| Nowshera Virkan Tehsil | |
| Settlement Type: | Town, Tehsil |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Pakistan |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Punjab |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gujranwala |
| Population Total: | 535,746 |
| Leader Title: | Member National Assembly NA-84 |
| Leader Name: | MNA Azhar Qayyum Nahra (PML-N) |
| Leader Title1: | Assistant commissioner Naveed Haider Tehsildar Malik Khawar Hayat |
| Established Date: | 14-07-1947 |
| Population As Of: | 2017 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Urban: | 49,499 |
| Population Rural: | 486,247 |
| Timezone: | PST |
| Utc Offset: | +5 |
| Timezone Dst: | PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +6 |
| Postal Code: | 52370 |
| Area Code: | 055 |
Nowshera Virkan (Urdu: {{Nastaliq|نوشہره وِركاں) is a town[2] and a tehsil situated to the west of the industrial city of Gujranwala, in Punjab, Pakistan. Nowshera Virkan is a hub of rice-growing villages.[3]
Nowshera Virkan has been a center of political activities from its earliest days. It was dominated by Arain, Rajput, Jutt, Arain, and Syed families. It is located in the Gujranwala District and is one of the largest of the four tehsils (administrative divisions). It lies between three large cities: Gujranwala, Hafizabad, and Sheikhupura. The dominant surnames of the Nowshera Virkan people are from military castes, including Arain, Bhuttah, Maan, Rajput, Virk, Syed and Goraya clans.
Ijaz Khan[4] was among the known leaders of this region. He was elected four times as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from this region and was affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League (N). After his death, his son Chaudhry Bilal Ijaz was elected MNA at age 25 in 2002 from Pakistan Muslim League (Q), defeating Hamid Nasir Chattha. Later in 2008, Mudassir Qayyum Nahra, a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) from PP-102[5] in 2002–2008,[6] won the seat, but was disqualified and jailed in 2010 for bearing a fake degree.[7] In the 2010 by-elections, Chaudry Tussadiq Masud Khan (Pakistan Peoples Party), a member of the Rajput clan, was elected as MNA.[8] In 2013 and 2018, Azhar Qayyum Nahra (PMLN), brother of Mudassir Nahra, won the seat, due to PMLN's overall stronghold in Gujranwala region. Bilal Ijaz contested both 2013 and 2018 elections on PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) ticket but was unsuccessful. The Nahra family is facing charges from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)[9] for bearing assets beyond income sources. In recent 2024 elections, Bilal Ijaz defeated Azhar Qayyum Nahra, on the ticket of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Nowshera Virkan Tehsil has many small Towns such as Garmula Virkan, Jago Wala New, Tatly Aali, Nokhar, Kot Ladha, Jalhan, Bhiri Shah Rahman, Majo Chak, Karyal kalan, Mattu Bhaiky, Artali Virkan, Pirthi Pur, Mangoki Virkan, Buddha Goraya, Leel Virkan, Aulakh Bhaike, and Chandhar Kalan.