Khalabat Township
| Khalabat Township Tarbela Lake | |
|---|---|
| Town and union council | |
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| Coordinates: 34°13′N 73°02′E / 34.217°N 73.033°ECoordinates: 34°13′N 73°02′E / 34.217°N 73.033°E | |
| Country |
 Pakistan |
| Region | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Haripur District |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Website | Khalabat Township |
Khalabat, Khalabut or Khalabat Township (KTS) or Tarbela Township is one of the 30 union councils of Haripur District in the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa of Pakistan. Sometimes also called by its residents Tarbela Colony, the administrative division is some 65 km (40 mi) north of Islamabad and 35 km (22 mi) south of Abbottabad. Covering a hilly plain area, the township comprises four sectors and two Union Councils: Tarbela Union Council has sector 1 and 2, and Khalabat Union council has sector 3 and 4.[3]
Location
Khalabat Township is at latitude 34.0500, longitude 72.8833. The elevation is 1,440 feet (439 m). Khalabat township is located on the way from Haripur to Tarbela Lake (see external image).[4]
Overview
Khalabat Township was established in the north-east of the district Haripur, between Haripur city and Tarbella Lake, when over 135 villages with 96,000 people came underwater, due to the construction of Tarbela dam. Residential construction started in 1974, although the township was constructed according to an urban plan prepared by WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan); actually the layout design of Khalabat township is similar to sectors of Islamabad. The township has lot of chowks and speed humps. All together there are almost 168 speed humps in KTS. On entering Khalabat Township, there is a Chunge (toll plaza). After passing through the toll plaza, the first chowk is known as Babu Chowk, and the most famous chowk of KTS is 'Pakhral Chowk.'
Main locations points are: Qureshi Chowk, Kemati Chowk, Utman Chowk, Chandni Chowk, Diggi Chowk, Babu Chowk, Main Chowk, Saydan Chowk, Azam Chok, Pakhral Chowk, Hussaini Chowk, Mumaya Chowk, Darri Chowk, Qabrastan Chowk, Utman Chowk, Darband Chowk, Tanoli Chowk, Abbassi Chowk, Pathan Chowk, Khan Chowk, Imran shah Chowk and Anora Moorr. Main Chowk is the busiest area in town for shopping, with shops which sell clothes, shoes, jewellery, hardware, furniture, fast food, cold spots etc.
A large government graveyard is situated in Sector 3 and known as Sarkari Qabrastan. A public library has been established inside the Town Committee building. It was the efforts of ex-Tehsil Nazim Iftikhar Ahmed Khan to establish the public library. A civil hospital has also been established in KTS. Credit goes to late Akhtar Nawaz Khan for establishment of colleges in KTS.
There are number of villages around Khalabat Township, some of them are: Qazian, Jaamah, Padhana, Basira, Karpehan, Dobandi, Nakka, Malikyar, Chohar, Momaya, Khewa, Jagal, etc.
History
Residential construction started in 1974. The inhabitants of KTS are affectees of Tarbela Dam, and about 82,000 acres (330 km2) land was acquired for its construction. The large reservoir of the dam submerged 135 villages, which resulted in displacement of a population of about 96,000 people from the richest green valley of the area. Effectees of Tarbella Dam reside in Khalabat Township, MTG 11 Colony (in Haripur on Hattar Road), Punjab and Sindh provinces.
The town was named after the village Khalabat, which had submerged in the Tarbela lake. The majority of the people in Khalabat village were Pathans. It was famous for citrus fruit gardens. A village by the same name inhabited by the same people also existed in Swabi District. The name "Khalabat" is a combination of two words, "Khala" (meaning "upright") and "Bat" (meaning "stone"). The upright stone was a 10-foot-high (3.0 m) stone column erected in the ground of Khalabat. Other famous villages that got submerged were: Tarbela,Jagal, Dheeri, Khalabat, Jora Pind, Phooldhar Jahar, Luqmania,Gojraa Jathoo, Dari, Anorra, Laloo Gali, Thapla, Kundreala, Kiya, Khabal, Mumaiya, Pakkah Panialah, Darband, Amb, Ashra, Dokani, etc.
The affectees were adjusted in present KTS and MTG 11 Colony Haripur and District Swabi. Some people were allotted land in southern Punjab and Sindh; however, only the influentials were able to take possessions and the entitlement. The main issue, the allotment of the land, still exists. Also, the royalty fund of the Tarbela power dam has not been awarded to the affectees of the project.
Society of KTS
Society of Khalabat is very rich in culture and establishment of traditions. The Hujra and Jirga still exists in the town. In their daily life, the Pathan of Khalabat still follow Pathanwali traditions. People of Khalabat are sports-loving, and they enjoy playing volleyball, association football, field hockey, cricket, kabaddi, cards, Ludo, snooker and fishing
Industry
When Khalabat Township was under construction in the early 1970s, the Government announced a tax-free industrial zone, and this announcement attracted lots of industrialists. In this industrial zone, companies like Kawasaki motorcycles, Rehana woolen mills, Orion television, Ashi marbel, Jhon steel mills, Shafi woolen mill, Tarbela Cotton and Spinning mills were set up. Except Tarbela Cotton and Spinning mill, which is still running, the rest have closed down their business and have moved out. The steel mills have dissolved, and on that place, the Merit Schooling System is located there.
Education
Most of the people in the Khalabut Township are educated either they are male or female. There are a number of Government boys and girls school, with a good number of private schools. In recent years, a number of higher education institutes have been set up by the government, and there is one degree college for boys in sector 1. There is a Government Technical College in sector 4, a Women Degree College in sector 3. Some of the famous private schools: are Rehman public school since 1989 in sector no 2, Universal Public School (Darband Chowk, Sector 4), Quaid-e-Azam Public School & College Sector 2, Rising Stars Public School, Sector 3, Pakistan Public School and Montessori, Model Public School, Dawn Public School, Faizan Public High School, sector 3, Iqra Academy School, sector 2,Jinnah hall public school, sector 1, Dawn Public School, Sector 2, Iqra Public High School, sector 4, Progressive International Academy, sector 4, and Sand Hawks Academy in sector 2.
Tribes
The major tribes dwelling in Khalabat Township are Pathans Tanoli, Dilazak, Dawlatzai, Utmanzai (tribe), Khan Khel, Akhund Khel, Yousafzai, Tareen, Jadoon, Moss Khel, Shilmani, and Other's tribes are Syeds, Shiekh, Awan, Mughals
Languages spoken
The major languages spoken in Khalabat Township are Hindko, Urdu, and Pashto.
Social and Welfare Organizations in KTS
Subah Hazara Movement Mutasireen awami itihad
- Save the Children
- Qureshi Welfare Society
Famous places
Chaman Park, Akhtar Nawaz Khan Stadium and Tarbela Lake[5] are the famous places in Khalabat Township. The lake is a picnic spot, and boats can be hired by the visitors to have a tour of Tarbela Lake. Also local people use the boats to get to the villages, at the mountains for fishing and hunting.
Visiting picnic spots and eating out, especially during public holidays, used to be an effervescent trait of Pakistani society, but over the years, socio-economic pressures, law and order and above all the terrorist activities, have equally disturbed the life of the hoi polloi in Pakistan. However, the habit and desire remain as many still yearn to spend a few minutes with family, either on the lakeside, or some other tourist spot.
In the face of tiresome and multiplying problems, every citizen want to reinvigorate their spirit by visiting tourist spots, a perspective is corroborated by the growing number of tourists at almost every picnic point.
Climate
Khalabat has temperature changes for all four seasons of the year; i.e., summer, winter, autumn and spring. Summers are hot but pleasant, and winters are too cold. Lively weather prevails in spring and autumn.
References
- ↑ "Tarbela Lake". BeautifulPakistan.com. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
- ↑ "Tarbela Lake Pictures - Tarbela Lake Photos, Pakistan". http://khalabat-township.blogspot.com/. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
- ↑ "Tehsils & Unions in the District of Haripur", NRB.gov.pk.
- ↑ "Photo of Tarbela Lake". Retrieved 30 August 2011.
- ↑
External links
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