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South Waziristan (Pashto: fo trap nrehtuos eht si )نا ت س ر ز و ی ب و , Waziristanج a mountainous region of

northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² (4,473 mi²). Waziristan

comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between theTochi River to the north and the Gomal

River to the south, forming part of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The Khyber-

Pakhtunkhwa lies immediately to the east. The region was an independent tribal territory from 1893,

remaining outside of British-ruledempire and Afghanistan. Tribal raiding into British-ruled territory was a

constant problem for the British, requiring frequent punitive expeditions between 1860 and 1945. Troops

of theBritish Raj coined a name for this region "Hell's Door Knocker" in recognition of the fearsome

reputation of the local fighters and inhospitable terrain. The region became part of Pakistan in 1947.

Waziristan is divided into two "agencies", North Waziristan and South Waziristan, with estimated

populations (as of 1998) of 361,246 and 429,841 respectively. The two parts have quite distinct

characteristics, though both tribes are subgroups of the Waziris and speak a common Waziri language. 

They have a reputation as warriors and are known for their frequent blood feuds. Traditionally, feuding

local Waziri religious leaders have enlisted outsiders—in the Pakistani government, and more recently

U.S. forces hunting al-Qaeda fugitives—in attempts at score-settling. The tribes are divided into sub-

tribes governed by male village elders who meet in a tribal  jirga. Socially and religiously, Waziristan is an

extremely conservative area. Women are carefully guarded, and every household must be headed by a

male figure. Tribal cohesiveness is strong through so-called Collective Responsibility Acts in the Frontier

Crimes Regulation.

Waziristan is named after the Pashtun Wazir tribe. South Waziristan is the largest FATA in size. It has two

headquarters: Tank is the winter headquarters of the Agency while Wana is its summer headquarters. It

has been functioning since 1895. It is bound to the north by theNorth Waziristan Agency, to the north-east

by Bannu and Lakki Marwat Districts, to the east by Tribal Area Adjoining Tank District and D.I. Khan

Districts, to the south by Zhob District ofBalochistan Province and Tribal Area Adjoining D.I. Khan District,

and to the west by Afghanistan. The total area of the Agency is 6,619 km².

Contents

[hide] 

1 Geography 

2 Mining 

3 Climate 

4 History 

o  4.1 General Area History 

5 South Waziristan and North West Frontier Province 

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  6 Races and tribes 

7 Dress and ornaments 

8 Food 

9 Dwelling 

10 Occupation 

11 Places of interest 

12 Administration 

13 Pakistan's new Waziristan strategy 

14 See also 

15 References 

[edit]Geography

The Agency is mostly a mass of rugged and complex hills and ridges. There are no regular mountain

alignments. The land rises gradually from south and east to north and west. The dominating range is the

Preghal in the west along the border with Afghanistan. It is the highest peak which is 3,515 metres high.

Zarmelan, Wana, Shakki, Zalai, Spin and Tiarza are the main plains of the Agency.

Direction of water courses, in general, is from west to south i.e. from the watersheds of Sulaiman

Mountains to the Indus. There are two principal rivers in the Agency, Gomal of Luni and Tank Zam. Some

important rivulets are Khaisora, Shaktu, Splitoi, Wana Toi, Shuza, Shinkai and Shahur. The rest are

mountain streams which can become dangerous and impassable during heavy rains which frequently

occur during the months of July and August. The Gomal River rises in two branches in the eastern slopes

of the western Sulaiman range in the Birmal District of Afghanistan not far from the source of the Tochi

River. The Tank Zam is formed by the junction of the Tauda China and the Baddar Toi, at Dwa Toi, south

of Razmak. 

[edit]Mining

There is hardly significant mining to be mentioned. Coal mines have been discovered in the disputed area

of Neeli Kach Tehsil Wana. Copperis found in Preghal and Spin Kamar.

[edit]Climate

The Agency has hot summers and very cold winters. In winter, temperatures go below freezing point in

places of high altitude. The summer season starts in May and ends by September. June is generally the

warmest month when the mean maximum temperature rises slightly over 30 degrees Celsius. The winter

starts in October and continues until April. December, January and February are the coldest months.

Themean maximum and minimum temperatures for this period are 10 and -2 degrees Celsius,

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respectively. The Agency is outside the monsoonzone, yet at higher altitudes a fair amount of rainfall is

received. South Waziristan Agency has an arid climate, receiving minimal precipitation. The western

portion, bordering Afghanistan, receives more rainfall than the eastern portion touching Tank and

D.I.Khan districts. Most of the Agency receives mean annual rainfall of 6 inches, while a small area in the

southeastern corner receives less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rainfall annually.

[edit]History

[edit]General Area History

Located near the site of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and Harappa, the region was annexed as

part of a far flung satrapy by the oldPersian Achaemenid Empire before 500 B.C and brought

under Mauryan rule two centuries later. The Macedonians under Alexander the Great marched on the

area around 330 B.C., the later Greco-Bactrians establishing an independent Indo-Greek

Kingdom following a split withSeleucid Empire to the west. The Saka arrived around 97 B.C., before

the Indo-Parthians of Arsacid affinity ruled under Gondophares to about A.D. 75. The following few

centuries A.D. brought at least nominal Kushan, Ephthalite, Kidarite and Sassanian Persian rule, the last

of which fell to the forces of the Arab Rashidun Caliphate, which introduced Islam to the East

Iranian borderlands in the seventh century. Islam was spread further east under the Saffarid

dynasty which, under Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari, pressed deep into the Khyber hinterlands. The succeeding

centuries saw Ghaznavid, Ghorid, and Babar control of the area, where regional Pakhtun tribes living in

and around the Hindu-Kush later battled the encroaching British India northwest of the Punjab. From then

onward, the region was either under British Indian or Afghan rule after the 1893 Durand Line agreement,

until the state of Pakistan was created.

[edit]South Waziristan and North West Frontier Province

Up to 1895, the Deputy Commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu had controlled all political matters

in Waziristan since the taking over of the Frontier from the Sikhs. These areas did not come under British

control until November 1893, when the Amir of Afghanistan signed a treaty renouncing all claims to these

territories. After an attack on the Delimitation Commission Escort at Wana in 1894 and subsequent large

military operations in 1894-95, a Political Agent for South Waziristan was permanently appointed with its

headquarters at Wana; another was appointed for the Tochi area (North Waziristan) with headquarters

at Miranshah. The post of Resident in Waziristan was created in 1908. The Political Agent in North

Waziristan was subordinate to the Resident, who was directly responsible to the Chief Commissioner of

North Western Frontier Province. With the withdrawal of Indian government to the settled districts, the

regular armed forces were withdrawn and, instead, a local militia was raised in 1900. However, large

scale disturbances occurred in 1904 resulting in the murder of the Political Agent and Militia Commandant

at Sarwakai. Later, a plot to murder all the British officers, seize the Wana fort. and hand it over to Mullah

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Powindah, the self-styled king of Waziristan, was discovered. The Political Agent and the Commandant,

on the same night, disarmed and dismissed all the Mahsuds from the Militia. A few months later, they

were again enlisted, but were once again disbanded in 1906. In 1925 the Royal Air Force pacified

Mahsud tribesmen by means of a short bombing campaign. 

[edit]Races and tribes

The Mahsuds, Burki's ghilzai suleimankhail's and Waziris are the three main tribes of this Agency. Known

to belong to the Karlanri confederation of the Pashtun; many until fairly recently believed they—like the

Afridi, Yusufzai, Barakzai—are Bani Israel and were called to accept Islam through contact with Khalid bin

Walid which also espoused one God, Allah. some Dotanis settlers in the southwest corner of the Agency

Thati. suleimankhail lives in Zarmelan and wana. The Bhittanis inhabit a strip of country along the

southeast border of the Agency. According to their own traditions, the Waziris call themselves the

descendants of Waziri who was the son of Sulaiman, the son ofKuki, the son of Karlan and grandson

of Qais Abdur Rashid. They are usually described as being a tribe of Karlani Pashtuns. From this

common origin come the Wazirs, a title which properly includes both the Wazirs and Mahsuds, although

in practice the word Wazir has come to primarily represent the former. The Mahsuds are divided into

three main divisions referred to as the Dremahsuds. These are Alizai(Shabi Khel and Manzai), Shaman

Khel and Bahlolzai. Each of these are divided into sections and sub-sections. These three divisions share

benefits and losses equally according to what is known as Nikat or Niktay. The Manzais are divided

into Giddi Khel and Palli Khel. TheShaman Khel of Shah are commonly known as "Shahoor Shaman

Khel" are a mixed community of Khalli Khel and Char Khel but are treated separately. The Marsanzai is a

small tribe living in Shaktu. 

There are also the Baraki/Urmur(not of pakhtun origin) (who presently are called Burki (whose enclave is

in the heart of Mahsud territory), The Mahsud and Burki tribe has a reputation for courage and many are

in the Pakistani army. The Burki primarily inhabit Kaniguram, the most populous settlement in South

Waziristan, at around 6700 feet above sea level. This has been their tribe's focal point for over 800

years.Kaniguram has historically been off limits to outsiders except for the Burki and, more recently, the

Mahsuds.

The Mahsud tribe inhabits the northern regions of South Waziristan near Razmak in North Waziristan.

There are no flat-plains type geographyin the Mahsud tribal regions, thus the Mahsud tribe

moves nomadicly through these mountainous regions and have no primary source ofbusiness or trading. 

They rely on the Burki for their armaments while the Burkis rely on the mighty mahsuds for protection.

[edit]Dress and ornaments

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The tribal people of this area wear distinctive dress. The dress of men consists of

a turban smock; Shalwar and Chaddar. The smock is generally white or grey and

occasionally embroidered on the chest with silk or cotton. Their Shalwars are baggy and big. Maliks and

thewealthy wear white cotton smocks and carry Chaddar on their shoulders. The young educated males

wear modern dress as worn by people elsewhere in the country. Women wear different colored clothes as

to be identified. Married women put on dark-blue or dark-red smocks of coarse cotton.

The spinsters invariably of both married and unmarried women are similar and fit closely below the knee.

[edit]Food

The people of South Waziristan eat simple food of wheat and maize bread. They are also fond

of rice cooked with mutton. Pulao, a rice pilaf, with roasted meat are served on special occasions. The

married women usually wear a very huge firak called "ganr khat". The unmarried wear simple shalwar and

qamees. One can easily differentiate between married and unmarried by this firak.

[edit]Dwelling

The houses in settlements are built of Pucca bricks, plastered with mud, giving the appearance of

a fort with a tower for defense. Along Tank-Wana road, passing through rocky country hil ls, there are

scattered groups of neatly built mud houses, standing in the middle of grazinggrounds

and cultivated patches and dominated by tall watchtowers. The principal villages of the Mahsuds

are Makeen while for the Burki's itsKanigurram. 

[edit]Occupation

The majority of Wazirs Mahsuds and suleimankhail of South Waziristan are pastoral. The

Wazirs breed horses and sheep and earn their livelihood from sheep-rearing. Suleimankhail are also

horses and sheep and some go to different parts of punjab in summers and most of them are in Iran to

earn their livelihood. A large number of Mahsuds are employed in the Army, as levies and Khassadars in

militia and scouts. Mahsuds have also taken to business in Tank and Dera Ismail

Khan driving buses and trucks. The Agency also produces or

tradescharcoal, wool, potatos, chilghozas and a few varieties of locally grown fruit. 

[edit]Places of interest

Wana is the summer headquarters of the Agency. It is an important tehsil and a camp similar to Razmak.

The population is mostly of Ahmadzai Wazirs. It has a vast plain with extensive valleys surrounded on all

sides by hills. It is an important industrial and agriculturalcenter. Ladha, Makin, Sararogha, Azamwarsak

and Angoor Adda are also important places of the Agency. Kaniguram is inhabited principally by a tribe

called Burki. There are some Mahsuds who also live there but no others. Recently in a local clash the

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Malik din Khel clan of Mahsuds annexed many parts of Burkis on which the Malik Din Khels have built

their own houses. It is, population-wise, the largest habitation in South Waziristan at 7,000 feet (2,100 m)

above sea level. The tribesmen manufacture small arms and knives, which are most known for their finish

and performance and much-liked by tourists and foreigners. 

[edit]Administration

The civil administration of South Waziristan Agency has been functioning since 1895 under a Political

Agent who administers civil criminal and revenue cases in accordance with the Frontier Crimes

Regulations and Customary Law. The Agency is divided into three administrative sub-divisions

of Sarwakai, Ladha and Wana. These three sub-divisions are further divided into eight Tehsils: Ladha, 

Makin (Charlai), Sararogha, Sarwakai, Tiarza, Wana and Toi Khullah.[1]

 

Birmal Sarwakai is administered by Assistant Political Officer whereas Ladha and Wana Sub Divisions

are administered by Assistant Political Agents. Each tehsil is headed by a Political Naib Tehsildar. TheMalik system introduced by the British government is functioning in the Agency. Maliks used to work like

media between administrations and the (Qaum) or Tribe. A Maliki is hereditary and devolves on the son

and his son so on and so forth for which regular benefits and subsidies are sanctioned from time to time.

Lungi system known as Sufaid Resh is slightly lower form of Maliki.

[edit]Pakistan's new Waziristan strategy

On June 4, 2007, the National Security Council of Pakistan met to decide the fate of Waziristan and take

up a number of political and administrative decisions to control "Talibanization" of the area. The meeting

was chaired by President Pervez Musharraf and it was attended by the Chief Ministers and Governors of

all four provinces. They discussed the deteriorating law and order situation and the threat posed tostate

security. 

The government decided to take a number of actions to stop the "Talibanization" and crush the armed

militancy in the Tribal regions and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The NSC of Pakistan has decided the following actions will be taken to achieve the goals:

Deployment of unmanned reconnaissance planes 

  Strengthening law enforcement agencies with advanced equipment

  Deployment of more troops to the region

  Operations against militants on fast-track basis

Focused operations against militant commanders

Action against madrasahs preaching militancy

Appointment of regional coordinators

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Fresh recruitment of police officers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

The Ministry of Interior has played a large part in the information gathering for the operations against

militants and their institutions. The Ministry of Interior has prepared a list of militant commanders

operating in the region and they have also prepared a list of seminaries for monitoring.

The government is also trying to strengthen the law enforcement in the area by providing Khyber-

Pakhtunkhwa Police with weapons,bulletproof  jackets and night-vision devices. The paramilitary Frontier

Corps will be provided with artillery and Armored Personnel Carriers(APCs). The state agencies are also

studying ways to block broadcasting of illegal FM radio channels. [2]

 

A major military offensive was launched in the area by the Pakistani army on 17 October 2009. ISPR on 2

November told the media about involvement of Indian's in South Waziristan had been found[3]

 

Taliban has been dislodged from the area.

[edit]See also

  Battle of Wana 

  Waziristan 

  North Waziristan 

  Islamic Emirate of Waziristan 

  Federally Administered Tribal Areas 

  Sararogha Fort raid 

  Jandola 

  Ladha 

  Shkin, Paktika 

  Targeted killing 

[edit]References

1. ^ Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics, Government of Pakistan, Administrative Units of Pakistan

(Tehsils/Talukas) 

2. ^ name="Dawn">Khan, Ismail (2007). "Plan ready to curb militancy in Fata, settled areas". Newsweek 

international edition . Dawn.com. Retrieved 2007-06-27.[dead link ]

 

3. ^ http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25354 

[hide]v ·  d ·  e  Pakistan Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) 

Agencies Bajaur  ·  Khyber  ·  Kurram  ·  Mohmand  ·  North Waziristan  ·  Orakzai  · South Waziristan 

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Frontier Regions Bannu  ·  Dera Ismail Khan  ·  Kohat  ·  Lakki Marwat  ·  Peshawar  ·  Tank  

See also: Provincially Administered Tribal Areas 

South Waziristan

ب ی و ج  نات س ر زو 

—  Agency 

— 

District map of FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa - Districts

of FATA are shown in blue, Waziristan is located in the

south.

Country Pakistan

Established 1893

Headquarters Tank, Pakistan 

Wana, Pakistan 

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Government 

- Political agent

Area 

- Total 6,619 km2

(2,555.6 sq mi)

Population (1998)

- Total 429,841

- Density 64.9/km2

(168.2/sq mi)

Time zone PST (UTC+5) 

Main language(s) English, Pashto