Chakwal
Coordinates: 32°55′49″N 72°51′20″E / 32.93028°N 72.85556°E
| Chakwal (چکوال) | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Chakwal (چکوال) Location of Chakwal (in red) in Punjab, Pakistan and (inset) Punjab in Pakistan | |
| Coordinates: 32°33′N 72°31′E / 32.55°N 72.51°E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province | Punjab |
| District | Chakwal |
| Government | |
| • Member of National Assembly and Feudal | Chaudhry Liaqut Ali Khan |
| Elevation | 498 m (1,634 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 104,365 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Postal code | 48800 |
| Dialling code | 0543 |
| Number of Union councils | 5 |
| Stefan Helders, World Gazetteer. "Chakwal". Retrieved 1 March 2010. | |
Chakwal (Urdu: چکوال), (Punjabi: چکوال) is the capital of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located 90 km south-east of the federal capital, Islamabad[1] and is named after Chaudhry Chaku Khan, chief of the Mair Minhas tribe from Jammu, who founded it in 1525 CE during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur. It remained a small but central town of the Dhan Chaurasi Taluka for many centuries. In 1881, during the British era, it was declared the Tehsil Headquarters. It was finally upgraded to district status in 1985. The area of Chakwal city is about 10 square kilometres.
Language
Inhabitants of Chakwal District speak Dhani, Majhi, and Potohari dialects of Punjabi Language.
History
Chakwal is located in the Dhanni region of the Potohar in northern Punjab, Pakistan. During the Independence War of 1857 Chaudharials of Chakwal strengthened the hand of the British Raj by escorting the treasury from Chakwal to Rawalpindi and got the khilats and Jagirs.[2]
Chakwal's non-Muslim minorities departed during the independence of Pakistan in 1947 but the city is still in their heart and mind and had never forgotten it.[3]
In April 2009 a terrorist attack on the mosque killed more than 30 people.[4][5]
Geography
Chakwal's landscape features the canyons in Thirchak-Mahal. There are man-made and natural lakes around the city in neighbouring communities.[6]
On the top of this hill is a shrine called Chehl-Abdal of Chehl Abdal” hill top which is at 3,500 feet (1,100 m) above sea level. Another well-known tourist place in the area is Kalar Kahar, 2,500 feet (760 m) above sea level. The famous temple-fort of Katas Raj is nearby. Chakwal is connected by road to Jhelum and Lahore via the Sohawa road.
Chakwal is a semi-arid area with a shortage of irrigation systems and water sources for agriculture. Over 70% of the population engages in agriculture, mostly subsistence agriculture dependent on rainfall. Most villages have no irrigation system.
Administration
In addition to being the district capital, Chakwal city is also the administrative centre of Chakwal tehsil (a subdivision of the district). The Chakwal District is divided into four Tehsils, namely, Kalarkahar, Chohsaidan Shah, Talagang and Chakwal. The city of Chakwal itself is divided into five Union councils:[7] and Chakwal district is divided into 68 union councils. Thoha Humayun is village almost 14 km from the city and it is in union council Bhaun.
Education
There are a number of educational institutions being developed in the city, such as Govt. High School No. 1, Chakwal, Virtual University of Pakistan, University of Engineering and Technology Taxila Chakwal Campus, the Swedish Institute of Technology, Govt Post Graduate College Chakwal, Myers College, Punjab College, Horizon, VTI, CSC, Jinnah Public High School Chakwal, Govt. High School Tatral,Govt High School Hasola, Fauji Foundation, Bahria Foundation College and others.
The Arya Samaj founded the first school in Chakwal at the start of the 20th century, and others, both religious and secular, followed.
Media
An English newspaper called, " The Revolution " Founded by Haroon Rasheed and Basharit Rafique Gondal is also published in Chakwal. Many Urdu newspapers are published and are also found online.
Notable residents
- Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India, was born in Gah village.
- Air Marshal Nur Khan, Former Commander in Chief Pakistan Air Force, Governor West Pakistan, Chairman Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan and Pakistan Hockey Federation
- Lt. General Mohammad Safdar, former Vice Chancellor Punjab University, Lahore and Governor Punjab.
- Lt. General Abdul Qayyum, Former Chairman Pakistan Steel Mills.
- Mr.Afzal Kahut, former Secretary, Government of Pakistan.
- Mr. Ayaz Ameer, politician, leading journalist and former MNA.
- Allah Bakhsh Malik UNESCO Confucius Laureate, the first Pakistani and Muslim conferred this award, Secretary to the Government of Punjab, was born in village Khara Tehsil & District Chakwal.
- * * Abdul Khaliq (athlete) born in the village Jand, Chakwal who was Dubbed as "Fastest Man of Asia" and "The Flying Bird of Asia" in 1954 Asian Games and 1958 Asian Games.
- Major Malik Munawar Khan Awan Sitara e Jurat,title: Ghazi e Kashmir, King of Rajouri.
See also
References
- ↑ Location of Chakwal – Falling Rain Genomics
- ↑ Mutiny Report, Punjab Govt. Record, Page386
- ↑ Chakwal-Fondly Remembered
- ↑ Butt, Usama (16 September 2010). Pakistan's Quagmire: Security, Strategy, and the Future of the Islamic-Nuclear Nation. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-8264-3300-8. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ↑ "Deadly blast in Pakistani mosque". Al Jazeera. 5 April 2009. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ↑ Adamson, Hilary; Shaw, Isobel (1981). A traveller's guide to Pakistan. Asian Study Group. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ↑ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Chakwal – Government of Pakistan
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