The Chhachi Pashtuns consist of a variety of Pashtun clans inhabiting the region of Chhachh in the northern half of the Punjab province of Pakistan, which is home of a large community of Pashtuns.
Contents
Major tribes
According to the 1901 Census of India, these were the main sub-divisions of the Pathans in Attock District.
History and origin
The Attock Pathans (Hindko speakers) and Pashtuns (Pashto speakers) are found in two parts of the tehsil, those of Sarwala, and those of Chhachh. The Chhach Pathans have very little in common with the Sagri, as they are separated by the Kala Chita mountains, and a solid territory of Awan and Khattar villages. The Chach are a Hindko speaking community, and have much in common with the Pashtun tribes settled in the neighbouring Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The largest clan are the Alizai, who include the Tahirkheli, one of three mains septs of the Alizai. The Tahirkheli inhabit villages along the Haro river. The other tribe along the Haro are the Saddozai, and both they and the Alizai, are branches of the durrani tribe. Together with the Manduri and Barahzai, who are also found in numbers in the district, they are all sections of the great Yousafzai tribe. By far the greater proportion of the Attock Pathans are Yousafzai, allied to the Yousafzai of Swabi and Mardan districts.There are also Pashtuns belonging to Barakzai tribe.
The Attock District Gazetteer gaves the following description regarding Pathan settlement in the district.
Distribution
The Chhachh ilaqa{area } is almost entirely held by the Pathans (Hindkowans-Non-Pashtuns), as is the Nala estates, along the Haro river valley. The Chhachh Pathans were the earliest group of Attock who start emigrating to Europe and North America. There are now large communities of Chhachh Pathan settled in British cities, such as Bradford and Manchester, Also there are sizeable communities of Chachhies in California and North Carolina states of The United States of America.