Awan (Urdu: اعوان‎), is a tribe living predominantly in northern, central, and western parts of Pakistani Punjab, with significant numbers also residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and to a lesser extent in Sindh and Balochistan.

History

People of the Awan community have a strong presence in the Pakistani Army and have a strong martial tradition.Christophe Jaffrelot says:

Whereas Prof Ahmad Hasan Dani claimed that the Awans were, in fact, indigenous to Northern Punjab, and might well be the ancient Abanii mentioned by Greek and Roman travelers and historians.

On a rural level, Awans historically were of the zamindar or landowning class and many Awan families to this day live on and cultivate land, which their ancestors have held for centuries. They often carry titles typical to Punjabis who own tracts of ancestral land.

Notable people