Narowal District

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ضِلع نارووال
District
Narowal District
Location of Narowal in Punjab.
Location of Narowal in Punjab.
Country Pakistan
Province Punjab
Headquarters Narowal
Area
 • Total 2,337 km2 (902 sq mi)
Population (1998)
 • Total 1,156,097
 • Density 538/km2 (1,390/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+5)
Number of Tehsils 3

Narowal District (Urdu: ضِلع نارووال‎), is a district in the province of Punjab of Pakistan. Narowal city is the capital of the district.

Administration

The district is administratively divided into the following Three tehsils (subdivisions), which contain a total of 74 Union Councils:[1]

Tehsil No. of Unions
Narowal 28
Shakargarh 28
Zafarwal 18
Total 74

It was named after a big local zamindar Naro Singh Bajwa. Before the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Shakargarh town was the headquarters of Shakargarh Tehsil, which was a subdivision of the Gurdaspur District of British India. Under the Radcliffe Award, the tehsil of Shakargarh was transferred to Pakistan and attached to Sialkot District. On July 1, 1991, Narowal and Shakargarh were removed from Sialkot District to form Narowal District.

Boundaries

The district is bounded on the northwest by Sialkot District, on the north by Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, on the southeast by the Gurdaspur District(India) pathankot District (Republic of India), on the south by Amritsar district (Republic of India) and on the southwest by Sheikhupura District in Pakistan.

History

Narowal District was agricultural region with forests during the Indus Valley Civilization. The Vedic period is characterized by Indo-Aryan culture that arrived from Central Asia and settled in Punjab region. The Kambojas, Daradas, Kaikayas, Madras, Pauravas, Yaudheyas, Malavas and Kurus invaded, settled and ruled ancient Punjab region. After overrunning the Achaemenid Empire in 331 BCE, Alexander marched into present-day Punjab region with an army of 50,000. The Narowal was ruled by Maurya Empire, Indo-Greek kingdom, Kushan Empire, Gupta Empire, White Huns, Kushano-Hephthalites and Shahi kingdoms.

In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin, In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul in 1005, and followed it by the conquests of Punjab region. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Punjab region.

After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh Empire invaded and occupied Narowal District. During the period of British rule, Narowal district increased in population and importance.

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 Muslim refugees from India settled in the Narowal District.

Language and Demography

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As per the 1998 census of Pakistan, Punjabi language is spoken by 95%. Punjabi dialects spoken in the district are

  • Majhi or Standard (Majority)
  • Dogri/Darhab (Jammu and Border area's people)

Other Languages include:

  • Urdu being national language is spoken and understood.
  • English is also understood and spoken by the sizable educated people.

The total area of the district is approximately 2,337 square kilometres. Prior to the creation of Zafarwal Tehsil in July 2009,[2] Narowal Tehsil occupied 1,065 square kilometres while the remaining area (1,272 square kilometres) fell in Shakargarh Tehsil. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, Narowal District's population was 1,256,097, of which only 12.11% were urbans.[3]

Hospitals

  • Chaudhary Sarwar Hospital
  • DHQ
  • Noor Hospital Narowal
  • Sughra Shafi Medical complex
  • Shahid Hospital
  • Haq Eye & Orthopaedic Hospital
  • shukar din hospital
  • Safdar Medical Services

References

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  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Urban Resource Centre - Population table

External links

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