Kakazai

The Kakazai (Pashto: کَکا زی / کَکے زی / کاکازی‎, Urdu, Persian: کَکا زَئی / کَکے زَئی‎ | see English spelling variants below), also known as Loye Mamund (Urdu: لو ئے مَاموند‎ | Pashto: لوی ماموند‎), are a Pashtun (پشتون / پختون) tribe originally from the Laghman province(Urdu: لغمان‎) of Afghanistan.

They came to South Asia during Afghan invasions such as those of Mahmud of Ghazni, settling in various regions.

A major Kakazai group from Gurdaspur, East Punjab settled in twelve villages, including Babal Chak, Faizullah Chak, Sut Kohiah (Satkoha), and Wazir Chak, nearDhariwal . At the partition of India in August 1947, having been initially told they (being Muslim) would be in Pakistan, they were caught up in the ensuing violence and the survivors displaced when their area became part of India.

Today, the majority of the Kakazai reside in Pakistan and Afghanistan (Marawara, Barkanai and Shortan areas of Kunar and some areas ofLaghman), in the areas of Dara Kakazai (Valley of Watlai), Bajaur Agency (Lagharai, Kalozai, Kaga, Mukha, Maina and Ghakhi areas of Tehsil Mamund), Lahore, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Sialkot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Quetta, Karachi, Kashmir, Jehlum, Bhalwal, Sargodha, Chakwal, Isa Khel, Musa Khel, and Killi Kakazai (Pishin,Baluchistan). Consequently, they do not exclusively speak Pashto, but may speak other languages indigenous to Pakistan such as Punjabi, Siraiki, Hindko and Balochi.

"Malik" is a common given name or surname among Kakazai Pashtuns.

Notable Kakazai Pashtuns include Nawab Bahadur Yar Jang, Abdullah Malik, Munir Ahmad Khan, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, Malik Ghulam Muhammad, Ishfaq Ahmadand the historian Khan Roshan khan.

The name "Kakazai" means "offspring/children/sons of little/younger boy and/or Paternal Uncle" (in Pashto, Kakay or Kaka = younger/little boy and/or Paternal Uncle, Zai = offspring/children/sons of, a root also used in Yousafzai). Spelling variants include: Kakezai, Kakaezai, Kakaizai, Kakay Zai, Kakayzai, Kakeyzai, Kaka Zai and Kakkayzai.

It should also be noted that Kakazai is part of the larger Tarkani tribe who are mainly situated in Bajaur Agency.