Tikriwal

The Tikriwal or Tekriwal is actually a geographical name for the sub-tribes of the Swati Pashtuns living in a valley called Tikri or Tikrai.

The valley of "Tikrai" is situated in the present day Batagram District at the eastern slope of the famous Black Mountain i.e. Tor Ghar or Kala Dhaka.

Also known as Meghwal in the north western part of India. The people are considered to be decendents of Rishi Megh. Now classified as Scheduled Caste under india's system of positive discrimination.

District Batagram has geographical borders with Kohistan District, Tribal Area of Tor Ghar (Black Mountain), Shangla District and Malakand Division. The district consists of two sub-divisions or Tehsils Batagram and Allai) that consist upon a total of 20 Union Councils.

Tribes

Tikrai is a beautiful valley inhabited by very friendly people. Malkal or Malkaal is the biggest tribe in Tikri in terms of land and number, the caste name is derived from the merger of two words i.e. Malik + Aal, which means Sons of the King or Chieftain referring to Malik Baba.

The other tribes of the valley are Naror and Ashror, named after the nicknames of Malik Baba's younger brothers. The fourth tribe or clan of the area is the Syeds of Pirari, or Pirarai and some of the adjacent villages. These Syeds are called Saidaan by the locals. The other three tribes have always had a great respect for the Syeds. During the older, tribal era, Syeds would mediate between two warring tribes. They would emerge on the battlefields with "white flags" raised in their hands and every tribesman, regardless of is association with any clan or tribe, would stop fighting immediately due to the respect he had for Syeds, the clan of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

These three tribes, except Syeds, are divided into sub-tribes e.g. Nikrozi, Jalalis, Usmanis, Dawar Khanis and Pirazorr or Pirzais,daloor,khankhel,mullakhel,durkhani etc.