Nowshera (also locally known as "Naw" "khaar") is one of the most historical and important district, situated in Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) 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.

 

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 foreighners are mohmands,hasankhel afridis and hindku speaking awans etc.The descendents ok khushal khan khattaks 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 togeter with that of nizampur,khattaknama,cherat are sini brancf,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 (jarga) 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. A great poet, brave warlord and chieftain of major Khattak tribe Khushal khan khattak, was born and raised here. Another well regarded spiritual leader Pir of Manki Sharif, Maulana Abdul Haq; the founder of Daral Uloom Haqqania, Maulana Samiul Haq, Maulana Anwaarul Haq, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Maulana Mujahid, Maulana Sher Ali Shah, Ex-Finance Minister & Senator Sartaj Aziz, Ex-Interior Minister Major General (rtd.) Naseer Ullah Baber recounts to Nowshera. Some renowned poets and writers, like; Samandar Khan Samandar, Abdullah Ustad and Ajmal Khattak etc. also belong to the same place. Similarly, a number of other political stalwarts, like; Pervez Khattak, Jan Muhammad Khattak, Nasrullah Khattak, Mian Muzaffer Shah, Liaqat Shabab, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Ishaaq Khattak, Hamidul Haq and a number of other public representatives of national repute concern to this district.

 

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.