Sherani Subdistrict - Tribes and Their Habitats

Tribes and Their Habitats

Tribes have largely been configured around ethnicity and geography. In tribal society clan loyalty matters more than anything else. Here blood speaks its own language. Local clan solidarity have always exercised a decisive influence on electoral process. Pushtoon tribal system with its egalitarian ethos allows more scope for an individual enterprise than the hierarchical Baloch tribal system.

The Baloch and Brahui tribes are organized on an oligarchic basis with a great respect for their chiefs.Political organization of both Pathan & Baloch is tribal:but the Pathan is essentially a radical and obey no one but the Jirga or democratic council;while the Baloch remain loyal to their Chief.In Balochistan the people live under the feudal system. It is the foundation & basis of the polity and on that system the administration itself is based. Jirga affords the machinery by which the people's own system is used in the administration. Tribal code lay down certain rules. Tribesmen are lawless & rough people and do not understand technicalities & formalities but value the substance of justice more than its form.

Tribesmen try to conserve what they had inherited and show aversion to change in older order of things. They are very possessive, and have fierce attachment to their particularistic traditions. For instance they still use outdated utensils, like "gudva" which is a copper can with a spout, and "Badnae" ( lota) for potable water. So far Jug and glass has not replaced it. similarly in context of dress; women still wear gaiters(Paichy) white by unmarried girls and red or green by married woman. Similarly Kholay (Cuff) Grayvan (Chest crochet) Trata (Belt Crochet) are being part & parcel of their Pushtani frock. Pushtu as a cultural system codified into rules for behaviours, has no way for the women to determine her own honour except in modesty & service to her patron.

The overseas employment has improved their standard of living without prejudice to intrinsically inbred unwritten tribal code, norms and tenacious adherence thereof.Development for them does not mean a wholesale rejection of traditions.Wholesale transplant of innovations on to a tribal society could n't overcome the ferocious power of traditions;what is essential is to graft these innovations after first making the environment congenial & receptive

The district has only two tribes, the Shirani and the Harifal, a coalescence of two diverse ethnic elements. The Sherani tribe has three main branches, Hasan Khel, Oba Khel, and Choharkhail. Hasan Khel is further divided into, kapip, Karmanzai, Muhammad Zai, Haizai, Ranaizai, etc. Muhammad Zai is the biggest clan in terms of population.Certain stereotype notions,reflecting their inbred tribal trait have gained currency with some sub tribes or even main tribe. e.g. A Sherani word can generally be relied upon. Haizai are considered as brain of Sherani. All outstanding personalities come from this clan. For instance Ex-MNA, and Chairman Islamic Ideological council, Senator Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, a renowned intellectual Sain Kamal Khan Sherani, Lal Gul Sherani, Dr Fazal-ud-din, DHO.Sherani, Professor Ameer Muhammad, Haji Hassan ex- District Nazim, are all Haizai.

Certain families, called blacksmiths and weavers (working tapestry job), in both Harifal and Sherani do exist, who are treated neither better nor worse than any poor relation.

A proverb about Harifal says "It is like cooked meat which could gets cool but never gets raw." Peoples of Sherani District have long historical background. They had put up resistance to the British occupation. Masho Khan Sherani, a folk hero; was the refractive leader of these Sherani warriors.The British forces had attempted to have him arrested but failed to do. He was killed during fighting against British army in the famous area of Zhob District called "Silyazi". After the murder of Masho Khan his many companions were arrested including his confident Adam Khan Harifal.

During the era of Amir Amanullah Khan many Harifal families migrated to Afghanistan against British Raj and are still settled there in Loghar, Makwar, and Kabul. Prominent amongst them were Nazak, Harifal, Abdulraheem Harifal, Gooloon Harifal and Majeed Harifal. Sheranis were notoriously irrepressible.

A gang of Sheranis along with some Wazirs had killed one british political agent freshly posted at Fort Sandeman, Mr.Herbert Gob Finis Ob, near Hasu-Band (watershed) on 30 November 1923. The poor fellow had just assumed charge only 29 days before his death, i.e. on 1 November 1923. He was buried in Zhob. His grave is near Zhob Aerodrome. His grave had marble made slab with inscription engraved thereupon. About a decade back it was not in such a debilitated condition as it is now, especially after the settlement of new colony called Air port Mohalla.