Abottabad District
—  District  —
Map of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Abbottabad District highlighted
Country	Pakistan
Province	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Capital	Abbottabad
Established
Government
• District Nazim	Sardar Haider Zaman
• District Naib (Khuata) Nazim	Malik Muhammad Junaid[1]
Area
• Total	1,969 km2 (760 sq mi)
Population (1998)
• Total	880,666
• Density	448/km2 (1,160/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)
Number of Union Councils	51
Number of Tehsils	2
Website	http://www.abbottabad.gov.pk

Abbottabad (Urdu: ضلع ایبٹ آباد) is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The district covers an area of 1,969 km with the city of Abbottabad being the principal town.^[2] Neighbouring districts are Mansehra to the north, Muzaffarabad to the east, Haripur to the west, and Rawalpindi to the south.^[3]

History[link]

A picture of Abbottabad city taken in 1907.

Origin of name[link]

The district is named after Major James Abbott, the first deputy commissioner of Hazara (1849–1853).^[3]

Hazara[link]

During British rule Abbottabad became the capital of Hazara division, which was named after and contained the Hazara valley, a small valley in the outermost Himalayas, between the Indus in the west and Kashmir in the east.^[4]

The current Abbottabad District was originally a tehsil of Hazara, the Imperial Gazetteer of India described it as follows:

As Hazara District covered a large area, the provincial government decided for administrative purposes to divide Hazara into Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohistan, Haripur and Batagram districts. In 1981 Hazara was divided and Abbottabad was formed as a district with two tehsils. In 1981 the total area of District Abbottabad was 3,665 square miles (9,490 km²) with a population of 977,212. Tehsil Abbottabad (a sub division of the district) – had an area of 1,802-square-mile (4,670 km²) and a population of 667,328 including 51% of Circle Bakote. In 1990 the total population of the district was 1,425,032 including Circle Bakote 43%.

Earthquake of 2005[link]

In October 2005, the district was hit by an earthquake, nine Union Councils were badly hit, these were Dalola, Boi, Balakot, Pattan Kalan, Nambal, Berote, Kukmong, Palak and Beerangali located across the two rivers Jehlum and Kunhar.^[6]

Demography and society[link]

According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the population of the district was 880,666.^[7] According to an estimate this had risen to 1.05 million in 2008.^[8] according to hazara gazzeter the main tribes are the Dhunds, Tanolis, Awans, Jadoons,Kashmiris, shilmani, Sarrara, Karlals,Qureshi,mughals, Gujjars, Syed and Satti^[9]

Famous peaks[link]

Miranjani (3,313m) and Mukeshpuri are the highest peaks in this district.

Parks and protected areas[link]

Under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Act of 1975, two areas have been designated with the district: Ayubia National Park and Qalanderabad game reserve.^[10] Both areas cover only 6% of the landed area of the district.^[10]

Ayubia National Park[link]

Established in 1984, this park covers an area of over 3,312 ha.^[10]

Neelan Vally[link]

It is part of Mojohan Union Council and is located in an area that was affected by the 2005 earthquake. It is located on Lora Road. The views in this area are quite scenic due to the topography of the land. It is also known locally as the 'Queen of beautiful valleys, along this valley runs the Neelan stream. The origins of this stream are in the Nara Hills through which the streams seems to have cut the valley over time.The natural scenery is highly magnificent. It is actually famous for it scenic beauty, the lush green meadows, deep forests of oak, cedar and pine,vast tracts of unspoiled nature ranging from tropical forest, magnificent waterfalls, fog in Agust/Sept present a glory.In winter snowfall makes scene more attractive and beautiful.Government Of Pakistan Must Should take attention provision of basic infrastructural facilities, namely, good roads, water, electricity, communications and hotels, to centres of attraction, in order to accelerate their development for the purpose of exploiting fully their touristic value. In furtherance of this goal, the appropriate government agency responsible for tourism promotion and development, Must should establish and maintain this close Liaison with other government agencies responsible for the provision of the infrastructure. We would Like the Asian, Europeans and Americas tour companies to having tour offices in this region, It is advisable for the local visitor to make reservation during the holidays and weekends with a particularly busy season. Reservations can be made in Sarbon hotel Abbottabad. You can travel by road from Abbottabad to Havelian City,which is about 45-Min Drive,and visitors coming from Islamabad can travel directly from Hari Pur to Havelian City, where you can make an hour stay for lunch or for refreshment & then to Lora, as restaurants are not aveileble over there due to no development,it is about 40 -Min journey by car from Havelian to heart of queen Nillan vally over well-maintained road.

Qalanderabad game reserve[link]

Established in 1980 with an area of 8,940ha.^[10]

Minerals[link]

Some of the minerals mined within the district are barite, dolomite, granite, gypsum, limestone, magnesite, marble, phosphate, red ochre and red oxide.

Subdivisions[link]

Map showing the administrative subdivisions of Abbottabad District, the Union Councils of Havelian Tehsil are highlighted in green, whilst those of Abbottabad Tehsil are highlighted in red (the names neighbouring districts to Abbottabad are also shown).

Abbottabad district is divided into two tehsils, Abbottabad and Havelian as well as one urban administration area – Nawanshehr. There are fifty-one Union Councils in the district, 35 in Abbottabad tehsil and 16 in Havelian. These are:

Abbottabad Tehsil[link]

Havelian Tehsil[link]

Government and Politics[link]

This section requires expansion.

Election 2008[link]

With the announcement by the Election commission of Pakistan that elections would be held on the 8th January, 2008^[11] more than a dozen candidates filed their nomination papers in Abbottabad.^[12]

Political Campaigns[link]

Abbottabad was the centre of the Sooba Hazara movement that started after national assembly passed 18th amendment to change the name of province from North West Frontier Province (NWFP) to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The former govenor of the province has been vocal in this opposition to the new name^[13]

Provincial assembly[link]

The district is represented in the provincial assembly by five elected MPAs who represent the following constituencies:^[14]

National assembly[link]

The district is represented in the National Assembly by two elected MNAs who represent the following constituencies:^[15]

Education[link]

Abbottabad hosts a large number of public and private schools and colleges, including Abbottabad Public School, Ayub Medical College, Army Burn Hall College, Peshawar university of Engineering and Technoly (Abbottabad campus) and Pakistan International Public School and College. The city also hosts the first private medical college for women in Pakistan, Women Medical College, established in 1999.^[16] Its literacy rate is higher than national average.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

v t e Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abbottabad Bannu Battagram Buner Charsadda Chitral Dera Ismail Khan Hangu Haripur Kala Dhaka Karak Kohat Kohistan Lakki Marwat Lower Dir Malakand Mansehra Mardan Nowshera Peshawar Shangla Swabi Swat Tank Upper Dir

v t e Administrative divisions of Abbottabad District Capital Abbottabad Tehsils Abbottabad and Havelian Union councils Abbottabad Central Sheikh-ul-Bandi Bagh Bagnotar Bakot Baldheri Bandi Atti Khan Banda Pir Khan Beerangali Berote Kalan Boi Chamhad Dalola Dewal Manal Dhamtour Ghari Phulgran Goreeni Haveliani Urban Jarral Jhangi Jhangra Kakul Kehal Urban Kukmang Kuthiala Kuthwal Langra Langrial Lora Malikpura Urban Mirpur Mojohan Nagri Bala Nagri Totial Nambal Namli Maira Nara Nathia Gali Nawansher Urban Palak Pattan Kalan Pawa Phalkot Phallah Pind Kargu Khan Salhad Sarbhana Seer Gharbi Seer Sharqi Bhattian Sherwan Tajwal

Coordinates: 34°00′N 73°00′E / 34°N 73°E / 34; 73

Abbottabad ایبٹ آباد
—  City  —
Abbottabad
View of Abbottabad from Sarban Hills
Abbottabad
Coordinates: 34°9′21″N 73°13′10″E / 34.15583°N 73.21944°E / 34.15583; 73.21944Coordinates: 34°9′21″N 73°13′10″E / 34.15583°N 73.21944°E / 34.15583; 73.21944
Country	Pakistan
Province	22x20px Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
District	Abbottabad
Government
• Nazim	Haider Zaman
• Naib Nazim	Liaqat Ali Khan
Elevation	1,260 m (4,130 ft)
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)
Calling code	0992
Number of Union Councils	6[1]
Website	http://www.abottabad.gov.pk
Abbottabad District Government

Abbottabad /əˈbɒtəbɑːd/ (Urdu, Hindko: ایبٹ آباد Ābṭābād [aːbʈaːˈbaːd̪]) is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, 50 kilometres (31 mi) northeast of the capital Islamabad and 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of Peshawar at an altitude of 1,260 metres (4,134 ft) and is the capital of the Abbottabad District. It borders Azad Kashmir to the east. The city is well-known throughout Pakistan for its pleasant weather, high-standard educational institutions and military establishments.^[2]

History[link]

'The Rock Aornos from Huzara. From Nature by General James Abbott 1850'

The town of Abbottabad, under the British Raj, was the headquarters of the Hazara District during British rule of India. It was named after Major James Abbott who founded the town and district in January 1853 after the annexation of Punjab. He remained the first Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara district from 1849 until April 1853. Major Abbott is noted for having written a poem titled "Abbottabad", before he went back to Britain, in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. In the early 20th century, Abbottabad became an important military cantonment and sanatorium, serving as the headquarters of a brigade in the Second Division of the Northern Army Corps.^[3] The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry, of the Frontier Force (including the 5th Gurkha Rifles) and two native mountain batteries.^[4]

In 1901, the population of the town and cantonment was 7,764^[3] and the income averaged around Rs. 14,900. This increased to Rs. 22,300 in 1903, chiefly derived from octroi. During this time chief public institutions were built such as the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, the Municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and the Government dispensary.^[4] In 1911, the population had risen to 11,506 and the town also contained four battalions of Gurkhas.^[5]

In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of patients who were being brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas.^[6]

In October 2005 Abbottabad was devastated by the Kashmir earthquake. Although most of Abbottabad survived, many older buildings were destroyed or severely damaged.^[7] In May 2011, Abbottabad gained worldwide attention when U.S. President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed in his compound in the city.^[8][9] Later, Pakistani authorities demolished the house where Osama bin Laden lived for years.^[10]

Geography[link]

Location of Abbottabad within the district and province

The city is bounded at all four sides by the Sarban hills, from which residents and tourists can see breathtaking views of the region and city. The location of the city and the hills allows Abbottabad to experience pleasant weather in the summer and cold winters. The Dor river flows south of Abbottabad through the town of Harnol, eventually reaching Tarbela Dam, situated west of Abbottabad. Neighbouring districts are Mansehra to the north, Muzaffarabad to the east, Haripur to the west and Rawalpindi to the south.

Topography[link]

Abbottabad is situated in the Orash Valley lying between 34°09′N latitude and 73°13′E longitude at an altitude of 4,120 feet (1,260 m).

Climate[link]

Abbottabad has a semi-arid climate, with mild to warm temperatures during the spring and autumn months, hot temperatures during June and July and cool to mild temperatures during the winter. The temperature can rise as high as 35 °C (95 °F) during the mid-summer months and drop below 0 °C (32 °F) during the winter months. Snowfall can occur in January, though it is sparse, while the rare occasion of rainfall occurs during the short monsoon season stretching from July to September and frequently causes flooding.

Demographics[link]

Languages[link]

According to the 1998 Census of the 881,000 who resided in the Abbottabad District, Hindko was spoken by 94.26% of the population, followed by Potohari at 2.30%, Pashto at 2.22% and Urdu at 1.05%.^[12] Although the first language of most people in the district is Hindko, Urdu is understood and spoken fluently by majority of the residents and used in markets, offices and formal functions as the official language. English is widely used in business and education.

Government[link]

Abbottabad is the headquarters of Hazara Division and Abbottabad District. The District Nazim, Commissioner, Inspector General and Forest Conservator all reside in Abbottabad. The city is divided into localities, towns, colonies and neighbourhoods. In addition to the civil administration, the town is also the regimental headquarters for the Frontier Force Regiment, the Baloch Regiment and Pakistan Army Medical Corps.

Tourism[link]

Nathia Gali is a popular tourist destination

Miranjani from Nathia Gali

Abbottabad has been attracting tourists to the city since the colonial era, as it is a major transit point to all major tourist regions of Pakistan such as Nathiagali, Ayubia and Naran. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, "the town is picturesquely situated at the southern corner of the Rash (Orash) plain, 4,120 feet (1,260 m) above the sea".^[4]

Like much of the mountainous Northern Areas, tourism is one of the important sources of income in Abbottabad. In the summer when temperatures rise to around 45 degrees Celsius in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a large number of tourists travel to Abbottabad.

The Karakoram Highway, which traces one of the paths of the ancient Silk Road, starts from Hasan Abdal on the N5 and heads north passing through the city, eventually reaching Khunjerab Pass. The Karakorum Highway is a major attraction itself for its views. The Karakoram, Himalayas and the Hindu Kush ranges can be approached from Abbottabad and it continues to be a transit city for tourists, serving as a base for visiting numerous nearby places, such as Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu and Indus Kohistan, of the Karakoram Range.^[13]

Abbottabad is popular not just with visitors but with those looking to relocate. Its weather, peaceful reputation and the perceived security of a garrison have drawn many from other cities to work or educate their children. There was an influx of migrants from Azad Kashmir after the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake, another from Swat during military operations against militants in 2009 and 2010, and also from Waziristan after the army launched major operations against the Taliban in 2009.^[14]

Some popular tourist destinations in and around Abbottabad include:

Education[link]

Abbottabad has one of the country's highest literacy rates with 67% in 2007, ranking first in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and ninth overall in Pakistan. The city also has a young demographic (ages 15–30) due to a large number of students who have come from across the country to study in its schools, for example Army Burn Hall College and Abbottabad Public School. The city has a wide variety of post-secondary institutions, such as Frontier Medical College,^[15] Ayub Medical College, COMSATS University of Science and Technology, and the University of Engineering & Technology.

Abbottabad is also home to the Pakistan Military Academy, a four-year coeducational federal service military academy that provides training to the officers of the Pakistan Army.^[2] The academy has three training battalions, and 12 companies. Another 2,000 guests each year, from over 34 countries, receive some training at PMA.

Media[link]

The Daily Mahasib, published since 1997, is a leading local newspaper of the city.^[16]

Sports[link]

The Abbottabad Falcons are the only professional sports team playing in Abbottabad and plays within the national Faysal Bank T20 Cup. Sports facilities in the city include:

• Abbottabad Cricket Stadium
• Abbottabad Hockey Stadium
• Abasin Karate & Martial Arts Training Center
• Jansher Khan Squash Complex
• AMC-PCB Ground
• Kunj Football Stadium
• Nawanshehr Football Ground
• Dhamtour Football Ground
• Banda Lamba Football Ground
• Kakul Ground

Transportation[link]

Abbottabad's main public transport consists of modified Taxis carry pick-up vans Suzukis, which can accommodate anywhere from 1 to 14 people at one time. Taxis are also available as well as wagons which connect Abbottabad to the surrounding cities and towns (ex. Nathiagali, Sherwan, Dhamtour, Haripur, Mansehra) in the region. Abbottabad is also served by Daewoo Express and Niazi Express, the NATCO, Skyways and many other bus services. Pakistan Railways does not serve Abbottabad however a PR Reservation Office is located in Fawara Chowk in the city centre. The nearest railway station is located in Havelian, which is the last and most northern station on the Pakistan Railway network. The station is approximately thirty minutes drive south from Abbottabad city centre.

See also[link]

	Pakistan portal
	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Abbottabad

• Abbottabad (poem)
• Ayub Medical College
• Karlal
• Dhund Abbasi
• Kakul
• Begum Mahmooda Salim Khan
• Ali Asghar Khan (Pakistani politician)
• Army Burn Hall College
• Khan Sultan Muhammad khan Jadoon
• Noor-ud-din Qureshi
• Omer Tarin
• Yasir Hameed (Test Cricketer)
• St. Luke's Church, Abbottabad
• Old Christian Cemetery, Abbottabad

References[link]