Gujar Khan

Gujar Khan
گوجر خان
City
Gujar Khan
Gujar Khan
Gujar Khan
Coordinates: 33°15′11″N 73°18′14″E / 33.253°N 73.304°E / 33.253; 73.304Coordinates: 33°15′11″N 73°18′14″E / 33.253°N 73.304°E / 33.253; 73.304
Country Pakistan
Province Punjab
District Rawalpindi
Area
 • Total 1,466 km2 (566 sq mi)
Elevation 461 m (1,512 ft)
Population (1998)
 • Total 57,152
 • Density 49.7/km2 (129/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+5)
Calling code 0513
Number of Union councils 36[1]
0

Gujar Khan (Punjabi/Urdu: گوجر خان‎)[2] is a city in Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is the headquarters of Gujar Khan Tehsil, and the largest tehsil of Punjab by land area.[3]

Gujar Khan is approximately 55 kilometres southeast of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan and 220 km to the north west of Lahore, capital of Punjab. It is bounded on the north by Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Attock, on the south by Jhelum, Lahore and Gujrat, on the east by Azad Kashmir and Kahuta and on the west by Chakwal and Khushab.

Located in the heart of the Potohar region, The city and surrounding region is renowned for its martial culture and is sometimes referred to as the 'Land of the Shaheed',[4] having produced two recipients of the Nishan-i-Haider.

There is a main district hospital in the center of the city, along with many other private and public medical and care services.[5]

History

The place was named after the Gujar.[6] who were the rulers of the Gurjara-Pratihara Kingdom, ruling for centuries during the late classical period.

The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim during this time primarily due to Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Punjab region. The Mughal Empire later fell into a deep decline at which point the Sikh Empire invaded and occupied Rawalpindi District. Eventually the Sikh Empire collapsed and the British began direct rule in the region until independence in 1947.

In 1945 Maulana Amanat Ali become president of Pakistan Muslim League Gujar Khan and hosted Quaid E Azam along with his sister Fatima Jinnah gathering in Gujar Khan in 1946. And Maulana Amanat Ali Son Muhammad Ayub Gohar was well known person in Gujar Khan for social work and in politics.

Gujar Khan also contained a notable Hindu and Sikh population, though much of this population either converted to Islam during British rule, or migrated to India following partition.[7] However the area is still home to Hindu temples[8][9] and Sikh Gurdwaras[10][11] which have been maintained through the years by residents of the area.[12]

Administration

Administrative subdivisions of Rawalpindi District

Gujar Khan is administratively subdivided into 36 Union Councils; whereas City Gujar Khan is administered by Municipal Corporation [13]

According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the city had a population of 57,099.[14]

Natural resources

Large reserves of oil and gas were discovered in February 2002 at Tobra, about ten kilometres from Gujar Khan. The field is being developed by the Oil and Gas Development Company. The field could produce 1,600 barrels of crude oil daily.[15]

Transport

Road

Gujar Khan is located on the N5 National highway from Islamabad-Lahore.[16] Railway Road links from the east of the city to the nearby towns of Bewal and Islampura.[17] There are also many other minor roads linking the villages and towns of the region to the city.

Rail

Gujar khan railway station is located in the center of the city and provides links to Rawalpindi, Jhelum, and Lahore.[18]

Bus

Local services also provide extensive bus routes around the local towns, and smaller shuttles go around the villages in the surrounding area. There are also services to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Jhelum, and Lahore.[19][20]

Local Auto-Rickshaw drivers also provide transport for people in and around the city.[21]

Notable people

Dr Muhammad Yusuf Qamar http://www.gpwt.org/dr-qamar/

[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Election Commission of Pakistan. "Zila, Tehsil & Town Councils Membership for Punjab". Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  2. ↑ Debates: Official Report (in Urdu). Manager of Publications. pp. 199–200. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan. "List of Administrative Units of Pakistan (Tehsil/Taluka)". Archived from the original on 2010-03-05. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  4. ↑ "District Overview | CPO Rawalpindi". cporwp.punjabpolice.gov.pk. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  5. ↑ "Hospitals Gujar Khan". Cybo - The Directory. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  6. ↑ Ramesh Chandra Majumdar; Bhāratīya Itihāsa Samiti (1954). The History and Culture of the Indian People: The classical age. G. Allen & Unwin. p. 64.
  7. ↑ sightsandsoundsofpak (2014-04-22), Pre-Partition "Sikh" House in Sukho Punjab Pakistan (English Translation), retrieved 2016-05-21
  8. ↑ Kalhoro, Zulfiqar Ali (2015-06-20). "Gulyana: Punjab’s crumbling 900-year-old village". www.dawn.com. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  9. ↑ "The old temple at Beval". www.thefridaytimes.com. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  10. ↑ sightsandsoundsofpak (2013-12-28), Gurdwara in Sukho Punjab Pakistan, retrieved 2016-05-21
  11. ↑ sightsandsoundsofpak (2010-05-07), Gurdwara in Daultala Punjab Pakistan, retrieved 2016-05-21
  12. ↑ "Sikh Gurdwaras in Punjab Province of Pakistan". Sikh Gurus and Sikh Gurdwaras. 2014-11-07. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  13. ↑ Towns & Unions in the City District of Rawalpindi
  14. ↑ "Rawalpindi City District".
  15. ↑ Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. "Business in Asia". Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  16. ↑ "Maps – National Highways Authority". nha.gov.pk. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  17. ↑ "Railway Road at G.T. Road - Wikimapia". wikimapia.org. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  18. ↑ "Gujar Khan Railway Station.". pk.geoview.info. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  19. ↑ "Pindi-Gujar Khan CNG bus service from today". DAWN.COM. 2012-06-08. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  20. ↑ "Pakistan Express Bus Service Khalid & Nasir Gujar Khan". Facebook. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  21. ↑ "‘Rickshaws plying in Gujar Khan to be registered’". The Nation. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  22. ↑ http://www.espncricinfo.com/waridcricketseries/content/player/42160.html
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