Birote is a town in the Circle Bakote area of Abbottabad District in Pakistan, between the borders of Punjab and Kashmir. It has two higher secondary schools for boys, five religious schools, 75 mosques, bank, a post office, Upper Dewal Kohala Road and New Kohala Bridge. It is part of Hazara Division.
There are several theories for the origin of the word Birote, all of which are based on combinations of words in the Dhondi language.[1] One theory holds that it is derived from beer (wrestler) and wet (place); in the past, Birote was famous for wrestling and related sports. These eventually evolved to become Bi+rote or bee+rote. Another explanation is that Birote is a combination of bee (twenty) and rote(bread).
The total population of Birote is 23,000 as of the 1998[update] census. The main ethnic tribe of the area is Dhond Abbasi, Lahrals sub-tribes Khanals in Termuthin and Lahoor, Nakodrals in Kau and Bhan, Chingsal in Birote, Basian, Julial, Sulial, Huteri and Hotrool, Mojwals in Morha and Nakar Mojwal, The Dhond Abbasi tribe has been a feudal and ruling tribe in the area for five centuries. The founder of the Dhond tribe of Birote was Lahr Khan, who died in 1233 and is buried in Sunblanean, Termuthean.
Other tribal groups in the area include Awan, Syeds, Mughals, and Bhati Rajpoot.
Birote is surrounded by the areas of Bakote, Nathia Gali, Ayube Reala, and the Union Council of Dewal Sharif in Murree Tehsil. It is located on the banks of the Jhelum River. The highest place in Birote is the peak, called Samannat, of the Mukeshpuri mountain,[2] located approximately 90 kilometres north of Islamabad. Mukeshpuri is 2800m / 9100 feet high and covered with pine trees. It is an attractive hiking place for tourists but, in winter, is extremely inhospitable due to constant snow cover. Manwan ni hell is the lowest place in Birote. It is located on the right bank of the Jhelum River,just next to Basian, at the provincial borders of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Azad Kashmir.
Birote has forty primary schools, and two higher secondary schools (one for boys and the other for girls). It also has a bank, a post office, and a telephone exchange of 30,000 lines.
There are two roads that link Birote to the rest of the country; the Kashmir Highway and the Upper Dewal Kohala Road, also known as Khaqan Abbasi Road. Other roads linked with Birote are Swar Gali Bakote Road, Basian Malkote Road and Basian Bakote Road, Choorean Lower Dewal Road, Termuthean Malkote Road, and the newly-built Termuthean Lower Dewal Road.
Bus service on the Rawalpindi-Srinagar Road started in the first decade of the 20th century. The first transporter was Mohammad Amin Khan, who later founded Allied Chiraghddin Transport Company. Srinagar Rawalpindi Transport Company was also pioneered on this route.
In 1961 the Ayub Khan administration as part its local government reforms replaced the lamberdari system with local bodies namely: Union Councils, Tehsil Councils, and district councils. As a result, the Union Council of Bakote was formed and included Bakote, Birote and Birote Khurd as its wards. According to the 1961 census the population of Bakote Union Council was 18,000 and Birote's was 10,000. In 1981, General Zia implemented a new regime and in 2000, President General Pervez Musharraf enforced a new local bodies system. The current nazim of Birote is Mohammed Afaq Abbasi.
Union Councils System in Pakistan introduced by former President Ayub Khan (Field Marshal) in 1961. In Birote Union Council System established in 1961 also. Leaders and heads of Birote.
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Farmer President Genral Pervez Musharraf introduce a new System of Nazims with 21 councilos, Two ladies and two Kisan councilors. He also amended law of local bodies and eligibality of Nazims and Councilors termed must minimum metriculate. This asmmendment exited all old illitrate professional genral councilors and chairmen who elected with power of his tribe majority. This system produced Mohammed Irfan and Mrs Fayyaz, belonged to minority tribe as kisan councilor first time. There are two nazim elected as a leader of Birotian, one is Tahir Faraz Abbasi, a highly educated person of educated Khanal family of Kahu Sharqi nad second is Afaq Abbasi belonged to farmer Numberdri system of past.
Tahir Fraz Abbasi was the first Nazim of Birote during President Musharraf's term in office. He belonged to Kahoo Khanal sub-tribe. His uncle Haji Sarfraz Khan was first Accountant General of Pakistan, Nasir Fraz Abbasi DRO (NADRA) Muzaffarabad is his elder brother. He practicing as a lawyer in district courts Abbottabad. Politically, he is a worker of ruling party Pakistan Muslim League (Q). He constructed Choorean to Khekhran, Hell to Hotrerhi Pull Link road, Chorean Juleal Road. He lost his seat in Birote in 2005 as Nazim, but he played a very constructive role in Birote politics. Among others Gulestan Abbasi (Naieb Nazim), Khushi Mohammed, Shaheda Islam Abbasi and Shamim Akhter Abbasi were in his cabinet.
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Mohammed Afaq Abbasi is the second Nazim of Birote. He is worker of Ex-Chief Minister and vice president of Pakistan Muslim League (N) NWFP Mehtab Ahmed Khan and elected due to his Dhond Abbasi sub-tribe Kamalaal majority. He belongs to a learned and educated family of Musaddiq Abbasi, a brigadier of Pakistan Army and ex-lumberdar Sardar Feroze Khan (died 1972). He not only attended the house of UC Birote monthly meeting regularly but also is also spending lots of time with UC fellows to tackle the local problems. He served the UC by putting his all efforts to help the homeless peoples of the UC after the earthquake. He also acted a very constructive role in anti Didarism Movement in Birote in his last days of as UC Head in second half of 2009. He and his colleagues completed their timeperiod in the last month of 2009. He stamped a post office created Razgar Scheme forms as a help of needy people.
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Basian had become a base camp of Jihad e Kashmir after World War II and acted a positive and constructive role in Kashmir Indepance. Famous freedom fighters of Basian emerged as bacon of light for Mujahedins against Dogra Raj in Kashmir. Some important events are as under: -
Kahoo is in between Birote and Termuthean, starting from Bandi in east to Nakkar Qutbal and Ram Kot in the west. Kahoo means Olive tree in local Dhondi/Kareali language. Sufi Gull Baba shrine is located in the eastern edge of Kahoo, near Ayubia forest. First lawyer from this area was Tahir Faraz Abbasi & the first Accountant General of Pakistan Mohammad Sarfraz Khan belonged to Kahoo.Muhammad Suleman Abbasi s/o Said Akbar Khan was the first graduate/M Fazil from this village,he for the very first time in the history started a School In Birote Kalan at Loover.
Termuthian located on the boundary of NWFP, Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Termuthean means Thirty Hands Joined in local language. Former name of Termuthean was Sumbanean, where ancestor of Lahrals, sub tribe of Dhonds Sardar Lahr Khan buried.
In Terumuthia three primary schools.
Basian is the end of Union Council Birote towards northern side of the Hazara Division. New Kohala Bridge, famous Pir Mohrhwi Built Knair Pull is situated in northren end of Basian too. Basian is a famous place for centuries and populated from Vedic age. Historians as Seyed Mehmood Azad, M O Alvi, Noor Alahi Abbasi and Professor Karam Haideri in modern time and as Pundit Kelhan in past say that Basian is a place where forefather of Ratnal Dhond Abbasies first freed current Union Council Birote from Karhral and laid down foundation stone of Dhondi Civilization on the left bank of River Jhelum in 14th century. He established feudalism and awarded him as a sub feudal of Gakher Dynasty. Raja Haider Zaman Keani, a Gakher Historian of modern time with the reference of Mohammed Din Foaq that at that time Jesrat Khan was ruler of Kohsar and a younger son of Rattan Khan Malik Azam Khan killed in an invasion on Multan by Jesrat Khan. Rattan Khan Sateled in Central Basian and his dead body returned to Chaman Kote on his elder brother Chanden Khan. He buried with honor as an immortal guardian of Gakhers.
There are many tribe both as Dhond Abbasi or others living and participating in local politics, commerce and development of area. The main tribes are: -
Kanair (كنير)is a nullah between Birote Kalan and Birote Khurd and running more than ten millennia. This nullah played a main role in the construction old Birote Society. Many families belonged to working class were living on the right edge of Kanair nullah. They were running water mills. A tribe called Rakheal(راخيال) or guards of Birote also lived there. Word Kanair is derived from the name of a botanical herbal plant used in Auo-vadic medicines.[3]
Mohrh(موهره)a is a word means a small adjoining place of a town. Other words are used in this meanings are Hel. Mohrha is situated in central Birote Khurd that damaged by a large landslide beneath it.0.Sarwar Abbasi Naib .Nazim U/Cbirote also live in mohara. He also belong wel reputied business family .he is also member of tehsil council abbottabad. On UC head Qazi Sajawal was elected as chairman in 1992. People of Mohrha largely businessmen and settled in Rawalpindi and Karachi.
There are two Nakkers in Birote Khurd, on is Qutbal and other is Mojwal. Nakker means a sharpest place in hilly areas.
This Nakker (نكرقطبال)i s placed at south west of UC Birote, UC Malkote is in south and Khanaspure Ayoubia in west. This Nakker is on the name of Qutab Khan, a son of Rattan Khan. The population of Nakker Qutbal is more than three thousands.most of these people have left and live in pirwadhai rawalpindi after the earthquake. Micronations as Dhond Abbasi and Satties, Awans and some Kethwals are living there with hospitality and harmony. A large forest Kandaran full of herbal plants and wild life is also there. Muslim saint Gull Baba passed his last day in this forest and buried there when he breathed last.famous trader in Karachi Imteaz abbasi jamil ahmed abbasi advocate and gul rehman abbasi famous political worker belonged to Qutbal sub-tribe of this Nakker. First water mill was constructed in Nakker Qutbal in fifteenth century at Jandran ni Dheri.
Moj Khan (موج خان ) was an ancestor of the Mojwal sub-tribe of this Nakker, so the name is derived from this personality of old time. He was a feudal lord of time and possessed land from the peak of Mokeshpori to Kanair in east and west and from Lohwer Nulla to Hotrole Nullah as south and north. More than two thousand descendants of Moj Khan live there. Mojwals are living in Basian and central Bakote also. Other parts of Nakker Mojwal (نكر موجوال) are Hotrerhi, Moni dhari and Narhi Hoter.
Hotrole(هوثرول)is possessed by Birote Kalan Hajeal and Dereal sub-tribes in sixteenth century from Karhrals. Hotrole means paddy fields and cultivated for centuries but downfall of area started when a large landslide gutted half of Hotrole in 1942. Only some dozen people are living there now. All people migrated in Birote Kalan. Most populated parts of Hotrol are Sangrerhi and Narhi Hoter.
A water supply scheme donated by a Peshawer based NGO BEST by efforts of Brgd (R) Musaddiq Abbasi completed construction from Hotrole to Birote Kalan, while ex nazim Birote Tahir Fraz Abbasi get stay order from court. This situation created very tension between Birote Kalan and Hotrole but solved. A meeting was called on 20 July 2009 in Union Council by nazim Afaq Abbasi and signed an agreement between Hotrole and Birote Kalan than construction is completed in last week of November 2009.
Bhan (بهن ) means a pond of water, but there are no ponds near the jungle. The northmost part of UC Birote is inhabited by Nikodral sub-tribe, with some Awans and Seyed families also living there. Renowned advertising boss of Circle Bakote Kalim Abbasi belong to this area. Mostly people are transporters and drivers working in Karachi. Some Awan families migrated to Bhara Kahoo near Islamabad. A jeepable link road was constructed in Mehtab era. Population of Bhan is one thousand and five hundred only. Other part of area is Chlotean and very beautiful.
Birote is a relatively well educated Union Council with a population of 30,000, it has two higher secondary schools, two middle schools, 58 primary and mosque schools and more than one dozen religious institutions. The traditional religious education by the religious scholars and teachers of this area has for centuries been influenced by the older Vedic tradition. The old society of Circle Bakote was disturbed by the Sikh invasion in the first decade of the 19th century and all of the old religious families were expelled from this area. This led to a loss of educational environment that affected the individual names of both sexes because Sikh soldiers destroyed the local human values as well as culture. This continued until the downfall of Sikh Army in Rawalpindi, Haripur and Hazara Division. The local people initially welcomed British Rule instead of Sikhashai but also fought War of Independence against them in 1857 and paid a huge loss of lives and properties.
British Government stepped forward to modernize Murree Hills and Circle Bakote according to recommendation of Major Abbott (founder of Abbottabad city and chief of Boundary Commission in 1846-62). He recommended his officials that only Zimindari school needed to provide clerks, revenue staff and lower class local servants. The Osia High School is a first educational institute that established this area in 1887. The first Vernacular Primary School established in Bakote, Khanaspore/Reala and Boi in 1898 but with the lack of interest Reala School came on the verge of closedown. Chives of Birote take serious notice of mentioned position and a caravan under the leadership of Haji Qalander Khan met educational authorities and requested to shift this school to Birote. They offered to provide buildings and teachers accommodation free of cost. This request of Birotians accepted and Reala Vernacular Primary School shifted to Birote in March 1903, the first teacher was Molana Ismail Alvi, first student was Nazar Mohammed Khan (Fader of Raja Haiderzaman) and first class four was Abdul Karim Khan in building of late Bulaqi Khan (Grand grand father of ex General Councilor Khushi Mohammed Abbasi of Kahoo Sharqi).There are private schools are schools and collages are also open in Birote such as syed ahmed shaheed academy, seda education system, minhaj-ul-quran public school had a big parts in education of birote.
Primary school Birote was upgraded in 1958 and became Government High School[4] in 1971. Ex Chief Minister of NWFP Mehtab Ahmed Khan further upgraded this educational institution as Higher Secondary School in 1997 with new building that constructed by contractor Raja Haiderzaman Abbasi with cost of Rs. four million and eight thousand. This educational institution was constructed by the monetary contribution of Birotians all over the country and rest of the world in 1966 but now it is a in bad condition and not able to manage as school.
In last decade of 18th century, Seyed Masoom Ali Shah of Juleal introduced a mobile private school in Birote and all first batch of teachers were provided by him in 1903. After his mission in eighties of previous century, Bashir Abbasi of UC Bakot established Yasin Public School in Birote first time. Saeed Ahmed Abbasi, a lawyer had founded Seyed Ahmed Shaheed Academy in Central Birote in 1984 and changed into a chain of schools. It was a milestone of modern education in Birote and it create a religio-modern and political thoughts in student's minds. A new way of learning and with modern Western syllabus introduced by SEEDA School System in 2002 in Birote and gained a high popularity among educated parents of students. The owner of this school is also a high educated fellow named Iftekhar Abbasi, an ex-employee of Seyed Ahmed Shaheed Academy and now he established two campuses with co-operation of his elder brother,Minjah model school is also a populer institute,it is a combination of islamic and modern education.Head of Minhaj model school Muhammad Munib abbasi is educated and most popular person. Other modern institutions of Birote are Suddam Model School and Aeries Model School. Another new educational institute is Iqra Academy School the owner of this school is Anser Mehmood Abbasi school located in sehrora Birote and a religious school Jamia Ali-ul Murtaza in khohuti, northren Birote.
In Dravidian, Arian and than Kathwal civilization, vedic education was taught in Mukeshpuri and Kohala Davi temples. Around 1400 AD under Hazrat Sha Ali Hamdan, Circle Bakote and Kathwal embraced Islam, donating in favour of Madrissas and mosques. This system was continued by Dhond Abbasies when they accompanied Circle Bakote and Murree Hills from Kathwals in 1500 AD. Dhond Abbasies offered religious scholars very handsome endowments after the downfall of the Gakherhs dynasty in 1800
Birote is a very peaceful area of Circle Bakote and crime rate is very low among other union councils of proposed Tehsil. Bakote Police Station receives only a few low level social complaints that solve on spot by Union Council Adjustment Body. Some historical crimes are paying reflection in modern time committed in past.
An assembly of Birotians all time established in this area called Dewan(ديوان). This assembly possessed many more authorities about social, religious, political and foreign affairs matters.
Behr Mang (بهر منك ) (old name of Birote) always in a condition of peaceful atmosphere in all time of history. In Vedic Age the laws of society were according to Vedic Hindu teachings. If any body committed murder he would be a slave of murdered family and called him Pandi( باندي). A rope called Glanwi (كلانوي ) was tied in his neck and he never disobeyed them. The other form of penalty of murder was called Orha (اوره). Orha was a land that had been given by murderer party to deceased person’s family forever. The third form of penalty of murder was marriage of a young daughter or sister of killer's to deceased brother or son. These form also continue in modern time also.
The area was affected by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake - a year after the quake an Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) team visited Birote to resurvey damaged houses damaged by earthquake and to pay relief cheques. A five-member delegation of Circle Bakote, headed by Abdul Rehman Khan Abbasi, met with federal ministers and the constituency leader, Amanullah Khan Jadoon on 23 Oct 2006, about the unavailability of earthquake relief funds.[5]
In earthquake the most effected village was Abbasian,about 215 houses destroyed 8 people died and 15 ingured.First aid was sent by near village Ausia to the people of Abbasian at 19:30 pm same day.
The HWO is the first and last registered welfare of uc Birote on 1998.