Chakwal

Geography

Chakwal is part of the Pothohar Plateau region, with flat to gently undulating land broken up by gullies and low hill ranges. Chakwal's landscape features the canyons in Thirchak-Mahal. There are man-made and natural lakes around the city in neighbouring communities. The climate is semi-arid to sub-humid, with highly erratic rainfall patterns that occur during the monsoon season, ranging from 250 mm to 1500 mm annually. These variations often cause soil erosion and occasional flooding.

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 of district Jhelum.

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

Demographics

Population

According to 2023 census, Chakwal had a population of 218,356 - details of the population at each census are shown below (note the 1901 census was done by colonial era authorities):

|1901|6520 |1951|13310 |1961|16843 |1972|29143 |1981|43670 |1998|80,508 |2017|138,146 |2023|218,356

Religion

Economy

Much like the other semi-rural areas within Punjab, Chakwal has a predominantly agricultural economy, which includes a mix of livestock, wheat, crops, and groundnuts. Groundnuts are particularly important for Pakistan’s economy, as the country is the 7th largest producer of groundnuts in the world. Chakwal relies heavily on groundnut production because dryland crops serve as a key source of food security in semi-arid regions like this. However, the district’s agricultural production suffers from a lack of modern farming practices and outdated technology, which leads to inefficient yields; farmers mainly rely on hand-sowing methods with little to no mechanization.

This agricultural economy, which is vital for both Chakwal and Pakistan as a whole, faces several natural, structural, and fiscal challenges. Farmers are highly dependent on irregular rainfall, which can cause significant crop and soil damage during periods of heavy precipitation. The region also experiences low levels of formal education, limiting the availability of skilled labor necessary for improved farming methods and mechanization. Poverty and socioeconomic inequality, caused by high population growth and unemployment, further contribute to the area’s challenges. Women play an active role in agricultural labor but often have limited access to formal employment opportunities.

Chakwal’s agricultural sector is also influenced by external factors, such as Pakistan’s reliance on imported groundnuts from foreign producers like India. This influx of cheaper imported groundnuts lowers local market prices and discourages domestic production. Farmers and local organizations have called for government interventions to address these challenges and enhance agricultural productivity. One such proposed intervention involves expanding the value of groundnuts beyond their edible use by establishing oil extraction plants in Chakwal.

Culture

Chakwal has a longstanding military tradition that predates the establishment of Pakistan. Economic hardship in the region led the British Army to recruit physically capable but unemployed workers; 460 residents were enlisted during World War I, and more followed in World War II. Several soldiers from Chakwal lost their lives during these conflicts and were awarded British honors, including the Victoria Cross. The area is marked by cannons, monuments, and memorials that commemorate these contributions. Some community members have expressed a desire for greater recognition of these sacrifices from Britain.

After the partition of the Indian subcontinent, Chakwal remained one of the key recruitment areas and continued to produce military personnel who served in the Pakistan Armed Forces. The region has become known for its military heritage, and several individuals from Chakwal have attained high-ranking positions, including generals such as Abdul Majeed Malik. Due to Pakistan’s broader military culture, some soldiers from Chakwal, including Malik, have also held positions in political office.

Notable people

• Sub. Abdul Khaliq (23 March 1933 – 10 March 1988), Fastest Man of Asia, Flying Bird of Asia, Olympian, Pride of Performance (Presidential Award) holder
• Sukh Dev, Indian Organic Chemist
• Amir Gulistan Janjua, Governor of North West Frontier Province, Ambassador to Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• 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
• Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Dullah, politician
• Iftikhar Khan (10 January 1907 – 13 December 1949), designated to become the first Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army, 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), veteran of World War II
• Yahya Khan (4 February 1917 – 10 August 1980), third President of Pakistan
• Allah Bakhsh Malik, academic, researcher, development economist, social scientist, management and institutional development specialist
• 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
• Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India
• Awais Zia, cricketer
• Mudassar Ali Khan, former Field Hockey Player of Pakistan and Olympian

Notes

References

References

1. "PAKISTAN: Provinces and Major Cities (Chakwal city)".
2. [https://www.tageo.com/index-e-pk-cities-PK-step-1.htm Chakwal is the 66th largest city per population in Pakistan] Tageo.com website, Retrieved 15 October 2021
3. Tayeba Batool. (23 February 2019). "A walk through the historic streets of Chakwal". The Express Tribune (newspaper).
4. "SA-AS009 - Chakwal (Pakistan)".
5. (1981). "A traveller's guide to Pakistan". Asian Study Group.
6. "Chakwal {{!}} Punjab Portal".
7. (2 December 2007). "Tehsils & Unions in the District of Chakwal".
8. "Population by administrative units 1951-1998". [[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]].
9. [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/reference/gazetteer/query.py?object=132&bookid=DS405.1.I34_V10&display_type=page_display#gsc.tab=0 Chakwāl Town - Imperial Gazetteer of India, volume 10: p. 126]
10. (1881). "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. I.".
11. (1881). "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II.".
12. (1901). "Census of India 1901. Vol. 1A, India. Pt. 2, Tables.".
13. (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.".
14. (1911). "Census of India, 1911. Vol. 1., Pt. 2, Tables.".
15. (1911). "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables.".
16. (1921). "Census of India 1921. Vol. 1, India. Pt. 2, Tables.".
17. (1921). "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables.".
18. "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1931 VOLUME XVII PUNJAB PART II TABLES".
19. "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB".
20. "Final Results (Census-2017)".
21. Dhakku, Nabeel Anwar. (2015-12-20). "Groundnut farmers lament low production, lack of govt attention".
22. Rasheed, Muhammad Taseer. (2023-06-30). "Assessing Technical Efficiency and Resource Utilization in Dryland Groundnut Farming: A Case Study of Tehsil Chakwal". Global Economics Review.
23. (2019-12-02). "Pakistan’s groundnut farmers thrive amid India trade ban".
24. Dhakku, Nabeel Anwar. (2014-08-10). "A village of forgotten heroes".
25. Dhakku, Nabeel Anwar. (2024-01-25). "Which way will ‘martial’ Chakwal vote".