Burfat

Burfat, Bulfat or Bulfati (Sindhi: بُرفت‎) is a Sindhi^[1] Sammat tribe,^[2][3][4][5] originally from the Lasbela and Kirthar (Kohistan) mountains of the Sindh^[6] province of Pakistan.^{[7][8][9][10][11]} Burfats are also found in Iran, Afghanistan and Oman.

Burfat or Bulfat was actually the "Abul Fatah" meaning (Father of Victory or Victorious) the name of their elder who after embracing Islam adopted this name, which over time shortened to Bulfat and then Burfat.^[12]

The Burfats claim descent from Jam Burfat or Bulfat son of Jam Essab Numrio, according to some scholars Jam Essab was son of Jam Hothi, who along with eight persons migrated from their ancestral place of Wango-Wilasyo which is presently Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan and Badin, who were collectively called as Nuhmardi (Numria).^[13]

Burfat tribe lives in Thana Bulla Khan tehsil, Kotri, Thatta and Dadu in Sindh, they are also native to Lasbela, Makran, Khuzdar, Kalat in balochistan, there are also many Burfats in Iran and Oman. The Burfats are quite prominent; they ruled the area for many centuries and left their imprints in the form of monuments in various villages and towns in Thana Bula Khan.^[14]

The famous female ruler of Lasbela was "Mai Chagli" who was wife of Malik Pahar Khan Burfat, the cultural hero of the Burfats After the death of Malik Pahar Khan Burfat, his wife Mai Chagli became the ruler of Lasbela. The Roonjha tribe served as the administrators of Mai Chagli. They feared the rising power of the Jams of Kanrach and in order to crush the Jams of Karachi valley, they killed Jam Digar one of the chiefs of the tribe. In order to avenge the death of his brother, Jam Aali along with his tribesmen invaded the capital of Mai Chaglai and killed those who murdered his brother Jam Digar. Mai Chagli took her infant son Malik Izzat Khan and went to her ancestral place Taung and later on shifted to Kotri where her tomb is located just behind the government degree college.^[3]

Various clans of the Burfats, notably the Aaqlani, Alwani, Burra, Baprani, Bahriani, Birhamani, Banbhra, Barparkar, Barhdoda, Bandijo, Barzār, Chhura, Chhāra, Chhutta, Chelaria, Cheena, Chhāpra, Chāglipota, Dudhar, Dadhar, Dethrani, Datia, Duja, Duhar/Dadhar, Dhenani, Diyanrani, Eshaqpota, Gaincho, Gahecho, Gajan, Gunjan, Gaam, Hamalani, Hamdani, Hamirka, Hamati, Hasnani, Hairha, Hasalpota, Hothmanzai, Halwai, Jaindpota, Jamote, Jam, Kachela, Kāsoto, Kānra, Kānrio, Khajar, Khahawar, Khadrani, Khurpar, Khadarpota, Khur, Khura, Khara, Kharhār, Khahara, Kharira, Kharerra, Khurera, Khondar, Kandarani, Khaipota/Khiyepota, Kānkhia, Kandhro, Khokheja, Khonman, Loharani, Lalani, Lakhair, Lodi, Lodhi, Lodhar, Lodhira, Lora, Loria, Lolaya, Lorar, Lomria, Longia, Lohaj, Musa, Musapota, Mandhra, Māndra, Mundra, Madhura, Mardoi, Morcha, Mora, Mahanda, Mochija, Manjhand, Manjotho, Manda, Mandhan, Mandān, Mandani, Mandana, Not, Nahar, Nahri, Nahari, Nahria, Nayari, Nooripota, Nuhpota, Nol, Nomria, Panildhipota, Palari, Parar, Qalandarani, Roonjho, Sheena, Shana, Shoda, Shahok, Sasoli, Seendhlani, Seelar, Seelro, Seelria, Silachi, Sakuna, Sermani Burra, Shaheja, Sodhani, Sodhar, Sodhra, Sodha, Soli, Senera, Thaheja, Uthmanpota etc.^[15]

Clans from Burra Burfat: Bakhra, Serman Muridani Burra and Barhamani Burra.

Clans from Barhamani Burra Burfat: Aliani, Allani, Aripota, Banbhan, Bahrani, Dhaturani, Dhanuripota, Dhamrani, Ghandheer, Hasnani, Jamalani, Kandani, Kheerinpota, Obhayani, Peroz, Pariani, Radhani, Marani, Maripota and Wasriani.^[15]

Clans from Sermani Burra Burfat: Bhona, Berani, Doda, Dhonaria, Daresani, Dhagarani, Hasanpota, Motani, Perozpota, Perarani and Raza Muhamadiani.^[15]

• Shafi Muhammad Burfat