About Orakzai Agency
Orakzai Agency is situated in NWFP. It has a population of 2,78,951 and an area of almost 700 square miles. The orakzai tribes take there names, which literally means the lost son (Orak Zai), from a romantic legend about their ancestor Sikandar Shah who was a prince from Iran and was exiled or lost, and after many adventures married and ruled in Teerah. The four major non - Orakzai tribes, the Ali Khel, Mullah Khel, mishti and shikhan are now for purposes like the other orakzai tribes. Certain Orakzai tribes like the Masozai and half the lashkarzai find themselves in Kurram Agency for historical and administrative reasons. A small Ban gash tribe the Biland Khel is attached to the orakzai agency also for administrative and historical reasons, although they live at some distance from the agency between Thal and Northwaziristan. Over one tenth of the entire population of the agency is Shia sect.
The late Prime Minister Zolfiqar Ali Bhutto announced the creation of the agency at a grand tribal jirga at Samana and it began functioning on first Dec 1973. Before this date orakzai tribes were part of Kohat and Hangu
Frontier region. The head quarters of the agency are at Hangu district, but tehsil level head quarters are situated in Kalaya and Ghiljo. The valley is flanked by mountain ranges 6000 to 7000 feet high.
Among the seven tribal agencies, Orakzai Agency is the second smallest in area after Bajaur agency. It is bounded by Kurram Agency in the west, Khyber in the north, Kohat district on the south and Peshawar in the east. The hole of the territory of orakzai agency is a mountainous tract dissected by numerous dry water curses, especially in the southwestern part of the agency. The two major streams are the Mastura and Khanki Toi, both of which originate from the hills to west and run the east.
Orakzai Agency is a hilly region with fertile valley. The elevation of the hills varies from over 10,000 feet in the west and to less than 6,650 feet in east. Generally the elevation of the plain varies from 5,200 to 5,500 feet above main sea level. Important peaks are those sangla 6325 feet and chara kandaco 5,643 feet. The height of Kalaya and sangla is nearly equal
Orakzai Agency is characterized by intense cold in winter when the temperature falls bellow freezing and mild summers. December, January and February are the coldest months and snowfall occurs in these months. Summers are mild and the maximum temperature dose not go above 30 degrees centigrade. Surrounding mountains are covered by dense and thick forests, which produce a cooling effect in summer.
Due to geographical position of orakzai and its thick forest cover, it rains throughout the year. In winter, the precipitation is in the form of snowfall over the surrounding mountains as well as in valley itself. There is no rain gauge but rainfall is presumed to be round 36 inch per annum.
It is very essential to understand the culture of the area in which any type of physical or other intervention is intended or you want to visit. Therefore many formal interviews and informal discussion were held with the inhabitants, which resulted in the final perception of socio-economic setup of people of Orakzai.
Orakzai Agency has two tribal groups based on difference in religious sect. These two groups are SHEIA and SUNNIS. The SHEIA comprise of 8.8 present of total population of the agency.
The division of SHEIA and SUNNIS has been done by natural border. The SHEIA are living along the south portion of Mastura River from And Khel to Kada. The Sunnis are spread almost over the whole of the area.
The basic living styles, house types, construction, techniques and
Materials, laws and rules etc of the entire area are more or less same.
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