Gabol

Gabol (Balochi: گبول, literally aggressor or chauvinist) is a Baloch tribe settled in the Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Gabols are of Rind (Arab) origin and are mostly settled in Dadu District of Sindh in Tikko Baran surrounding the Kirthar Mountains Range, Nawabshah, Ghotki, Sukkur, and Jacobabad. This tribe is also considered to be present in Iran and Syria, known there Asluki Gabol. The exact population of this tribe is unknown, but estimated by some to be over 300,000. Gabols residing in Sindh are bilingual in both Balochi and Sindhi. Members of the Gabol tribe living in Balochistan ( Jhatt Patt District Jaffarabad and Lehri ) speak balochi, while tribe members speak Balochi and Siraiki in Punjab. Gabol is the major Baloch tribe found in Karachi; some people of this tribe migrated to Tehran, Iran. Gabols are still living there, and speak the Balochi language to this day alongside the national language Persian.

According to 12th century Baloch epics, only twenty-six tribes surived.

The Balochi poem is:

کھيڑد، گبول، گدائی، تالپور، کاہان ء مری ايشياں غلام ء مير چاکری

The translation of Balochi poem is found among the Kurd, Gabol, Gadai, Talpur, and Marri of Kahan, who are followers of Mir Chakar (Chakar-e-Azam)^[1]. Gabol was the forefront warrior in Tricennial Battle of Chakar-e-Azam and Mir Gohram Lashari from 1456 - 1486 A.D., and during the time of Mir Chakar Khan Rind, the Baloch who fought against the Lasharis were called Rind and their rivals were the Lasharis. The Gabol are originally Domki Rind, who are also included in the Rind of Kachhi (Balochistan).

Although the Gabol tribe has several waderas (village heads) in different villages, Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol is the Chief Sardar of the Gabol tribe[1], a testament to which are his pictures in the famous Runni Kot(taken over by the Gabol tribe)^[2], and the Gabol villages, signifying solidarity amongst the Gabols under his leadership. Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol's reign is not only restricted to Karachi, or a particular region, but in every Gabol populated area of Pakistan, including Punjab. Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol is the son of Sardar Ahmed Khan Gabol, and the grandson of Khan Bahadur Allah Buksh Gabol the first Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly and a former Mayor of Karachi(twice)[[2]]. The Sardar is currently a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, and has won his fifth consecutive election from the same constituency. At the age of 29, the Sardar became the youngest deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly from 1993-1996[3]. Recently Sardar Nabil has been included on a special team of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to provide relief and reconciliation to Balochistan and the Baloch[4].The village waderas include Khalil Ahmed in Ghotki, Aacchar Khan Gabol in Maymar and many others who form a network under Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol.

Sardar Khudadad Khan Gabol owned vast land in karachi (the economic capital of Pakistan) during the British Raj. His descendents currently own vast acres of land across the nation, including The Quaid-e-Azam International Airport of Karachi and the Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam^[3]. Khan Bahadur Allah Buksh Gabol, the son of Sardar Khudadad Khan Gabol, was the leader of the Indian National Congress under Mahatma Gandhi, and was the first Deputy Speaker of the Provisional Assembly of Sindh from 1937 to 1938. The grandsons of Sardar Khan Bahadur Allah Buksh Gabol have filed a case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan to change the name of Quaid-e-Azam International Airport to Gabol Airport, but their is much opposition from other Baloch tribes due to inter tribal rivalry and the government has not felt the need for a name change.

The tribe has great political and government influence in Pakistan[5]. Apart from Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol, and his grandfather, the late Abdul Sattar Gabol, son of Khan Bahadur Allah Buksh Gabol and Sardar Nabil's uncle, had been a Federal Minister twice in 1970s during the age of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. After qualifying as a Barrister from Lincoln's Inn he held various government portfolios including minister for labour, man power and health. He represented his country at various international forums, including the United Nations.

When Mir Chakar Khan Rind left Balochistan and travelled to Punjab, the Gabol tribe accompanied him in majority. Upon reaching the Montgomery District, they fought against Sikhs Yatris living there. As a result, all tribes were dispersed in Punjab and Sindh. The Gabols then travelled to M.Garh, Alipur Panjnad, and reached Sindh where they spread till Karachi (which was part of Balochistan).

Of those who surived, some lived in Balochistan, while others migrated to Rajan Pur district and began to live with the Gorshani tribe as a Clan of Lasharis in the mountains of Harand where they also fought against Sikh Yatris and dispersed all around till Dera Ghazi Khan^[4] and the Sulaiman Range. In Rajan Pur they settled in Jageer Gabol and in Bungla Gabol, Dera Ghazi Khan in Thatta Gabolan (Choti Zeren), and the tribal area of Dera Ghazi Khan (Faazla Katch and Thaleel in Koh-e-Suleman Range) in the Bozdar tribe where they are also called Chakrani Gabol.

When the British Indian government moved the Domkis in Sindh, the Gabols also migrated. The Domkis used to loot the those travelling all around Balochistan, Sindh, along with the Jakhrani. In 1845, The Governor of Sindh General Sir Charles James Napier sent his army to shift them in Sindh near Cantonment area so that they could hold peace in the area. Gabol^[5] along with Domkies shifted to Sindh with Bijjar Khan as Tribal Leader and Jhakrani along with Darya Khan as Tribal Leader. In Sindh they were shifted in Dera Jani a few miles away from Jacobabad where they are living in Domki.

Mr. Leech in his report 1835 to 1837 deeply discusses the Balochis, and recorded about sixty Balochi tribes living in mountains of Border (Balochistan and Sindh) .

Mr.Leech in his report comments as follows:

The Gabols have a station in the same mountain called "Kachrok"^[6] . They are under a Commander Bijjar Khan Dombki Rind, and pay obeisance to the Hyderabad Government. They amount to 1500 in mountains, during the peace they pay no tribune but cultivate and enjoy the fruits of their own country.

Similarly, discussing "The order of tribes in mountains between Karachi and Sehwan," he writes in his report:

With a view to perfect my information in that time, I had fixed to allot to the Sindhiana Army, I despatched with Captain Burne's permission two of the most intelligent cossides I could procure from Shikarpur, with orders to proceed through the mountains to Karachi,their route will be found in accompanying routes. At peer Ali, the mountains commenced , there they encounterd 500 Gabols with Buland Khan under the Commander Bijjar Khan, and Bhutanis with Sahib Khan .

• Balochi History
• Jangi
• Ali Pur(Punjnad)

1. http://www.albloushi.net/baloosh/baloosh4.htm
2. http://www.ansab-online.com/phpBB2/archive/index.php?t-1824.html
3. "Koach and Baloch" Urdu Translation Of "Baloch Race" by Mir Gull Khan Naseer Page No. 174, 175, 36, 39.
4. "Runni Kot" author Badr Abro, Page 73.
5. "History of Dera Ghazi Khan" by Abdul Qadir Khan Ahmadani Leghari Part-1.
6. "Baloch" By M.K. Pikolian Translation by Dr. Shah Muhammad Marri, Page No. 74.
7. "Role Of Sindh In History Of Independence and Hurr Movement" by Abid Leghari.
8. "Muhimmaat-e-Baluchistan" Translation of "Baloch, a Geoghrafical and Ethnological Sketch" by Professor M. Anwar Roman. Same by Sardar Mazhar Ali Khan Lashari in "Baloch In Light Of History".
9. "Baloch Nation And Its Fights" By Nazeer-ul-Haq Dashti.
10. "Baloch Nation And Its Fights" Also in "Muhimmaat-e-Balochistan" In Tribal Division Section (Appendix,Rind Of Kachhi).
11. "Baloch In Light Of History" By Sardar Mazhar Lashari.
12. "Land of Baluchistan" By A.W. Huges Page No. 161.
13. "Muhimmaat-e-Baluchistan" In Tribal Division Section (Rind Of Kachhi).
14. "Baloch Nation In Light Of History" Sardar Mazhar Ali Lashari Page No. 100.
15. "Gazetteer Of Balochistan".
16. "Land Of Balochistan" Page No. 153.
17. "The Baloch Race" by Long Worth Dames translated as "Koach and Baloch" by Mir Gull Khan Naseer Page No. 99, 109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 161, 162.
18. "Baloch in Light of History".
19. "Baoch Tribes of Baluchistan" by Denezil Ibsten.
20. "Baloch Nation and its Fights" .
21. "Reports papers, Political , Geoghraphical and commercial Submitted to English Government"
22. By Sir Alexander Burne's, Bo.N.I.; Lieutenant Leech, Bo.E.; Doctor Lords, Bo.M.S.; and Lieutenant Wood, I.N.;Employed on mission in the years 1835-36-37 in Sindh Baluchistan Afghanistan and Adjuscent countries. Printed In Calcutta G.H Huttmann, Bengal Military Orphan Press 1839."