Nowshera (also locally known as "Naw" "khaar") is one of the most historical and important district, situated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is bordered to the west by Peshawar, to the Northwest by Charsadda and Mardan, to the east by Swabi and to the Southeast by Attock districts. Hence Nowshera possesses a central position in NWFP and its inhabitants are regarded as the most peaceful.

 

Excerpts from Gazetteer of the Kohat district 1883-84

The Khattak Tribe

The first settlement of the Khattaks was at Shawal, a valley in the Waziri country lying to the west of Bannu, near the Pir Ghal peak. They migrated thence eastwards to the British district of Bannu and settled with the Afghan tribes of Honai and Mangal, who then held it. These tribes were driven out by the Shitaks, a clan allied to the Khattaks, also from Shawal, probably during the 14th century. The Shitaks gradually drove back the weak Khattak communities previously settled along the left bank of the Kuram. The Khattaks thus pressed from behind gradually spread over the southern portion of the Kohat district. They first took Possession of the Chauntra Bahadar Khel and Teri valleys, and jointly with the Bangashes drove out the tribes previously occupying the north-eastern part of the district, and obtained the Gumbat, Pattiala and Zira tappas as their share.

Malak Ako

Malik Akorai, or Ako, the first of a long line of Khattak chiefs, who flourished in the 16th century, was a man of Karbogha, a village north-west of Teri. The Khattaks seem to have been firmly established there in his time, and to have carried on a predatory war with the neighbouring Bangashes of Darsamand. Malik Ako quarrelled with his relatives at Karbogha and removed to the Khwarra.  (خوڑہ) The Karbogha men were subsequently induced to emigrate. They tried to settle in Shakardarra, but the Awans of Kalabagh were too strong for them, and after a good deal of fighting the Khattaks moved off and eventually settled with Malik Ako at Sunialu in the Khwarra Khwarra (خوڑہ). The Malik had a special dislike on religious grounds to Hindu jogis. He successfully resisted the lances of the Emperor Akbar under Shah Beg Khan, Governor of Peshawar. When the Emperor himself happened on one of his campaigns to be at Nilab, A.D. 1581, he sent for Malik Ako and arranged with him that the Khattaks were to enjoy a transit duty on all cattle passing along the Peshawar-Attock road, in consideration for which they were to be responsible for its safety. Malik Ako also obtained a grant from the emperor of the country south of the Kabul River from Khairabad to Nowshera. He subsequently founded the village of Akora on this road, and established a serai there. Akora became thenceforth the capital of the tribe.

Sagri Khattaks

The Sagris, a branch of the Bolak Khattaks, who had accompanied Malik Ako to the Khwarra (خوڑہ),soon afterwards moved down to Shakardarra and Nandraka. They drove out the Awans, and took possession of the country nearly as far as Kalabagh. They afterwards crossed the Indus and drove the Awans out of Makhad and the surrounding tract. The Shakardarra and Makhad tappas are still held by the Sagris. They have always had a chief; but the family holding the chief ship has been more than once changed. An account of the Sagri Khattaks will be found in Appendix IV to Mr. Tucker's Settlement Report. The present chief Ghulam Muhammad Khan lives at Makhad and is a jagirdar of both the Pindi and the Kohat district.

Bhangi Khels

The Bhangi Khel Khattaks were a section of the Sagris. They broke off from the latter and acquired an adjoining tract now included in the Bannu district.

Akora Khattaks

The Sagris seem to have been altogether independent of the family of Malik Ako, who established themselves at Akora and were the acknowledged chiefs of all the other Khattaks, from the Kabul River, to the neighbourhood of Bannu. Malik Ako's successors appear to have held their eldership under the confirmation of the Delhi Emperors, and usually met a violent death at the hands of their relatives. The celebrated Khushal Khan was their most noted chieftain. His great grandson Sadullah Khan, being on bad terms with his father Afzal Khan (the historian), established himself on the site of the present town of Teri which has ever since been the head-quarters of the western Khattaks. Sadullah himself afterwards succeeded to the chief ship of the whole tribe, but from this time forward the western Khattaks were separately governed by a chief of their own residing at Teri.

At first the Teri chief was merely the Naib of the Akora chief. Eventually the Teri chief ship became settled in the family of Shahbaz Khan, the younger son of Sadullah Khan, from whom the present chief, Nawab Sir Khwaja Muhammad Khan, is descended. The elder branch, the descendants of Saadat Khan, resided at Akora. They interfered a good deal in Teri matters, and exercised a sort of over-chief ship till they were overwhelmed by the Sikh invasion. The Teri chief ship was but little affected by the Sikh conquest, but the Akora chief ship as a whole was entirely broken up. All the leading members of the family were at feud with one another, and murder was rifer than ever. Two or three petty chiefs survived from the wreck and were found at annexation in possession of small jagirs bestowed on them by the Sikh Government. These will be mentioned further on. They divided between them the whole of the Akora Khattak portion of the Kohat tahsil.

Grant of Teri to Khwaja Muhammad Khan

During the second Sikh war Khwaja Muhammad Khan, the chief of Teri, took the side of the British Government. At annexation he was continued in the management of the whole Teri tahsil, which was confirmed to him in perpetuity at a fixed assessment equal to about a third of the revenue of the tract. Further information regarding him will be found further on in "Leading Families of the District."

Nawab Sir Khwaja Muhammad Khan Khattak KCSI

This chief claims descent from Malik Ako, the Akora chief. Khwaja Muhammad Khan, who was born in 1824, is the posthumous son of the chief Khushal Khan. He was adopted by Musammat Farkhunda, wife of the chief Rasul Khan, who, on the death of the latter in 1844, placed him on the vacant gaddi, in preference to her own son by Rasul Khan. Since then Khwaja Mohammad Khan has been chief of the Teri Khattaks. At annexation he obtained the lease of the Teri tahsil from year to year at Rs. 31,068. In 1850 the amount was lowered to Rs. 25,000, and in 1851 be obtained a lease for five years at Rs. 20,000. In 1855 the lease was granted to him at these rates for life, and in 1858 the grant was confirmed to Khwaja Muhammad Khan and to his heirs in perpetuity. For his services during the late Afghan war the amount payable by Khwaja Muhammad Khan was reduced for his life to Rs. 18,000. No orders have been issued regarding the succession to the Teri chief ship. It will no doubt be treated similarly to the Shakardarra jagir, i.e., continued to a selected heir, who will be bound to make suitable provision for the junior members of the family.

In 1873 Khwaja Muhammad Khan was made a KCSI and was also given the title of Nawab. He has always been distinguished for his steady loyalty to Government. He exercises civil and criminal powers of the second class within the limits of the Teri tahsil and is his own tahsildar. The Nawab has a large family of sons. The eldest, Muzaffar Khan, leads a retired life, but his sons, grandsons to the Nawab, have now reached manhood and appear anxious to come to the front. The second son, Muhammad Zaffar Khan, who is generally treated as the old Nawab's heir, exercises judicial powers, and is his father's principal assistant in carrying on the work of the tahsil. Among the other sons the best known are Ghaffur Khan and Spin Khan. The latter served for some time in Kuram and also accompanied Sir Frederick Roberts to Kabul. There are a multitude of Khanzadas in the Teri country descended from former chief's. They are not as a rule of any mark or of rank entitling them to a chair. The Naibs of Gumbat who are very distantly related, and Zakaria Khan of Lachi, are perhaps the most prominent among them.

Jafar Khan, Khattak of Nilab

This Chief is a scion of the senior branch of the family of the Akora Chiefs. In the scramble that followed the Sikh conquest of Peshawar he obtained the Nilab tappa in jagir. During the Second Sikh War he sided with the Sikhs. He was, however, confirmed at annexation in possession of his jagir. The jagir was valued at Rs. 2,178, and consisted of ten villages, of which three lying east of the Indus were afterwards transferred to the Pindi district. In 1852 this jagir was increased to Rs. 3,000 by a cash grant of Rs. 822 for life, to be reconsidered after his death with a view to the grant being perpetual during the good behaviour of his ancestors. And the three villages transferred to Pindi were excluded from the jagir, and in lieu of them a cash grant was allowed of Rs. 400, also in perpetuity. In consideration of his services during the mutiny he sent some levies to Nowshera, Jafar Khan was given a further life pension of Rs. 822.

Up to the present Settlement Jafar Khan took Battai in his jagir. He also realised a large income from miscellaneous cesses. At Settlement the villages were assessed in cash, and the cesses for the most part abolished. Jafar Khan has petitioned to have the loss occasioned by the change made good to him. The loss has been estimated at Rs. 2,804. He at present holds a jagir now assessed at Rs. 1,714, and pensions aggregating Rs. 22,044; in all Rs. 3,758 a year. No orders have been issued regarding the succession to this jagir. His son Fateh Muhammad now manages the jagir, Jafar Khan himself being over 70 years of age.

Jafar Khan died on 10th January 1583. His son Fateh Muhammad Khan has been appointed to succeed him in the jagir and hereditary pension of Rs. 400 The first pension of Rs. 822 has also been confirmed to Fateh Muhammad Khan for life. The mutiny pension of Rs. 822 has been resumed. A lump sum of Rs. 1,500 was allowed as compensation for loss of right to collect revenue in kind.

Afzal Khan of Jamal Garhi, Peshawar

Afzal Khan, like Jafar Khan, belongs to the senior branch of the family of the Akora Chiefs. Before annexation he distinguished himself by murdering the chief, Khawas Khan, who has been mentioned in the account of the Teri Khattaks. At annexation be was found in possession of the Khwarra and Zira tappas and of part of Pattiala. He was ousted in 1851 for mismanagement, when he retired to Jamal Garhi; where he has since resided. In 1852, his former jagir valued at Rs. 1,400 was confirmed to Afzal Khan in perpetuity. The income was made up to Rs. 3,000 by a cash grant of Rs. 1,600 for life to be reconsidered at his death. In 1854, when the jagir was taken under direct management, it was decided that he should receive only half the jagir realisations. These amounted to Rs. 700, but have been increased by the new Settlement to Rs. 812-8. In 1858 he was allowed an additional pension of Rs. 822 on account of mutiny services. He at one time received a share of the income from the Khwarra and Zira raid's. This was commuted to a fixed sum of Rs. 395 a year, in 1873.

He now enjoys: Half revenue of jagir villages, Rs. 812; fixed allowance fromrakhs, Rs. 395; pension paid from Peshawar, Rs. 1,600; pension paid from Kohat, Rs. 822. Total Rs. 3,629. The jagir grant is in perpetuity, and presumably the rakh allowance also. As regards the cash pension of Rs. 2,422, Rs. 1,000 of this pension was to be continued in perpetuity to a selected heir during loyal conduct. Afzal Khan belongs rather to the Peshawar than to the Kohat district.

Biland Khan of Khushal Garh

Biland Khan is a great grandson of the chief Saadat Khan. Before annexation his uncle Murtaza Khan held two villages, Khushalgarh and Khwaza Khel in jagir. These villages were situated in the large jagir hold by Afzal Khan, and previous to 1854 Murtaza Khan had been obliged to struggle for his rights which Afzal Khan wished to override. Murtaza Khan died in January 1871, but the succession to the jagir had been previously confirmed to Biland Khan in 1858. Biland Khan resides at Amir in the Khwarra. He holds for life only, but the jagir will probably be continued in the family. He gets a percentage of 7 per cent of the income from the Khwarra jungles, of which his uncle Karim Khan is Superintendent. The jagir is assessed at Rs. 290.

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According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the population was 874,373, a population density of 500.2 persons per km². The annual growth rate was 2.9% and the proportion of Urban dwellers was 26%. Muslims form 99% of the population, of the rest, Christian 0.5%; Ahmadi 0.3% and Hindu 0.1%. The main Language is Pashto (91%) followed by Punjabi (3.6%) and Urdu (1.3%) - the literacy rate is 89%. 22.2% of the total population Main occupations: Professionals 5.5%; Technicians 3%; Agriculture workers 21.8%; Elementary occupations 33.6%; Service and shop workers 12.9%; Armed forces 8.5%; Craft and related trade workers 4.5%; Clerks 3.3%

 

Sub tribe Akorra Khattak of main Khattak tribe is the dominant tribe in the district, divided in with almost six clans i.e Akorkhels , Khwarra khattak , Swera khattak , Uryakhels , Sami khel (Ismaeel Khels), and Kaka khels(Miangan).Beside these,another nation called Gumriyani is also present,which came from Afghanistan to help the muslim(pukhtun)brothers of nowshera and settled here.

 

 

Nowshera district has been divided into five provincial assembly constituencies, which are; PF-12, PF-13, PF-14, PF-15 AND PF-16. There are two National assembly constituencies, which are; NA-5 and NA-6. The population will be exceeding 1,300,000 till 2009-10. Total area of Nowshera is 1,748.00 square kilometers. There are residing 608 persons in a square kilometer. Total agricultural area is 52,540.00 hectors. The main source of income of the population is agriculture. Earlier, Nowshera was old Tehsil (sub district) of Peshawar. It was converted into a district since 1988 during the regime o Pakistan Peoples Party. This is third District of Peshawar division, which was separated from Peshawar. This district is also called joining gate for linking between Central Asia and India. It possess significance because of being situated at the riverbank of Sindh (Indus). This is fact that old Peshawar was famous due to vast industrial basis of Nowshera Tehsil (sub district), like; paper and board, chemical, tobacco, ceramic, cement, glass sheet, pharmaceutical, cooking oil, jute bags, textile, wooden furniture and other manufacturing units .

 

There are big industries over here. Out of which Nizampur Cement Company (AWT), Fauji Corn Complex at Jehangira, Nowshera Sheet Glass Industries at Adamzai, Pakistan Tobacco Company at Akora Khattak, Associated Industries Ltd. at Amangarh, Ferozsons pharmaceutical at Amangarh, Locomotive factory at Risalpur, Special Export Processing Zone at Risalpur are most prominent. Similarly, a number of various industrial units situated at Pabbi, Risalpur, Amangarh, Akora Khattak, Jehangira and Cherat areas are also making progress from industrial point of view.

 

Nowshera is prominent with regards to the military training facilities and railway locomotive manufacturing factory. There are many opportunities to improve industries here.

 

Akora Khattak

is a city along the Peshawar-Rawalpindi road, in the NWFP province of Pakistan.Akora Khattak is the birth place of the famous poet Khushal Khan Khattak. The poet is also buried here. The Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library has been constructed here to commemorate the poet.

today most people living in akora khattak are not natives. Most of foreigners are mohmands, hasankhel afridis and hindku speaking awans etc. The descendents of khushal khan khattak still have grip of regional political power. While during khattk's kingdom it was akora khattak with the central powers of both south and north khattaks. The rulers of Teri were from akora khattak. Khattaks in akora together with that of nizampur, khattaknama, cherat are sini branch one of two main branches of khattaks. It is to be noted that although literacy rate is less but peoples have more knowledge of socio-political matters.

Every place in the world has some causes of having some special name. Just as Akora Khattak has name on the name of the Malik Akor Khan the grandfather of the great warrior & Pushto poet Khushal Khan Khattak.

Sher Shah Suri Period When the emperor “Sher Shah Suri’s” army digs two wells in this place and made it a rest place and named the place Sarai Malik Pura. Caravans came from the Central Asia for trading purpose and stayed at this place.

Mughal Period In 1581 Mughal emperor ‘Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar’ came to Peshawar to finish the mutiny of his brother ‘Mirza Hakeem’ and stayed there for a few years. During his stay the Mughal emperor convened a meeting (Jirga) of all chieftains for the betterment of the area. The mughul emperor appointed Malik Akor Khan as a government representative, who was living at Neelab (Nizampur) and assigned responsibility of tax collection and protection of the caravans crossing the Indus river at Attock.

Malik Akor Khan came to the Sarai Malik Pura (Akora Khattak) for this purpose and made this area his living place after some time this place was renamed as ‘Sarai Akor Khattak’ and by the passing of time it’s name became “Akora Khattak”.

Sikh Period In the year 1820 Sikh’s of Panjab have conquered Peshawar and other Pathan areas and ruled on it up to 1849. In 1826 the Mujahidin-I-islam (Sayed Ahmad Barelvi) have fight a battle against Sikhs at this place. In the year 1834 Sardar lehna Singh build the forte of Akora Khattak near the river Kabul and made Ahmad khan the chief of the forte. British Period The British period starts from 29 August 1849. In the year 1809 the first British person “Sir Mount Stewert Alfiston” visited Peshawar and afterwards in the year 1949 at the end of the Sikh rule all the pathan areas were gone under British rule. The cant of Akora Khattak was established in the year 1850 and at 23 rd march 1851 Lord Dilhozi visited the cant. In 1916 the first police station of Akora Khattak was established

This golden district played main role for political asylum for Afghanistan refugees. A number of Makeshift camps were built at various locations within the jurisdiction of district Nowshera for stay of Afghan refugees.

Jehangira is a town and Union council of Nowshera District. It is located at 33°57'46N 72°13'17E with an altitude of 281 metres (925 feet). According to the British record of 1871, Jehangir Khan was the founder of Jehangira town. In the beginning it was known as "Jehangir village" and then became famous as "Jehangira". Geographically, River Kabul dividing this town in to two Union councils and two districts. Eastern union council is under Swabi District, while the western is under Nowshera District. Majority of the people of eastern part are KHATTAK, AWANS & YUSUFZI; most of them are belong to agriculture. The western part is a commercial zone famous for marble industries and Kabab (famous food), etc. Markets, industries, bus stands and railway station boosts the familiarity of the western part. A Famous Tomb of Sheikh Baba is situated in the Eastern Part of the City and is called "Mohallah Sheikh Baba". In 1834 a Hindu "Baniya" was converted into Islam by the famous religious family of the town called Haji Azim Family. Baba Jee lived there until his death. Haji Muhammad Azim Khan of the Village Jehangira, Mohallah Sheikh Abad is presently taking care of the Tomb and adjacent mosque for its maintenances and preservations etc. An annual "URS" is celebrated each year on 12th Rabiul Awal on the Mazar Of Sheikh Baba. A large number of people gather there and get blessed on the occasion.

Besides, strong Industrial foundation, historical scenes are available for interest of tourists. River Kabul is flowing with Nowshera City and combines with River Sindh at Kund, which is worth seeing. A number of lush green parks and beautiful places, like; Cherat, Manki Sharif, Saidukhel, Company Baagh, Kund park, Manglot wildlife park at Nizampur and Azakhel park provide excellent scenic views and always become sources of rejuvenation to the visitors. Likewise, Bahadur Baba ziarat, Kaka Sahib ziarat, Khushal Khan Khattak memorial library and Maqbara (tomb) all deserve to pay a visit.

 

Cherat is a hill station in Nowshera District in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Cherat fort is used by elite Special Services Group of Pakistan Army. The Pakistan Special Services Group SSG headquarters is in Cherat, so for that reason the area is off limits to the public. Cherat is located at 33°49'0N 71°53'0E and lies 34 miles south east from the city of Peshawar at an elevation of 4500ft on the west of the Khattak range, which divides the district of Nowshera from Kohat. During British rule Cherat was a hill sanitarium and cantonment in what was then the Naushahra Tahsil of Peshawar District (then part of British India). It was important as a hill cantonment and sanatorium for British troops. Cherat, which is 4,500 feet above sea-level, was first used as a sanitarium for troops in 1861 and was used during the hot weather as a health station for the British troops who were quartered in the hot and malarial valley of Peshawar. It was declared a cantonment in 1886. A hospital, a church, and a few bungalows were built by the British authorities. The station, which has a good water-supply, was throughout the summer the head-quarters of the Peshawar Division command, and of one of the two British regiments stationed at Peshawar - a detachment of the other British regiment was also sent here.The cantonment was in a strategic area for the British as the hill commands a view of the whole of the Peshawar valley on one side, and on the other of a portion of the Khwarra valley in Peshawar District, and of Kohat District as far as the Indus. The population, according to the Census of March, 1901, was only 376 (no Europeans), but in the hot season the garrison sometimes numbers 1,000 men. The fort is used as a base by the elite Special Services Group and is used for training of the army. As part of joint military events with several nations, Cherat is current hosting an Improving Command Course until 2010.

 

This district is rewarded by progress due to constant investment. A number of well-known figures of national and international repute belong to this place. Following are some of the prominent figures, to name a few:

• Khushal khan khattak; a great poet, valiant warlord and visionary chieftain of the major Khattak tribe was born and raised here.
• Pir of Manki Sharif; a well regarded spiritual leader.
• Maulana Abdul Haq; Sheikhul Hadith, Sheikhul Quran and the founder of Daral Uloom Haqqania, Akora Khattak.
• Maulana Samiul Haq.
• Maulana Anwaarul Haq.
• Qazi Hussain Ahmad.
• Maulana Mujahid.
• Maulana Sher Ali Shah.
• Sartaj Aziz, Ex-Finance Minister & Senator
• Major General (Rtd.) Naseer Ullah Baber, Ex-Interior Minister
• Samandar Khan Samandar, Badrashi
• Maulana Abdullah Ustad, Nowshera city.
• Muhammad Ajmal Khattak, Akora Khattak
• Professor Dr Afzal Raza, Akora Khattak
• Siraj Ul Islam Siraj, Akora Khattak
• Khan Bahadur Muhammad Zaman Khan Khattak, Akora Khattak
• Ameer Ghulam Sadiq
• Hazrat Nisar Ullah Bacha, Azakhel
• Maj Gen (Rtd.) Fazal Elahi
• Maj Gen (Rtd.) Shu Ul Qamer
• Dr Sher Zaman Taizai
• Syed Rasul Rasa
• Saadullah Jan Barq
• Mr Justice Shakir Ullah Jan

The local government headed by the Nazim-e-Ala is supervising Nowshera district. The local government setup is comprised of 47 union councils, 12 town councils, 1 tehsil council and a district assembly. In addition, district coordination officer (DCO) is bridging local government and Govt. functionaries including; administering planning & finance activities of various developmental projects for the benefit of the masses, like; allocation of funds for various civic amenities, education, healthcare, W&S, agriculture etc. There are one district police headquarters, headed by the district police officer and 8 police stations functioning in the district jurisdiction. These police stations are situated in Nizampur, Khairabad, Akora, Nowshera cantt., Nowshera city, Risalpur, Azakhel and Pabbi.

 

In order to provide healthcare facilities, several hospitals are functioning in Nowshera. DHQ, CMH Nowshera, CMH Risalpur, Cantonment board hospital, LRBT Akora and Pabbi satellite complex are most prominent. Besides, various basic health units and rural health centers are also functioning at various towns of Nowshera district. In addition, there are a number of other medical centers providing healthcare services to the masses in private capacity.

 

Nowshera district is also enjoying prominence over other districts and maintained good reputation throughout NWFP on account of best educational institutions.

 

Following are some of the renowned seats of learning:

Nizampur is a town in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°47'7N 72°1'27E and has an altitude of 329 meters (1082 feet). The area contains reserves of iron ore. The main village Nizampur is situated in Illaqa (Area) Khwara, falling in Nowshera district. Illaqa Khwara comprises about 35 main villages and some newly extended small settlements. This area is located on the right bank of river Indus and bordered to Khairabad town, Bahadur Baba shrine, Saidukhel village, Cherat cantonment and Darra Adamkhel area. Illaqa Khwara is suitable for cement industry, stone crushing machines, cottage industry, marble cutting and polishing industry, wooden furniture industry, fish farms, poultry farms, fruits and vegetables farms (Papaya, Orange, Lemon and Guava) and cattle farms. There is one police station, one basic health unit and a small bazaar in Nizampur. Manglot wildlife park is worth seeing.

 

Tribes: Khattak, Kakakhel (Miangan), Babar, Durrani, Paracha, Qazi, Awan, Chughtai, Qureshi, Gillani, Syed

 

Major Towns: Akbarpura, Amankot, Pabbi, Cherat, Amangarh, Badrashi, Kheshgi, Rashakai, Akora Khattak, Shaidu, Jehangira, Khairabad, Nizampur.

 

Major Crops: Wheat, Cauliflower, Corn, Onion, Turnip, Tobacco, Cucumber, Tomato, Tinda, Lemon, Lady's finger, Turnip.