Gibari (Tajik tribe)
Gibari (گبری) also known as Gabri Swatis is a Dehgan tribe of Tajik origin residing in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.[1]
History[edit]
Origin[edit]
According to Henry Walter Bellew, Gibari tribe is medieval name for ancient Magi tribe, one of the six Median tribes.[citation needed]
Major Raverty and Akhund Darweza wrote Gibari as a tribe of Dehqan-Tajik origins along with Gibari as their language which is mentioned as a dialect of Dari Persian.[citation needed]
Iran and Afghanistan[edit]
Gibari tribe of Afghanistan and Iran lost their identity and is now considered as sub-section of various Tajik tribes.[citation needed]
In Pakistan[edit]
Gibari tribe of Pakistan maintained their identity and is now considered as one of the three main subsections of later-formed Swati tribe.
Gibaris of Pakistan once ruled over Sultanate of Swat extending from Ningarhar to Jehlum in Indian Subcontinent.[citation needed]
In 1519, the last Gibari ruler of Swat Sultanate was overthrown by uprising Yousafzais.[citation needed]
In 1640, Gibaris along with two other tribes of the same Tajik origin namely Mitravis and Mamyalis formed a tribal union under the leadership of Bhai Khan Gabri and conquered Pakhli by defeating Karluk Turks. They started writing Swati with their names since then.
Upper Pakhli[edit]
In Pakistan, Gibari Swatis inhabits the whole Upper Pakhli region of Hazara division and are considered as the most influential tribe in term of land ownership and politics.[citation needed] Hazara Gazetteer mentions that Upper Pakhli region consists of the majority areas of Mansehra District and Battagram District and is known as Gibari Swati's country while the Lower Pakhli consisting of the rest two parts of these two districts are the country of Mitravi Swatis and Mamylai Swatis.[citation needed]
Pakhli is evidently named after Sultan Pakhal Gibari who conquered this area in late 1190s and it was reconquered again by same people in 1640s.[citation needed]
Sub-families[edit]
Gibari tribe of Swatis is divided into 3 main houses.
1- Deshrais (Sultan Pakhal family)
- I-Jahangiris
- II-Arghushals
- III-Malkals
- IV-Iznalis
- V-Mandravis
2- Sarkhelis(Sultan Behram family)
- I- Lughmanis
- II- Dhodyaris
- III- Laharis
- IV- Teetwals
- V- Khawaja Khelis
3- Mirs
- I-Panjghols
- II-Panjmerals
- III- Dodals
Notable people[edit]
- Sultan Pakhal Gibari (Founder of Sultanate of Swat)
- Pakhal II (Ruler from House of Pakhal)
- Sultan Awais Swati (Last king of Swat Sultanate)
- Khan Khudadad Khan Swati (1st Health Minister of Pakistan)
- Babar Saleem Swati (Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province)
- Abdul Hakeem Khan Swati (13th Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
References[edit]
- ^ Abdul Rahman, Shakir Ullah and (December 2016). "The Short Lived Gibari Empire: A Little Known Chapter of the History of Medieval Hazara". Research Journal of Pakistan Heritage.