Muzaffarabad

History

Muzaffarabad was founded in 1646 by Sultan Muzaffar Khan, chief of the Bomba tribe who ruled Kashmir. Khan also constructed the Red Fort that same year for the purpose of warding off incursions from the Mughal Empire.

Sikh Empire

In 1827, Raja Zabardast Khan, who had succeeded his father Hassan Ali Khan as the Raja of Muzaffarabad, led a guerrilla campaign against the Sikh Empire, targeting their garrisons in Handwara, Baramulla, and the Hazara region. His leadership and strategic strikes disrupted Sikh control in the area.

Gathering a sizable force, Zabardast Khan declared independence and planned an invasion of the Kashmir Valley. In response, Diwan Kirpa Ram led a large Khalsa army to suppress the rebellion. Between Baramulla and Muzaffarabad, across a span of nearly 77 miles, Zabardast Khan's forces—supported by the local Muslim population—launched persistent attacks on the advancing Sikh army, employing guerrilla tactics from caves, rocks, and forests. The Sikh forces suffered heavy casualties, and Diwan Kirpa Ram's army faced serious defeats and significant losses.

Dogra era

On 28 May 1849 James Abbott, at the time boundary commissioner, wrote that "intelligence received from Cashmere that a Jumboo Force of 4,000 men is about to march to Moozuffurabad, where there are already 3,000. This report may be a feint of the Maharaja to overcome the hill tribes, who, though quite peaceful at present, have been much opprest [sic] and are ready enough to rise when opportunity offers."

Abbott also wrote that it is "highly desirable therefore that this report, which has greatly alarmed them and may drive them to desperation, be contradicted; and I have accordingly addrest the Maharaja disclaiming belief in such a rumour, and assuring him that any movement of troops in this direction at this moment will not have a friendly aspect. The assembly of any force upon the frontier were an encouragement to the insurgents in Mooltan and to others who are disposed to join them."

The following day on 29 May Abbott wrote:

Indo-Pakistani war of 1947

Main article: Battle of Muzaffarabad

The Battle of Muzaffarabad occurred on 22 October 1947 between Pakistani-backed Pashtun tribesmen, pro-Pakistani Kashmiri rebels, and the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces in the town of Muzaffarabad. The battle resulted in a rapid defeat of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces, leading to the capture of Muzaffarabad by the tribesmen.

2005 earthquake

Main article: 2005 Kashmir earthquake

The city was near the epicenter of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.6 Mw. The earthquake destroyed about 50 percent of the buildings in the city (including most government buildings) and is estimated to have killed up to 80,000 people in the Pakistani-controlled areas. , the Pakistani government's official death toll was 87,350, while other estimates have put the death toll at over 100,000.

Administrative subdivisions

The district of Muzaffarabad is administratively divided into 2 tehsils, which are subdivided into 25 union councils.

• Muzaffarabad
• Pattika (Naseerabad)

Climate

|Jan record high C = 27.0 |Feb record high C = 29.4 |Mar record high C = 37.0 |Apr record high C = 40.5 |May record high C = 46.5 |Jun record high C = 46.2 |Jul record high C = 45.0 |Aug record high C = 40.2 |Sep record high C = 39.0 |Oct record high C = 38.3 |Nov record high C = 33.0 |Dec record high C = 27.0 |year record high C = 46.5 |Jan record low C = -3.0 |Feb record low C = -1.1 |Mar record low C = 1.0 |Apr record low C = 6.5 |May record low C = 7.0 |Jun record low C = 12.0 |Jul record low C = 15.5 |Aug record low C = 16.0 |Sep record low C = 12.4 |Oct record low C = 6.5 |Nov record low C = 1.0 |Dec record low C = -1.4 |year record low C = −3.0 |access-date=1 October 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613053328/http://www.pakmet.com.pk/cdpc/Climate/Muzaffarabad_Climate_Data.txt |archive-date=13 June 2010 }}

Demographics

Languages

According to the Government Published Azad Kashmir 2020 Statistical Year Book, the approximate spoken languages breakdown of Muzaffarabad District is 50% Pahari (including all dialects), 35% Gojri, and 15% Kashmiri.

Transport

Muzaffarabad's public transportation system primarily relies on buses, rickshaws, and small pickup trucks for intracity travel. Following the devastating 2005 earthquake that severely damaged infrastructure, including roads, the city government, with international aid, rebuilt roads, bridges, and other essential infrastructure. However, public transportation remains underdeveloped. Notably, Muzaffarabad lacks a railway system and a functional airport. The nearest railway station is located in the Rawalpindi District of Pakistani Punjab.

Education

Muzaffarabad is the educational hub of Azad Kashmir, hosting several private and public institutions. The education sector in the city is administered by the Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. The region has a literacy rate of approximately 77.5% which is significantly higher than the national average of Pakistan. Following the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which destroyed a significant portion of the city's educational infrastructure, major reconstruction projects were launched to rebuild schools and university campuses. According to the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA), 7,608 post-earthquake reconstruction projects were planned under three implementation channels: sponsor-funded, donor-funded, and Government of Pakistan–funded. While sponsor- and donor-funded projects were completed, 1,730 Government of Pakistan–funded projects, including 1,112 in education, remained incomplete by 2010 due to funding shortfalls.

Higher Education

The primary institution of higher learning in the city is the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (UAJK). Established in 1980, it is a multi-campus public university, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs across a range of disciplines. The main campus is located in Muzaffarabad, with additional facilities at the King Abdullah Campus in Chatter Class, which was constructed after the 2005 earthquake as part of the reconstruction of the region's higher education infrastructure.

The King Abdullah Campus was inaugurated in 2023 following a grant of approximately US$90 million from the Saudi Fund for Development. The campus includes around 15 academic departments, administrative blocks, a library, auditorium, and student accommodation facilities. Around 10,000 students are expected to benefit from the facility.

Notable people

• Anam Najam, medical doctor and psychiatrist
• Rashid Naseer, Pakistani cricketer
• Farooq Haider Khan, Politician

Gallery

|Image: Muzaffarabad city.jpg|Heightened view of the city on both riverbanks after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, |Image: Narrol Cricket Stadium.jpg|Photo of Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium |Image: Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan.jpg|Photo of the city's skyline, |title=|Image: AJKMC Muzaffarabad.jpg|Azad Jammu Kashmir Medical College |Image: Muzaffarabad City, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan.jpg|Muzaffarabad City, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

Notes

References

Sources

References

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5. Khan, Raja Sajjad Latif. (2020). "Historical Documents on Jammu and Kashmir". Policy and Research Forum Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir.
6. Griffin, Lepel Henry. (1890). "The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Volume 330". Government Printing, Punjab.
7. Hussain, Nazakat. (2001). "Archaeology of Kashmir 1586 AD – c. 1900 AD". Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University.
8. JOURNALS AND DIARIES OF THE ASSISTANTS TO THE RESIDENT AT LAHORE – No 33—Diary of Captain James Abbott, Assistant Resident, on deputation to Huzara, for the 28th and 29th May 1848.{{source-attribution
9. Stuart, Julia. (1 January 2006) [http://news.independent.co.uk/appeals/ios_appeal/article335931.ece IoS Appeal: Last chance to donate to quake victims] {{webarchive. link. (16 January 2006 . News.independent.co.uk. Retrieved on 3 July 2012.)
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11. "Statistical Year Book 2020".
12. [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&sll=34.341389,73.505836&sspn=0.071946,0.07994&ie=UTF8&ll=34.377446,73.649597&spn=0.329827,0.727158&z=11 Google Maps]. Maps.google.co.uk. Retrieved on 3 July 2012.
13. "Planning & Development Department".
14. Naqash, Tariq. (2021-10-09). "16 years since quake, fate of 1,730 projects in AJK remains uncertain".
15. (2023-01-10). "Introduction to the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir – The University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir – Muzaffarabad".
16. "Saudi-funded 'King Abdullah Campus' under construction in Azad Kashmir".
17. (2023-08-04). "Saudi government agency inaugurates $90 million King Abdullah Campus at Pakistan’s AJK University".