Safi (Pashtun tribe)

Safi (Pashto: ساپی‎ sāpay; plur. ساپي sāpi) is a major branch of the greater Ghurghakhti Pashtun tribe. The Safi tribe comprises a majority in the Pech Valley of Kunar and are present in significant numbers in Parwan Province, Kapisa Province, Kabul Province, Laghman Province, Nuristan Province and the whole of Kunar Province.A reasonable majority of those who were living on the Durand Line migrated since 1900 into the different urban and rural areas of khyber Pakhtoonkhwa particularly, Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshehra, Swabi.A large number also settled in Rawalpindi, Tarnol, Lahore. They are also present in large number in Mohmand, Bajaur Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and in Zhob District, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Safi divisions

Currently Safi tribesmen are all around Afghanistan and in North-West Pakistan. The Safi are divided into 3 main clans. The three major clans are the Gurbuz, the Masood, the Qandahari also known as Wadir. The exact population number of this clan is not known; however, it is estimated to be around 2.5 million, both in Afghanistan and in Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Safis have played an important role in the Afghan society, especially in Afghan Governments and also were known to be against the kings. The Safis have had an important role as well in Pakistan.Currently,they are serving on keyposts in different public sector institutions. On September 10, 2007 Safi elders of Mohmand Agency played an important role on reaching an agreement with Taliban fighters to stop attacks on Pakistani military, security forces, and government installations such as schools, and hospitals, etc. in Mohmand Agency. The Safis, because of their association with the Mohmand, are also called Safi Mohmands but actually they are not Mohmand in Legacy.