Nawan Shehr () is a town in
Abbottabad District,
Khyber Pakthunkhwa,
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# ...
. The town is renowned for the historic
Ilyasi Masjid, the largest and oldest mosque of Abbottabad. Behind the mosque lies a small hill with walking trails, adding to the town's scenic charm. During the summer, Nawan Shehr attracts visitors from across the country due to its pleasant climate. It is also home to educational institutions of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. Nawan Shehr has its own old bazaar which is famous for its
Chapli Kebab. The primary language spoken is
Hindko
Hindko (, , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken by several million people of various ethnic backgrounds in northwestern Pakistan, primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Pun ...
, with Gojri also spoken in some areas. Nawan Shehr is located on the route to Abbottabad City and the tourist destinations of
Thandiani and
Nathia Gali along Murree Road, at an elevation of 1,216 meters (3,990 feet).
History
On the 3rd of June 1847
James Abbott, who would later become First Deputy Commissioner of Hazara, noted in his journal:
"Marched to Nowa Shihr, 17 miles, a town of huts in a singularly beautiful and fertile valley, of considerable elevation. The wheat is still
standing, although some of the ram crops are in ear. This would form a most desirable residence but for the fever with which it is visited
during the rains and the swampiness of the soil at that season, I sought m vain for a quarter of an acre of ground near the town free
from cultivation as a site for a shed to shelter me during the rains. I have ordered the erection of one, however, upon ground to be rented
during occupation. The fever here seems to be less universal than in Pukli and
Hurkishengurh".
[JOURNALS AND DIARIES OF THE ASSISTANTS TO THE RESIDENT AT LAHORE - No. 11.—Journal of Captain James Abbott, Boundary Commissioner, Punjaub, from 1st to llth June 1847.]
Tourist attractions
Nawanshehr features some of its own tourist attractions, such as:
*Ilyasi Masjid (mosque)
*Bungalows (Locally known as Havelis) of Babu Sher Das.
In Nawanshehr there is a famous mosque that was built over a stream of water that flows from the mountain. The mosque stills stands to this day and still has water flowing underneath it. It is called Ilyasi Masjid. In front of it is a little pond-like area in which people can ride paddle-driven boats. The place is also famous for the '
Pakora' stalls.
*Naray a natural
spring which is used as a
public bath
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other cr ...
.
*Cricket Stadium
Demographics
Population
As of the
2023 census, Nawan Shehr had a population of 40,711.
Religion
Notable people
*
Mohammad Aslam Khan, senator from the
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is a political party in Pakistan and one of the three major List of political parties in Pakistan, Pakistani political parties alongside the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. With a Cent ...
*
Mufti Qazi Asmatullah (1st Imam of Ilyasi Mosque)
*
Asghar Khan
Mohammad Asghar Khan (17 January 1921 – 5 January 2018) known as ''Night Flyer,'' held the distinction of being the first native and second C-in-C of the PAF, Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) from 1957 to 1965. He has been d ...
Notes
References
{{reflist
Populated places in Abbottabad District