What is "wazirzada"

Wazirzada (meaning son of Wazir) are descendants of the Grand Wazirs of the Sadozai Dynasty in Afghanistan. Wazirzadas are Sadozai Durranis; also a sub tribe of Popalzais and therefore belong to the Abdali or Durrani group of Pashtun tribes.

Brig.(R) Rashid H.(2002) has delved extensively on the history of Wazirzadas and traced their family tree from their origin in Afghanistan to the present times and present locations. The present known Wazirzadas are the descendants of two sons of Vizier Rehmathullah Khan; who was the Grand Vizier to Zaman Shah, King of Afghanistan; grandson of Ahmad Shah Abdali. Rehmathullah Khan belonged to the prominent tribe of Kamran Khel Sadozais. His father Fathehullah Khan was the Grand Vizier to Emir Timur Shah, and Fathehullah Khan's father Haroon Khan was an Advisor to Ahmad Shah Abdali. Rehmathullah Khan was killed along with his two brothers in 1801 in Afghanistan in an uprising in which Zaman Shah was removed from the throne and replaced with his half brother Shah Mahmud. The Vizier's two sons; Wazirzada Habibullah Khan and Wazirzada Usman Khan; protected by their maternal grandfather made it to safety. The descendants of Wazirzada Usman Khan have mostly settled in Peshawar, Pakistan, and the descendants of Wazirzada Habibullah Khan have mainly settled in Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan. Wazirzada Usman Khan later served as the Grand Vizier in the court of the Emir Shuja Shah; and was given the title of Nizam Ud Daulah.

Saddozai W.A.Q.K. (2000) has traced the history of Wazirzadas as they were driven by fate to settle in the north western part of India which later on formed part of Pakistan. Wg.cdr. (R) Saddozai S.A.S.J.'s book 'Saddozai' throws further light on the descendants of Wazirzada Usman Khan's progeny. A number of Wazirzadas have served in the military and attained prominent positions while others reached coveted positions in the government. During recent years a number of Wazirzada families have shifted to Islamabad; the capital of Pakistan.