Forum Pakistan

An ethnic group related to the *Punjabi. Awans are *Sunni Muslims. They occupy the area around the *Salt Range, between the *Jhelum and the *Indus, and the western bank of the Indus from Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan. Awans speak the north-eastern dialects of Punjabi. Remnants of the traditional social organization are still extant. The population is mainly engaged in agriculture. The landowning Awan elite, led by Amir of Kalabagh, play a noticeable role in the political and socio-economic affairs of *Punjab and Pakistan as a whole. Many Awans hold important posts in the army, police, and in the business arena.

BI BLiOGRAPHY: 'Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of Punjab and North West Frontier Province', Vol. II, Lahore, 1978.