Kharoti


The Kharoti are a Pashtun tribe of Ghilji origin, originating in the central part of Paktika Province, Afghanistan, but can be also found in other parts of the country. The Kharoti settled in Kharotabad in Quetta, British India around 1945.
The Kharoti in Afghanistan and have an estimated population of about 2.5 million, making them one of the largest tribes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Kharoti own significant territory throughout eastern and southeastern Afghanistan. Many Kharoti are business owners.
There are large Kharoti populations in the Paktika districts of Urgun, Barmal, Sar Hawza, Zarghun Shahr, Omna, Surobi, Ghazni, Zabul, Paktia, Khost, Logar, Wardak, Kabul, Nangarhar, Helmand and Gomal. The Kharoti also have a significant presence in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, as well as the port city of Karachi in southern Pakistan. Sher Khan Bandar, Afghanistan's largest harbour city, which is located near Tajikistan's border, is named after Sher Khan Nashir, Khan of the Kharoti. Around 2000 Kharoti families also live in the Iranian cities of Zahedan and Karimabad. They typically speak Persian and Balochi languages.
In Pakistan, Kharoti live in the Chaghi District of Balochistan and typically speak in the Balochi tongue. They also live in Noushki, Balochistan. The Kharoti also live in Chamalang near Loralai and call themselves Kharotani, but nevertheless speak Balochi. The Kharoti tribe has a presence in the KPK province in Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat village Adamzai. There are Kharoti in Punjab on Mianwali Road. In Rawalpindi there are approximately 300 families of Kharoti origin.

Significance

As Pashtuns of the Ghilji confederacy, the heyday of the Kharotis was during the peak of the khans of the Nasher-Nashir family. With the rise of the rival Durrani confederacy in the 18th century, the Kharoti lost their leading role in Afghan politics but remained strong in rural Afghan regions. However, they often view themselves as the "true Pashtuns" and, being Ghilji, as the rightful leaders of Afghanistan.

Notable Kharoti

Cotton Company