Jhelum District () is a

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

, located partially on the

Pothohar Plateau The Pothohar Plateau (, : ''Pо̄ṭhoā̀r Paṭhār''; , ''Satāh Murtafā Pо̄ṭhohār''), also spelled Pothwar, is a plateau in the Sindh Sagar Doab, Sind Sagar Doab of northern Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan, located between the Indus ...

and in Indus Plain, in

Punjab, Pakistan Punjab (, ) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. With a population of over 127 million, it is the Demographics of Pakistan, most populous province in Pakistan and the List of first-level administrative divisions by popu ...

. Jhelum is one of the oldest districts of Punjab. It was established on 23 March 1849.

Jhelum Jhelum (; , ) is a city, located along the western bank of the Jhelum River, in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st largest city in Punjab and 31st largest in Pakistan, by population. Located in northern Punjab, it serves as the capital of the ...

is known for providing many soldiers to the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and later to the

Pakistan armed forces The Pakistan Armed Forces (; ) are the military forces of Pakistan. It is the world's sixth-largest military measured by active military personnel and consists of three uniformed services—the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, which are backe ...

due to which it is also known as 'city of soldiers' or 'land of martyrs and warriors'. Salt is quarried at the Mayo mine in the

Salt Range The Salt Range ( and Namkistan نمکستان) is a mountain range in the north of Punjab province of Pakistan, deriving its name from its extensive deposits of rock salt. The range extends along the south of the Potohar Plateau and the north ...

. There are two coal mines in the district from which the North-Western railway obtains parts of its supply. These are the only coal mines in Punjab province which are in working condition. The chief center of the salt trade is Pind Dadan Khan. The district is crossed by the main line of the North-Western railway and also traversed along the south by a branch line. It is located in the north of the Punjab province, Jhelum district is bordered by

Sargodha Sargodha (Punjabi language, Punjabi/; ; ) is a city and capital of Sargodha Division, located in Central Punjab, central Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. It is Pakistan's List of most populous cities in Pakistan, 11th most populous city and ...

and

Mandi Bahauddin Mandi Bahauddin () is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is also the capital of Mandi Bahauddin District. It is the 41st most populous city in Pakistan, according to the 2017 census. The city is about 220 metres above sea level and is located ...

to its south,

Khushab Khushab (Punjabi language, punjabi: خُوشاب) is a city as well as a district of Sargodha Division, located in the Punjab (Pakistan), Punjab province of Pakistan. The word ''Khushab'' means "sweet water." Khushab city also serves as the headq ...

to its southwest,

Jhelum River The Jhelum River is a major river in South Asia, flowing through India and Pakistan, and is the westernmost of the five major rivers of the Punjab region. It originates at Verinag and flows through the Indian-administered territory of Jammu ...

to its south and east, Gujrat to its east,

Chakwal Chakwal (Punjabi language, Punjabi and ) is a city in Chakwal District in the Potohar region of Punjab, Pakistan. It is the Largest cities of Pakistan, 48th largest city of Pakistan by population. Chakwal is located 90 kilometres south-west o ...

to its west, Mirpur to its northeast, and

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi is the List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, third-largest city in the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is a commercial and industrial hub, being the list of cities in P ...

to its north.

Administration

The district of Jhelum, which covers an area of ,

Jhelum City Jhelum (; , ) is a city, located along the western bank of the Jhelum River, in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st largest city in Punjab and 31st largest in Pakistan, by population. Located in northern Punjab, it serves as the capital of the ...

is the main city of the district. District is administratively divided into following

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 ...

History

Early history

The history of the district dates back to the Hindu mythological period of the

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

. The epic represents the Salt Range as the refuge of the five

Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...

brethren during the period of their exile, and every salient point in its scenery is connected with some legend of the national heroes. Modern research has fixed the site of the conflict between

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

and

Porus Porus or Poros ( ; 326–321 BC) was an ancient Indian king whose territory spanned the region between the Jhelum River (Hydaspes) and Chenab River (Acesines), in the Punjab region of what is now India and Pakistan. He is only mentioned in Gr ...

as within Jhelum district, though the exact spot at which the Macedonian king affected the passage of the Jhelum (or Hydaspes) has been hotly disputed. The Panhwars,

Janjua The Janjua or Janjhua is a Punjabi Rajput clan found predominantly in the Pothohar Plateau of Pakistani Punjab, but also in the states of Punjab and Haryana in India. History and origin Origin The Janjuas had engaged in a long-running s ...

s and

Jats The Jat people (, ), also spelt Jaat and Jatt, are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, many Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in ...

, who now hold the Salt Range and its northern plateau respectively, appear to have been the earliest inhabitants. The

s, who appear to represent the oldest breed of Punjab and who still inhabit a large tract in the east of the District; while the

Awans Awans (; ) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On January 1, 2006, Awans had a total population of 8,696. The total area is 27.16 km² which gives a population density of 320 inhabitants per km². The ...

and Ghakars who cluster in the western plain, are apparently later invaders, the Janjuas were the dominant race during the before and early Muslim era and they long continued to retain their independence until the time of Sikh invaders, both in Jhelum itself and in the neighboring District of Rawalpindi.

Sultanate era

In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the

Ghaznavid dynasty The Ghaznavid dynasty ( ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic '' mamluk'' origin. It ruled the Ghaznavid Empire or the Empire of Ghazni from 977 to 1186, which at its greatest extent, extended from the Oxus to the Indu ...

empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin, he conquered the Shahis in

Kabul Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province. The city is divided for administration into #Districts, 22 municipal districts. A ...

in 1005, and followed it by the conquests of northern

Punjab region Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

. The

Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.

and later

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...

ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

due to

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

saints whose

dargah A Sufi shrine or dargah ( ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargāh'' दरगाह درگاہ, ''dôrgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint or dervi ...

s dot the landscape of

, which is also reflected in Jhelum.

British era

Jhelum district was annexed by the British from its former

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

rulers after the

Second Anglo-Sikh War The Second Anglo-Sikh War was a military conflict between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company which took place from 1848 to 1849. It resulted in the fall of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab region, Punjab and what sub ...

of 1848–1849. During British rule, Jhelum was a district of

Rawalpindi Division Rawalpindi Division is an administrative division of the Pakistani province of Punjab. Rawalpindi serves as the headquarters of the division which consists of 6 districts: Attock, Chakwal, Talagang, Jhelum, Murree, and Rawalpindi. Divisions a ...

, and was larger than the current district of Jhelum. On 1 April 1904, the tehsil of

Talagang Talagang ( Punjabi / ) is a city and the headquarters of the Talagang District located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is part of the Potohar Plateau and lies on the north of Salt Range and east of the Kala Chita range. Talagang is known for its liter ...

was detached from the District and incorporated with the new District of Attock. According to the Gazetteer of the Jhelum District of 1904, 88.7% of the population were Muslim. The old Jhelum district (minus Talagang) covered an area of 2,813 square miles (7285 km²) and included

Chakwal Tehsil Chakwal Tehsil (), is an administrative subdivision (tehsil) of Chakwal District in the Punjab (Pakistan), Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil is subdivided into 30 Union Councils of Pakistan, Union Councils - five of which form the capital Ch ...

– it was bordered by Shahpur and

Attock Attock ( Punjabi, ), formerly known as Campbellpur (Punjabi, ), is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, not far from the country's capital Islamabad. It is the headquarters of the Attock District and is 36th largest city in the Punjab and 61st largest c ...

to the west, and by

to the north – the

separated it from

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 ...

to the north-east and from Gujrat and Shahpur to the south-east and south.

Independence

The predominantly Muslim population supported under the leadership of Raja Ghazanfar Ali khan of PD Khan

Muslim League Muslim League may refer to: Political parties British India *All-India Muslim League, led the demand for the partition of India resulting in the creation of Pakistan ** Punjab Muslim League, a branch of the organization above **Unionist Muslim L ...

and

Partition of India The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...

. After the

independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...

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# ...

in 1947, the minority

Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

and

Sikhs Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Sikh'' ...

migrated to

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

while the

refugees from

settled in the Jhelum District. Since independence the agriculture and industry of Jhelum developed and forms part of the

economy of Pakistan The economy of Pakistan is categorized as a developing economy. It ranks as the List of countries by GDP (PPP), 26th-largest based on GDP using purchasing power parity (PPP) and the List of countries by GDP (nominal), 44th largest in terms of ...

Topography

Jhelum City

The district capital,

, is situated on the right and left bank of the

, the left side of Jhelum is known as

Sarai Alamgir Sarai Alamgir ( , Urdu: سرائے عالمگیر) is the main town of Sarai Alamgir Tehsil, located in the Gujrat district in the north of the Punjab, a province of Pakistan. Sarai Alamgir is one of four tehsils of Gujrat district. The S ...

and it also contains the

Military College Jhelum Military College Jhelum (MCJ) is a feeder college to the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, Pakistan. The college is one of three military colleges in Pakistan; the others being Military College Murree and Military College Sui. History The c ...

(MCJ). The 16th-century

Grand Trunk Road Grand Trunk Road (formerly known as Uttarapath, Sadak-e-Azam, Shah Rah-e-Azam, Badshahi Sadak, and Long Walk) is one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For at least 2,500 years it has linked Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent. It r ...

passes through the city.

city is near the site of the

Battle of the Hydaspes The Battle of the Hydaspes also known as Battle of Jhelum, or First Battle of Jhelum, was fought between the Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great and the Pauravas under Porus in May of 326 BCE. It took place on the banks of the Hydas ...

between the armies of

and

This battle took place a few miles downstream from the city center, along the river banks.

Population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of the Jhelum city (proper) is about 172,073 (2009) and it is the 35th largest city of

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

. A

cantonment A cantonment (, , or ) is a type of military base. In South Asia, a ''cantonment'' refers to a permanent military station (a term from the British Raj). In United States military parlance, a cantonment is, essentially, "a permanent residential ...

was built during the British rule, which has grown up into a strong Garrison, with an Infantry Division commanded by a Major General.

River Jhelum

The river Jhelum is navigable throughout the district, which forms the south-eastern portion of a rugged Himalayan spur, extending between the Indus and Jhelum to the borders of the Sind Sagar Doab. Its scenery is very picturesque, although not of so wild a character as the mountain region of Rawalpindi to the north, and is lighted up in places by smiling patches of the cultivated valley. The backbone of the district is formed by the Salt Range, a treble line of parallel hills running in three long forks from east to west throughout its whole breadth. The range rises in precipices, broken by gorges, clothed with brushwood, and traversed by streams which are at first clear but become impregnated with the saline matter over which they pass. Between the line of hills lies a table-land, in which the small lake of

Kallar Kahar Kallar Kahar () is a town and subdivision (Tehsil) of Chakwal District in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of Kallar Kahar Tehsil. The drainage of the district is determined by a low central watershed running north and south at right angles to the Salt Range. The waters of the western portion find their way into the

Sohan Sohan is a village and union council of Jhelum District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. It is part of Jhelum Tehsil, and is located at 33°3'25N 73°26'30E with an altitude of 303 metres (997 feet). Most of the population belong to th ...

, and finally into the Indus; those of the opposite slope collect themselves into small torrents and empty themselves into the Jhelum River.

Khewra Salt Mine

The Khewra Salt Mine (or Mayo Salt Mine) is located in Khewra, north of Pind Dadan Khan, an administrative subdivision of Jhelum District, which rises from the

Indo-Gangetic Plain The Indo-Gangetic Plain, also known as the Northern Plain or North Indian River Plain, is a fertile plain spanning across the northern and north-eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. It encompasses North India, northern and East India, easte ...

. It is Pakistan's largest and oldest salt mine and the world's second largest. It is a major tourist attraction, drawing up to 40,000 visitors a year. Its history dates back to its discovery by Alexander's troops in 320 BC, but it started trading in the Mughal era. The main tunnel at ground level was developed by Dr. H. Warth, a mining engineer, in 1872 during British rule. After

, the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation took over the mine, which still remains the largest source of salt in the country, producing more than 350,000 tons per annum of about 99% pure

halite Halite ( ), commonly known as rock salt, is a type of salt, the mineral (natural) form of sodium chloride ( Na Cl). Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pi ...

. Estimates of the reserves of salt in the mine vary from 82 million tons to 600 million tons.

Tilla Jogian

Tilla Jogian is the highest peak in the Eastern Salt Range. At 975 meters (3200 ft) above sea level, it is about 25 km to the west of Jhelum City and 10 km west of the model village of

Khukha Khukha is a village in Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is a Union Council, an administrative subdivision, of Jhelum TehsilTilla is highly rewarding.

Rohtas Fort Rohtas Fort (; ) is a 16th-century citadel located near the city of Dina in Jhelum district of the Punjab, Pakistan. Commissioned by Sur Emperor Sher Shah Suri, its construction was supervised by Raja Todar Mal and is now one of the largest ...

is located to the east of Tilla Jogian at a distance of about 7 km from Dina, a rapidly expanding town on the

Rohtas Fort

Rohtas Fort (Qila Rohtas) is a historical garrison fort located near the city of Jhelum. It was built by

Raja Todar Mal Raja Todar Mal (1523-24 – 8 November 1589) was an Indian minister, economist, and military commander who served as the Finance Minister (Diwan-i-Ashraff) of the Mughal empire during the reign of Akbar I. He was also the Vakil-us-Sultanat ( ...

, under the orders of the

Afghan Afghan or Afgan may refer to: Related to Afghanistan *Afghans, historically refers to the Pashtun people. It is both an ethnicity and nationality. Ethnicity wise, it refers to the Pashtuns. In modern terms, it means both the citizens of Afghanist ...

king

Sher Shah Suri Sher Shah Suri (born Farid al-Din Khan; 1472 or 1486 – 22 May 1545), also known by his title Sultan Adil (), was the ruler of Bihar from 1530 to 1540, and Sultan of Hindustan from 1540 until his death in 1545. He defeated the Mughal Empire, ...

, to subdue the rebellious tribes of the northern Punjab region, in the 16th century. This fort is about 4 km in circumference. The Rohtas fort was built to crush the local Gakhar tribes of Potohar, who rebelled against the

Sur dynasty The Sur Empire was an empire ruled by the Afghan (ethnonym), Afghan-origin Sur dynasty in North India, northern India for nearly 16 or 18 years, between 1538/1540 and 1556, with Sasaram (in modern-day Bihar) serving as its capital. It was fou ...

after the

Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...

emperor

Humayun Nasir al-Din Muhammad (6 March 1508 – 27 January 1556), commonly known by his regnal name Humayun (), was the second Mughal emperor, who ruled over territory in what is now Eastern Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Northern India, and Pakistan from ...

was ousted by the former. It took eight years to build the fort, it was captured by

emperor

in 1555.

Nader Shah Nader Shah Afshar (; 6 August 1698 or 22 October 1688 – 20 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian history, ruling as shah of Iran (Persia) from 1736 to 1747, when he was a ...

, the Turkic ruler of

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, Afghan ruler

Ahmed Shah Abdali Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (; ; – 4 June 1772), also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī (), was the first ruler and founder of the Durrani Empire. He is often regarded as the founder of modern Afghanistan. Throughout his reign, Ahmad Shah fought ov ...

and the

Maratha army The Maratha Army was the land-based armed forces of the Maratha Confederacy, which existed from the late 17th to the early 19th centuries in the Indian subcontinent. 17th century Shivaji, The great the founder of Maratha Kingdom, raised a small ...

also camped here during their respective campaigns in the

. Rohtas was also occasionally used for administrative purposes by

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire, in the northwest Indian subcontinent, ruling from 1801 until his death in 1839. Born to Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia Misl ...

of the

Sikh Empire The Sikh Empire was a regional power based in the Punjab, Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. It existed from 1799, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Lahore, to 1849, when it was defeated and conquered by the East India Company, Br ...

, after he captured it in 1825.

Agriculture

Jhelum District has a total area of , out of which are cultivated. The area is located on the eastern part of

Potohar The Pothohar Plateau (, : ''Pо̄ṭhoā̀r Paṭhār''; , ''Satāh Murtafā Pо̄ṭhohār''), also spelled Pothwar, is a plateau in the Sind Sagar Doab of northern Punjab, Pakistan, located between the Indus and Jhelum rivers. Etymology A l ...

upland along with River Jhelum.

Agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

in the District Jhelum depends mainly on rainfall. The average rainfall of the area varies from 20 to . About three-fourths of this precipitation is received in

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

season and the remaining one-fourth is received during the rest of the year. The irrigated area at present is limited but the emphasis on the construction of small dams is gradually increasing. Wheat remains the main crop. In Tehsil P.D. Khan, salt is the predominant feature that is spoiling the rich agricultural land day by day. There is a long strip of very rich and virgin soil along the river which could be made a paradise of citrus plantation by drip irrigation if the local people are motivated and the Government of Punjab expressed some interest in it.

Sports

The main sports of the area are centred on agricultural pursuits and excellence and include ''bugdar'' (stone) lifting by young men. A localised version of

kabaddi Kabaddi (, ) is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players. It is one of the traditional games of South Asia. In this game, a raider enters the opposing half of the court to touch defenders and attempt to return within 30 ...

, bull races centered on a Persian water wheel at the villages of Kantrili, Nathwala, and Jada near the suburban town of Kala Gujran. ''Tent pegging'' also known as ''neza bazi'' which indicates the region's prowess during war and battle and hence the city has attributed the name of the land of martyrs and warriors.

Zamir Jaffri Cricket Stadium Zamir Jaffri Cricket Stadium is a cricket stadium in Jhelum, Pakistan. It is named after Jhelum's native poet Syed Zamir Jafri. The stadium is in close proximity to Altaf Park which was built in 1994–95. It used to be a local district-level ...

near Suleiman Park is named after Zamir Jafri, a poet from Jhelum.

Hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...

is another sport that is common in Jhelum.

Flora and fauna

Vegetation of the forests of Jhelum Forest Division is dry, deciduous shrub type, phulai, Kahu (wild olive), and sanatha are the main species. The stocking, on the whole, is poor and the forests are open. Vegetation is poor on sandstone and red marl. The southern slopes are often devoid of vegetation while northwestern slopes carry good forests. The forests of Jhelum Forests Division are burdened with the right of grazing, browsing, and firewood. Under settlement out of total area only about (45%) are right free. The remaining 55% are open to grazing. The fauna of the district is mostly indigenous restricted, like the vegetation, but similarly varied and interesting. The rugged and rough terrain, low rainfall, the scantly cover of vegetation, and the burning passions of the increasing number of hunters, all have their share in limiting the animal kingdom in the district. The river offers a better environment than elsewhere though the hills support more interesting wildlife. Urial (an animal from a deer family) and chinckara are spot aids while wild boar are found in the Salt Range. Wolves, foxes, and wild cats are also found. Hare is fairly common. Chikor grey and black partridge are also found in the parts of the district. Migratory ducks like teal pintail and mallard and some geese visit during winter.

Climate

The climate of the tract is extreme. In winter it is very cold and summer is very hot. The average rainfall varies from 48 to 69 m.m per annum which is much below the required quantity but in the rainy season, the water torrents flow from north to the river Jhelum at a very fast speed and cause damages to the crops, bridges, roads, and are responsible for the soil erosion in the District. Over the years, global climate change has affected Jhelum as well as any other place on Earth and below comparison charts from Weatherbase show the difference in climate between 2008 and 2015:

Demographics

Population

As of the 2023 census, Jhelum district has 229,064 households and a population of 1,382,308. The district has a sex ratio of 103.70 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 80.65%: 86.55% for males and 74.53% for females. 284,927 (20.85% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age. 541,318 (39.16%) live in urban areas.

Religion

As per the 2023 census,

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

were the predominant religious group with 98.84% while Christians were 1.1% of the population. Christians mostly live in urban areas.

Language

At the time of the

2023 Census of Pakistan The 2023 Census of Pakistan was the census, detailed enumeration of the Pakistani population and the census in Pakistan, seventh national census in the country. It was conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. It was also the first ever di ...

, 88.82% of the population spoke

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...

, 2.73%

Pashto Pashto ( , ; , ) is an eastern Iranian language in the Indo-European language family, natively spoken in northwestern Pakistan and southern and eastern Afghanistan. It has official status in Afghanistan and the Pakistani province of Khyb ...

and 4.24%

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

as their first language. The dialects of Punjabi spoken here are

Potohari Pahari Pothwari is an Indo-Aryan language variety of the Lahnda group, spoken in the northern half of Pothohar Plateau, in Punjab, Pakistan, as well as in the most of Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir and in the western areas of Indian-adminis ...

and Majhi.

Development organizations

Rehmat Welfare Foundation Jhelum is a charity project working for poor and needy people of fifty-mile area including Jhelum which cannot afford the expenses of their daily life and very expensive general medical and kidney dialysis treatment. Civil Society Human and Institutional Development Program (CHIP) is working in

Sohawa Tehsil Sohawa is an administrative sub-division (Tehsil) of the Jhelum District, situated in the Punjab province of Pakistan, located in the northwestern part of the district. Union Councils Sohawa Tehsil is subdivided into 9 Union Councils: Adran ...

since 2004, with its field office in the area CHIP has successfully mobilized community people to get organize into Community Based Organizations, Community Citizen Boards and Women Organizations. Further, CHIP has duly built the capacity of these local entities to take new initiatives. These community-level organizations, in collaborative partnerships with CHIP, are working on several development projects. The main focus of these projects is to eliminate illiteracy from villages of Sohawa especially those where government education structure does not exist, make clean drinking water available, provide technical support to the local farmers, raise skill development opportunities for women, and include them in the decision-making process, aiding social inclusion, so as to better represent the communities they live in. The local community-level organizations developed by CHIP are making successful efforts in implementing development projects by deriving funds from local government bodies.

Universities, colleges and schools

* AIOU – Jhelum campus * Air Foundation School System Junior Branch (Near Al-Bilal Hotel) * Air Foundation School System, Jhelum (Boys & Girls) * Al Islam Sharia College Ketchehry Road Jhelum * Army Public School and College, Jhelum Cantt. * Army Public School and College, Mangla Cantt * Bahria Foundation College, GT Road, Jhelum * Beaconhouse School System, G T Road, Jhelum * Bukhari College of Science and Comm Jhelum * Cambridge College, 10-A Civil Lines, Jhelum * Cantonment Board CMB Model, Jhelum * Dar-e-Arqam School Muhammadi Chowk, Jehlum * Etekosoft Institute of Computer Sciences, Jhelum * Farabi Foundation Elementary School for Boys Mangla Road Dina Jhelum. * Farabi Foundation Elementary School for Girls Kalwantpur Dina Jhelum. * Farabi Foundation High School for Boys Dina Jhelum. * Farabi Foundation High School for Girls Dina Jhelum. * Fatima Jinnah Post Graduate Girls College, Jhelum Cantt * Fauji Foundation Degree College, PD Khan * Fauji Foundation Model School & College, Jhelum Cantt. * Federal Government College, Mangla Cantt * Global College of English Language, Bilal Town Jhelum * Government Al Bairuni Degree College, Pind Dadan Khan * Government College for Women, Jhelum * Government College of Commerce, Bilal Town, Jhelum * Government College of Education, Jhelum * Government College of Technology, Chak Daulat * Government College of technology, Chak Daulat, Jhelum * Government College. G.T. Road, Jhelum * Government Degree College for Women, Sanghoi *

Government Degree College, Dina A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a mea ...

* Government Degree College, Jhelum * Government Degree College, Sohawa * Government Girls College, Jalalpur Sharif * Government Institute of Commerce (W), Sohawa * Government Institute of Commerce, Pind Dadan Khan * Government Model High School Madu Kalas * Government Model High School Ratwal, Pind Dadan Khan * Government Model High School, Bair Faqiran * Government Noor Mudrassa Tul Banat Girls School, established since 1944 * Government Post Graduate College, Jhelum * Government Tabligh ul Islam secondary school, Jhelum * International Islamic University Islamabad Schools, Jhelum * Jhelum College of Education, Jhelum * Jhelum Homeopathic Medical College, GT Road, Jada * Jinnah College of Commerce & Computer Science, Jhelum * Jinnah College of Commerce, Dina * Jinnah Law College, Jhelum *

Litra Valley Girls College A litra (: ''litrae''; ) was a small silver coin (or unit of measurement for other precious metals) used in the Archaic-era and early Classical colonies of ancient Greece in general and in ancient Sicily in particular. As a coin, the litra was ...

, Jango * Lyceumhouse School System Karimpur Road, Jhelum. * PICS, Bilal town * Presentation Convent School, Jhelum * Punjab College, PD Khan * Punjab College, G.T Road, Jhelum * QMA Jinnah College, PD Khan * Research Girls College, Kala Gujran * SLS College Jhelum * Superior College, Jhelum * The Educator School, G.T Road, Jada *

University of the Punjab The University of the Punjab (UoP) is a public university, public research university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded in 1882, its international influence has made it one of the most prestigious universities in South As ...

, Jhelum campus * VU Jhelum Campus * Wings College of Commerce, 4-Civil Lines, Jhelum * World Over School and College Academy, Jhelum

Notable people

* Maj. Muhammad Akram,

Nishan-e-Haider Nishan-e-Haider (NH; or 'Emblem of the Lion') is the highest military gallantry award of Pakistan. The Nishan-e-Haider is awarded only to members of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It recognises the highest acts of extraordinary bravery in the f ...

* Jagjit Singh Aurora, Commander Eastern Theatre, Indian Army in Indo-Pak War of 1971 *

Fawad Chaudhry Fawad Ahmed Hussain Chaudhry () is a Pakistani politician who served as Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, in office since 14 April 2021 to 10 April 2022. On 24 May 2023 announced he is best and good from politics. Previously, ...

, Pakistani politician *

Sunil Dutt Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Raghunath Dutt; 6 June 1929 – 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director, and politician known for his work in Hindi Cinema. He acted in more than 80 films over a career spanning five decades and was t ...

, Indian actor and politician *

Inder Kumar Gujral Inder Kumar Gujral (4 December 1919 – 30 November 2012) was an Indian diplomat, politician, and anti-colonial independence activist, who served as prime minister of India from April 1997 to March 1998. Born in Punjab, he was influenced by ...

, ex-Prime Minister of India *

Gulzar Gulzar (born Sampooran Singh Kalra; 18 August 1934) is an Indian Urdu poetry, Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this era. He starte ...

, Indian filmmaker, lyricist and poet *

Chaudhry Altaf Hussain Chaudhry Altaf Hussain ( Punjabi and ) was a Pakistani politician who served as the 19th Governor of Punjab, Pakistan in 1993 and again from 1994 and 1995. Previously, he had been member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 1956 to 1958 ...

, ex-governor Punjab * Dr. Ghulam Hussain * Zamir Jafri, poet * Asif Nawaz Janjua, general and ex-chief of the Army Staff, Pakistan * Ghazanfar Ali Khan, leader of the

Pakistan Movement The Pakistan Movement was a religiopolitical and social movement that emerged in the early 20th century as part of a campaign that advocated the creation of an Islamic state in parts of what was then British Raj. It was rooted in the two-nation the ...

Muhammad Ali Mirza Muhammad Ali Mirza (; born 4 October 1977) also known as Engineer Ali Mirza, is a Pakistani Islamic cleric and political commentator. A mechanical engineer by profession, he is known for his lectures on religious topics, which have attracted ...

, Islamic Scholar * Jaswant Singh Neki, a leading Indian scholar, significant Punjabi language poet and an influential

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...

– king, ancient warrior

References

External links

Jhelum District Official Portal

Jhelum Police Website

TMA Jhelum Website

Unofficial Jhelum Website

Jhelum Networks Official Website
{{Coord, 32, 56, N, 73, 44, E, type:adm2nd_source:itwiki, display=title Districts of Punjab, Pakistan