The Hassanzai is a sub-clan of

Yousafzai The Yusufzai or Yousafzai ( ps, یوسفزی, ), also referred to as the Esapzai (, ) are one of the largest tribes of ethnic Pashtuns. They are natively based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to which they migrated to from Suliman mountains du ...

, which is a

Pakhtoon Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...

/Pashtoon/

Pathan Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...

tribe. It is one of the divisions of the Isazai clan of the

tribe.

tribe is regarded as one of the most powerful, famous, and respected tribes of

Pashtoons Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...

. Colonel H. C. Wylly (1858–1932) described these people in the following words:

Origin

The Hasanzais are amongst

The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) Tribes Black Mountain (Tor Ghar), is located in Hazara division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Tor Ghar is Pushto word which means Tor (Black) Ghar (Mountain). It is also called Kala Dhaka, which means the same as its Pushto name; in Hind ...

; a division of the Isazai clan of the

tribe. They are the descendants of Hassan the son of Isa (Isazai) and the grandson of Yusaf/Yousaf/(

). The Hassanzais are further divided into following ten Sections:

The Sections

Demographics

The Hassanzais live on either side of the

Indus The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...

; those cis-Indus occupy the most southern portion of the western slopes of Tor Ghar, while those trans-Indus live immediately opposite to them. The Hassanzai area is bounded on the north and east by the

Akazai Akazai is a Pakhtoon (or Pashtoon; Pathan) tribe of northern Pakistan. It is a division of the Isazai clan within the Yousafzai tribe, which is regarded as one of the most powerful, famous, and respected tribes of Pashtoons. Military historian C ...

s, on the west by the Indus, and on the south the Hassanzai border adjoins the territory of

Tanawal Amb or Kingdom of Amb also Feudal Tanawal (Urdu/ Persian: ''ریاست امب,'' romanized: ''Riyasat-e-Amb'') was a princely state in the present day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan. It was a monarchy ruled by the Tanolis, a tribe of th ...

, the former state of Amb.

Culture and traditions

Like all other

, Hassanzais have maintained their cultural identity and individuality. They lead their lives strictly in accordance with code of ethics of Pashtoonwali which comprises Manliness, Goodness, Gallantery, Loyalty and Modesty. Hassanzais have also maintained the Pashtoon customs of

Jirga A jirga ( ps, جرګه, ''jərga'') is an assembly of leaders that makes decisions by consensus according to Pashtunwali, the Pashtuns, Pashtun social code. It is conducted in order to settle disputes among the Pashtuns, but also by members of oth ...

(Consultative Assembly),

Nanawati Nənawā́te ( ps, ننواتې, "sanctuary") is a tenet of the Pashtunwali code of the Pashtun people. It allows a beleaguered person to enter the house of any other person and make a request of him which cannot be refused, even at the cost of the ...

(Delegation pleading guilty), Hujhra (Large drawing room) and Melmasteya (Hospitality).

Fighting against the British

had never been under the

British Rule The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was hims ...

. Hassanzais along with

s had been actively involved in fighting with British for quite some time. Brief account of the British Expeditions against

is as under:- *Under Lieutenant Colonel F. Mackeson, in 1852–53, against the Hassanzais. The occasion was the murder of two British customs officers. A force of 3800 British troops traversed their country, destroying their villages, grain and crops. *Under Major-General A. T. Wilde, in 1868. The occasion was an attack on a British police post at Oghi in the Agror Valley by all

. A force of 12,500 British troops entered the country and the tribes made peace. * The First Hazara Expedition in 1888. The cause was the constant raids made by the tribes on villages in British territory, culminating in an attack on a small British reconnaissance troop, in which two British officers were killed. A force of 9,500 British troops traversed the country of the tribes, and severe fighting took place. *The Second Hazara Expedition of 1891.

fired on a force within British limits. A force of 7300 British troops traversed the country. The tribesmen made their peace and entered into an agreement with government to preserve the peace of the border.

Recent developments

On 28 January 2011, Tor Ghar became the 25th district of

Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...

.Tor Ghar: Kala Dhaka becomes 25th K-P district
The Express Tribune. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.

Judba Judba (Urdu and ps, ) is the district headquarters of Torghar District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's Lis ...

is the Capital of this newly born district with multiple tehsils:- * Judba * Kandar Hassanzai * Mada Khel Most of the Hassanzai areas come under the Kandar tehsil.

References

{{Pashtun tribes Social groups of Pakistan Yusufzai Pashtun tribes