Khokhar

The Khokar are a historical Punjabi tribe traditionally associated with the region between the Jhelum River and the Chenab River, particularly the Salt Range and the Pothohar Plateau in Pakistan.They are primarily native to Pakistan  Khokhars predominantly follow Islam, having converted to Islam in the 13th century after coming under the influence of Baba Farid.Medieval Persian chronicles describe the Khokars as a powerful and warlike tribal confederation that exercised control over key highland territories of northwestern Punjab

 Ancestry 
 Some modern writers have proposed that the Khokar may share distant ancestral links with Central Asian groups associated with the Indo-Scythian migration, which brought Saka (Scythian) tribes into northwestern South Asia between the 2nd century BCE and 4th century CE .The geographic location of the Salt Range and Pothohar, regions historically exposed to Central Asian migrations. The long-standing martial reputation of highland tribes in northwestern Punjab. Broader hypotheses that certain northwestern tribal confederations may preserve elements of ancient steppe warrior traditions. Like many highland and frontier communities of northwestern Punjab, the Khokar were associated with. Skilled horse riding. Rapid movement across hill and riverine terrain. Use of cavalry for both defense and raiding. Control of the Salt Range provided natural terrain suitable for mounted mobility and defensive maneuvering.  Archery  Archery was a common martial skill across medieval South and Central Asia, and tribal groups of the region were often trained in:  Mounted archery  Use of composite bows  Coordinated tribal skirmishing tactics  While specific technical manuals do not survive for the Khokar, chroniclers describe them as effective fighters capable of inflicting serious losses on organized imperial armies.  Guerrilla Warfare  Due to their stronghold in the hills between the Jhelum River and Chenab River, the Khokar are described in medieval sources as employing tactics that today might be characterized as guerrilla-style warfare:  Ambushes in difficult terrain  Disruption of supply routes  Strategic withdrawal into hills  Sudden coordinated tribal assaults  Their familiarity with the rugged Salt Range landscape gave them a defensive advantage against larger, conventionally organized armies.  The association of the Khokar with horsemanship, archery, and highland warfare has contributed to modern narratives linking them symbolically with ancient steppe warrior traditions, including the Saka and other Central Asian groups.  While such comparisons are culturally evocative, historians emphasize that the Khokar should primarily be understood as a historically rooted tribal community of the Pothohar–Salt Range region, whose martial character developed in response to the political and geographic realities of medieval Punjab.Medieval Period. The Khokars are prominently mentioned in Persian chronicles of the 12th and 13th centuries as a dominant tribe of the Salt Range. They are particularly noted during the campaigns of Muhammad of Ghor.According to the medieval historian Minhaj-i-Siraj in the Tabaqat-i Nasiri, the Khokars rose in rebellion in Punjab and inflicted heavy losses on Ghurid forces. Minhaj describes them as a formidable tribal force inhabiting the hills and difficult terrain of the region, emphasizing their military organization and resistance.One account records that the Khokars “infested the roads of Lahore and the hill tracts,” disrupting communications and posing a serious threat to imperial authority. Their resistance was significant enough to require a major military campaign personally led by Muhammad of Ghor in 1205–1206.

 History 

 Persian chroniclers portray the Khokars as: 
Fierce defenders of their territory.Militarily organized under tribal chiefs.Capable of challenging established dynastiesTheir strategic control of the Salt Range enabled them to influence movement between Central Asia and the Indo-Gangetic plains.

 Conflict and Suppression 
Following sustained uprisings, Muhammad of Ghor launched a large-scale campaign against the Khokars. Medieval sources describe intense fighting in the Salt Range region. Although eventually subdued, the Khokars remained an influential tribal presence in Punjab.Later chroniclers during the Delhi Sultanate period continued to reference the Khokars as a politically significant tribal group in the northwest.

 Mughal Period 
During the reign of the Mughal Empire, the Khokars appear in administrative and regional records as local chiefs and landholders. While incorporated into imperial governance structures, they retained a strong regional identity in the Pothohar and Salt Range areas.The Mughal administrative document Ain-i-Akbari, compiled by Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, references various tribes of Punjab, including those inhabiting the Salt Range, reflecting the continued recognition of tribal formations in the region.

 (Deeds and Notable Actions) 
Resistance to Ghurid Expansion (1205–1206): Organized large-scale opposition to Muhammad of Ghor’s forces in Punjab.Control of Strategic Hill Tracts: Maintained dominance over the Salt Range, affecting trade and military routes.Tribal Confederation Leadership: Functioned as a united tribal entity capable of mobilizing significant armed resistance.Survival Across Dynasties: Retained territorial presence through the Delhi Sultanate, Mughal, Sikh, and British periods.Their repeated appearance in court chronicles suggests that they were regarded as more than a minor local clan, but rather as a politically consequential tribal power in medieval Punjab.

 Sultan Jasrat Khokhar (ملک جسرت کھوکھر) 
Mustafa Jasrat Khokhar (c. 1375 – 1442), also known simply as Jasrat (Romanized: Jasrat), was a 15th‑century Punjabi Muslim chieftain and warlord of the Khokhar tribe. He emerged as one of the most powerful regional leaders in northern Punjab and Jammu during the decline of the Delhi Sultanate and is remembered as a fierce warrior and folk hero of the region.

 Early Life and Rise 
Jasrat was born around 1375 in Sialkot to Shaikha Khokhar, a leading Khokhar chief in the Salt Range–Pothohar region. During the invasion of Timur (Tamerlane) in 1398–99, Jasrat confronted the Timurid forces with about 2,000 tribal cavalry but was defeated and taken captive to Samarkand. Following Timur’s death in 1405, Jasrat escaped captivity and returned to Punjab, where he assumed leadership of the Khokhars and re‑established his family’s power base.

 Campaigns and Rule 
After regaining independence, Jasrat made Sialkot his capital around 1410 and expanded his rule across large parts of Punjab and adjoining hill territories. He became known for:

Resisting external powers and maintaining Khokhar independence during periods of political fragmentation in northern India.Supporting regional allies in the Kashmir civil wars and defeating local rulers such as Bhim Dev of Jammu, whom he conquered in 1423.Leading multiple invasions of the Delhi Sultanate between 1421 and 1432, exploiting the weakness of the ruling Sayyid dynasty to expand his influence across Punjab and beyond.Chroniclers like Tareekh‑i‑Mubarak Shahi note that although Jasrat’s campaigns failed to capture Delhi permanently, his forces weakened the Sultanate’s hold over the region.

 Relations and Alliances 
 Jasrat maintained matrimonial and political alliances that linked him to neighboring ruling houses. He married into the royal family of Jammu, and his descendants continued to influence local politics even after his death.

 Death and Legacy

Jasrat Khokhar died in 1442, under circumstances that remain debated; some accounts suggest he was assassinated in Jammu as retaliation for prior conquests. By the time of his death, he had controlled most of Punjab, Jammu, and parts of what is now Himachal Pradesh. However, after his death his territories gradually fell to the Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate and regional rivals.

Jasrat is remembered in Punjabi history and folklore as a bold warrior and symbol of resistance against invading powers. His campaigns illustrate the capacity of tribal forces in medieval northwestern Punjab to assert political autonomy amidst imperial decline.

 کھوکھرکاری (Khokarkari) 

 Khokarkari 
is the traditional tribal code of honor, conduct, and social order associated with the Khokar tribe. It governs personal behavior, inter-clan relations, justice, and collective responsibility. Like other highland tribal codes, it is rooted in izzat (honor), land, and lineage.

 بنیادی اصول (Fundamental Principles) 

 عزّت (Izzat) — Honor 
Personal and tribal dignity is supreme. Loss of honor affects the entire biradari (brotherhood), not just the individual.

 غیرت (Ghairat) — Pride & Moral Courage 
A Khokar must defend reputation, family, and territory without fear.

 وفاداری (Wafadari) — Loyalty 
Absolute loyalty to qabila (tribe), lineage, and allies.

 بدلہ (Badla) — Retributive Justice 
Wrongdoing must be answered to restore balance and honor, though reconciliation is preferred when dignity is restored.

 انصاف (Insaf) — Justice 
Disputes are settled through Panchayat or council of elders rather than individual revenge whenever possible.

 پنچایت (Panchayat) — Council Rule 
Collective decision-making by elders (masharān / buzurg) binds all members.

 زمین داری (Zamindari) — Protection of Land 
Land is ancestral trust; defending it is both duty and identity.

 مہمان نوازی (Mehmaan Nawazi) — Hospitality 
A guest, even a former rival, is protected under the host’s honor.

 پناہ (Panah) — Asylum 
One who seeks refuge must be granted protection until safe resolution.

 اتحاد (Ittihad) — Unity 
Internal disputes must not weaken tribal solidarity against outside threats.

 قبائلی ساخت Tribal Structure 

 سردار — Tribal chief 

 چودھری — Clan head 

 برادری — Kinship group 

 شجرا — Genealogical lineage record 

 جرگہ / پنچایت — Judicial council 
Authority flows through lineage seniority, martial reputation, and community respect.

 رسومات (Ritual Foundations) 

 رسمِ دستار بندی — Investiture of leadership 

 عہد — Oath of loyalty 

 صلح — Reconciliation ceremony 

 تیغ بندی — Symbolic readiness for defense 

 فاتحہ — Collective remembrance of ancestors 

 مرکزی تصور (Core Concept) 

 See also 

Pothohar Plateau, 

Ghakhar 

 References 

Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan
Category:Tribes of Pakistan

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