Waziristan is a mountainous area located in the former federally administered tribal areas (Former FATA). The region is now merged in province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and comprises two districts of North and South Waziristan. Both districts cover an area of 4,500 sq miles.
The region is bordered by Patika and Khost (Provinces of Afghanistan) in north and west, Sherani and Musa Khel (Districts of Baluchistan) in the south, D I Khan, Tank Bannu, and Kurram in the northeast. Two rivers, River Kurram and River Gomal, are flowing through the region.
The people are the best in terms of bravery, honesty, and hospitality. Due to the Afghan and Kashmir crises, it remained a battlefield for several years. After the military operation of Zarb-E-Azab, a peaceful environment has been introduced and developed. It is now directly under the administration of the Government of Pakistan. This article has every detail, including Waziristan History.
Title | Description |
---|---|
Information | |
Location: | Pakistan |
Details | |
Location: | Pakistan |
North Waziristan Main Language: | Pashto (99.6%) |
North Waziristan Time Zone: | PKT (UTC+5) |
North Waziristan Density: | 77/km2 (200/sq mi) |
North Waziristan Population (1998) Total: | 361,246 |
North Waziristan Area Total: | 4,707 km2 (1,817 sq mi) |
North Waziristan Established: | 1910 |
South Waziristan Established: | 1893 |
North Waziristan Headquarters: | Miranshah |
South Waziristan Headquarters: | Tank, Pakistan Wana, Pakistan |
North Waziristan Government Political agent: | Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada |
South Waziristan Area total: | 6,619 km2 (2,556 sq mi) |
South Waziristan Population (1998) Total : | 429,841 |
South Waziristan Density: | 65/km2 (170/sq mi) |
South Waziristan Main language(s): | Urdu, Pashto |
South Waziristan Time zone: | PST (UTC+5) |
Table of Contents
Waziristan History
The early history of the region, along with other former agencies, is traced back to the Ghaznavid Dynasty, who invaded many parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan at a time and settled there for many decades. The Pashtun tribes are considered as pure descendants of Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi, who left there permanently.
They remained independent till British Rule and fought man battles against many non-Muslim rulers. In 1857, British Rulers invaded the Subcontinent containing many parts of Punjab. After the occupation of Punjab, they advanced to the former FATA and tried to rule them but failed many times.
The Pashtuns of FATA were the ones who became an obstacle for the British Army and fought many battles with them, which finally resulted in the partition of Waziristan into two districts, North and South Waziristan. They appointed Political Agents in both districts to control the natives of the region.
Wanna was mad as a district headquarters of South Waziristan, while Miramar became the District South Waziristan headquarters.
Administration
Both South and North Waziristan are directly administered by the Government of Pakistan.
Language
The most widely spoken of the region is Pashtu (Pure Wazir Dialect), spoken by 99 percent of the population.
Waziristan Climate
The region’s climate in the summer season is hot and dry, with an average temperature of 27 degrees centigrade. The winter season contains an average temperature of 17 degrees centigrade. The average annual rainfall of the region is 129 mm.
South Waziristan
As the name mentions that south Waziristan is the southern part of the region. It covers an area of 650 sq kilometers while the people speak Pashtu with pure Wazir dialect. The district has a dry and hot climate in the summer season, with an average temperature of 30 degrees centigrade.
The climate in the winter season is cold, and the season starts in December and ends in March. Maseed, Wazir, and Burki are the dominant three Pashtun tribes of South Waziristan.
North Waziristan
It is the northern mountainous area of Pakistan and under the direct administration of the Government of Pakistan. Miran Shah is the capital and headquarters of the district. The dominant tribes of the region are Dawar (DAUR/DAURR) and Wazirs of Ahmadzai. They are inhabited in the most fertile valley of Tochi, which is irrigated from the Toche River.
The inhabitants of the valley are the descendants of these two tribes. Now the valley contains villages of Razmak, Mirali, Ziraki, Haiderkhel, Miranshah, Banda, Mussaki, Muhammad Khel, Darpa Khel, Palangzai, Hurmaz, and many more. The inhabitants of these villages are growing different crops from the fertile land of Tochi Valley.
The region covers an area of 200sq miles which the population of the region contains 361,246 inhabitants.
Waziristan Operation
Faqir Ipi
Hindu Muslim crises started in Waziristan due to a Hindu girl who married a Muslim Boy in Bannu in 1936. A Thorkhel Wazir, Mirzali Khan, declared Jehad against British Rules, who entitled him as “The Faqir of Ipi”.
He combined a huge force against British Rulers and demanded a separate nation for Pashtuns all over the world and did not recognize Pakistan till his death in 1960. He also declared Bannu Resolution with the members of the Provincial Assembly and Khudai Khidmatgaar.
War on Terror
Due to the geographical importance of the region, it became the battleground of many forces. During Afghan – Russian War, the region became a center of Al-Qaida (Arab Jihadist) who attacked Russian Forces from time to time. After the decline of the USSR, the United States of America invaded Afghanistan, and many Taliban of Afghanistan resisted the USA through many attacks and used Waziristan as their shelter.
Thousands of inhabitants have been died due to the drone attacks of America on the Taliban. These militants also used to attack villagers and killed thousands of people. The region also became a battleground due to Kashmir Crises and India’s interference in Baluchistan. Many schools and hospitals of the region were blown in bombs, and dozens of students were martyred in militant attacks.
Operation Zarb –E– Azb
The peace and harmony of the region are destroyed by different militant groups. Thus Pakistan Army Chief took the decision of an army operation against these militants in 2005 and sent five thousand soldiers along a commando company to maintain the peace of this region.
Thousands of Taliban militants were killed in this operation, and hundreds of Pakistan Army check posts were built on major valleys and passes. The people were informed about migrating to peaceful areas and not to come here again during this military operation.
In 2014, after a great struggle to maintain peace in the region, Pakistan Army Chief announced Waziristan as a peaceful place and informed the inhabitants to come back to their motherland, and the Operation of Zarb -E- Azb reached its end.
Pakistan’s army is still operating in the place to maintain harmony and trying to facilitate people with modern development.
Education
The education system is very weak as hundreds of schools are blown with bombs, and the female members of the society are still prohibited from getting a basic education. Furthermore, the male members are getting up to higher education from the nearest city of Peshawar.
The government has now announced and trying to rebuild those schools, which are blown as well as new schools and colleges.
Notable People
- Faqir Ipi
- Hafiz Gul Bahadur
- Zubair shah
- Mir Kalam