History of the Pathans: Karanis

The first volume of a comprehensive and authentic book on the history of Pathans is ready for unveiling covering its history from per-historic period that also includes cultural heritage traditions and history of Pathan land etc. To many a people the name Pathan suggest a native of Afghanistan or that of the North West Frontier of Pakistan. To most the race itself with its extremely complicated ramification into various tribes and clans is a mystery. This study is an attempt to unravel that mystery writes author of the Book Brigadier(R) Haroon Rashid SI(M) a son of Kohat soil. The book titled History of the Pathans Vol_1 The Sarabani Pathans has a total of ten volumes.The 475 pages book has 37 chapters starting from history of the pathan land and ended up at the Urmors and Bareches. The first volume of the book dealt with Sarabani Pathans which has been categorized into process of ethnologist tribal movements the Tarins the Durranis the Sheranis the Miana tribe including the Lunis the Khetrans the Hasnis the Nahars the Gharshins the Jafars and the Urmors. The book also contained a number of rare photographs of Afghan Kings like Dost Muhammad Khan Barakzai Akbar Khan Habibullah Khan Nadar Shah Amir Muhammad Khan Shah Shujaul Mulk Amir Abdur Rehman and Zahir Shah. To know about the ingredients which make Pathans indomitable race one has to go deep into their history tradition and life style. This work is an endeavor in this context with a view to compile a comprehensive and authentic history of this brave race which so far has been either dealt with summarily or in piecemeal. In the introduction chapter the Pathan has been described as a hard rugged man as a warrior and a mystic a rogue and a saint foxy and innocent chivalrous and ruthless. A Pathan is born free and wants to remain free.