Barakzai
Barakzai
Afghan tribe belonging to the Durrani group. They live to the east of Kandahar, in the valley of the Ar-ghastan River and on the banks of the Helmand River. Their population was approximately 300,000 according to a 1967 estimate. They speak a dialect of Western Pashto. They adhere to the Muslim Sunnite religion. Farming is the principal occupation of the Barakzai. In the 18th century they played an important role in the formation of the independent government of Afghanistan.