Makhad
Makhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District in the Northern part of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The separation is marked by a fast flowing Indus River.
The Paracha tribe, which is one of the largest in Pakistan and today scattered all over the country and even India, is said to have become a large clan in Makhad in the 10th century. The tribe which today mostly speak the Pothohari dialect of Punjabi, migrated from North Yemen in the time of Prophet Muhammad (in the 7th century) and travelled to Iran where they were called "Ferashas" (Now Paracha)or people who were direct descendants of one Ali Yamani, a cloth trader who used to prepare the ground for Prophet Muhammad to pray upon. "Ferash" in Persian means ground.
From Persia many from this clan travelled to Afghanistan and then towards India and what today is Pakistan. Most of them settled in Makhad around the 12th century. In India and Pakistan they became to known as Parachas.
Though a historically significant town and having the rugged beauty much of Northern Punjab or Potohar region is famous for, Makhad will be one of the many towns that will be completely submerged once the scheduled Kalabagh Dam is built.