Gujar Khan Explained

Official Name:Gujar Khan
Gujar Khan
Settlement Type:City
Coordinates:33.253°N 73.304°W
Pushpin Map:Punjab Pakistan#Pakistan
Pushpin Label Position:left
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1: Punjab
Subdivision Type2:Division
Subdivision Name2:Rawalpindi
Subdivision Type3:District
Subdivision Name3:Rawalpindi
Population Total:90131
Total Type:City
Population As Of:2017
Population Footnotes:[1]
Elevation M:461
Leader Title:Chairman
Blank Name Sec2:Number of union councils
Demographics Type1:Society
Demographics1 Title1:Languages
Demographics1 Info1:Pothwari, Urdu
Blank Info Sec2:36[2]
Area Code:0513
Area Code Type:Calling code
Timezone1:PST
Utc Offset1:+5
Native Name Lang:پوٹھوہاری

Gujar Khan (Punjabi, Urdu: {{unq|گوجر خان)[3] is a city in Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is also the headquarters of Gujar Khan Tehsil, the largest tehsil of Punjab by land area.[4]

Gujar Khan is approximately southeast of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, and to the northwest of Lahore, the capital of Punjab. It is bounded on the north by Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Attock, on the south by Jhelum, Lahore, and Gujrat, on the east by Azad Kashmir, and Kahuta and on the west by Chakwal and Khushab.

Located in the heart of the Potohar region, The city and surrounding region is renowned for their martial culture and is sometimes referred to as the 'Land of the Shaheed, having produced two recipients of the Nishan-i-Haider.[5] There is the main district hospital in the center of the city, along with many other private and public medical and care services.

History

The place was named due to the large population of Gujjars which inhabited this area. Some Gujjar settlements are still present in the Gujar Khan Tehsil. The modern town was developed by the British colonial authorities after the region came under British rule in 1848.

Gujar Khan also contained a notable Hindu and Sikh population, though much of this population migrated to India following partition. However the area is still home to Hindu temples[6] and Sikh Gurdwaras which have been not maintained through the years. Today most of the population is Muslim.

Administration

Gujar Khan is administratively subdivided into 36 union councils, whereas City Gujar Khan is administered by municipal corporation.[7]

According to the 2017 census of Pakistan, the city had a population of 678,503.[8]

Natural resources

Large reserves of oil and gas were discovered in February 2002 at Tobra, about ten kilometres from Gujar Khan. The field is being developed by the Oil and Gas Development Company. The field could produce 1,600 barrels of crude oil daily.Missa Kaswal and Ahdi is also a major source of energy in Gujar khan. Missa Kaswal is supplying several cubic meters of gas on a daily basis and is also extracting large quantities of oil. [9]

Transport

Road

Gujar Khan is located on the N5 National highway from Islamabad-Lahore.[10] Railway Road links from the east of the city to the nearby towns of Bewal and Islampura.[11] There are also many other minor roads linking the villages and towns of the region to the city.

Rail

The Gujar Khan railway station is located in the center of the city and provides links to Rawalpindi, Jhelum, and Lahore.

Bus

Local services also provide extensive bus routes to local towns, and smaller shuttles go around the villages in the surrounding area. There are also services to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Jhelum, and Lahore.[12]

Local auto-rickshaw drivers also provide transport for people in and around the city.[13]

Notable people

Friendship links

Gujar Khan also has formal "Friendship" links with:[15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Punjāb (Pakistan) - Population of Gujar Khan (2017 census). https://web.archive.org/web/20200629022922/http://www.citypopulation.de/Pakistan-Punjab.html. dead. 29 June 2020. 12 May 2023. Citypopulation.de website.
  2. Web site: Zila, Tehsil & Town Councils Membership for Punjab (scroll down to Rawalpindi District to read Gujar Khan). Election Commission of Pakistan website. 2023-05-12. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090304160001/http://www.ecp.gov.pk/content/zttc/townpunjab.htm. 2009-03-04.
  3. Book: Debates: Official Report. 1976. Manager of Publications via Google Books website. 199–200. 13 May 2023. ur.
  4. Web site: List of Administrative Units of Pakistan (Tehsil/Taluka) (Punjab) . Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan . 2023-05-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100305205949/http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/admin_unit/admin_list_tehsil.html . 2010-03-05 .
  5. Web site: District Website . 2023-03-12 . rawalpindi.dc.lhc.gov.pk.
  6. News: Gulyana: Punjab's crumbling 900-year-old village. Kalhoro. Zulfiqar Ali. 2015-06-20. Dawn (newspaper). 2023-05-12.
  7. Web site: Towns & Unions in the City District of Rawalpindi. https://web.archive.org/web/20080124031138/http://www.nrb.gov.pk/lg_election/union.asp?district=26&dn=Rawalpindi . dead. 24 January 2008. National Reconstruction Bureau, Government of Pakistan website. 12 May 2023.
  8. Web site: Rawalpindi City District. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080313180203/http://www.rawalpindi.gov.pk/. 2008-03-13.
  9. Web site: Business in Asia Today (scroll down to 'Huge reserves discovered in Pakistan near Gujar Khan). https://web.archive.org/web/20060514160802/http://www.atimes.com/bizasia/DB22Aa01.html. dead. 2006-05-14. Asia Times Online website. 2023-05-13.
  10. Web site: Maps – National Highways Authority. National Highway Authority, Government of Pakistan website. 2023-05-13.
  11. Web site: Railway Road at G.T. Road - Wikimapia. wikimapia.org. 2023-05-13.
  12. News: Pindi-Gujar Khan CNG bus service from today. 2012-06-08. Dawn (newspaper). 2023-05-13.
  13. News: Rickshaws plying in Gujar Khan to be registered. The Nation (newspaper). en-US. 2023-05-13.
  14. Web site: Najaf Shah. Cricinfo.com website. 13 May 2023.
  15. http://redditch.whub.org.uk/home/rbcindex/rbc-visit/rbc-your-council-friendship-links_.htm