Chakwal

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Chakwal (Urdu: چکوال) is a town in Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital town of the present Chakwal District and the former 'Tauluka Dhan Chaurasi'. It is located 90 km south of Islamabad.

As noted in District Gazeteer Jhellum 1904, the city is named after Chaudhry Chaku Khan, once chief of the Mair Minhas Rajput tribe of the area. Chaku Khan along with his followers had settled the village with his name in the sixteenth century C.E. during the era of Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudin Babur. His brothers Mureed and Karhan also settled villages. Chakwal has become a city of reasonable size over the years.

Mair Minhas, Mughal Kassar and Kahut Quriesh are the three main landowning tribes of the tehsil. The Kassars occupy the northern part of the tehsil in the area called Babial and Chaupeda, the Kahouts occupy Kahutani in the South East, whereas the main concentration of the Mairs is in center (Haveli-Chakwal), North-East (Badshahan), West (Kot Chaudhrian) and South West (Thirchak-Mahal).

Chakwal has been known for producing fine breed of horses and oxes. It has been furnishing fine soldiers to the Pakistan Army for the last few centuries. The Second Indian to get Victoria Cross, Subaidar Khudadad Khan, the first Indian to get commissioned and to become a General in British Indian Army, Muhammed Akbar Khan and the great General Iftikhar Khan all belonged to Chakwal.

Raja Muhammed Sarfraz Khan (M.L.A 1929-58, Chairmain District Council Jehllum) played an important role in the development of the area during the British era and in earlier years after Independence by patronizing schools and playing an instrumental role in establishing Government College Chakwal in 1949. Consequently, a considerable number of Chakwali youth were able to find their way to the top as Army Officers and Civil Servants.

After Independence Chakwal has produced many famous personalities including:

Justice Qazi Muhammad Gul (Former Justice Punjab High Court, Pakistan Supreme Court and Law Secretary of Pakistan. Also served as Cheif Election Comissioner for Azad Jammu and Kashmir)
General Abdul Qayyum
General Abdul Majid Malik
Maj. General Farooq Malik (DG Artillery)
Journalist Ayaz Amir
IG Punjab Police Atta Hussain
Maj. General Muhammad Muzaffar Kahut,
DIG Muhammad Munir Kahut
Secretary Afzal Kahut (Sec. Establishment)
Mailk Ahmad Shah from Dulha Sharif
Sardar Muhhamed Ashraf Khan (Politician)
Sardar Khizar Hayar Khan
Sardar Ghulam Abbas
Major Tahir Iqbal (Federal Minister).
Haji Kaloo Jo (Pir suhawa waley).
Manmohan Singh (Prime Minster of India).