The Khokhar ( کھوکھر) are a tribe of Rajputs. Khokhars were designated as an agricultural tribe.

Origin:

The Khokhar are descended from an individual named Qutb Shah, who originally resided in Herat, served in the army of Mahmud of Ghazni, and was a Hashemite descendant of the Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali (but by a wife other than the Prophet's daughter, Fatimah. As Sir Lepel Henry Griffin states:

 "All branches of the tribe are unanimous in stating that they originally came from the neighbourhood of Ghazni to India, and all trace their genealogy to Hazrat Ali the son-in-law of the Prophet. Qutab Shah, who came from Ghazni with Sultan Mahmud, was the common ancestor of the Awans and Khokhar".

Tribal History:

"Tribal history holds that Qutb Shah and his sons married local women who converted to Islamfrom Hinduism. Qutb Shah’s sons are said to have settled in different regions of the Punjab and to a lesser extent, what now constitutes parts of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa; Gauhar Shah or Gorrara, settled near Sakesar, Kalan Shah or Kalgan, settled in Kalabagh, Chauhan colonized the hills close to theIndus, Mohammad Shah or Khokhar, settled by the Chenab, and Tori ‏and Jhajh settled inTirah.Their descendants not only came to heavily populate these regions, but a number of Awan sub-clans that trace their origins to these six individuals, give their names to various localities such as Golera in Rawalpindi, Khewra in Jhelum, Banjara in Sialkot, Jand in Attock, and Dhudial inChakwal. Some of Qutb Shah’s sons are supposed to have assumed names that reflected theHindu heritage of their mothers and the Awan sub-clans that trace their origins to these particular individuals, bear the names of their eponyms.

The descendants of Qutb Shah i.e. the Qutb Shahi Awans and Khokhars are regarded as the martial race of sub continent. Areas belonging to these tribe are referred to as the martial areas of present day Pakistan i.e Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Montgomery, Derah Ismail Khan, Derah Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Shahpur, Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Jehlum, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Talagang and Muzaffargarh. History bears testimony to the fact that these tribes have proved to be the most reliable and potent force as warriors in sub continent."But in the best available account of the tribe, the Awans and Khokhars are indeed said to be of Arabian origin and descendants of Qutb Shah."

Titles:

Malik is used by Khokhars, primarily by those Khokhars who claim to be descendants of Qutb Shah. In the Punjab, "Malik" was one of the titles used by local aristocrats, more formally known asZamindars, under both the Mughals and the British, and to some degree still in present-dayPakistan. The title is given for large amount of ownership of land(landlords). Currently, in punjab region of Pakistan, Malik is mostly used by different Rajputs clans and Jatt clans to show their large land ownership. Mainly in the yester years, Malik was used to signify largest land ownership in the area. Raja is used by Rajpoot Khokhars.

Geographical distribution:

Khokhars are mainly found in the Punjab region. In Pakistan, Khokhars can be found in the regions of Gujranwala, Jhelum, Mianwali, Khushab, Khanewal, Shahpur, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sahiwal,  Sargodha, Bhera, Mandi Bahaudin, Chiniot ,Gujrat, Gujar Khan, Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Vehari, Pakpattan and adjoining areas. Khokhars are also found in areas of Kashmir including  Azad Kashmir and Mirpur. In India, areas include Batala, Chandigarh, Gurdaspur, Ropar, Patiala,Fatehgarh Sahib and Jammu and Kashmir. Khokhars are now based all around the world. Muslim Khokhars are also found in Moradabad District in Uttar Pradesh, where they are said to have settled in the 18th Century, and are considered as a clan of the Ranghar community. In addition,Hindu Khokhars are also found in the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, and are considered to be a Jat clan.

Divisions:

There are several sub-divisions of the Khokhar tribe, such as the Bandial, Bhachar,Dholka,Ganjial,Jalap, Majoka, Nissowana, Rawal, and Denaar.

List of Khokhar Towns and Villages

Thakkar Kalan (Mandi Bahaudin)

Garh Qaim (Mandi Bahaudin)

Khamb Nau (Sargodha)

Mitha lak (Sargodha)

Pind Dadan Khan (Jhelum)

Mari Khokhran (Gujrat)

Khokhar Gharbi (Gujrat)

Rindheer Khokhran (Gujrat)

Kotli Khokhran (Gujrat)

Shampur Khokharan (Gujrat)

Khokhar Malwana (Jhelum)

Khokhar Aggar Khan (Jhelum)

Panwan Khokhar (Sialkot)

Pindi Khokharan (Sialkot)

Rhang khokhran (Sialkot)

Basti Khokhar (Mianwali)

Bhagwala Khokharan (Gujar Khan)

Jhangh Khokharan (Gujar Khan)

Khokhar (Larkana)

Notable Khokhars:

Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan Khokhar - Former Minister of Food, Agriculture and Health, Ambassador toIran 1948-1952, to Turkey 1952-1953, to India 1954-1956 and to Italy 1956-1957.

Riaz Khokhar - Former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, High Commissioner to India 1992–1997, Ambassador to the United States 1997–1999 and to China 1999–2002.

M. Nawaz Khokhar - Former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar - Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan

Justice (Retd.) Fakhar un Nisa Khokhar - President, Lahore High Court Bar Association.

Barrister Tariq Mehmood Khokhar - Former Deputy Attorney General, Government of Pakistan

Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar - Member, National Assembly of Pakistan.

Malik Afzal Khokhar - Member, National Assembly of Pakistan.

Malik Karamat Ali Khokhar - Member, Provisional Assembly of Pakistan.

Malik Saif Al Malook Khokhar - Member, Provisional Assembly of Pakistan.

Malik Ali Abbas Khokhar- Member, Provisional Assembly of Pakistan.

Malik Nazar Farid Khokhar - Chairman Standing Committee, Provincial.

Malik Umar Farooq Khokhar -Deputy Director Hajj for Pakistan.

Malik Ahsen Farooq Khokhar - CEO Khokhar Group of Industries Multan,CEO AL Madinah hotels.

Malik Adil Imtiaz Khokhar - CEO Adil Associates Lahore,Who belongs to the Khokhar Jatt tribe.

Malik Aftab A. Ijaz khokhar- Senior Vice President of Habib Bank Lahore

Haji Muhammad Sharif Khokhar- CEO Mumtaz Industries, Former Head of Irrigation Department. 

Genealogy:

The complete genealogy of Haji Muhammad Sharif Khokhar is:

Naeem Akhtar Khokhar - Barrister Supreme court of Pakistan

Ahmed Nadeem Khokhar- Contractor and CEO of KCC International

Eng. Naveed Anjum Khokhar- Director General Development of PESSI

Eng. Waseem Asif Khokhar- Head of Quality Managment in oil refinery

Muhammad Waqas Khokhar- Secretary General of YPO,  Coordinator of NAYS & RSGP

Muhammad Asad Khokhar,

Muhammad Usama Khokhar

 Muhammad Ayyan Khokhar

 Muhammad Zain khokhar