Bajaur Agency
| Bajaur | |
|---|---|
| Agency | |
| Urdu transcription(s) | |
| • Perso-Arabic script | باجوړ |
 Bajaur
|
|
| Coordinates: 34°41′N 71°30′E / 34.683°N 71.500°ECoordinates: 34°41′N 71°30′E / 34.683°N 71.500°E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province | Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) |
| Administration HQ | Khaar |
| Tehsils |
List
|
| Government | |
| • The Political Agent | Engineer Abdul Aamer Khattak (DMG/PAS Officer) |
| • Additional Political Agent | Muhammad Irfan Uddin |
| • Assistant Political Agent (Khaar) | Muhammad Ali |
| • Assistant Political Agent (Nawagai) | Fayaz Sherpao |
| • The Commandant bajaur scouts | Col Nayyar Zaman |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,290 km2 (500 sq mi) |
| Population (1998) | |
| • Total | 595,227 |
| Demonym(s) | Bajauri |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC+6) |
| Main language | Pashto (99.5%) |
Bajaur or Bajur or Bajour (Pashto: باجوړ) is an agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. Smallest of the agencies in FATA, it has a hilly terrain. According to the 1998 census, the population was 595,227 but other more recent estimates it has grown to 757,000. It borders Afghanistan's Kunar Province with a 52 km border. The headquarters of the agency administration is located in the town of Khaar.
Bajaur is inhabited almost exclusively by Tarkani (Tarkalani) Pashtuns, and there are their main sub-tribes in Bajaur: Utman Khel, Tarkalanri, Mamund (Kakazai, Wur and Salarzai) as well as a small population of Safis. The Utman Khel are at the southeast of Bajaur, while Mamund are at the southwest, and the Tarkani are at the north of Bajaur. Its border with Afghanistan's Kunar province makes it of strategic importance to Pakistan and the region.
Bajour is about 45 miles (72 km) long by 20 miles (32 km) broad, and lies at a high level to the east of the Kunar Valley, from which it is separated by a continuous line of rugged frontier hills, forming a barrier easily passable at one or two points. Across this barrier, the old road from Kabul to Pakistan ran before the Khyber Pass was adopted as the main route.
To the south of Bajour is the wild mountain district of the Mohmands. To the east, beyond the Panjkora river, are the hills of Swat, dominated by another Pashtun group. To the north is an intervening watershed between Bajour and the small tehsil of Dir. It is over this watershed and through the valley of Dir, that the new road from Malakand and the Punjab runs to Chitral. The drainage of Bajour flows eastwards, starting from the eastern slopes of the dividing ridge, which overlooks the Kunar and terminating in the Panjkora river, so that the district lies on a slope tilting gradually downwards from the Kunar ridge to the Panjkora. Nawagai is the chief town of Bajour, and the Khan of Nawagai was previously under British protection for the purpose of safeguarding of the Chitral road.
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