The Gabol is a Baloch tribe having a distinct identity through the centuries, and not a branch of any other Baloch tribe. During the reign of Mir Jalal Khan, the Gabol joined the Rind Federation. Eventually, they joined Mir Chakar Khan Rind as an ally against the Lasharis. Despite their Near Eastern origin, at present, the tribe is largely settled in Karachi, and interior Sindh with significant numbers in Balochistan as well as Punjab.
Etymology
According to a narrative گبول بچھ دیزک, found among the Gabols of Kirthar, the wordGabol means "castellated". M.K. Pikolin translated it as "valiant" or "strong". In this context, Edward Lipinski, an authority on Arameans, writes: "There is no reason why 'Gambulu', which shows either dissimilation bb>mb in 'Gabbol' or simply epenthetic 'm' appearing before 'b'." Similarly, Dr. Mir Alam Khan Raqib states: "The letter 'm' in word 'Gambol' seems redundant and hard. So, due to its hardness the letter 'm' obsoleted and the word transformed to Gabol, still a well-known Baloch tribe."
Ancient Chaldo-Aramean tribes
The Gabol tribe migrated from this part of Syria to southern Mesopotamia, and for this particular reason, Assyrians affirm them as Arameans. The second largest migration of Arameans into Mesopotamia is entitled as Chaldeans. The autonomous state of Gaboli was one of the six states of Chaldea. It was the headquarters of the Gabol tribe residing near the border of Elam and the Persian Gulf. The fortified city Shapi'bal was the capital of Gaboli. The forefront troops of Mardukh-Baladan were composed of Gabols. They fought the Assyrians from 745 BC to 626 BC, leading to the formation of the Medean Empire along with other allies. Historians have described the Gabol tribe. Their observations are investigative while Western historians benefited from the archaeological excavation documents. Both groups agree that Gabol belongs to the Chaldo-Aramean association of Arab nomads. They are first mentioned in the twelfth century BC. The tablets of Assyrian archaeology describe their mettle and bravery. The ancient autonomous state of Gaboli and the Gabol region near Aleppo have been recorded by Qudama Bin Ja'far, Ibn E Rusta, Soomer, Yaqoubi, Ibn E Haukal, Majeed Zada, Ibn E Abdul Munim Hameri, Al Kindi, Ibn E Wasil, Muqaddasi, Al Balazri Gazi, Sadir, Yaqout and others in their writings.
Civil wars
During the Talpur rule in Sindh, the Gabol tribe was delegated to secure the coastal area of Karachi, recalled as the "War with Pirates". Corsairs used to loot ships near Karachi Port; once they invaded the port itself. Gabols are also mentioned in the 10th century A.D. in the outskirts of Karachi as fighting Arghons and Mongols. Nabi Bux Khan Baloch described the following wars and tribal disputes of the Gabol tribe in his books.
