Chakwal

Coordinates: 32°55′49″N 72°51′20″E / 32.93028°N 72.85556°E / 32.93028; 72.85556

Chakwal
چکوال
City
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 / 32.55; 72.51
Country Pakistan
Province Punjab
District Chakwal
Elevation 498 m (1,634 ft)
Population (2012)
 • Total 104,365
Time zone PKT (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 headquarter and main city 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.

Languages

Inhabitants of Chakwal 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

A view of Dhani Plains
Sunset at a Lake on River Dharabi
Canyons near Thirchak Mahal
Gambhir Stream

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 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 headquarter, Chakwal city is also the administrative center of Chakwal tehsil (a subdivision of the district). The Chakwal District is divided into five Tehsils, namely, Kalarkahar, Chohsaidan Shah, Talagang, Lawa 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 Educational Support Program Pakistan, 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 and Fauji Foundation, Bahria Foundation College.

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.

Gallery

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ↑ "redirect to /world/PK/04/Chakwal.html". fallingrain.com. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "English Book On-Line - Mutiny Reports". apnaorg.com. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "chakwal 1". the-south-asian.com. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ "Deadly blast in Pakistani mosque". Al Jazeera. 5 April 2009. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  6. ↑ Adamson, Hilary; Shaw, Isobel (1981). A traveller's guide to Pakistan. Asian Study Group. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  7. ↑ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Chakwal – Government of Pakistan
  8. ↑ Nabeel Anwar Dhakku. "All eyes on Sardar Ghulam Abbas". dawn.com. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
Map of Chakwal city
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