Dera Ismail Khan
Encyclopedia
Dera Ismail Khan is a city
in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan
. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River
, 200 miles (321.9 km) west of Lahore
and 120 miles (193.1 km) northwest of Multan
. The city is the capital of the district
and tehsil
of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I. Khan.
, who named the town after himself. Dera means "settlement" or "abode". The original town was swept away by a flood in 1823, and the existing buildings are all of relatively modern construction. The most popular tribe or the clan is the Pir Zakori Sharif situated at Khanqah Zakori Sharif, Dinpur Road. Its Sajjada Nashin is the Pir Habib Ullah Jan Zakori, but after his death, it is devolved to his sons Pir Hidayat Ullah Jan Zakori and Pir Habib-ur-Rehman Zakori. The present town stands four miles (6 km) back from the permanent channel of the river.
However, later research does not support this theory. Firstly, Malik Sohrab was not an Arab adventurer but a Hote Baluch who was appointed Soobadar of this area by the Langha rulers of Multan. Similarly the city could not have been founded towards the end of fifteenth century; because when Babar came here in 1506 he passed through this plain which is now called Dama'an and referred to it as Dasht and went up to Tank but did not mention any city around here in his Tuzk (Memoirs, originally published in Turkish). Later we are told that when in 1540 Sher Shah came to Khushab, Ismail Khan of Dera Ismail Khan went to Khushab to meet him there. So the city must have been founded in the first quarter of the sixteenth century. After the flood destruction of 1823, the present city was founded by Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan Sadozai in 1825, but he preferred to retain the old name for it. (ibid, Page 146)
the town contained two bazaars, the Hindu and Muslim population living in separate quarters. The town stands on a level plain, with a slight fall to the river, but is badly drained. It is surrounded by a thin mud wall, with nine gates, enclosing an area of about 500 acres (2 km²). The cantonment
, which lies southeast of the town, has an area of 44 square miles (114 km²), excluding the portion known as Fort Akalgarh on the northwest side. The civil lines are to the
south.
The Derajat Brigade
had its winter headquarters at Dera Ismail Khan, and the garrison consisted of a mountain battery, a regiment of Native cavalry, and three regiments of Native infantry. Detachments from these regiments helped to garrison the outposts of Drazinda, Jandola, and Jatta. The municipality was constituted in 1867. The income during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 55,000, and the expenditure Rs. 53,000. The income and expenditure in 1903-4 were Rs. 55,500 and Rs. 55,800 respectively. The chief source of income was octroi
(Rs. 48,000); the chief items of expenditure were conservancy (Rs. 8,785), education (Rs. 7,246), hospitals and dispensaries (Rs. 6,302), public safety (Rs. 7,733), public works (Rs. 2,143), and administration (Rs. 5,546). The receipts and expenditure of cantonment funds during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged RS. 2,700 and Rs. 2,800 respectively.
The local trade of Dera Ismail Khan was of second-rate importance, but some foreign traffic with Khorasan passed through it. Powinda caravans of Afghan merchants traversed the town twice a year on their road to and from India; and, with the increasing security of the Gomal route, these caravans were yearly swelling in numbers. The chief imports were English and native piece-goods, hides, salt, and fancy wares; and the exports, grain, wood, and ghee
. The local manufactures are lungi
s and lacquered woodwork. The town possesses a civil hospital; its chief educational institutions are two aided Anglo-vernacular high schools, one maintained by the Church Missionary Society and the other by the Bharatri Sabha, and an Anglo-vernacular middle school maintained by the municipality.
is the main language spoken in D.I.Khan. The actual natives of D.I.Khan speak Siraiki, while the Afghans who came and settled in D.I.Khan speak Pashto. The vast majority of people are conversant in Urdu. English is understood by the educated.
Traditionally Dera politics has been dominated by Jamiat Ullema Islam because of the charismatic and dynamic personality of Maulana Mufti Mahmood. After his death his son Fazlur Rehman became the Chairman of JUI-F. Maulana Fazlur Rehman lost last elections to PPP candidate with a wide margin which shows that they have lost connection with voters. Many people have raised concern about the politics of Maulana Fazlur Rehman after the wikileaks reports showed his negotiations with US Ambassador Anne Paterson. People raise questions about the financial dealings of Maulana as besides his father's madrassah he does not have any other source of income but lives a luxurious life.
Pakistan Tehrike Insaf (PTI) is fast becoming the third force in D I Khan politics. The party has attracted leaders like Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi
, Haroon Awan, Khalid Awan, Humayun Gandapur, Fakir Jamshed, and Ali Amin Gandapur. The movement is lead by youth activism spearheaded by Gul Malook and Irfan Khan. Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi in a press conference nominated Imran Khan, Chairman PTI, to be the candidate from NA-24 for the next elections. This has energized the community and they are coming out in large numbers to nominate Imran Khan as their candidate.
On August 19, 2008 a suicide bomber targeting Shias blew himself up in a hospital waiting room, killing 32 people, including seven police officers who had been deployed to guard a local Shiite leader—Basit Ali Zaidi. Twenty members of Zaidi family died on the spot while many more were injured. It is believed that the attack is one of several by the Taliban, who have taken responsibility for it, intending to demonstrate their reach and pressure the government to call off its offensive in Swat and the Bajaur
Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
, which had begun less than two weeks previously.
On November 21, 2008, Shiite religious leader Allama Nazir Hussain Shah was shot dead in sectarian killing along with Shah Iqbal Hussain. During his funeral prayers, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 9 people and injuring 39.
Once again, on February 20, 2009 a suicide bomber blew himself during a funeral procession of a Shia local, killing more than 32 while injuring 157.http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/20/1235120849120/suicide-bomb-dera-ismail--001.jpg
, many of the city's Hindu
residents settled in India
, primarily in Model Town, Vijay Nagar and Derawal Nagar
colony in Delhi
.
In 1999 it had a population of 31,737, down from its 1981 census tally of 64,358. The population is a mix of ethnic Baloch
i and Pashtun
segments, with a significant minority of Urdu
-speaking immigrants. Urdu, the national language, is understood and spoken by the majority of residents, while Seraiki is the major language of the district. Pashto is also spoken, primarily within the Pashtun community. Natives of Dera Ismail Khan are known as Derawal
s.
via the highway, which further connects it to the provincial capital of Peshawar
via Kohat
and Darra Adam Khel
. Another road connects D. I. Khan to Mianwali
through Chashma Barrage. The third major road connects it to Bhakkar
in Punjab
, situated on the eastern bank of the Indus River
. A bridge on the Indus River
was constructed in the early 1980s, before which the approach to Bhakkar was made through a boat bridge
.
The city has telephone, telegraph, and internet facilities — although the telegraph has recently been abandoned, in line with the government policy of transitioning away from telegraph communications throughout the country.
A sacred Sikh shrine is located in the Chota Bazaar of Dera Ismail Khan; Guru Nanak visited this place during his fourth itinerary. At the site where he stayed a dharamsala
was built by his devotees. It is a large building, its main gate opens in the Chota Bazaar. Inside this door there is a double-storey square building, where Prakash used to take place. There are residential rooms around this building for pilgrims. Inside the darbar there is a thara sahib (pious seat) where Guru Nanak Dev Ji once sat. The Government Higher Secondary School No. 3 is currently housed in this building. This dharamsala was maintained by SGPC before 1947 and presently it is in the hands of the Waqf
department. The banks of the Indus River are an attractive place for tourists. On the right side of Rehmania Street, the Hindu Baggai Saith house is a very old building of D. I. Khan, as is the Satures Building in Shieve Shah Muhalla.
, 49 km away on Chashma Road. This district also produces wheat, sugar cane, rice, and a famous variety of mango called the langra. The most desirable langras are grown in the village of Panyala. Nowadays D I Khan is increasingly exporting another type of dried date called chooara. The majority of chooara are produced in Dhakki, Mitrah Abad and Saidu Wali. Saidu Wali is a village situated in Tehsil Pahar Pur, about 58 km from D I Khan near Dhakki and Pahar Pur. There are also coal mines in the village of Saidu Wali, on the edge of CRBC Canal.
The bazaars of the city all converge in one area, called Chowgalla (literally "intersection"). Major bazaars include Topanwala Bazaar, Bhatiya Bazaar, Muslim Bazaar, Commissioneri Bazaar, Kalan Bazaar and Bakhiri Bazaar.
Like other cities and towns of the Saraiki
-speaking belt, Dera Ismail Khan is famous for a dessert delicacy called sohan (halwa). Shops selling this sweet are primarily situated in Topawaala Bazaar. The city is also known for a dish called sobat.
Dera Ismail Khan is famous for its lacquered woodwork, glass and ivory ware, mats, and sarong
s. Newer industries within the city include sugar, soap, textile and oil milling. Radio Pakistan is situated in D. I. Khan., telecasting Saraiki and Pashto programmes. CRBC Canal is the major canal that provides water for irrigation.
, on the eastern and opposite bank of the Indus River
.
KhanQah Musa Zai Sharif D.I.Khan
Village Musa Zai Sharif is situated 70 Km away in West of D.I.Khan and it is 5 Km in North of Tehsil Daraban Kalan. Neary 450 years ago Musa Khan Mian Khail laid stone of this village. It is a mix culture area and two languages i.e. Saraiki and Pashto are spoken frequently by both groups and vice versa... The main reasons behind the popularity of this village all over the world is that of Famous Khanqah Ahmadia Saeedia Naqbandia constructed by Hazrat Khawaja Dost Muhammad Qandhari RA in 1850 with the order of His Master Hazrat Shah Ahmad Saeed RA.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
, 200 miles (321.9 km) west of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and 120 miles (193.1 km) northwest of Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
. The city is the capital of the district
Dera Ismail Khan District
Dera Ismail Khan is one of the 24 districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The capital of the district is the town of Dera Ismail Khan...
and tehsil
Dera Ismail Khan Tehsil
Dera Ismail Khan Tehsil is an administrative subdivision of Dera Ismail Khan District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.-Administration:...
of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I. Khan.
History
Dera Ismail Khan was founded toward the end of the fifteenth century by Ismail Khan, a son of the Arab adventurer Malik Sohrab DodaiMalik Sohrab Dodai
Malik Sohrab Dodai was a Arab mercenary who moved to Multan in the late 15th century at the behest of the Langah dynasty of Rajputs. He was accompanied by his sons, Ghazi Khan, Fatih Khan, and Ismail Khan....
, who named the town after himself. Dera means "settlement" or "abode". The original town was swept away by a flood in 1823, and the existing buildings are all of relatively modern construction. The most popular tribe or the clan is the Pir Zakori Sharif situated at Khanqah Zakori Sharif, Dinpur Road. Its Sajjada Nashin is the Pir Habib Ullah Jan Zakori, but after his death, it is devolved to his sons Pir Hidayat Ullah Jan Zakori and Pir Habib-ur-Rehman Zakori. The present town stands four miles (6 km) back from the permanent channel of the river.
However, later research does not support this theory. Firstly, Malik Sohrab was not an Arab adventurer but a Hote Baluch who was appointed Soobadar of this area by the Langha rulers of Multan. Similarly the city could not have been founded towards the end of fifteenth century; because when Babar came here in 1506 he passed through this plain which is now called Dama'an and referred to it as Dasht and went up to Tank but did not mention any city around here in his Tuzk (Memoirs, originally published in Turkish). Later we are told that when in 1540 Sher Shah came to Khushab, Ismail Khan of Dera Ismail Khan went to Khushab to meet him there. So the city must have been founded in the first quarter of the sixteenth century. After the flood destruction of 1823, the present city was founded by Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan Sadozai in 1825, but he preferred to retain the old name for it. (ibid, Page 146)
British era
During British ruleBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
the town contained two bazaars, the Hindu and Muslim population living in separate quarters. The town stands on a level plain, with a slight fall to the river, but is badly drained. It is surrounded by a thin mud wall, with nine gates, enclosing an area of about 500 acres (2 km²). The cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
, which lies southeast of the town, has an area of 44 square miles (114 km²), excluding the portion known as Fort Akalgarh on the northwest side. The civil lines are to the
south.
The Derajat Brigade
Derajat Brigade
The Derajat Brigade was formed after the 1903 reforms of the British Indian Army by Herbert Kitchener when he was Commander-in-Chief, India. The brigade was part of the Northern Army and deployed along the North West Frontier...
had its winter headquarters at Dera Ismail Khan, and the garrison consisted of a mountain battery, a regiment of Native cavalry, and three regiments of Native infantry. Detachments from these regiments helped to garrison the outposts of Drazinda, Jandola, and Jatta. The municipality was constituted in 1867. The income during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 55,000, and the expenditure Rs. 53,000. The income and expenditure in 1903-4 were Rs. 55,500 and Rs. 55,800 respectively. The chief source of income was octroi
Octroi
Octroi is a local tax collected on various articles brought into a district for consumption.-Antiquity:Octroi taxes have a respectable antiquity, being known in Roman times as vectigalia...
(Rs. 48,000); the chief items of expenditure were conservancy (Rs. 8,785), education (Rs. 7,246), hospitals and dispensaries (Rs. 6,302), public safety (Rs. 7,733), public works (Rs. 2,143), and administration (Rs. 5,546). The receipts and expenditure of cantonment funds during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged RS. 2,700 and Rs. 2,800 respectively.
The local trade of Dera Ismail Khan was of second-rate importance, but some foreign traffic with Khorasan passed through it. Powinda caravans of Afghan merchants traversed the town twice a year on their road to and from India; and, with the increasing security of the Gomal route, these caravans were yearly swelling in numbers. The chief imports were English and native piece-goods, hides, salt, and fancy wares; and the exports, grain, wood, and ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
. The local manufactures are lungi
Lungi
The Lungi , also known as a sarong , is a traditional garment worn around the waist in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Horn of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
s and lacquered woodwork. The town possesses a civil hospital; its chief educational institutions are two aided Anglo-vernacular high schools, one maintained by the Church Missionary Society and the other by the Bharatri Sabha, and an Anglo-vernacular middle school maintained by the municipality.
Language
SiraikiSaraiki language
Saraiki , transliterated as Sirāikī and sometimes spelled Seraiki and Saraiki, is a standardized written language of Pakistan belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages. It is a language spoken in the heart of Pakistan...
is the main language spoken in D.I.Khan. The actual natives of D.I.Khan speak Siraiki, while the Afghans who came and settled in D.I.Khan speak Pashto. The vast majority of people are conversant in Urdu. English is understood by the educated.
Politics
Dera Ismail Khan is represented in the National Assembly of Pakistan through two seats which are NA-24 (D I Khan) and NA-25 (D I Khan cum Tank). The incumbent on these seats are Faisal Karim Kundi of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from NA-24 and Maulana Atta ur Rehman of Jamiat Ullema Islam- Fazalur Rehman (JUI-F) from NA-25.Traditionally Dera politics has been dominated by Jamiat Ullema Islam because of the charismatic and dynamic personality of Maulana Mufti Mahmood. After his death his son Fazlur Rehman became the Chairman of JUI-F. Maulana Fazlur Rehman lost last elections to PPP candidate with a wide margin which shows that they have lost connection with voters. Many people have raised concern about the politics of Maulana Fazlur Rehman after the wikileaks reports showed his negotiations with US Ambassador Anne Paterson. People raise questions about the financial dealings of Maulana as besides his father's madrassah he does not have any other source of income but lives a luxurious life.
Pakistan Tehrike Insaf (PTI) is fast becoming the third force in D I Khan politics. The party has attracted leaders like Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi
Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi
Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi is a Pakistani businessman and political activist. He was elected as president of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce-USA in 2010. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of getTickets, LLC and Interactive Ventures...
, Haroon Awan, Khalid Awan, Humayun Gandapur, Fakir Jamshed, and Ali Amin Gandapur. The movement is lead by youth activism spearheaded by Gul Malook and Irfan Khan. Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi in a press conference nominated Imran Khan, Chairman PTI, to be the candidate from NA-24 for the next elections. This has energized the community and they are coming out in large numbers to nominate Imran Khan as their candidate.
2008-09 suicide bombings
This town has seen a bloody surge in sectarian schism, which has caused the loss of hundreds of innocent lives, especially those belonging to the Shia community. Being somewhat neglected by the electronic media coverage, only incidents involving bomb blasts are usually reported, whereas target killings on a day-to-day basis are not usually reported by the local newspapers and TV channels. The main benefit gained from these bombing were Tribal people. Due to series of operations by Pak-Army in Tribal Areas, most of the tribal people left their houses and came to D.I.Khan. The kind hearted and innocent people of D.I.Khan provided them food and shelter. But due to series of bombing in Mosques and other religious places, the local people left and sold their houses and all what they have willingly or by force to these refuges and shifted to other cities. Pak-Army also carried out certain search operations in the city but all in vain. The people who were once living as a refuge are now the owner of that city, and the people who were once the owner are now begging from place to place.On August 19, 2008 a suicide bomber targeting Shias blew himself up in a hospital waiting room, killing 32 people, including seven police officers who had been deployed to guard a local Shiite leader—Basit Ali Zaidi. Twenty members of Zaidi family died on the spot while many more were injured. It is believed that the attack is one of several by the Taliban, who have taken responsibility for it, intending to demonstrate their reach and pressure the government to call off its offensive in Swat and the Bajaur
Bajaur
Bajaur or Bajur or Bajour is an Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Smallest of the agencies in FATA, it has a hilly terrain. According to the 1998 census, the population was 595,227 but other more recent estimates it has grown to 757,000...
Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs...
, which had begun less than two weeks previously.
On November 21, 2008, Shiite religious leader Allama Nazir Hussain Shah was shot dead in sectarian killing along with Shah Iqbal Hussain. During his funeral prayers, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 9 people and injuring 39.
Once again, on February 20, 2009 a suicide bomber blew himself during a funeral procession of a Shia local, killing more than 32 while injuring 157.http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/20/1235120849120/suicide-bomb-dera-ismail--001.jpg
Target killings
Dera Ismail Khan is the city which is highly influenced by the day to day target killings. Thousands of people have died as the result of target killings due to clashes between the two groups named as shia and sunni. All shia and sunni people are not involved in these religious clashes but few members of both parties are extreamist and kill each other in the name of religion but it is rejected by the majority of Dera Ismail KhanDemographics
According to the 1901 census the population of Dera Ismail Khan was 31,737, of whom 18,662 were Muslims, 11,486 Hindus, and 1,420 Sikhs. Of the total, 3,450 lived in the cantonment. After the partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, many of the city's Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
residents settled in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, primarily in Model Town, Vijay Nagar and Derawal Nagar
Derawal Nagar
Derawal Nagar is a colony in Delhi, India in which people of the Derawal ethnic group reside. Originally native to the Derajat region Derawal Nagar (Hindi: डेरावाल नगर, Urdu: ڈیرہوال نگر) is a colony in Delhi, India in which people of the Derawal ethnic group reside. Originally native to the...
colony in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
In 1999 it had a population of 31,737, down from its 1981 census tally of 64,358. The population is a mix of ethnic Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
i and Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
segments, with a significant minority of Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
-speaking immigrants. Urdu, the national language, is understood and spoken by the majority of residents, while Seraiki is the major language of the district. Pashto is also spoken, primarily within the Pashtun community. Natives of Dera Ismail Khan are known as Derawal
Derawal
Derawals are a community of people who originated from the Dera Ghazi Khan and Dera Ismail Khan region which is now in Pakistan.This region includes the districts of Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Rajanpur...
s.
Communication
The city is connected to BannuBannu
Bannu is the principal city of the Bannu District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It is an important road junction and market city. Bannu is a very old city, founded in ancient times; however, the present location of the downtown Bannu was founded by Sir Herbert Edwardes in 1848,...
via the highway, which further connects it to the provincial capital of Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
via Kohat
Kohat
Kohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
and Darra Adam Khel
Darra Adam Khel
Darra Adam Khel is a town in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, located between Peshawar and Kohat, very close to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It is inhabited by Pashtuns of the Afridi clan, the Adam Khel. The town consists of one main street lined with shops, with some...
. Another road connects D. I. Khan to Mianwali
Mianwali
Mianwali is the capital city of Mianwali District and situated in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is located on the eastern bank of the Indus River...
through Chashma Barrage. The third major road connects it to Bhakkar
Bhakkar
Bhakkar is the principal city of Bhakkar District, Punjab, Pakistan. It lies on the left bank of the Indus river. It has a population of almost 300,000 and was given status of district in 1981.-Administration:...
in Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, situated on the eastern bank of the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
. A bridge on the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
was constructed in the early 1980s, before which the approach to Bhakkar was made through a boat bridge
Bridge of boats
A "bridge of boats" istype of bridge which floats on water instead of having permanent pillars. It is built by linking boats and the first and last being anchored to the shores. It was used as a military technique since ancient times, being the fastest method for an army to construct a water crossing...
.
The city has telephone, telegraph, and internet facilities — although the telegraph has recently been abandoned, in line with the government policy of transitioning away from telegraph communications throughout the country.
Educational institutions
The city is home to many educational institutions, including:- Gomal UniversityGomal UniversityGomal University is located in Dera Ismail Khan in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the founder of the university, laying the foundation store on May 1, 1974...
- Qurtuba UniversityQurtuba UniversityQurtuba University is located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan It have two campuses each located in Dera Ismail Khan and other one in Peshawar. It have seventh position among universities of Pakistan by the rankings of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan It deals with the...
- Al-Khair UniversityAl-Khair UniversityAl-Khair University is a university with campuses in Pakistan. The university has established a Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Management Science at Abbottabad. It has faculties at Mirpur in Azad Kashmir, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar. A Faculty of Business Administration and Computer...
- CIT College of Information & TechnologyCIT College of Information & TechnologyThe College of Information & Technology in Dikhan, Pakistan is a school which was founded in 2006.It offers courses in Information Technology.-External links:**...
- Gomal Medical CollegeGomal Medical CollegeGomal Medical College , Dera Ismail Khan is one of the newer generation of medical colleges in the public sector that were set up by the government in the 1990s to meet the ever-growing demand for health service providers in the Pakistan. It started functioning in 1998 and now has grown into an...
- Allama Iqbal Open UniversityAllama Iqbal Open UniversityAllama Iqbal Open University , founded in 1974, is a university in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is one of the world's largest universities by enrollment, with 1,121,038 students in the year 2010 whereas Course Enrollment of these students are 3,305,948 -History:Allama Iqbal Open University was...
Tourist areas
Although the city is relatively new, rebuilt following the 1823 flood, many of its original structures remain — the original wall is still visible around the old city. A popular tourist destination is a pre-Islamic fort called Bilot, 30 miles (48.3 km) from the Dera Ismail Khan on Dera Ismail Khan - Chashma highway. These ruins are situated on a hill.A sacred Sikh shrine is located in the Chota Bazaar of Dera Ismail Khan; Guru Nanak visited this place during his fourth itinerary. At the site where he stayed a dharamsala
Dharamsala
Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....
was built by his devotees. It is a large building, its main gate opens in the Chota Bazaar. Inside this door there is a double-storey square building, where Prakash used to take place. There are residential rooms around this building for pilgrims. Inside the darbar there is a thara sahib (pious seat) where Guru Nanak Dev Ji once sat. The Government Higher Secondary School No. 3 is currently housed in this building. This dharamsala was maintained by SGPC before 1947 and presently it is in the hands of the Waqf
Waqf
A waqf also spelled wakf formally known as wakf-alal-aulad is an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, typically denoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious or charitable purposes. The donated assets are held by a charitable trust...
department. The banks of the Indus River are an attractive place for tourists. On the right side of Rehmania Street, the Hindu Baggai Saith house is a very old building of D. I. Khan, as is the Satures Building in Shieve Shah Muhalla.
Economic production in the district
One of the most famous products of this district is the "Dhakki date", which is exported to the Middle East, United States, and Europe. This date or khajoor is grown in the nearby village of DhakkiDhakki
Dhakki is a town and union council of Charsadda District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°18'17N 71°46'24E and has an altitude of 359 metres ....
, 49 km away on Chashma Road. This district also produces wheat, sugar cane, rice, and a famous variety of mango called the langra. The most desirable langras are grown in the village of Panyala. Nowadays D I Khan is increasingly exporting another type of dried date called chooara. The majority of chooara are produced in Dhakki, Mitrah Abad and Saidu Wali. Saidu Wali is a village situated in Tehsil Pahar Pur, about 58 km from D I Khan near Dhakki and Pahar Pur. There are also coal mines in the village of Saidu Wali, on the edge of CRBC Canal.
The bazaars of the city all converge in one area, called Chowgalla (literally "intersection"). Major bazaars include Topanwala Bazaar, Bhatiya Bazaar, Muslim Bazaar, Commissioneri Bazaar, Kalan Bazaar and Bakhiri Bazaar.
Like other cities and towns of the Saraiki
Saraiki language
Saraiki , transliterated as Sirāikī and sometimes spelled Seraiki and Saraiki, is a standardized written language of Pakistan belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages. It is a language spoken in the heart of Pakistan...
-speaking belt, Dera Ismail Khan is famous for a dessert delicacy called sohan (halwa). Shops selling this sweet are primarily situated in Topawaala Bazaar. The city is also known for a dish called sobat.
Dera Ismail Khan is famous for its lacquered woodwork, glass and ivory ware, mats, and sarong
Sarong
A sarong or sarung is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as a kilt by men and as a skirt by women throughout much of South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric most often has woven plaid or...
s. Newer industries within the city include sugar, soap, textile and oil milling. Radio Pakistan is situated in D. I. Khan., telecasting Saraiki and Pashto programmes. CRBC Canal is the major canal that provides water for irrigation.
Transport
The nearest railway station is 20 km away at Darya KhanDarya khan
Darya Khan is a town of Bhakkar District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. The town is the headquarters of Darya Khan Tehsil. The town of Darya Khan is itself subdivided into two Union councils. During British rule the railway station at Darya Khan was built as part of the North-Western Railway...
, on the eastern and opposite bank of the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
.
- Daewoo bus service to all major cities of Pakistan
- Air link via Pakistan International AirlinesPakistan International AirlinesPakistan International Airlines Corporation commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline has its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. and operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 38 international destinations in 27...
to all major cities of Pakistan - Karachi bus terminal
- Lahore Adda
- Baloch Runners
- Main Lari Adda D. I. Khan
- Niazi bus stand
- Proa Adda
See also
- Dera Ismail Khan DistrictDera Ismail Khan DistrictDera Ismail Khan is one of the 24 districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The capital of the district is the town of Dera Ismail Khan...
- Dera Ismail Khan AirportDera Ismail Khan AirportDera Ismail Khan Airport or D. I. Khan Airport is situated 10 km away from the city centre of Dera Ismail Khan, a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan...
KhanQah Musa Zai Sharif D.I.Khan
Village Musa Zai Sharif is situated 70 Km away in West of D.I.Khan and it is 5 Km in North of Tehsil Daraban Kalan. Neary 450 years ago Musa Khan Mian Khail laid stone of this village. It is a mix culture area and two languages i.e. Saraiki and Pashto are spoken frequently by both groups and vice versa... The main reasons behind the popularity of this village all over the world is that of Famous Khanqah Ahmadia Saeedia Naqbandia constructed by Hazrat Khawaja Dost Muhammad Qandhari RA in 1850 with the order of His Master Hazrat Shah Ahmad Saeed RA.