Gojal

Gojal (Wakhi: وادی گوجال, Kyrgyz: گۉجال ۅرۅنۇ, ), also called Upper Hunza, is situated in northwestern Pakistan. It borders China at the Khunjerab Pass, and Afghanistan at the Chapursan valley. In 2019, Gojal Valley became the second Karachukar sub-ivision within the Hunza District. It is geographically the largest subdivision of Gilgit-Baltistan. Gojal or Upper Hunza is composed of a number of large and small valleys sharing borders with Central Hunza to the south, China in the northeast, and Afghanistan in the northwest. Aeenabad is the first village of Gojal, Upper Hunza. Except for the Shimshal, Misgar, and Chipursan valleys, all the villages of Gojal, Upper Hunza can be seen from the Karakoram Highway (KKH), which crosses Gojal, entering China at the Khunjerab Pass. The Gojal region has 20,000 Ismaili residents. The valleys and villages of Gojal were settled over time by people from surrounding regions. Kyrgyz nomads initially used the areas in Upper Gojal as winter pastures. Wakhis migrated from Wakhan to this region, the Yishkuk, Chapursan Valley, the Avgarch area of Gircha and Sost villages were settled in the upper Gojal while in the lower Gojal Hussaini is considered an ancient settlement. When Hunza was under the Central Government of Gilgit the Ishkook settlement was wealthy and paid cattle and other dairy products to the Raja of Gilgit. As Hunza emerged as an independent state during the early 15th century so it can be inferred that different valleys in upper Gojal were inhabited by the Wakhi speaking migrants prior to the emergence of the Hunza state. Later, the oral history holds, a catastrophic flood destroyed the Ishkook settlement during the 18th century. The dominance of Central Hunza or Kanjud became significant during Mir Shah Salim Khan's period (1790-1824). Mir Shah Salim Khan was raised by his foster mother lady Gulbahar wife of Ashoor of the Budlay family of Gulmit Gojal. Lady Gulbahar was the daughter of the Qazi of Wakhan Qazi Makhtum.