Bhakral

The Bhakral are a Muslim Rajput tribe of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The population according to the 1931 census was 6,600. At the time of the 1931 census they were located in Kahuta Tehsil,Gujar Khan and Rawalpindi tehsils of the Rawalpindi District, also a few villages in the Chakwal District and Jhelum District.

History

The Bhakral claim to be Panwar Rajputs. They probably came from Jammu territory across the Jhelum River. The tribe is considered Rajput and historically appeared to hold a high place in the social scale. They historically did not marry outside the tribe. They are known to be good cultivators, of fine physique, with a tradition of military service, as are many other Potohar tribes of Rajput status..

Historically, there were several pensioned Military officers in the old British Indian army, belonging to the tribe notably at Saba Mohra in Chakwal District and Kamtrila in the Gujar Khan Tehsil (Rawalpindi District).

The Bhakral are closely connected with other tribes of Panwar origin in the Potohar region such as the Baghial, Bangial and Hon Rajputs.

According to some other sources, the Bhakrals are in fact are branch of the Manhas Rajputs.

Villages

The villages in Rawalpindi Tehsil include Aujariala, Dhala, Kartal Bhakral, Sihala, Thatha, Sohawa, Sagri Khurd, Kirpa and Meda Halim in Rawalpindi Tehsil. In Kahuta Tehsil, Jocha Mamdor, Nathot and Bhakral.

In Gujar Khan Tehsil Mastala and Chak Begwal.

In Jhelum District, Langar Bhakral and Gagi Bhakral.

Famous Personalities

• Raja Anwar

In Gujar Khan Tehsil the Bhakral branch of the Minhas tribe produced Raja Anwar, a famous firebrand student leader of late sixties. He was also a founding member of Pakistan People's Party and advisor to prime minister Bhutto (1973-77). Later he became a journalist and is an author of eight books.

• Dr. Gulfaraz Ahmed

Dr. Gulfaraz Ahmed, a famous bureaucrat/technocratis also from Gujar Khan Tehsil and belongs to the Bhakral branch of Minhas tribe: he has the unique distinction of holding the national positions of Chairman/CEO Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL), Chairman National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, Member National Reconstruction Bureau, Member Pakistan Planning Commission, Member 6th National Finance Commission, Member Nuclear Regulatory Board, Member Board of Trustees of Pakistan Science Foundation and Federal Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources.He did BSc in Civil Engineering from NUST with Honours and was awarded Gold Medal for securing the First position. He later pursued higher education abroad and achieved MS and PhD degrees from Stanford University, California USA. While at Stanford he won the First Prize in Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Students Paper Contest for PhD Category from the Western Region of USA in 1985. Presently (November 2008) Dr Gulfaraz Ahmed is Chief Operating Officer of the Petroleum Exploration (Pvt) Limited and Regular Visiting Faculty in a number of national universities/institutions including National DeFence University Islamabad; National Management College, Senior Management College and Civil Services Academy at Lahore; National Institute of Management Peshawar; and National University of Sciences and Technology Rawalpindi.He is also Member 7th National Finance Commission and Chairperson the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Pakistan Section.

See also

• Demography of Rawalpindi District
• Hon Rajputs
• Baghial
• Bangial
• Raja Anwar
• Muslim Rajputs