Chakwal (

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

and ur, ) is a city in

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...

Division,

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

province, Pakistan. It is the 66th largest city of Pakistan by population. Chakwal is located 90 kilometres south-west of the federal capital,

Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capita ...

and 270 kilometres from the provincial capital,

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest ...

. It is most closely accessible by both the

Islamabad International Airport Islamabad International Airport () is the international airport serving Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. It is located south-west of the city, and is accessed via Srinagar Highway. The airport commenced full operations in 6 May 201 ...

as well as the Lahore International Airport.

History

Chakwal district is located in the Dhanni Region of the

Potohar The Pothohar Plateau ( ur, ) is a plateau in north-eastern Pakistan, located between Indus River and the Jhelum River, forming the northern part of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. Geography Potohar Plateau is bounded on the east by the Jhelum River, o ...

in northern

, Pakistan. Chakwal district is also famous for making Zari shoes and the traditional craft is Khes weaving. It is believed that the name of the city "Chakwal" is derived from "Chako Khan", a noble person. For many early years, this region was under the reign of Dogras and Khokhars. In Moghul emperor Babar’s time seven tribes called Awans, Waince, Mair Minhas, Khokhar, Bhatti, Mughal Kassar and Kahut Quriesh were settled in this region. Chakwal is also known as the land of honor or the land of army people due to a lot of people servicing in army and all defense forces. One of major Notable person is Lance Havaldar Laal Khan who was awarded Tamgha-i-Jurat (Baloch Regiment), TJ, 1958. He belongs to Sardhi village later he moved to 25 Pull town

Shorkot Shorkot ( ur, , Basti starabad=), ( pa, ), is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is also a capital city of Shorkot Tehsil in Jhang district. It is located at 30°30'N 72°24'E with an altitude of 131 metres (433 ft). The city is famo ...

city.

Geography

Chakwal's landscape features the canyons in Thirchak-Mahal. There are man-made and natural lakes around the city in neighbouring communities. Chakwal is mainly an agriculture area. Currently Chakwal is famous for production of international standard oranges, wheat, barley, sugarcane, and many other fruits and vegetables. Many international cement companies have planted their factories around the city whose success versace environmental issues are debatable.

Administration

Chakwal was created as an independent district of Rawalpindi in 1985 by combining sub division Chakwal of district Jhelum, sub division Talagang of district Attock and the police station Choa Saidan Shah, carved out of sub division

Pind Dadan Khan Pind Dadan Khan (P.D. Khan), a city in Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan, is the capital of Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil, which is an administrative subdivision of the district. Location It is located at 32°35'16N 73°2'44E on the bank of River Jhe ...

of district Jhelum. In addition to being the district headquarters, Chakwal city is also the administrative centre of Chakwal

tehsil A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

(a subdivision of the district). The Chakwal District is divided into three Tehsils, namely, Kalar-Kahar, Choa Saidan Shah and Chakwal itself. The city of Chakwal itself is divided into five Union councils: and Chakwal district is divided into 68 union councils.

Notable people

* MIRZA SAR BULAND ALI KHAN)Pride of Performance (Presidential Award) holder Abdul Khaliq (athlete)">Sub. Abdul Khaliq (23 March 1933 – 10 March 1988), Fastest Man of Asia, Flying Bird of Asia, Olympian, Pride of Performance (Presidential Award) holder * Ayaz Amir, journalist, columnist, and a senior politician * Fozia Behram, politician * Talib Chakwali (1900–1988), Indian Urdu poet * Sadaf Hussain, cricketer * Colonel Imam (died January 2011), member of Special Service Group (SSG) and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...

Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Dullah Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Dullah is a Pakistani politician who had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 till January 2023. Previously he was a Member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, from May 2013 to May 201 ...

, politician * Iftikhar Khan (10 January 1907 – 13 December 1949), designated to become the first Commander-in-Chief of

, died in air crash. * Khudadad Khan (20 October 1888 – 8 March 1971), was the first South Asian recipient of the Victoria Cross. * Muhammad Khan (1910 – 23 October 1999), writer and veteran of WW II *

Yahya Khan General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan , (Urdu: ; 4 February 1917 – 10 August 1980); commonly known as Yahya Khan, was a Pakistani military general who served as the third President of Pakistan and Chief Martial Law Administrator following his p ...

(4 February 1917 – 10 August 1980), third

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.Allah Bakhsh Malik, academic, researcher, development economist, social scientist, management and institutional development specialist *

Faiz Hameed Faiz Hameed ( Punjabi & ur, ) is a retired three-star general in the Pakistani Army. He last served as Commander of the XXXI Corps. He was commissioned in the Baloch Regiment having served as the 24th Director General of the ISI and as GOC ...

, Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence * Madan Mohan, music director of India * Malik Munawar Khan Awan, Major rank officer in the Pakistan Army * Lt. General Abdul Qayyum, retired three-star General *

Raja Yasir Humayun Sarfraz Raja Yassir Humayun Sarfraz is a Pakistani politician who was the Provincial Minister of Punjab for Higher Education and Information Technology in office since 6 August 2022 till April January 2023. Previously, he was Provincial Minister for Hi ...

, Minister of Education and IT, Punjab *

Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh (; born 26 September 1932) is an Indian politician, economist and statesman who served as the 13th prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He is also the third longest-serving prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indi ...

, former Prime Minister of India * Awais Zia, cricketer

References

External links

{{Authority control Populated places in Chakwal District Cities in Punjab (Pakistan)