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Malakand is located
in NWFP, Pakistan.
Malakand agency lies
at a strategically
important position
as it acts as a
gateway to Swat,
Dir, Chitral and
Bajaur. It is in the
lower Swat region
amidst high
mountains thick with
evergreen olive and
pine trees. It
stands at the exit
of a pass known as
Malakand Pass or
Darrah Malakand; now
much less difficult
to cross than before
as one travels from
Peshawar to Swat. In
history the name has
appeared as
Malakhand or Mullah
Khandao. The name is
stated to have been
derived from the
words Mullah
Khandao. 'Mullah'
means a Muslim saint
and 'Kandao' means a
lofty place.
Nowadays it is known
as Malakand, and the
name has been
adopted in the same
form by many other
villages in the Swat
and Dir districts. A
part of Malakand is
settled by the
Uthmankhel clan of
Pakhtun (Pathans),
while towards the
south, at the bottom
of Malakand Pass,
live the Ranizais
known as Sam
Ranizai. Those
living beyond the
pass towards Swat
are Swat Ranizai.
This is also evident
in the
administration
division; where one
is called the Swat
Ranizai and the
other as Sam
Ranizai. University
of Malakand is
located in Chakdara
town. |
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