Fatehpur Thakiala, also known as Nakyal, is one of the three ''

tehsil A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluk, or taluka () is a local unit of administrative division in India and Pakistan. It is a subdistrict of the area within a Zila (country subdivision), district including the designated populated place that ser ...

s'' of the

Kotli District Kotli District () is a district of Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertia ...

Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir (), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir ( ), is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entitySee: * * * and constituting the western portion of the larger ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

History

Fatehpur Thakiala was part of the Mendhar subdivision of Poonch before the partition of

Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...

in 1947. Fatehpur Thakiala is bounded by the Line of Control—the boundary between Indian and

Pakistan administered Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. The term has since ...

—on its north and east sides. The 1947–48 war between India and Pakistan divided it into two parts; one part went to Pakistan and the other became part of India. After the separation from Mendhar, it became a ''tehsil'' of the

. The original name of the area was Thakiala, named after the native Thakial Rajputs. It was renamed Fatehpur Thakiala to honour the late Sardar Fateh Muhammad Khan Karelvi. It is also the birthplace of the former president and prime minister of Azad Kashmir,

Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan () (1 June 1932 – 9 October 2021) was an Azad Kashmiri politician who served as the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir for two non-consecutives terms. He also served as the President of Azad Kashmir twice. He was the ...

Location

The town of Nakyal is 1524 m above sea level, and is 40 km from

Kotli Kotli ( Pahari-Pothwari / ; ) is a city and headquarters of the Kotli District in Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir. The city lies along the Poonch River, which is known for its natural secenary and waterfalls. According to the 2017 Census ...

city. Nakyal is in a valley nearly 3 kilometres from the Line of Control. Nearby Tatapani is one of the five crossing points at the Line of Control that were opened for the exchange of relief goods between Pakistani and Indian Administered parts of Kashmir after the devastating October 8 earthquake.

Demographics

The Gujjar are one of the major ethnic groups in Fatehpur. The Gujjar clans are the Kallas, Bagri, Bajar, Bhumbla, Bjarh, Chandpuri, Chauhan, Chechi, Hans, Khatana, Laley, Khepar, Meelu, and Sangoo. The Rajput are second most numerous of the major ethnic groups. The subclans of Rajputs are the Thakyals, Ghakhars, and Dhumals. The Kashmiri tribe's main clans in Nakyal include the Butt and Lone. They are the descendants of Kashmiri workmen who migrated to the plains of Punjab from the Kashmir Valley in the 16th and 17th centuries. The fourth major tribe is the Malik. {{Tehsils of Azad Kashmir Kotli District Tehsils of Kotli District