakot Tehsil]]

3- [[Baffa Pakhal|Baffa Pakhal Tehsil]]

4- [[Oghi Tehsil]]

5- [[Allai Tehsil]]

6- [[Battagram Tehsil]]

==History==

Syed Jalal Baba called Swatis to conquer Pakhli from [[Sultanate of Hazara|Karlugh Turks Kingdom of Hazara]] in 1703. Pakhli was conquered in 1703 by [[Swati tribe|Swatis]], bringing [[Sultanate of Hazara]] to an end. After the division of Pakhli among [[Swati tribe|Swati families]], a Khanate was established. Under Durrani rule, Saadaat Khan Swati was chosen as the first Chief of Pakhli Khanate.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of India |first=British |title=Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 19, page 319 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_325.gif |url-status=live |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref> After him, the feudal lords of different areas of Pakhli announced their separate Khanates. Most of the villages in Pakhli tract have a Chief or Khan who is considered as the head of the whole area. Inherited upon the death of the previous Khan, it follows a hereditary system. These Khans play a vital role in governing the villages, and their historical significance is well-documented in both Gazetteers of Hazara District 1883 and 1907. In the past, some Khans were appointed by the [[Governor-General of India|Viceroy of India]], reflecting their importance in the colonial administrative structure.

[[File:Khan Of Garhi.jpg|thumb|Letter from Viceroy of India appointing Muhammad Hussain Khan as Khan of Garhi Habibullah upon the death of the last Khan: Samundar Khan]]

== Valleys in Pakhli ==

The beautiful valleys of Pakistan, such as [[Naran Valley]], [[Kaghan Valley]], Manoor Valley, [[Siran Valley]], [[Kunhar River|Kunhar Valley]], [[Konsh Valley]], Bhogarmang Valley, [[Agror|Agror Valley]], and [[Balakot|Balakot Valley]], Kiwai, Siri Pai, and [[Shogran|Shogran Valley]] are part of Pakhli tract.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 19, page 319 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_325.gif |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=dsal.uchicago.edu |quote=The valleys of Kaghan, Bhogarmang, and Agror were dependent on Pakhli. These valleys are now divided into many further valleys, that's why I wrote many names}}</ref>

==Upper Pakhli==

[[Gibarid dynasty|Gabri Swatis]] hold 95% of the area in Upper Pakhli, which covers more than a million acres of land.

[[File:Upper Pakhli.png|thumb|Page no 74 of Hazara Gazetteer-1883 showing the division of Upper Pakhli into 9 parts among 8 Gabri families]]

Upper Pakhli is divided among eight families of Gabri into nine parts. Two parts were given to the Sarkheli family, one to the [[Khankhel Swati|Khankhail family]], one to the [[Arghushal Swati|Arghushal Malkal]] family, one to the Dodal family, one to the Panjhol family, one to the [[Aznali Swati|Aznali Mandravi]] family, one to the Panjmeral family, and one part to the [[Jahangiri Swati|Jahangiri family]]. These eight [[Gibarid dynasty|Gabri families]] are further divided into small khels. Each family consists of 4–7 khels, and each khel has a small population of 400–500 people. Each family owns around 10 lakh kanals of land. Aznali Mandravi owns the most land, with 12 lakh kanals in [[Konsh Valley]] and its surrounding areas. The city of [[Mansehra]] falls within the jurisdiction of the Jahangiri family. Only in the Naran Kaghan Valley, out of the 21 villages, 14 villages are owned by Swatis, while the rest 7 villages belong to Syeds who are descendants of Syed Jalal Baba as mentioned in Hazara Gazetteer.

===Division of Upper Pakhli among Gibari families of Swati tribe ===

{|border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="4" width="100%"

|bgcolor = "#969696"|'''Family'''

|bgcolor = "#969696"|'''Nemkai'''

|bgcolor = "#969696"|'''Areas'''

|-

|[[Khankhel Swati|Khankhail]]

|1

|[[Garhi Habibullah|Ilaqas Garhi Habibullah]], [[Mansehra]] and [[Bherkund]]

|-

|&nbsp;[[Sarkheli Swati|Sarkheli]]

|2

|[[Baffa Pakhal|Baffa]], [[Shinkiari|Ilaqas Shinkyari]], [[Balakot Tehsil|Balakot]]

|-

|&nbsp;[[Jahangiri Swati|Jahangiri]]

|1

|[[Mansehra|Mansehra city]], [[Siran Valley|Bogarmang Valley]]

|-

|&nbsp;[[Arghushal Swati|Arghushal Malkal]]

|1

|[[Dhodial]], [[Shinkiari|Ilaqa Shinkyari]], [[Kaghan Valley]]

|-

|&nbsp;Dudal

|1

|[[Shinkiari|Ilaqa Shinkyari]], Kaghan Valley, Balakot and Bogarmang Valley

|-

|&nbsp;Iznali Mandravi

|1

|[[Konsh Valley]]

|-

|&nbsp;Panghol

|1

|Ilaqa Shinkiari & [[Kaghan Valley|Kaghan]]

|-

|&nbsp;Panjmeral

|1

|Ilaqa Shinkiari

|-

|}

== Lower Pakhli ==

Lower Pakhli was divided among the Mitravi Swatis and Mamiali Swatis in 12 parts, with six parts for each of them.

[[File:Lower Pakhli.png|thumb|Page no 74 of Hazara Gazetteer-1883 showing the division of lower Pakhli into 2 Swati families in 12 parts.]]

==Khans of Pakhal==

Different villages in Pakhli have different [[Chief of Swatis|Khans]] who are also called the [[Chief of Swatis]].

==References==

{{Reflist}}

== References==

[[Category:History of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]

[[Category:12th-century establishments in Asia]]