Mohmand Agency

Mohmand Agency is the most heavily populated Agency. According to the the 1998 census, its population stood at 3,92,000 with a fairly high density of 171 persons per square kilometre and extremely un-favourable land-man ratio. The agency was created in 1951 before which the Mohmand Tribes were administered by the Deputy Commissioner, Peshawar. Until 1973 the headquarters of the Mohmand agency were in Peshawar when they were moved to Ekkagund. Now, the permanent agency headquarters are at Ghalanai, deep in the Mohmand agency. There is scant rainfall and little irrigated land, a factor responsible for the large demographic movements of the Mohmands to the fertile lands of Charsadda and Mardan.

Geographically it is located just adjacent to Peshawar District towards the North-West. The agency is inhabited by many tribes, the major of whom are are the Mohmands, the Musa Khel, Tarak Zai, Safi, Utman Khel, and Halim Zai's. The Safis, because of their association with the Mohmand, are also called Safi Mohmands.

The total area of Mohmand agency is 887 square miles (2296 Sq. Miles) which is mostly hilly and mountainous with little portion of plane land. The reported area of agricultural land is 2296 hectares out of which 19.6 hectares has been brought under cultivation. The irrigated area is 6.6 hectares and forests have been grown over 8.0 hectares. Most of the agricultural land is rain fed, having insufficient rainfall; the agriculture produce is very low. To bring more land under cultivation and enhance per hectare yield, Mohmand Agency amply needs irrigation facilities, but unfortunately, the successive governments did not heed to this basic need of the area which ultimately resulted in the waste of agriculture resources. However, lately the NWFP government in line with the policy of the Central Government equally focused attention on enhancing the irrigation facilities in the tribal area particularly Mohmand Agency and finally succeeded in chalking out a well thought out strategy to launch a small dam, first of its kind in FATA, at Pindiali in Laghman area. The project (with budget of 16.293 million rupees) has the gross storage capacity of 500 acre feet and live storage capacity of 400 acre feet. The resource of the Pindiali Dam eventually provides irrigation water for 230 acres of land and also catering to the drinking water needs in the nearby villages.

Places to See

Nahaqi pass

It is situated between Ghalanai and Nawagai. It was here that the freedom fighters under the leadership of Hazrat Haji Saheb Turangzai (RA) inflicted very heavy casualties on the British forces, including the Guides. The Guides won a Victoria Cross. Some freedom fighters used this route for going to Afghanistan during the Khilafat Movement (Hijrat) in 1920 against the British and in support of Turkey.

Prang Ghaar

This historic place is located in Mohmand Agency and has witnessed many important events in the past. A group of the followers of Hazrat Syed Ahmad Shaheed Brelvi (RA) and Hazrat Shah Ismail Shaheed (RA) also stayed here in eighteen twenties. The mazar of a famous saint Hazrat Isa (RA) is also located here. There is an old cave (GHAAR) in the mountains, which must have been the abode of Prang (Leopards) and that is why the place is known as Prang Ghaar.

Spankhare Mubarak

Situated on the border of Malakand and Mohmand Agencies, this historic village has the furnaces of Mehmud-e-Ghaznavi (RA) who made swords and Daggers here before invading India. It is also known as Khyber-e-Doyam or the Second Khyber. The place is also very famous for the shrine of Faqir Saheb of Spankhare Mubarak (RA). Other freedom fighters are also buried here. The mosque, with carved pillars, and old pond and orchards are also worth seeing.

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