Chakwal (
Urdu:
چکوال), (
Punjabi:
چکوال) is the capital of
Chakwal District,
Punjab, Pakistan. It is located 90 km south-east of the federal capital,
Islamabad[1] and is named after
Chaudhry Chaku Khan,
[2] chief of the Mair
Minhas tribe from
Jammu, who founded it in 1525 CE during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun
Babur. It remained a small but central town of the Dhan Chaurasi
Taluka for many centuries. In 1881, during the
British era, it was declared the
Tehsil Headquarters. It was finally upgraded to district status in 1985. The
area of Chakwal city is about 10 square kilometres.
Chakwal is located in the Dhanni region of the
Potohar in northern
Punjab, Pakistan. The Potohar Plateau (Urdu:
سطح مُرتفع پوٹھوہار),
(also spelled Pothohar or Potwar) was the home of the ancient Soan
valley civilization, which is evidenced by the discovery of fossils,
tools, coins, and remains of ancient archaeological sites. The Indus
Valley civilization flourished in this region between the 23rd and 18th
centuries BC. Some of the earliest Stone Age artefacts in the world have
been found on the plateau, dating from 500,000 to 100,000 years ago.
The crude stone recovered from the terraces of the Soan testify to human
endeavour in this part of the world from the inter-glacial period.
[3]
The Stone Age people produced their equipment in a sufficiently
homogeneous way to justify grouping the inhabitants of this area into
one. Around 3000 BC, small village communities developed in the Pothohar
area.
[4]
For much of its early history, Dhanni was an uninhabited part of the
Jammu state of the
Dogra Rajputs, and Khokhar
Rajputs, held as a hunting ground for the Rajas of Jammu.
[5]
Chaudhary Sidhar settled villages named after his sons Chaku,
Murid
and Karhan and as Chaku Khan became the chief, he decided to settle in
Chakwal, the village named after him and make it the center of
administration of the
Taluka.
Kassar chiefs founded the villages of
Bal-Kassar and
Dhudial.
[6]
Awans,Waince, Mair
Minhas, Khokhar
Rajputs,Bhatti
Rajputs, Mughal
Kassar and
Kahut Quriesh were probably the Seven landowning tribes that were originally settled in this tehsil by the
Mughal Emperor Zaheerudin
Babur. The main concentration of the Mair-
Minhas and
Rajputs was in the center (Haveli-Chakwal), North-East (Badshahan), West (Rupwal) and South West (Thirchak-Mahal). The
Kassar in the northern part of the tehsil, the area called 'Babial' and 'Chaupeda' and the
Kahuts in 'Kahutani' in the South East.
[citation needed]
These tribes, particularly the Mair-
Minhas Chaudharials of Chakwal, rose to further prominence during the short rule of
Sher Shah Suri who handed them control over the adjoining territories, as far as
Swan River in
Potohar and the
Pind Dadan Khan plains in the South.
[citation needed]
After the
Mughal ruler, King
Humayun, returned to
India with the help of the
Persians, he handed over
Potohar, including
Dhanni, to the
Gakhars, who had helped him escape from
India during
Sher Shah's revolt and reign. The
Gakhars moved the capital of the taluka from Chakwal to a neighbouring town, Bhon, and stationed their Kardars there.
[citation needed]
The Mair-
Minhas and Mughal
Kassar tribes again rose to power after King Aurangzeb's death. They had supported his son
Moazzam Shah in his quest for power and, in return, he re-appointed the Mair-
Minhas chief Gadabeg Khan as the
Taluqdar and
Chaudhary of the entire 'Dhan Chaurasi', whereas the rule of the
Kassar Chaudharys was confirmed in Babial and Chaupeda 'illaqa'.
[citation needed]
Their rule over
Dhanni continued during the
Sikh era; Chaudhry Ghulam Mehdi had invited Sardar Mahan Singh to this side of
Jhelum River. It was during that era that the
Dhanni breed of horses became popular; even
Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's
personal horses were kept in the stables of the 'Chakwal Chaudhrials'.
In 1801 Ranjit Singh visited the Dhanni, which had been in a very
disturbed state, subduded it without resistance,and returned to Lahore
with 400 fine horses.
[7] Maharaja Ranjeet Singh was very kind to Chaudharials of Chakwal due to their obedient services.
[citation needed]During
the Independence War of 1857 Chaudharials of Chakwal strengthened the
hand of the British Raj by escorting the treasury from Chakwal to
Rawalpindi and got the khilats and Jagirs.
[8]
Awans remain the most prominent and dominant tribe of the Chakwal
keeping their holds in the central and westward areas of Salt Ranges and
adjoining areas on both sides of the ranges since their arrival in the
region with Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi and Qutab shah during the series of
Ghaznavid attacks on India. They also hold their domination in many but
scattered villages of Chakwal. (e.g. Bhaun, Sarkal Kassar, jand, mohra
awan etc.) Shamsuddin of Bhaun struggled a lot to get recognition of
Awans in the area as Hindus were known superior and local inhabitants of
Chakwal area.
Chakwal's non-Muslim minorities departed during partition of the
subcontinent in 1947 but the city is still in their heart and mind and
had never forgotten it.
[9] In April 2009 a terrorist
attack on the mosque killed more than 30 people.
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