Khattak dance

The Khattak (Pashto: خټک اتڼ [xaˈʈak], Urdu: رقص خٹک Khattak attan) is a swift martial attan dance usually performed while carrying a sword and a handkerchief (while not always are they holding a sword and handkerchief) by the tribesmen from the agile Khattak tribe of Pashtuns. Khattak dance is also a national dance of Pakistan.

It was performed by Khattak warriors before going to wars in the time of Malik Shahbaz Khan Khattak and then Khushal Khan Khattak. It was used as a war-preparation exercise and is known to be the only dance with swordplay. Aside from the Pashtun's classical literature, popular ballads, the Pashtunwali (the common code of social values), the khattak is part of the group's collective identify.