Awans of Peshawer
This was the breakdown by caste, religion and community of the population of the North West Frontier Province, now known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, by the 1911 Census of India. At that time Pashtuns accounted for 70% (845,189) population, with the Hindko speaking Awanforming the second largest community (276,511 or about 23%).
Among the Pashtun dominated areas lived a number of minorities referred to as hamsiya such as the Dhobi, Mirasi, Qassab, Kumhar, Julaha, Teli, Nai, Shah Khel e.t.c, speaking both Pashtu and Hindko languages. The hamsiya lived and still live in villages inhabited by Pashtuns, but were not allowed to own property. Each hamsiya group was affiliated to a particular tribe, in which territory they lived. The hamsaya were paid in kind for the services they rendered.
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