Chakwal District (Punjabi and Urdu: ضلع چکوال) is in Pothohar Plateau of Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the north of the Punjab province, Chakwal district is bordered by Khushab to its south, Rawalpindi to its north east, Jhelum to its east, Mianwali to its west and Attock to its north west. The district was created out of parts of Jhelum and Attock in 1985.[2]
Chakwal
ضلع چکوال | |
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District of Punjab | |
Top: Katas Raj Temples Bottom: Neela Wahn Waterfall | |
![]() Chakwal is located in the north of Punjab. | |
Coordinates: 33°40′38″N 72°51′21″E | |
Country | ![]() |
Province | ![]() |
Division | Rawalpindi |
Headquarters | Chakwal |
Tehsils (3) | |
Government | |
• Type | District Administration |
• Deputy Commissioner | Bilal Hasham |
• District Police Officer | N/A |
• District Health Officer | N/A |
Area | |
• Total | 6,524 km2 (2,519 sq mi) |
Population (2017)[1] | |
• Total | 1,495,463 |
• Density | 230/km2 (590/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
Main language(s) | Punjabi |
Website | chakwal |
During British rule, Chakwal was a tehsil of Jhelum district, the population according to the 1891 census of India was 164,912 which had fallen to 160,316 in 1901. It contained the towns of Chakwal and Bhaun and 248 villages. The land revenue and cesses amounted in 1903-4 to 3–300,000.[3] The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslims refugees from India settled down in the area of Chakwal later it was upgraded as a District on 1st of July 1985.
The district of Chakwal, which covers an area of 6,524 km2,[4] is subdivided into five tehsils.[5] These tehsils were formerly part of neighbouring districts:[6]: 1
The district is administratively subdivided into three tehsils and 45 union councils.[7]
Name of tehsil | No. of union councils | No. of villages | No. of public schools | No. of police stations | No. of post offices | Parent tehsil |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chakwal | 30 | 207 | 523 | 5 | 48 | Chakwal |
Choa Saidan Shah | 7 | 47 | 96 | 1 | 14 | Chakwal |
Kallar Kahar | 8 | 72 | 148 | 1 | 15 | Chakwal |
Total | 45 | 326 | 767 | 7 | 77 |
There is one district council, one municipal committees — Chakwal — and two town committees — Choa Saidan Shah and Kallar Kahar.
The district is represented in the National Assembly by two constituencies: NA-60 and NA-61. The district is represented in the provincial assembly by four elected MPAs and in National Assembly by two MNAs who represent the following constituencies:[8]
Constituency | MPA | Party[9][10] |
---|---|---|
(PP-21) | Raja Yasir Hamayun Sarfaraz | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf |
(PP-22) | Tanveer Aslam Malik | Pakistan Muslim League (N) |
(PP-23) | Sardar Aftab Khan | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf |
(PP-24) | Ammar Yasir | Pakistan Muslim League (Q) |
(NA-64) | Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf |
(NA-65) | Choudari Perwaiz Ilahi | Pakistan Muslim League (Q) |
Chakwal district borders the districts of Rawalpindi and Attock in the north, Jhelum in the east, Khushab in the south and Mianwali in the west. The total area of Chakwal district is 6,609 square kilometres, which is equivalent to 1,652,443 acres (6,687.20 km2).
The southern portion runs up into the Salt Range and includes the Chail peak, 3,701 feet (1,128 m) above the sea, the highest point in the district. Between this and the Sohan river, which follows more or less the northern boundary, the country consists of what was once a fairly level plain, sloping down from 2,000 feet (610 m) at the foot of the hills to 1,400 feet (430 m) in the neighbourhood of the Sohan; the surface is now much cut up by ravines and is very difficult to travel over.[3]
At the time of the 2017 census the district had a population of 1,495,463, of which 723,178 were males and 772,166 females. Rural population is 1,211,855 (81.03%) while the urban population is 283,608 (18.96%). The literacy rate was 74.64% for the population 10 years and above: 84.64% for males and 65.57% for females. Muslims made up almost the entire population with 99.67%, with the minorities being 3,700 Christians and 960 Ahmadis. Hindus number around 190.[1]
At the time of the 2017 census, 93.35% of the population spoke Punjabi, 4.40% Pashto and 1.63% Urdu as their first language.[1]
The local Punjabi dialects are Dhani[11] and Awankari.[12]
Chakwal has a total of 1,199 government schools out of which 52 percent (627 schools) are for female students. The district has an enrollment of 181,574 in public sector schools.[13]
Educational institutions in the Chakwal District include:
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link)Places adjacent to Chakwal District | ||||||||||||||||
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Districts of Punjab, Pakistan | ||
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Provincial capital: Lahore | ||
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Rawalpindi |
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Sahiwal | ||
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