چکوال
Chakwal
Coordinates: 
32°55′49″N 72°51′20″E / 32.93028°N 72.85556°E / 32.93028; 72.85556
| Chakwal چکوال |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 Chakwal
|
|
| Coordinates: 32°33′N 72°31′E / 32.55°N 72.51°E / 32.55; 72.51 |
|
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Punjab |
| District | Chakwal |
| Government | |
| – Nazim | Sardar Ghulam Abbas |
| Elevation | 498 m (1,634 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
| – Total | 117,221 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Number of Union councils | 5 |
| Stefan Helders, World Gazetteer. “Chakwal”. http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gpro&lng=en&dat=32&geo=-172&srt=pnan&col=aohdq&pt=c&va=x&geo=442573285. Retrieved March 1, 2010. | |
Chakwal (Punjabi, Urdu: 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,[2] chief of the Mair Minhas Rajput 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.
Contents[hide]
|
Geography
Chakwal is located in the Dhanni region of the Pothohar Plateau in northern Punjab, Pakistan. The Pothohar Plateau (also spelled Potwar or Potohar) (Urdu: سطح مرتفع پوٹھوہار) was the home of the ancient Soan valley civilization, which is evidenced by the discovery of fossils, tools, coins, and remains of ancient archaeological sites. The Indus Valley civilization flourished in this region between the 23rd and 18th centuries BC. Some of the earliest Stone Age artifacts in the world have been found on the plateau, dating from 500,000 to 100,000 years. The crude stone recovered from the terraces of the Soan testify to human endeavour in this part of the world from the inter-glacial period.
The Stone Age people produced their equipment in a sufficiently homogeneous way to justify their grouping. Around 3000 BC, small village communities developed in the Pothohar area, which led to the early roots of civilization.
Language
The people of Pothohar speak Pothohari. However, the people of Chakwal and the Dhanni area (now known as Chakwal Tehsil) in particular do not speak Pothohari and are ethnologically not regarded as Potoharis. They speak a distinctive Chakwali or Dhanni dialect of Punjabi, which is closer to Shahpuri, a dialect spoken in the Shahpur-Salt Range area, which also has a slight element of Saraiki and Potohari.
History
Early history
For much of its early history, Dhanni was an uninhabited part of the Jammu state of the Dogra Rajputs, held as a hunting ground for the Rajas of Jammu.
In the year 1190 CE, Raja Bhagir Dev, a Jamwal prince, while on a hunting expedition fell in love with a Muslim woman belonging to a tribe of wandering Gujjar grazers. In order to marry her, he converted to Islam and consequently was asked by his father to stay away from Jammu and settle in this tract along with his men. Raja Bhagir Dev was named Muhammed Mair after conversion to Islam and his descendants are Mair-Minhas Rajputs. The Mairs preferred pastoral rather than agricultural pursuits for the next few centuries and remained confined to this area.[citation needed]
Mughal era
When around 1525 C.E, the Mughal King Babur stopped by in this area on his way to Kashmir, his army was ambushed by the hostile tribes from the adjoining areas. However, the herds owned by the Mairs came in their way and Babur’s Army was awaken, hence the hostile Rajputs had to flee. The next morning, the Mughal King summoned the chief of the tribe, Raja Sidhar and offered him two thirds of the land of Dhanni, if he provided labour to help the Kassar tribesmen to drain the water from the great lake which then covered all the eastern part of the tehsil, up to the ridge followed by the Bhon-Dhudial road.[citation needed]
Raja Sidhar, chief of the Mair-Minhas Rajputs and Gharka Kassar, chief of the Kassars, a Mughal sub-tribe took up the job along with their respective tribesmen. They drained the lake water by cutting through Ghori- Gala, by which the Bunha torrent now flows. Subsequently, they proceeded to take up the country. The Emperor also awarded them the title of Chaudhry, and administration of the newly formed Taluka, which ever since has been called ‘Dhan Chaurasi’ or ‘Maluki Dhan’.
Chaudhry Sidhar settled villages named after his sons Chaku, Murid and Karhan and as Chaku Khan became the chief, he decided to settle in Chakwal, the village named after him and make it the center of administration of the Taluka. Whereas, Kassar chiefs founded the villages of Bal-Kassar and Dhudial.[3]
The following few lines about the origins of Chakwal are noted in the District Gazetter Jhelum 1904, “Chakwal has from time immemorial been the seat of administration in the Dhanni Country. It is said to have been founded by a Mair-Minhas Rajput from Jammu, whose descendants are at the present day proprietors of the land in the neighbourhood. It is still the Headquarters of tribe”[citation needed]
This story is also confirmed by the Hindu family of Gadihok, who happened to be “Qanoongoes” of the area throughout the Mughal era and carry many pertinent certificates by the Mughal Emperors. The Gadihoks claim that Dhanni was named “Malooki Dhan” after their forefather, Malook Chand who happened to be with Babur during settlement of the area and prepared all the paper work; but they agree that the area was given to Mairs, Kassars and Kahut’s; while the Gadihoks received only a certain portion of the revenue as an ‘inam’.[citation needed]
However, the Janjua’s calim that the area was called “Malooki Dhan” after their ancestor, Raja Mal Khan. The Kassars have a similar claim and they say that the area was actually “Baluki Dhan” named after their ancestor Bal Kassar and it was only due to a lithographic error that was noted as Maluki instead of Baluki in Ain-e-Akbari. In contrast to all the afore mentioned claims, “Ain-e-Akbari” indicates Gakkhars as the rulers of the land.[citation needed]
The following account about the ownership of Dhanni seems most plausible.[citation needed]
It is generally accepted by all[citation needed] that Awans, Mair Minhas Rajput, Mughal Kassar and Kahut Quriesh were the four landowning tribes that were originally settled in this tehsil by the Mughal Emperor Zaheerudin Babur and were the only three land owning tribes in Dhanni till the time of its annexation by the British. The main concentration of the Mair-Minhas Rajputs being in the center (Haveli-Chakwal), North-East (Badshahan), West (Rupwal) and South West (Thirchak-Mahal). The Kassars in the northern part of the tehsil, the area called ‘Babial’ and ‘Chaupeda’ and the Kahuts in ‘Kahutani’ in the South East.
These tribes and especially the Mair-Minhas Chaudhrials of Chakwal rose to further prominence during the short rule of Sher Shah Suri who handed them control over the adjoining territories, as far as Swan River in Potohar and the Pind Dadan Khan plains in the South.
After the Mughal King Humayun returned to India with the help of the Persians, he handed over the entire Potohar including Dhanni to the Gakhars, who had helped him escape from India during Sher Shah’s revolt and reign. The Gakhars moved the Capital of the Taluka from Chakwal to a neighbouring town called ‘Bhon’ and stationed their ‘Kardars’ there. Consequently, the village of Bhon grew bigger than Chakwal in the Mughal era.
The Mair-Minhas and Mughal Kassar tribes again rose to power after King Aurangzeb’s death. They had supported his son Moazzam Shah in his quest for power and in return he re-appointed the Mair-Minhas chief Gadabeg Khan as the Taluqdar and Chaudhry of the entire ‘Dhan Chaurasi’, whereas rule of the Kassar Chaudhrys was confirmed in Babial and Chaupeda ‘illaqa’.
Sikh era
Their rule over Dhanni continued during the Sikh era as one of Mair chiefs, Chaudhry Ghulam Mehdi had invited Sardar Mahan Singh to this side of Jhelum River. Also, their Dogra cousins Raja Gulab Singh and Dhian Singh were very powerful in the Lahore Durbar, so the influence of Chakwal Chaudhrials during the [Sikh era] was considerable and hence Chakwal once again became the centre of activity in the area[citation needed]. It was during that era that Dhanni breed of horses became very popular and even Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s personal horses were kept in the stables of the ‘Chakwal Chaudhials’.
British era
In the Second Anglo-Sikh War at Chaillianwala in 1849, they supported the Sikhs and hence their Jagirs were confiscated by the British and even the lands in their headquarters, Chakwal were distributed among their tenants. Consequently, Chakwal started growing as a city and was declared a tehsil Headquarters in 1881[citation needed].
Recent history
Chakwal’s non-Muslim minorities departed during partition of the subcontinent in 1947. In April 2009 a terrorist attack on the Imambargah killed more than 20 people.
Administration
Map of Chakwal city
In addition to being the district capital, Chakwal city is also the administrative centre of Chakwal tehsil (a subdivision of the district). The city of Chakwal itself is divided into five Union councils:[4] and Chakwal district is divided in to 68 union councils.
Higher/technical education
At the government level, the University Of Engineering, Taxila established a temporary campus in the city in 2005, and work is underway for the construction of a campus building.
A new Government College for Women is also being established in Balkassar.
In the private sector, a polytechnic college called the Swedish Institute of Technology has been established by a nationwide educational chain.
Two commerce colleges affiliated with University of The Punjab have also been started in the private sector called CSC College of Commerce and Myer’s College of Commerce.
A campus affiliated with a virtual university called the Global Institute has also been established in Chakwal.[citation needed]
Allama Iqbal Open University,Islamabad (AIOU) established a regional campus in Chakwal City in 2007. This campus is situated in the Mohalla Basti Allah Wali, NearGirls College, Chakwal. Dr. Aftab Ahmed Mughal is presently the Regional Director of AIOU Chkawl Region.
Schools
The Arya Samaj founded the first ever school in Chakwal at the start of the 20th Century. It was followed by a Khalsa School. Islamia school was the first school established by a society of Muslims. The Government School for boys was established in 1930’s. In the 1960s Yousaf Saigol, a business tycoon and owner of the famous Saigol Group built the first modern school in his native village Saigolabad.
Jinnah Public High School was founded in early 70s. Many old students of Jinnah Public School are in Pakistan Armed Forces, telecom and IT companies. Late Principle Mrs. Akram Sultana dedicated her whole life and effort to make this school an example for all private institutes.
After Chakwal was declared a district by the former military dictator General Zia Ul Haq in 1986, a modern District Public School was established in the late 80’s by the government. (DPS) District Public Higher Secondary School is one one of the best known schools of Chakwal District. It was founded in the 1980s by the district government[citation needed]. It is a semi government school for both boys and girls. Since its foundation this school has produced good results. This school was pioneered by renowned educationist Syed Muhammad Ali Wasti (Late).
Horizon Degree & Commerce Colleges affiliated with Rawalpindi Board and Punjab University working since 2007. The College has produced excellent results. There is separate campuses for boys and girls.
One of the leading colleges since 1989 is PAF Inter College Kallar Kahar. It has produced several doctors, engineers, IT professionals.
Lately, quite a few good private schools have been established in the private sector. Little Scholars Acedmy (LSA), Fauji Foundation, Khursheed International, The Educators, Bahria Foundation, Noble House School and Nexus School Bhaun are providing decent education in purpose built campuses.
A Cadet College,in private sector, was established in Kallar Kahar by General Nazar Hussain in 1997. The College has produced excellent results and is already in the league of top Cadet Colleges in Pakistan.
Myers College was founded in 1999 by Raja Yassir H. Sarfraz, a grandson of Raja Muhammed Sarfraz Khan(late). The institution is patterned after English Public Schools and offers Cambridge O/A Level qualifications.In the last few years, Myer’s College students have shown some tremendous results at the Cambridge International Examinations[citation needed].
More information on basic child education can be found on the district government webpage:[5]
Newspapers and magazines
Considering Chakwal’s small population, the number of local newspapers being published from here is relatively large. Dhan Kahoon[citation needed] is the oldest and most popular local newspaper. Chakwal Point, Chakwal Nama, Press Forum, Aasar, Dhudial Nama, Bab-e-Chakwal, Total and buttgam news are also published in significant quantities[citation needed]. An English newspaper called, ” The Revolution ” is also published in Chakwal. The first online newspaper (in Urdu) was established by Riaz Butt named as Dhudial News.[6] Dhudial Nama (in Urdu) is also found online.[7] and Dhudial2Day is online in Urdu and English, but published irregularly in English.[8]
Monthly “Aabadiyat”[citation needed] is the first and so far the only Urdu magazine being published from here and covers all spheres of life.
Libraries
Chakwal has only one public and very few private libraries, the largest of these is the Allama Iqbal Library located at the committee park[citation needed]. Most of the volumes there are in Urdu. The Government College for boys has a library of reasonable size and is open to the public. In the private sector, Myer’s Library located at Myers College, Kot Sarfraz Khan has a large number of both English and Urdu books. There are no public or private libraries for children in rural areas of Chakwal.
Tourism
A view of Dhani Plains
Sunset at a Lake on River Dharabi
Canyons near Thirchak Mahal
Chakwal has landscape features including the canyons in Thirchak-Mahal and the yellow beds of muster”Surson”. There are many man-made and natural lakes around the city in Kallar Kahar, Dhok Talian, Kot Rajgan, Khai, Khokar Zer ,Dharabi and the most beautiful village with all the modern facilities is called KHAJULA.
The Jhangar valley, Bisharat is situated on the road coming from Choa Saidan Shah facing West to East about 8 km in length between the villages of Kotli and Ara at 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. The weather during the summer is very pleasant and the hills are full of green bushes and olive trees[citation needed]. An interesting place of this valley is the Picnic Point of Chehl Abdal”[citation needed] hill top which is at 3,500 feet (1,100 m) above sea level. On the top of this hill is a shrine called Chehl-Abdal. Many people from local villages and from all parts of the country often visit the shrine and offer sacrifices. From the Chehl Abdal hill top one can see the great Punjab plains. To the north are the Margla hills and to the south one can see the Jhelum River. On the East & West side one can see the beautiful greenery of adjoining hills with rain forests consisting of thick jungle trees and bushes. Alexander the Great passed through this area (old Nandana Fort) near Ara on his way to fight Raja Porus on the banks of the Jhelum River in 326 BC.
Another well-known tourist place in the area is Kalar Kahar for which Zahir uddin Baber said “Kaller Kahar is a child of Kashmir[citation needed]. Kalar Kahar is 2,500 feet (760 m) above sea level and Chehl Abdal is 3,500 feet (1,100 m) above sea level.
Larri pathan is another beautiful place in Chakwal. One faction of the Kakka Zai Pathans migrated from Afghanistan and settled in a village called Lari Pathan[citation needed].
The famous temple-fort of Katas Raj is nearby also Chakwal has a well connected road network including a road to Jhelum and Lahore via the Sohawa road, a road to Pind Dadan Khan via the Choa Siaden Shah road, a road to Sargodha via Bhon and Khushab, a road to Rawalpindi via Mandra and to Mianwali via the Talagang Road.
It is connected to the GT road between Peshawar and Lahore via Sohawa and Mandra, the Indus Highway via Mianwali, and M2 Motorway via Kallar Kahar and Balkassar exits. The travelling distances and time has reduced considerably to Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, and Faislabad since the commissioning of the M2 Motorway
Community service
Muddasar chouhan son of tariq chouhan of Parhal(Dhudial) who lives in Uk started this several community organizations working in District Chakwal including the following:
- The National Rural Support Program (NRSP)is working in different sectors since 1996 in Chakwal District[citation needed].
- Bedari— Working on Human rights specially on women’s rights in chakwal and is currently running its project on violence against women with support of UNDP in Chakwal District.[citation needed]
- The National Commission for Human Development (NCHD)is a semi-governmental organization working in Chakwal District in education and volunteering.[citation needed]
- Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA) provides rural communities/farmers access to rights-based education, facilitates links with government and provides training in sustainable agriculture, livelihoods and advocacy skills[citation needed].
- PLAN International with partner NGOs 1-SABAWON 2-RASTI 3-IRADAH 4-MIED 5-MMH 6-HEAL 7-SACHET working in 19 UCs in chakwal at community development in 56 rural communities[citation needed]
- The Almadina Welfare Trust is a welfare organisation.[citation needed]
Environment
Although the areas around the Chakwal city and generally free of pollution as there isn’t much industry in the area, Chakwal city is one of the polluted cities in Pakistan. There is no government sponsored garbage disposal system, and citizens in urban and rural areas do not have proper means to dispose of garbage, particularly plastic bags. Most of the streets in the city and small towns are littered with trash that results in infectious diseases in summer and rainy seasons. During Musharaf’s regime three cement factories were constructed in the Salt Range hills.
Agriculture
Chakwal is a semi-arid area with serious shortage of water for agriculture. Over 70% of the population engages in agriculture, mostly subsistence agriculture that is dependent on rain. Most villages have no irrigation system.
Social services
There is only one government hospital in Chakwal city. Unlike other areas in Pakistan, Chakwal does not have women’s hospitals that can provide gynecological diagnoses or services. Women who can afford it visit private hospitals in other cities of Pakistan.
References
- ^ Location of Chakwal – Falling Rain Genomics
- ^ District Gazeteer of Jhelum 1904 – Ibbetson, D.: “Punjab settlement report”, page 87. Punjab Government Press, 1862
- ^ Ibbeyson, D: “Punjab settlement report”, page 88. Punjab Government Press, 1862
- ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Chakwal – Government of Pakistan
- ^ Education Department Chakwal
- ^ Dhudial News
- ^ Dhudial Nama
- ^ Dhudial2Day
punjabcitys 