Gujrat District
Area	3192 km²
Population (1998)  • Density	2048008  • 642/km²
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)
Established  • District Nazim  • District Naib Nazim  • District Council  • Number of Tehsils	• Ch. Shafaat Hussain  • Mian Muhammad Asghar HayatZila Nazims & Naib Zila Nazims in the Province of Punjab  •  seats   •
Main language(s)
Website	[1]

Gujrat (Urdu: گجرات) is a district of Punjab Province in Pakistan. It is an ancient district located in between two famous rivers, the Jhelum and Chenab. Because of its proximity with the rivers the land is good for cultivation with rice and sugar cane as main crops. It is bounded on the northeast by Kashmir, on the northwest by the River Jhelum which separates it from Jhelum District, on the east and southeast by the Chenab River, separating it from the districts of Gujranwala and Sialkot, and on the West by Mandi Bahauddin. District Gujrat is spread over an area of 3,192 square kilometres, and is divided into three tehsils, Gujrat, Kharian, and Sarai Alamgir. There are many historic villages and towns in the district such as Chakdina, Kunjah, Dinga.

History

Ancient history

According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India:

However the foundation of the capital, Gujrat, according to the Ancient Geography of India:

Lodhi-Mughal era

Authentic history commences only in the Lodi period, when Bahlolpur, 23 miles north-east of Gujrat, was founded in the reign of Bahlol (1451-89). Khwas Khan, governor of the Rohtas under Sher Shah Suri, founded Khwaspur near Gujrat. The settlement of the tract was completed by Akbar, who built a fort and compelled the Gujars, a pastoral tribe given to plunder, to settle in it. The tract was then named Gujrat and formed into a separate district. Revenue records have been preserved in the families of the hereditary registrars (kanungos), and these exhibit Gujrat the capital of a district containing 2,592 villages, paying a revenue of 16 lakhs. In 1605 the famous Saiyid Abdul Kasim received Gujrat as a tuyul or fief from Akbar. On the decay of the Mughal power, Nadir Shah ravaged the District and destroyed Gujrat, after which it was overrun by the Gakhars of RAWALPINDI, who probably established themselves at Gujrat in 1741. The country also suffered at the same time from the ravages of Ahmad Shah Durrani, whose armies frequently crossed and recrossed it.

Sikh era

Meanwhile the Sikh power had been asserting itself in the Easter Punjab; and in 1765 Sardar Gujar Singh, head of the Bhangi confederacy, crossed the Chenab, defeated the Gakhar chief, Mukarrab Khan, and extended his dominions to the banks of the Jhelum. On Gujar Singh\'s death in 1788, his son, Sahib Singh, became involved in a war with Mahan Singh, the chieftain of Gujranwala, and afterwards with his son, the celebrated Ranjit Singh. After a few months of desultory warfare in 1798, the Gujrat leader found it well to accept a position of dependence under the young ruler of Gujranwala. At length, in 1810, Ranjit Singh, now master of the consolidated Sikh empire, determined to depose his tributary vassal. Sahib Singh with drew to the hills without opposition, and shortly afterwards accepted the Bajwat territory in the present Sialkot District conferred on him in jagir..

British era

In 1846 Gujrat came under the supervision of British officials, when a settlement of land revenue was effected under order from the provisional government at Lahore. Two years later, the District was the scene of some of the battles which decided the even of the second Sikh War. While the siege of MULTAN still dragged slowly on, Sher Singh established himself at Ramnagar on the Gujrawala side of the Chenab, 22 miles below Gujrat, leaving the main body of his army on the northern bank. Here he awaited the attack of the British, who attempted unsuccessfully to drive him across the river, on November 22, 1848. Lord Gough withdrew from the assault with heavy loss ; but sending round a strong detachment under Sir Joseph Thackwell by the Wazirabad ferry, he turned the flank of the enemy, and won the battle of Sadullapur. Sher Singh retired northward, and took up a strong position between the Jhelum and the Pabb Hills. The bloody battle of Chilian

ala followed (January 13, 1849) a victory as costly as a defeat. On February 6 Sher Singh again eluded Lord Gough\'s vigilance, and marched southwards to make a dash upon Lahore; but the British pressed him close in the rear and, on February 22, he turned to offer battle at Gujrat. The decisive engagement which ensued broke irretrievably the power of the Sikh. The Punjab lay at the feet of the conquerors, and passed by annexation under British rule..

Politics

The district has a wide political importance. It has produced many historic names like Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed (Nishan-e-Haider), Maj. Shabir Sharif Shaheed (Nishan-e-Haider)and Majar M. Akram Shaheed (Nishan-e-Haider). A big name in the history of Gujrat is Nawab Sir Fazal Ali ,the head of the Nawabzada family of Gujrat and also the founder of the Zamendara College of Gujrat.

Other prominent politicians include Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain (ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan and (president of PMLQ) Chaudhry Pervez Elahi (Chief Minister of Punjab). Along with many others Mian Imran Masood (Education Minister Punjab) belongs to this district.

Other prominent leaders include Nawabzada Gazanfar Ali Gul, ex-MNA, Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar, former Manister, Fayyaz Chaudhary (Sarai Alamgir).

Demography

According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the total population of Gujrat district was 2,048,008 of which 1,026,000 are males and 1,022,000 are females, with a population density of 642 persons per square kilometre. Over 25.62% of the population was recorded as being urban.1998 Census of Pakistan figures - Urban Resource Centre

Climate

Map showing location of Gujrat District (highlighted in green) in relation to neighbouring districts of Punjab Pakistan and the Kashmir region.

This district has moderate climate, which is hot in summer and cold in winter. During peak summer, the day temperature shoots up to 50°C, but the hot spells are comparatively shorter due to proximity of Azad Kashmir Mountains. The winter months are very pleasant and the minimum temperature may fall below 2°C. The average rainfall on the Kashmir border is over 1000 mm, at Kharian it is 750 mm, at Gujrat 670 mm, and at Dinga 500 mm.

Administration

The district is composed of 3 tehsils: List of tehsils with respect to districts - Government of Pakistan

1. Gujrat
2. Kharian
3. Sarai Alamgir

See also

• Gujrat
• Kotla Arab Ali Khan
• Kurree Sharif
• Sabour Sharif
• Tanda

References

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Coordinates: 32°35′N, 73°45′E

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia