Mianwali (Urdu: میانوالی) is a
District in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. bordering Bannu, Lakki
Marwat districts in west, Kohat and Karak districts in the North west and Dera
Ismail Khan District in the southwest. Mianwali is located along the bank of
river Indus.
Mianwali is an important city for its people
politics and the rich minerals, Mianwali has an airport, a Nuclear Power Plant,
famous Chasma Barrage, Chashma Hydel Power Plant and also an airforce base.
Historically in November 1901 during the English times, North West Frontier
Province was carved out of Punjab. The towns of Mianwali, Isa Khel, Kalabagh,
and Kundian were separated from Bannu District presently in NWFP and hence a new
district was created with its headquarter in Mianwali city and placed in Punjab.
Mianwali is famous for its brave and strong willed people that constitute a
greater part in Pakistan's Army. The Niazis, a Pakhtun Punjabi mixed
tribe currently control the politics and other issues of governance of the area.
80% of the population is Pakhtun of Afghan origin. Mostly the people are
bilingual i.e. speaking Seraiki and Pashto, The population of Mianwali district
as whole is 1,056,620 of which 20.39% are urban aread as per estimates in 1998
History
Early History
The old name of the area is Thal meaning Desert, however, without wells would be
a desert, and the probability is that in early historic times nearly the whole
of it was a barren waste. There is no record of any plundering expedition on the
Thal side by Alexander the Great's in 325BC. when he passed down the Jhelum to
its junction with the Indus River, though he lightly undertook such an
expedition across the waterless Bar to the Ravi. This shows that the then Thal
was a poorer country than it is now.
Of the early history of the district nothing can be
stated with any certainty, beyond the fact that its inhabitants were Hindus, and
that before the Christian era the country formed an integral portion of the
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom of Kabul and the Punjab.
When we view this district in the history it seems a
bit uneventful. Traditionally all major rulers of South Asia governed this area
on their turn. Mughal emperor Babur mentions Essa Khail while he was on his
mission of conquering Pakhtuns and the rest of the Punjab somewhere in 1520s
(ref. Baburnama). Then came the Sikhs, that era was famous for lawlessness, and
barbarism, they ruled until the annexation of Punjab in 1849 by the British. The
British made administrative divisions, and the present towns of Mianwali and Isa
Khel were made tehsil headquarters in the district Bannu of the Dera Ismail Khan
Division of Punjab. In November 1901, North West Frontier Province was carved
out of Punjab and towns of Mianwali, Isa Khel, Kalabagh, and Kundian were
separated from Bannu District (NWFP)and hence a new district was made with the
headquarters in Mianwali city and placed in Punjab. The district became a part
of Rawalpindi Division. There were four tehsils namely Mianwali, Isa Khel,
Bhakkar, and Layyah. Layyah was transferred to Muzaffargarh District in 1909.
The district became a part of Sargodha Division in 1961. Bhakkar tehsil was
carved out of Mianwali district and was made a separate district inside Sargodha
division in 1982.
Getting to Mianwali
There are flights available from lahore to Mianwali
by PIA Pakistan International airline. There are also Busses available from
lahore, Multan and even from Karachi there is a direct Bus to Mianwali.
On a tour by Travel & Culture Services we will stop
at Miawali on our tour of Punjab
Hotels in Mian Wali
There are few basic 2 star hotels
available in Mianwali please contact us for details
Travel & Culture Services Pakistan
220A Panorama center Fatima Jinnah Road Karachi
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