Abbottabad

Etymology

The name combines the name of the city founder, Major James Abbott, and the Persian ending ābād, meaning "settlement, town of". Abbottabad is one of two cities named after British army officers in Pakistan, the other being Jacobabad.{{cite web |access-date=6 December 2025

History

Prior to the colonial era, the site upon which the city of Abbottabad is now located was a part of rural Hazara, between the mid-18th to the early 19th centuries the area was under the Durrani Empire, and then came under Sikh rule in 1820 when the region was conquered by the Sikh Empire led by the Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa. The city of Haripur was founded by him in 1822 and became the capital of Hazara prior to the establishment of Abbottabad.{{cite book |access-date=6 December 2025

Punjab Province

Following the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the British annexed the entire Punjab region up to Peshawar. Major James Abbott, a British military officer in the Bengal Army of the East India Company, became the first Deputy Commissioner of Hazara District in 1845, a position he held until April 1853{{cite web |access-date=6 December 2025 |access-date=6 December 2025 |access-date=6 December 2025

In January 1853, during his tenure as the Deputy Commissioner of Hazara, the city of Abbottabad was founded by Abbott, however it was then named Abbottabad (Abbott's town) at the suggestion of Herbert Edwardes a fellow military officer and administrator in the East India Company.{{cite book |access-date=5 December 2025

Abbott had left Haripur prior to founding Abbottabad and despite being ordered by Sir Frederick Currie to return to Haripur, Abbott said:{{cite book

Thus, according to Abbott, the reason for him to leave Haripur and then found the city of Abbottabad was for it to be a safe strategic location for him and his troops.

Major Abbott remained the first Deputy Commissioner of Hazara district from 1845 until April 1853, he is noted for having written a poem titled "Abbottabad", before his return to Britain, in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. The poem, written in marble, is on display in Lady Garden Park in Abbottabad.{{cite news |access-date=10 December 2025

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 the 4th Sikhs who had been stationed in Abbottabad had marched into Ludhiana to prevent rebels from Jullundur crossing the Sutlej.{{cite book |access-date=6 December 2025 |access-date=6 December 2025

In July 1868 John Frederick Foster{{cite web |access-date=6 December 2025 |access-date=6 December 2025

According to the 1881 census, the total population of Abbottabad was 4,189 which consisted of 2,151 Hindus, 1,649 Muslims and 306 Sikhs with 83 were listed as others. The population resided in a total of 918 houses. Nearly two-thirds of the population lived in the cantonment, and about a third in the civil station. The municipal revenue in 1881-82 was recorded as £383 with expenditure being £365.{{cite book |access-date=5 December 2025 In the 1890s British geologist Charles Stewart Middlemiss wrote that the "park-like almost English beauty of Abbottabad in the springtime never fails to strike the new-comer in contrast to the bare and dust-coloured panorama of the low country of the Punjab" - Middlemiss surveyed the area as part of his geological fieldwork in Hazara for the colonial era Geological Survey of India.{{cite book |access-date=5 December 2025

In 1896 the presidency armies had been abolished, armies serving in Abbottabad then came under Punjab Command, in September 1899 (as part of this reorganisation) the 42nd Gurkha Rifle Regiment of Bengal Infantry arrived in the city.{{cite web |access-date=5 December 2025

Abbottabad has been a staging point for the Black Mountain Expeditions of 1888 and 1891 - troops had been garrisoned in the city.

North-West Frontier Province

On 9 November 1901 Lord Curzon, the British Governor-General of India, established the North-West Frontier Province from the north-western districts of The Punjab, this meant that Abbottabad was now a part of the newly formed province. That year the population of the town and cantonment was 7,764 with an average income of 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. In 1911, the population had risen to 11,506 and the town contained four battalions of Gurkhas.

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. The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry, of the Frontier Force (including the 5th Gurkha Rifles) and two native mountain batteries.

On the 24th of August 1945 upon hearing of the death of Subhas Chandra Bose future Indian Prime Minister Nehru addressed a public meeting in the city Abbottabad where he reportedly paid tearful tribute to Bose, Nehru had arrived via the resort town of Nathia Gali earlier that day.{{cite web |access-date=28 October 2025

Following the Announcement of Partition of the British Raj into the Dominion of Pakistan and the Dominion of India, a referendum was held in the NWFP to decide whether to join India or Pakistan - the result was in favour of joining Pakistan. In 1947, Pakistan Army's initial officer training academy, the Pakistan Military Academy, referred to by its acronym PMA was established in Abbottabad - Abbottabad continues to house this establishment today. In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of injured people being brought in from Kashmir.

In 1955, Abbottabad and the rest of the NWFP became a part of West Pakistan, but the NWFP province was once again established in 1970, and Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad. The NWFP eventually became Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2010 after the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan was passed.

October 2005 earthquake

Main article: 2005 Kashmir earthquake

In October 2005, Abbottabad was devastated by the Kashmir earthquake, although most of Abbottabad survived, many older buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, despite this there was an influx of migrants from Azad Kashmir after the earthquake as Abbottabad was more secure.

Internally displaced people

In 2009 and 2010 there was another influx of refugees from Swat District during military operations against militants as well as from Waziristan after the army launched major operations against the Taliban in 2009.

Arrest of Bali Bomber

On 25 January 2011, Indonesian terrorist Umar Patek was arrested in Abbottabad. Patek, a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group, was wanted in connection with a deadly series of church bombings in Indonesia in 2000, and three attacks that killed 202 people in tourist districts of Indonesia in what became known as the Bali bombings.

Osama bin Laden's hideout

Main article: Killing of Osama bin Laden

On 2 May 2011, Abbottabad gained worldwide attention when U.S. President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed in his compound in the city. In February 2012, nine months after bin Laden was killed, Pakistani authorities demolished the compound where Osama bin Laden had lived.

Impact of COVID-19

During a study of healthcare workers throughout the Hazara region it was revealed that quality of life for healthcare workers in Abbottabad had been "affected negatively" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite journal |doi-broken-date=28 October 2025 |doi-access=free |access-date=28 October 2025

Politics

Asghar Khan, the first native commander of the Pakistan Airforce had settled in Abbottabad after retiring from the airforce, it was here that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto approached Asghar Khan, asking him to join his party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Khan declined, stating he had no interest in politics however after Bhutto's arrest on 13 November 1968, Asghar Khan held a press conference in Lahore on 17 November, where he openly criticised Field Marshal Ayub Khan. In his speech, Khan spoke of "graft, nepotism, corruption, and administrative incompetence are affecting the lives and happiness of millions". Khan had been asked by reporters about his role as chief of the air force when General Ayub Khan staged a coup d'état in 1958, Asghar said "I had a job to do, to run the Air Force and I continued to do this until my retirement. It wasn't a question of supporting any one".

Asghar Khan had also been a long time supporter of the greater political rights in East Pakistan describing the situation there in 1968 as "colonial" when Bengali leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested Khan campaigned for his release.

In January 1972, Asghar Khan was the first to call for Pakistan's recognition of Bangladesh. In response, President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto called Khan a traitor and a few weeks later, Khan's home in Abbottabad was burned down. Despite a police investigation, the findings were never disclosed, and Khan's family was forced to live in a stable.

In March 1977 Khan won the NA-13 Abbottabad-II seat after being elected to the National Assembly from Abbottabad in the 1977 elections. Khan was later arrested by Prime Minister Bhutto under martial law during a crackdown on nationwide protests against widely alleged electoral rigging. The Washington Post said Khan was "probably the most popular of the nine Alliance party leaders".

After negotiations between the opposition and Bhutto's government failed, General Zia-ul-Haq launched a coup d'état in July 1977 and placed Khan under house arrest in Abbottabad, where he remained until 1984. During this time, Amnesty International recognised him as a prisoner of conscience. Although Khan had earlier led the PNA movement against Bhutto who was executed in 1979, he publicly demanded Bhutto's release in a letter to Zia. In the letter, he also criticised the military regime for failing to hold promised elections within 90 days of the coup.

Demographics

Population

According to the 2023 census, Abbottabad had a population of 234,395 which was an increase over 200% since the 1998 census 25 years earlier. The population growth in the city is shown in the table below, the city was founded in 1863 and it can be seen in the 1881 census the population was 4,189 but there is then a significant jump in 1891 before a reduction by 1901, the population is noted to rise in every subsequent census with a noticeable jump in 1941 during WW2.

Religion

Languages

According to the 2023 Census of Pakistan, Hindko is overwhelmingly dominant in Abbottabad City, spoken by 75.39% of the population, firmly establishing the city as one of the core urban centers of Hindko. Pashto forms the second-largest linguistic group at 14.08%. Urdu accounts for 5.28%, while Punjabi makes up 2.60% of the population, Kohistani 0.86% and an additional 1.79% of the population consists of a multitude of other languages of Pakistani.

Location

Abbottabad is located 64km from the town of Murree, 122km from Pakistan's capital Islamabad and 193km from the provincial capital Peshawar. It is situated in the Orash Valley lying between 34°92′N latitude and 73°13′E longitude at an altitude of 1256 m. To the north is the picturesque Kaghan Valley.

Climate

Abbottabad has a humid subtropical climate, with mild to warm temperatures during the spring and autumn months, hot temperatures during June and July, and cool to mild temperatures during the winter. The temperature can rise as high as 38 C during the mid-summer months and drop below -5 C during the extreme cold waves. Snowfall occurs occasionally in December and January, though it is sparse, while heavy rainfall occurs during the monsoon season stretching from July to September and frequently cause flooding in lower lying parts of the city.

|access-date = 19 January 2019}}

Tourism

Abbottabad has been attracting tourists to the city since the colonial era, as it is a major transit point to all major tourist regions of Pakistan such as Nathia Gali, Ayubia and Naran. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, "the town is picturesquely situated at the southern corner of the Rash (Orash) plain, 1256 m above the sea".

The Karakoram Highway, which traces one of the paths of the ancient Silk Road, starts from Hasan Abdal on the N5 and heads north passing through the city, eventually reaching Khunjerab Pass. The Karakorum Highway is a major attraction itself for its views. The Karakoram, Himalayas and the Hindu Kush ranges can be approached from Abbottabad, and it continues to be a transit city for tourists, serving as a base for visiting nearby places, such as Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu and Indus Kohistan, of the Karakoram Range.

A £19M amusement park is under construction in the city on a 50 acre site; it includes a zoo, adventure sports facilities, restaurants and artificial waterfalls.

Education

Main article: List of educational institutions in Abbottabad

Abbottabad has a very healthy literacy rate approximately 56% on an average. The city has a young demographic (ages 15–30) due to the large number of students who have come from across the country to study in its schools, for example PIPS, Army Burn Hall College, Army Public College Kakul and Abbottabad Public School.

The city has a wide variety of post-secondary institutions, such as Ayub Medical College, Frontier Medical College, COMSATS University of Science and Technology, and the University of Engineering & Technology.

Abbottabad is home to the Pakistan Military Academy, a coeducational federal service military academy that provides training to the officers of the Pakistan Army. The academy has three training battalions and 12 companies. Another 2,000 guests each year, from over 34 countries, receive some training at PMA.

According to the Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2014, Abbottabad is ranked 37 out of 146 districts in Pakistan in the quality of education. For facilities and infrastructure, the district is ranked 67 out of 146. A detailed picture of the district's education performance is available online.

Media

Kay 2 TV is a local Hindko-language channel. Daily newspapers include Roznama AAJ, Roznama Shamal, Kay 2 Times, Roznama Pine, Weekly Manzar, Daily Mahasib and the Hindko newspaper Chaita.

Sports

The Abbottabad Falcons was the professional cricket team of Abbottabad who played in the national Twenty20 and List A cricket tournaments. Sports facilities in the city include:

• Abbottabad Cricket Stadium
• Abbottabad Hockey Stadium

Transport

Abbottabad's main public transport consists of modified taxis, the city is also served by Daewoo Express and Niazi Express, the NATCO, Skyways and other bus services.

The nearest railway station is the Havelian railway station which is situated in the city of Havelian, which is the last and most northern station on the Pakistan Railways network. The station is approximately thirty minutes drive south from Abbottabad city centre.

Notes

References

References

1. (3 January 2018). "POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD DETAIL FROM BLOCK TO DISTRICT LEVEL: KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA (ABBOTTABAD DISTRICT)". [[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]].
2. (2 April 2022). "PTI wins Abbottabad mayor slot".
3. (2024-01-06). "Preparations underway for general elections in Abbottabad".
4. (28 October 2005). "URL accessed 5 April 2006". Nrb.gov.pk.
5. Hazara Gazetteer 1883–84
6. [https://www.britishbattles.com/north-west-frontier-of-india/black-mountain-expedition-1891/ Black Mountain Expedition 1891]
7. "The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Panjab, North-West Frontier Province, and Kashmir, by Sir James McCrone Douie". Gutenberg.org.
8. [[:wikisource:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Abbottabad. Abbottabad – Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]]
9. "Abbottabad Town – Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 1". Dsal.uchicago.edu.
10. "Partition of India and Pakistan 1947 – British Red Cross". Redcross.org.uk.
11. (14 October 2005). "Doctor's diary". BBC News.
12. (15 May 2011). "Hopes for bumper tourist season in Abbottabad". Dawn (newspaper).
13. (30 September 2011). "Bali bombing suspect Umar Patek 'arrested in Pakistan'". BBC News online.
14. (15 April 2011). "Militant's road ends in Pakistan". Dawn (newspaper).
15. L. Meckler, A. Entous and Z. Hussain. (1 May 2011). "U.S. Forces Kill Osama bin Laden Obama Says Sept. 11 Attacks Avenged in Commando Assault on Pakistani Compound; Body of Terror Mastermind Captured". The Wall Street Journal.
16. (2 May 2011). "Osama bin Laden is dead, Obama announces". The Guardian.
17. Gordts, Eline. (27 February 2012). "Osama Bin Laden's House in Abbottabad Destroyed". The Huffington Post.
18. Meredith Melnick. (4 May 2011). "Abbottabad, a Hotspot for Medical Care".
19. Nadeem Shafiq Malik. (1998). "Research Papers on Pakistan". National Book Foundation.
20. (1968). "Air Marshal Asghar Khan Enters Politics". K. K. Thomas at Recorder Press.
21. (1972). "Outlook; a Journal of Opinion".
22. (1972). "Outlook; a Journal of Opinion".
23. (1972). "The Statesman".
24. "Population by administrative units 1951-1998". [[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]].
25. [https://archive.org/details/1891-punjab-census-parts-i-ii-iii/1891%20Punjab%20Census%2C%20Part%202.pdf 1891 Punjab Census (Parts I, II, III)]
26. Census of India, 1921, Vol. XVIII: North-West Frontier Province, Part II (Tables), Hazara District Town Tables
27. (1881). "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. I.".
28. (1881). "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II.".
29. (1881). "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. III.".
30. (1901). "Census of India 1901. Vol. 1A, India. Pt. 2, Tables.".
31. (1901). "Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province.".
32. (1911). "Census of India, 1911. Vol. 1., Pt. 2, Tables.". Calcutta, Supt. Govt. Print., India, 1913..
33. (1911). "Census of India 1911. Vol. 13, North-west Frontier Province : part I, Report; part II, Tables.".
34. (1921). "Census of India 1921. Vol. 1, India. Pt. 2, Tables.".
35. (1921). "Census of India 1921. Vol. 14, North-west Frontier Province : part I, Report; part II, Tables.".
36. (1931). "Census of India, 1931, vol. XV. North-west frontier province. Part I-Report. Part II-Tables". Peshawar, Printed by the manager, Government stationery and printing, 1933..
37. (1941). "Census of India, 1941. Vol. 10, North-West Frontier Province".
38. "Final Results (Census-2017)".
39. "First Digital Census: Understanding Its Importance and Process - Pakistan Bureau of Statistics population".
40. [https://archive.today/20140115110311/http://web.archive.org/web/20010913100907/www.abbottabad.sdnpk.org/tourism.htm Tourism in District Abbottabad]
41. (2010). "Abbottabad". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc..
42. "Profile of Abbottabad".
43. "Bin Laden Town Abbottabad Plans Theme Park". Sky News.
44. "Literacy rate of Abbottabad".
45. (25 January 1948). "Pakistan Military Academy – Cadets Training". Pakistanarmy.gov.pk.
46. "Alif Ailaan Pakistan District Education Rankings, 2014". Alif Ailaan.
47. "Individual district profile link, 2014". Alif Ailaan.
48. [https://kay2.tv/ Kay2 TV]