South Waziristan (
Pashto:
سويلي وزيرستان قبايلي سيمه;
Urdu:
جنوبی وزیرستان ایجنسی) is the southern part of
Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest
Pakistan, that covers some 11,585 km² (4,473 mi²). Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of
Peshawar between the
Tochi River to the north and the
Gomal River to the south, forming part of Pakistan's
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa lies immediately to the east. The region was an independent
tribal territory from 1893, remaining outside of
British-ruled
empire and Afghanistan. Tribal raiding into British-ruled territory was a constant problem for the British, requiring frequent punitive expeditions between 1860 and 1945. Troops of the
British Raj coined a name for this region "Hell's Door Knocker" in recognition of the fearsome reputation of the local fighters and inhospitable terrain. The region became part of Pakistan in 1947.
South Waziristan
سويلي وزيرستان |
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| Tribal Agency |
 Much of South Waziristan consists of rugged terrain |
Map of agencies and frontier regions in FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwest Pakistan- – South Waziristan
- – FATA
- – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
|
| Country | Pakistan |
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| Established | 1893 |
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| Headquarters | Wanna |
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| Area |
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| • Total | 6,619 km2 (2,556 sq mi) |
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| Population (1998) |
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| • Total | 429,841 |
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| • Density | 65/km2 (170/sq mi) |
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| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
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| Main language(s) | Pashto |
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Waziristan is divided into two "agencies",
North Waziristan and South Waziristan, with estimated populations in 1998 of 361,246 and 429,841 respectively. The two parts have quite distinct characteristics, though both tribes are subgroups of the
Waziri tribe, after whom the region is named,
[1] and speak a common
Waziri language. They have a reputation as warriors and are known for their frequent blood feuds. Traditionally, feuding local Waziri religious leaders have enlisted outsiders in the Pakistani government, and more recently U.S. forces hunting
al-Qaeda fugitives—in attempts at score-settling. The tribes are divided into sub-tribes governed by male village elders who meet in a tribal
jirga. Socially and religiously, Waziristan is an extremely conservative area. Women are carefully guarded, and every household must be headed by a male figure. Tribal cohesiveness is strong through so-called Collective Responsibility Acts in the Frontier Crimes Regulation.
In terms of area South Waziristan is the largest agency in FATA, being 6,619 km². It has two headquarters:
Tank is the winter headquarters of the Agency while
Wanna is its summer headquarters. It has been functioning since 1895. It is bound to the north by the
North Waziristan Agency, to the north-east by
Bannu and
Lakki Marwat Districts, to the east by tribal areas adjoining the
Tank and
Dera Ismail Khan Districts, to the south by
Zhob District of
Balochistan Province and tribal areas adjoining Dera Ismail Khan District, and to the west by Afghanistan.
[1]
