Chakwal

Chakwal 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 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.

A view of Dharabi Dam

Chakwal is located in the Dhanni region of the Pothohar Plateau in northern Punjab, Pakistan. The Pothohar Plateau (also spelled Potwar or Potohar) 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 artefacts in the world have been found on the plateau, dating from 500,000 to 100,000 years ago. 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.[3]

The Stone Age people produced their equipment in a sufficiently homogeneous way to justify grouping the inhabitants of this area into one. Around 3000 BC, small village communities developed in the Pothohar area.[4]

For much of its early history, Dhanni was an uninhabited part of the Jammu state of the Dogra Rajputs, and Khokhar Rajputs, held as a hunting ground for the Rajas of Jammu.[5]

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. Kassar chiefs founded the villages of Bal-Kassar and Dhudial.[6]

Awans,Waince, Mair Minhas, Khokhar Rajputs, Mughal Kassar and Kahut Quriesh were probably the Six landowning tribes that were originally settled in this tehsil by the Mughal Emperor Zaheerudin Babur. The main concentration of the Mair-Minhas and Rajputs was 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.[citation needed]

These tribes, particularly 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.[citation needed]

The Katasraj Temple

After the Mughal ruler, King Humayun, returned to India with the help of the Persians, he handed over 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, Bhon, and stationed their Kardars there.[citation needed]

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 the rule of the Kassar Chaudhrys was confirmed in Babial and Chaupeda 'illaqa'.[citation needed]

Their rule over Dhanni continued during the Sikh era; Chaudhry Ghulam Mehdi had invited Sardar Mahan Singh to this side of Jhelum River. It was during that era that the Dhanni breed of horses became popular; even Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's personal horses were kept in the stables of the 'Chakwal Chaudhrials'. Maharaja Ranjeet Singh was very kind to Chaudhrials of Chakwal due to their obedient services.[citation needed]During the Independence War of 1857 Chaudhrials of Chakwal strengthened the hand of the British Raj by escorting the treasury from Chakwal to Rawalpindi and got the khilats and Jagirs.[7]

Chakwal's non-Muslim minorities departed during partition of the subcontinent in 1947. In April 2009 a terrorist attack on the mosque killed more than 30 people.

Abbotabad

Abbottabad  is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, 50 kilometres (31 miles) northeast of the capital Islamabad and 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of Peshawar at an altitude of 1,260 metres (4,134 ft) and is the capital of the Abbottabad District. The city is well-known throughout Pakistan for its pleasant weather, high-standard educational institutions and military establishments

The town of Abbottabad, under the British Raj, was the headquarters of the Hazara District during British rule of India. It was named after Major James Abbott who founded the town and district in January 1853 after the annexation of Punjab. He remained the first Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara district from 1849 until April 1853. Major Abbott is noted for having written a poem titled "Abbottabad", before he went back to Britain, in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. In the early 20th century, Abbottabad became an important military cantonment and sanatorium, serving as the headquarters of a brigade in the Second Division of the Northern Army Corps.[3] The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry (Gurkhas and Frontier Force) and four native mountain batteries.[4]

In 1901, the population of the town and cantonment was 7,764[3] and the income averaged around Rs. 14,900. This increased to Rs. 22,300 in 1903, chiefly derived from octroi. During this time chief public institutions were built such as the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, the Municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and the Government dispensary.[4] In 1911, the population had risen to 11,506 and the town also contained four battalions of Gurkhas.[5]

In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of patients who were being brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas.

Provinces of Pakistan

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan emerged as an independent State on 14 August 1947. It has four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtun khawah and Balochistan, besides the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Islamabad is the federal capital. Over 97 per cent of the country's population is Muslim.
Pakistan covers an area of 796,096 sq.km. lying between latitude 24 degree and 37 degree North and longitude 62 degree and 75 degree East. The country borders Iran on the West, while India in the east, Afghanistan in the north and north-west and the People's Republic of China in the north-west to north east.
Climatically, Pakistan enjoys a considerable measure of variety. North and north- western high mountain ranges are extremely cold in winter while the summer months from April to September are very pleasant. The vast plains of the Indus Valley are extremely hot in summer and have cold weather in winter. The coastal strip in the South has a temperate climate. There is general deficiency in the rainfall. In the plains the annual average ranges from 13 cm. In the northern parts of the lower Indus plains to 89 cm. In the Himalayan region. Rains are monsoonal in origin and fall late in summer.

The years since independence have continued to be a period of discovery for Pakistan, as it realized the tremendous growth resources. These years have seen a steady rise in industrialization and modernization of the traditional agricultural sector. With the new economic liberalization, use of modern technology and ambitious export aspirations, Pakistan is poised to join the realm of the fastest developing industrialized countries of Asia.
There is an ever-increasing demand for quality in the international market, and young enterprising Pakistanis are eager to avail the extremely bright prospects for trade. Government incentives to exporters are a further encouragement to local entrepreneurs to explore new markets beyond the borders