Povindah

Povindah (Persian Parwinda, "a bale of goods"), a term applied generally to all Afghans engaged in trade, and particularly to the group known specially as Povindahs, whose territory extends along the western Suliman range between the head-waters of the Gomul and Lora rivers. These comprise ten main sections, who have always lived mainly by the caravan trade which they have organised between Afghanistan and India. In times of tribal or border warfare all went armed, and had often to fight their way through hostile or predatory bands on the routes between their territory and the Indus valley. The Povindahs appear to be a branch of the Ghilzaes, whose domain borders them on the west.