Coordinates: 31°49′N, 70°55′E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Dera Ismail Khan (Urdu: ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان) is a city in North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. The town is situated on the west bank of the Indus River and lies 200 miles west of Lahore and 120 miles north-west of Multan.^[1] In Pakistan, it is often abbreviated to D.I.Khan Urdu ( , , trans. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) is geographically the smallest of the four provinces of Pakistan. ... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ... Multan shown on a 1669 world map   (Urdu: ملتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. ...

History

Dera Ismail Khan was founded towards the end of the fifteenth century by Ismail Khan, a son of the Baloch adventurer Malik Sohrab, who named the town after himself. The original town was swept away by a flood in 1823, and the existing buildings are all of quite modern construction, ^[1] the present town stands four miles back from the permanent channel of the river. (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

The descendants of Malik Sohrab, who settled there after migrating from Iraq, ruled the city for 300 years.^{[citation needed]}

British era

During British rule the town contained two bazars, 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. The cantonment, which lies south-east of the town, has an area of 44 square miles, excluding the portion known as Fort Akalgarh on the north-west side. The civil lines are to the south.^[1] Anthem God Save The King-Emperor The British Indian Empire, 1909 Capital Calcutta (1858 - 1912) New Delhi (1912 - 1947) Language(s) Hindustani, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1858-1901 Victoria¹  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George VI Viceroy...

The Derajat Brigade had its winter head-quarters 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) ; and 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.^[1] Octroi (0. ...

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 ghi. The local manufactures are lungis 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.^[1]

Demography

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.^[2] After the partition of India, many of the city's Hindu residents settled in India, primarily in the Derawal Nagar colony of Delhi.^[3] This article is under construction. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ...

In 1999 it had a population of 31,737, down from its 1981 census tally of 64,358. The population is the mix of ethnic Balochi 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 Saraiki is the local colloquial language. Pashto is also spoken, primarily within the Pashtun community. Natives of Dera Ismail Khan are known as Derawals. Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... The Baloch (Persian: بلوچ alternative transliterations Baluch, Balouch, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush et al. ... The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, ethnic Afghan, or Pathan) are an ethno-linguistic group consisting mainly of eastern Iranian stock living primarily in eastern and southern Afghanistan, and the North West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... ... Pashto (پښتو; also known as Afghan, Pushto, Pashto, Pashtoe, Pashtu, and Pukhto) is the language spoken by the ethnic Afghan otherwise known as the Pashtun people who inhabit Afghanistan and the Western provinces of Pakistan. ... Derawals are a community of people who originated from the Dera Ghazi Khan region which is now in Pakistan. ...

Communication

The city is connected to Bannu via the highway, which further connects it to the provincial capital of Peshawar via Kohat and Darra Adam Khail. 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 Indus River. The bridge on the Indus River was constructed in early 1980s, before which the approach to Bhakkar was made through a boat bridge. Location of Bannu District (highlighted in red) within the North West Frontier Province. ...   (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ... Kohat (Urdu: کوہاٹ) is a medium sized town in North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. ... Mianwali (Urdu: میانوالی,Hindi: मियांवाली) is the capital city of Mianwali District in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. ... Bhakkar (Urdu: بھکر, Seraiki: بکھر) is city in Bhakkar District, Punjab, Pakistan. ... This article is about the Pakistani province. ... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ... A bridge of boats over the Scheldt River, during World War I A bridge of boats over the Ravi River in Pakistan, 1895 A bridge of boats is a temporary type of bridge which floats on the river instead of having permanent pillars. ...

The city has telephone, telegraph, and internet facilities- although 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 University
• Al-Khair University
• Qurtuba University Of Sciences & Information Technology
• Sarhad University of Science & Technology
• Government Degree College No.1 for Boys
• University WENSAM School and College
• Government College No. 2 (for boys)
• Government College for Women
• Government College No.2 for Women
• Saint Helen's High School and College (est. 1960)
• Army Public College
• Qurtuba Public School & College
• Jinnah Science School & College
• Nadik Science School&College

Gomal University is located at Dera Ismail Khan, NWFP, Pakistan. ... Al-Khair University is has several campuses in Pakistan. ...

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, 500m from the 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 as 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. Presently the Government Higher Secondary School No. 3 is housed in this building. This dharamsala was maintained by SGPC before 1947 and presently it is in the hands of the Waqf department. Guru Nanak (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ, Devanagari: गुरु नानक) (20 October 1469 - 7 May 1539), the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Gurus of the Sikhs, was born in the village of Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore in present-day Pakistan. ... Dharamshala redirects here. ... The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee is a sikh religious organization responsible for the upkeep of Gurudwaras. ... This article is about the religious endowment. ...

Economic production in the district

One of the most famous products of this district is the "Dhakki date", which is exported to Middle East, United States, and Europe. This date or khajoor is grown in the nearby village of Dhakki 49km away on Chashma Road. This district also produces wheat, sugar cane (ganna), Good rice, and a very famous variety of mango called langra. The most desirable langras are grown in a 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 the village of D I Khan 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. Langra is a variety of Mango grown in different parts of the world. ...

The bazars of the city all converge in one area, called Chowgalla (literally "intersection") Major bazars include Topanwala bazar, Bhatiya bazar, Muslim bazar, Kalan bazar and Bakhiri bazar.

Like other cities and towns of the Saraiki-speaking belt, Dera Ismail Khan is also famous for a desert delicacy called sohan halwa. Shops selling this sweet are primarily situated in Topawaala bazar. ... Halva (modern English spelling), halava (Sanskrit transliteration), halvah (Hebrew transliteration), halawi (Arabic transliteration), helva (Turkish transliteration) or halwa (alternate Hindi transliteration) is a confection made from semolina. ...

Dera Ismail Khan is also famous for its lacquered woodwork, glass and ivory ware, mats, and sarongs. Newer industries within the city include sugar, soap, textile and oil milling. Radio Pakistan is also situated in D.I.Khan., telecastisg Saraiki and Pashto programmes. CRBC Canal is the major canal which provide water for irrigation. A sarong or sarung is a large sheet of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as a skirt by men and women throughout much of south Asia and southeast Asia, parts of Africa, and on many Pacific islands. ... Radio Pakistan is the official international broadcasting station of Pakistan. ...

Official Website

• Official site

See also

• Dera Ismail Khan District
• Dera Ismail Khan Airport
• Baitullah Mehsud

Location of Dera Ismail Khan District (highlighted in red) within the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. ... The Dera Ismail Khan Airport is situated at 10 km away from city centre of Dera Ismail Khan. ... Baitullah Mehsud is a leading Taliban commander in Waziristan. ...

References