Chief Of Swatis and Pakhli 

The Chief of Swati or Khan of "Village name" is a title held by many local Swati rulers in Pakhli,^[1] covering District Mansehra and District Battagram in Hazara Division, Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa Pakistan..^[2]

Pakhli was conquered in 1703 by Swatis, bringing Sultanate of Hazara to an end. After the division of Pakhli among Swati families, a Khanate was established. Under Durrani rule, Saadaat Khan Swati was chosen as Chief of Pakhli Khanate^[3]. After him the fedual lords of different areas of Pakhli announced their own separate Khanate. Most of the villages in Pakhli tract have Chief or Khan who is considered as the head of 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 the both Gazetteers of Hazara District 1883 and 1907. In the past, some Khans were appointed by the Viceroy of India, reflecting their importance in the colonial administrative structure.

Khans of Agror Valley(Lower Pakhli):

Agror is well Known for their chieftain history. Wajhi Uz Zaman Khan is the current Khan of Agror or Chief of Swatis of Agror. These Chiefs belongs to Begal subsection of Mitravi Swatis. Pashto is the mother tongue of rulers and people.

Painda Khan, a renowned chief of the Tanoli tribe took over the valley in 1834, but in 1841 it was restored by the Sikhs to Ata Muhammad Khan Swati, a descendant of the first Chief of Agror; Akhund Sad-ud-din Khan. At annexation in 1849 Ata Muhammad Khan was recognized as Chief of Agror; but the arrangement did not work satisfactorily as Ata Muhammad khan conflicted with the British demands British. An expedition had to be sent in 1852 to avenge the murder of two officers of the Salt department; and in consequence of the unsatisfactory attitude of the chief and of repeated complaints by the cultivators, it was resolved in 1868 to place a police station in Agror and to bring the valley more directly under the administration of Government. This incensed the Khan of Agror, at whose instigation the newly built police station was burnt by a raid of The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) Tribes, Akazais, trans-border Swatis such as the Tikariwals and Nandihar, Pariari Sayyids, Deshiwals, Hassanzais, Chagharzais etc.

An expedition was dispatched, and Ata Muhammad Khan was deported to Lahore for a time, but in 1870 reinstated in his chieftainship after making slavish representations to the British government. His son and successor, Ali Gauhar, was removed from the valley in 1888 in consequence of his instigating and abetting raids into British territory, and in 1888 as per the orders of government, the Agror jagir was suspended pending a final decision. In order to maintain the peace of the border, expeditions were dispatched against the Black Mountain tribes in 1888, 1891, and 1892. The Agror Valley Regulation (1891) later formally declared the rights of the Khan of Agror to be forfeit to Government.

Page no 173 of Hazara Gazetteer-1907 states the following :

 In the summer of 1870 the Khan of Agror, whom the inquiries of the Settlement officer, Captain Wace, proved, as mentioned on page no 172 of Hazara Gazetteer-1907, to have been unjustly deprived of ancient rights in the valley, was pardoned and allowed to return to his home from his exile in Lahore.

Khans of Busting: (Upper Pakhli)

Khan Hassan Ali Khan was the first Khan of Butsing. Butsing is a village located in the outskirts of Garhi Habibullah. Hassan Ali Khan was the son the Mehar Ali Khan Shaheed who came from Dhodial with his army and fought in the war against Sikhs under the leadership of Syed Ahmed Shaheed. Mehar Ali Khan Shaheed got martyred at MattiKot near Balakot. When the Hazara District was being divided in 1872, Hassan Ali Khan—the son of Mehar Ali Khan Shaheed got Jageer in Garhi and its surrounding areas on the account of services in war against Khalsa Empire. Mehar Ali Khan had two sons; Ashraf Khan and Hassan Ali Khan. The hereditary lands of Dhodial came in the part of Ashraf Khan while the Jageer of Garhi side came in the part of Hassan Ali Khan. Hassan Ali Khan with his 4 counterparts re-founded the Garhi Habibullah again after the war. He choose Butsing village as his permanent living place and established the Khanate. However, this family didn't maintain heredity Khan after 1983. This family has a proper "Mohar" which is given only to selected Khan of Butsing. Hassan Ali Khan Colony and Bela Hassan Ali Khan in Garhi Habibullah are named after first Khan of Butsing. Hundi Hassan Ali Khan is the third largest Jageer of Garhi Habibullah. This family belongs to Arghushal subsection of Gabri Swatis. This family traces their family tree to Sultan Arghush Khan—The King of Kandahar, Balochistan and Sultanate of Swat or Pakhal Sarkar.

Khans of Butsing are Following:

1- Khan Hassan Ali Khan(1872-1890)

2- Khan Said Wali Khan(1890-1910)

3- Khan Ali Khan(1910-1940)

4- Khan Noor Ur Rehman Khan(1940-1965)

5- Khan Khudadad Khan(1965-1984)

Ex-Khan of Butsing; Khan Khudadad Khan. Born :1910. Died : 9 April,1984. Khan Khudadad Khan was the grand-son of Khan Said Wali Khan.

6- Khan Roshan Khan (1984-2014)

Ex-Khan of Butsing; Khan Muhammad Roshan Khan. He had also been Head of Garhi Bazar through out the life.

7- Khan Danish Khan(2014-2023)

Ex-Khan of Butsing; Khan Danish Khan(Late). He was grandson of Khan Noor Ur Rehman Khan.He had been General Councilor of Garhi Habibullah.

8- Khan Haji Ijaz Khan (2023-Present)

Current Khan of Busting; Haji Ijaz Khan. He is eldest son of the Ex-Khan, Khudadad Khan. He is also head of Zakat Committee Garhi Habibullah.

Khans of Bogarmang Valley(Upper Pakhli) :

Muhammad Riaz Khan is the current Khan of Bhogarmang Valley. He is the son of last Khan, "Khan Khudadad Khan". Muhammad Riaz Khan well-known politician and hold record for being 4 times delegate to United Nations from Pakistan. He had been member of Majlis E Shura and special advisor to Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Current Khan of Bhogarmang; Khan Riaz Khan

The previous Khan, Khan Khudadad Khan had been Minister of Health West Pakistan[13] and well known leader in the Pakistan Independence Movement. Khudadad Colony Karachi, infront of Mazar-e-Quaid is named after him.

Pre-Partition image of Khan of Bhogarmang; Khan Khudadad Khan and Fatima Jinnah(Mother of the Nation)

These Khans belongs to Jahangiri subsection of Gabri Swatis. Khan Bahadur Muhammad Muzzafar Khan had been the Khan of Bhogarmang before Khan Khudadad Khan. He was given the title of Khan Bahadur by British Empire for his services in bringing the Khan of Allai and British Empire to negotiate with each other.[1]

Khans Of Garhi Habibullah (Upper Pakhli) :  

Ex-Khan of Garhi Babar Khan. He had also been Food Minister of NWFP

9-Habibullah Khan-The Second(2012-Present)

Habibullah Khan II- The Current Khan of Garhi

Khans Of Gidarpur: (Lower Pakhli)

The grandson of Haji Muhamad Akbar Khan, Muhammad Afzal Khan is the current Khan of Gidarpur. These chiefs belongs to the Alisheri subsection of the Mitravi Swatis. Haji Muhammad Akbar Khan was the most powerful Chief in the history of Gidarpur Mansehra (Lower Pakhli).

Khan of Gidarpur; Haji Muhammad Akbar Khan Swati with his army. Circa:1900s

 History of Garhi Habibullah 

Nemkai 1713 (The First Division)

 Pakhli Consists of all areas of District Mansehra and District Battagram excluding Tanawal area.

After the Conquest of Pakhli in 1703 by Swati families, the Pakhli was divided into 2 parts; Upper Pakhli and Lower Pakhli. Upper Pakhli was further divided into 8 Swati families in 9 parts(Nemakis)

2 to Sarkheli Swatis.

1 to Khankhail Swatis(Adopted)

1 to Jahangiri Swatis

1 to Arghsuhal Malkal Swatis

1 to Panjmeral Swatis

1 to Panjhol Swatis

1 to Dodal Swatis

1 to Aznali Mandravi Swatis

Similarly, Lower Pakhli was divided into 12 parts.

6 to Mitravi Swatis

6 to Mumaili Swatis

The part of Garhi Habibullah came in the nemkai of Khankhail family.

Foundation of Garhi Habibullah:

Garhi Habibullah was founded in 1768 when Saadaat Khan Swati became Chief of Pakhli. It was later changed into Garhi Habibullah from Garhi Saadat Khan on the name of his successor Habibullah Khan Swati. 

Sikh Occupation:

In 1830, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh headed towards Pakhli. He put 300 men in Chief of Swati house in Garhi Habibullah and took the hold of whole Pakhli. At the time Syed Ahmed Shaheed and Shah Ismahil Shaheed came with their armies. Swatis also joined the army of Syed Ahmed Shaheed. Swatis from other areas of Pakhli came with their armies to join the hands of Syed Ahmed Shaheed. During these wars, Sikhs were ruling Pakhli and they changed the name of villages. They founded Mansehra on the name of their governor Man Singh, Haripur on the name of Hari Sigh. Similarly Balakot on the name of Bala Singh, Butsing on the name of But Singh. 

In 1840s Sikhs lost war due to increasing opposition from tribals and Mujahideens.

Re-foundation of Garhi Habibullah in 1872:

After the elimination of Sikhs from Pakhli, Garhi Habibullah was again divided into 5 Swatis on the account of their services in previous war.

According to 1872 division of Hazara District, Garhi Habibullah was divided among 5 families into 5 Hundis/Jageers.These 5 families own nearly all villages of Garhi Habibullah and its side areas. Apart from this, these families also have combined land(شاملات) of Batrasi Forest, Babar Colony and Garhi Bazar, Dra Syedan and Ponrh which is still undivided. The Batrasi Forest was taken by British Empire in 1911 for 100 years from these 5 families. As the pact is completed, it will be soon return back after some legal process.

Five Khans of Garhi are Following:

1)Hundi Sumandar Khan Khankhail Swati

2)Hundi Behram Khan Sarkheli Swati

3)Hundi Hassan Ali Khan Arghushal Swati

4)Hundi Habib Khan Jahangiri Swati

5)Hundi Ameen Khan Jahangiri Swati.

The Jabbi town is founded by Habib Khan, Seri and Sughdar by the descendants of Ameen Khan, Butsing by Hassan Ali Khan, Naral by Behram Khan while Babar Colony by Samundar Khan. The Khankhails are adopted Swatis while the rest 4 are Swatis by blood.