Azakhel Payan

The word Azakhel Payan is a linguistic compound consisting of three words. Aza is probably the name of its founder. The word khel might be derived from the Avestan word khuailcode: ave promoted to code: ae , meaning "uncountable" or "over-populated". Khel is a cognate of the Persian word kheleh, meaning "lots" or "too much".

By convention, the word khel is placed after the name of a common ancestor or leader when naming a village. Khel is usually part of a single village's name,[2] but it may also be used for a larger settlement.[3] The last part of the village's name, Payan, means "lower" in Persian or Urdu.

According to one theory, the name Aza Khel was given to the village by its founder. The founder may have been Raza Khan. Raza Khan, also spelled Aza Khan, is considered a legendary Afghan warrior. Raza Khan had seven brothers, one of whom was Zarif Khan. One mohalla (subdivision) of the village, Zarifkhel, may take its name from Zarif Khan.

Azakhel Payan might not take its name from a founder or legendary hero. Instead, the name Aza Khel may derive from Za Khel, a town in Kondoz, Afghanistan.

Azakhel Payan has a complex and ambiguous history. The inhabitants (called Azakhelis or Azakhelians) have different ideas regarding its history, origin, and settlement.

Azakhel Payan is cold and has little rainfall in the winter. In winter, temperature ranges from 10 °C to 20 °C. The village is hot in the summer; summertime temperatures range from 35 °C to 42 °C.

The village Āza Khel Pāyān is divided into different subsections called mohallas. Some mohallas, like the ones listed below, were named after their founders.

• Zarifkhel (Pashto: ظريف خيل‎), named for Zarif Khan
• Mutazamkhel (Pashto: متظم خيل‎), named for Zarif Khan's eldest son, Mutazzam Khan
• Safkhel (Pashto: صاف خيل‎)
• Arsalakhel (Pashto: ارسلا خيل‎), named for Zarif Khan's younger brother
• Salihabād (Pashto: صالح آباد‎)
• Maroofkhel (Pashto: معروف خیل‎)
• Kakakhel (Pashto: كاكاخيل‎)
• Abak-khel (Myagān)(Pashto: ابک خيل‎)
• Shahbazgarh (Pashto: شهبازګړھ‎)

Other mohallas were named for the professions or characteristics of their inhabitants.

• Loharan (Pashto: لوهاران‎)
• Takadaran (Pashto: ټهيکداران‎), named for the dark complexion of its inhabitants. The name derives from the Punjabi word Torkhelāncode: pan promoted to code: pa . The original name for the mohalla was Nāndāpān.
• Tarkānān (Pashto: ترکاړان‎), meaning "the carpenters"
• Awan (Pashto: اعوان‎), whose original name was Shpāna
• Mochyān (Pashto: موچیان‎), meaning "the cobblers"
• Qasābān (Pashto: قصابان‎), meaning "the butchers"
• Jolagān (Pashto: جولاګان‎), also called Kasabgar
• Molyān (Pashto: مُلیان‎), meaning "the Muslim scholars"

Two other mohallas were named for their location in Azakhel Payan.

• Shage Mohalla(Pashto: شګی محله‎)
• Pass Mohalla (Pashto: پاس محله‎)

The population of Azakhel Payan is 100% Sunni Muslim.

The population of village is between 30,000 and 35,000. After the arrival of Afghan refugees and other immigrants in recent decades, Pashto became the most-spoken language in Azakhel Payan. Residents of Azakhel Payan also speak Urdu, one of Pakistan's official languages.

In 1998, the census recorded an average 520 people living in each square kilometer. As of 1998, the population of Azakhel Payan is growing.

80–85% of Azakhel Payan's population is literate, and the literacy rate is growing.

In Azakhel Payan, the most dominant political parties are the following:

• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is the most represented party in Azakhel Payan. In 2013 provincial and national elections, the majority of Azakhelis voted for representatives of this party. The same happened with the 2015 local elections.
• Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam is the second most represented party.
• Awami National Party is the third most represented party.
• Pakistan Peoples Party is the least represented party in Azakhel Payan.

Azakhel Payan is bordered by the Cherat Mountains to the south and the Kabil River to the north. The distance between Kabil River and the Grand Trunk Road is about 2–3 km (1.2–1.9 mi). The village of Azakhel Bala lies just west of Azakhel Payan, and the town of Pir Piai is just east.

The area between the Kabil River and the Grand Trunk Road is called "Bela." It served as a training camp for Afghan mujaheddin during the Soviet-Afghan war. This area was established as a refugee camp for the Afghan immigrants in during the reign of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

The parent material in and surrounding Azakhel Payan is siltstone.[4]

The Nowshera District government has leased 83 acres of agricultural land in Azakhel Payan to the University of Peshawar's Centre of Plant Biodiversity (CPB). This area is called Azakhel Park. The University of Peshawar plans to develop research laboratories, botanical nurseries, greenhouses, an herbarium, a museum, a conference hall, lecture theaters, a library, and areas for teaching students in Azakhel Park.[5]

The village has a central bazaar named Charsoo Bazaar. The bazaar is often crowded in the evenings, especially on Thursdays and weekends, and on the days surrounding Eid al-Fitr. Charsoo Bazaar sells many different foods. Often, people from neighboring areas visit the place to eat dinner. The bazaar is a significant source of income for many Azakhelis.

Fields, small hills, and abundant greenery surround Azakhel Payan. The village has concrete roads, a Basic Health Unit (BHU), a staffed veterinary clinic, a post office, a union council, a police station, petrol pumps, storage areas for wheat and medicine, and playgrounds for children. Government-run and private schools alike operate in Azakhel Payan; these provide primary and secondary education to both girls and boys.

Azakhel Payan also houses Peshawar University's botanical garden, which is used for new research on plants.