The kapoor family?

 

In the city of Peshawer, the inner city is populated by a group known as the ''Kharian'' (or city dwellers) who are said to be a heterogenous mixture of ancient Persian settlers who opened up shop in many of Pakistan's ancient cities particularly in the potohar plain and the frontier province since the time of the Silk Route when trade with Central Asia was lucrative.  Over time, these city dwellers intermixed with various rulers including the Panjabi's, Pashtuns, Kashmiri's, Afghans and Turks just to name a few.

 

They're common community language is called ''Hindko'', an ancient language believed to be very close to the ancient Prakrit of Taxilla but due their diversity and admixture(often sharing dual or multiple blood lines from Pakistan's many ethnic groups) often speak neighbooring languages such as Pashto, Panjabi, Persian/Dari, Kashmiri and Urdu.   In Peshawer's old city, they can quickly switch languages between visiting Panjabi's, Afghans, Pashtuns and Karachiites which makes for an amusing scene.  Historically and even up to the present, they have always been known as great performers and artists taking in the life and sounds of the surrounding Peshawer city and expressing it in a artistic form.  They're quick wittiness, trading/ bargaining skills as well as their hospitality are world reknowned.  The Kharian community has produced many notable stars (actors and actresses) in recent years.

 

The legacy of this vibrant, often overlooked community remains underappreciated and overshadowed by the dominant Pashtun and Panjabi tribes but they have made an impression in recent years as they continue to produce wonderful artists, musicians and of course actor.  In Pakistan many famous artists and actors are of kharian decent.  Kharian artist families can be found in neighbooring Afghanistan, Iran and can also be found in india such the Kapoor's, yusuf Khan (aka Dilip Kumar) and other notables to name a few.  I have also heard of Kharian families even in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

 

Yes They are their Indian Counterpart.

 

Kapoors belong to a group  called Khatris in India who are in majority  descendants of Indo Greeks settled  earlier in Bactrian/Afghanistan area.

  

As term Bactrian /Bakhtiarian gave name to Pakhtrian  language and Pakhtun/Pathan  identity , same bakhtiari on eastern side called themselves khatris .The predominant H haplogroup and their fair skin colour confirms their Greek  connection .

 

They are a hardworking but docile  trading community as compared to other more aggressive and Dominant communities of Punjab.Unlike Indian customs they do marry in their own clan .Because of a long spell of Hindu religion effect  some of them even try to relate themselves  to ancient Kshatriya a totally different identity  but their genetic results  ,Skin Colour  ,location and customs falsify it.

 

Coming to original questions they are Indian counterpart of Pathans who have learnt Punjabi Language

 

Bilal

 

Settlement of Greeks started much earlier than Invasion of Alexander.Persian Kings used to settle Greeks in Bactria long ago.

 

quote..

The paradox that Greek presence was more prominent in Bactria than in areas far more adjacent to Greece could possibly be explained by the supposed policy of Persian kings to deport unreliable Greeks to this the most remote province of their huge empire

 

 

When thousands of Greeks were settled here there descendants might be found here not in SriLanka ,Genetic is a hard evidence and if we believe these and see area of inhabitance there is no doubt their identification.

 

Rig Veda was recomposed in Indo Afghanistan Areas with addition of many later verses depicting native geography and people ,so any thing mentioned in it does not automatically mean very ancient .

 

Anyway Afghan Historians can shed further light on origin of Pakhtun term.