Khawazakhela

Khwazakhela (, Khwazakhela is a town and also a tehsil (administrative area) in Swat District, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The town includes 16 villages, which are collectively known as Azikhel. Most of the people living there belong to the Yusufzai, Swati, and Gujjar tribes. Khwazakhela is well known for the graves of religious saints (awliya). Some famous saints buried there include Mian Baba, Derai Baba, Chinar Baba, and Byne Baba. Mian Baba and Byne Baba were known as warriors from the Syed family, while Chinar Baba belonged to the Shamakhel family. Geographically, Khwazakhela is located in the central part of Swat. It borders Shangla Valley in the northeast, which is an important trade route. To the north, it is next to Behrain Tehsil, and to the south, it connects with Charbagh Tehsil. On the western side, it lies along the Swat River. The area is surrounded by green mountains on the east, and the land slopes down toward the river in the south. Khwazakhela is the second-largest commercial center in Swat after Mingora. Many people from Kalam, Kohistan, and Shangla come here for shopping and business. One important historical site in the area is the Lwar-e-Jamat Mosque, which was built in the 12th century by Mahmud of Ghazni during his visit. During the Taliban insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this area was less affected compared to other regions.

== Demographics ==