Akora Khattak

Akora Khattak (Pashto: اکوړه خټک pronounceⓘ, Urdu: اکوڑہ خٹک pronounceⓘ) or Sarai Akora is a town in the Jehangira tehsil of the Nowshera District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.[2][3] Its location is adjacent to the Kabul River, which converges with the Indus River about 15 kilometres downstream. Neighbouring places are Nowshera Cantonment to the west and Jahangira town to the east.

Akora Khattak
اکوړه خټک
Akora Khattak is located in Pakistan
Akora Khattak
Akora Khattak
Akora Khattak is located in Hindu-Kush
Akora Khattak
Akora Khattak
Akora Khattak is located in West and Central Asia
Akora Khattak
Akora Khattak
Coordinates: 34°0′2.17″N 72°7′18.06″E
CountryPakistan
ProvinceKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa
DistrictNowshera District
Population
 (2017[1])
 • Total47,255
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)

Review and history

Akora Khattak is about 14 km (9 miles) east of the Nowshera city in the Nowshera District on Grand Trunk Road.[2][4] Akora Khattak was formerly called Sarai Akora. It is named after Malik Akor Khan Khattak, who was the great-grandfather of the famous Pashtun warrior and poet, Khushal Khan Khattak.[5]

Sher Shah Suri period

The emperor Sher Shah Suri's army dug two wells here and made it a rest place named Sarai Malik Pura. Trade caravans would come from Central Asia and stay here.

Mughal period

In 1581, the Mughal emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar came to Peshawar to end the mutiny of his brother Mirza Hakeem and stayed there for a few years. During this stay, he met (jarga) with all the tribal chiefs for the betterment of the area. In the meeting, the name of Malik Akor Khan often came up. It was reported to the emperor that Malik Akor Khan was a chieftain and often robbed the troops on the highway. He lived at Neelab (Nizampur) and continually created problems for the Mughal government. The emperor Jalal-ud-din Mohammad Akbar decided to resolve this problem by making Malik Akor Khan an ally and charged him with the responsibility of collecting tolls from the caravans on the crossing of the Indus at Attock. Malik Akor Khan came to the Sarai Malik Pura (Akora Khattak) for this purpose and made this area his living place. In time this place was renamed as Sarai Akora which later became "Akora Khattak".

Sikh period

In 1820, Sikhs of Punjab conquered Peshawar and other Pashtun areas and ruled it up to 1849. In 1826, Sayed Ahmad Barelvi fought a battle against Sikhs at this place. In 1834, Sardar Lehna Singh built the fort of Akora Khattak near the Kabul River.

British period

The British period starts from 29 August 1849. In 1809, the colonial Indian administrator, and later Governor of Bombay Mountstuart Elphinstone visited Peshawar.

The cantonment of Akora Khattak was established in 1850. On 23 March, 1851, Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor-General of India, visited this place.

In 1916, the first police station was established.

Population

The population of Akora Khattak, according to the 2017 census, was 47,255 [1]. The population of Akora Khattak, according to the official censuses, over the years is shown in the table below.[6]

Consensus Year Population
1961 7954
1972 11,191
1981 13,788
1998 19,530
2017 47,255

Historical places
Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak

Akora Khattak has many historical places. The most famous are Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak, Shrine of Akhund Adyan Baba Seljoki, Darul Uloom Haqqania, Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library and museum.

Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak

Akora Khattak is the birthplace and burial place of the poet great Pashto poet and warrior Khushal Khan Khattak.[7][8] The mausoleum of Khushal Khan was built in 1949.[9]

Shrine of Akhund Adyan Baba Seljoki

The shrine of Turk sufi master Sheikh Akhund Adyan (شیخ اخوند ادین سلجوقی قطب عالم) is situated near the Kabul River. The road in front of the shrine traces back to the Sher Shah Suri's regime; the road is called Shahi Laar (شاہی لار) or Royal Road which stretches from the civil hospital to the military camp. The descendants of Sheik Akhund Adyan Baba Seljuki are living in Ziarat Kaka Sahib and called Qazyan or Qazi. Sheikh Akhund Adyan Baba died in 1074 AH. Sheikh was teacher of Kaka Sahib. Outside the tomb of Akhun Adyan baba the grave of Shahbaz Khan Khattak (father of Khushal Khan Khattak) is lying. Due to his religious sacrifices of that time, Mughal government built his fort like area for his shrine which was reconstructed by Khan Sahib Nur Ahmed Khan in the early 20th century.

Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania
Dar-Ul-Uloom Haqqania
Main article: Darul Uloom Haqqania

Darul Uloom-e-haqqania was founded by Maulana Abdul Haq (father of Maulana Sami Ul Haq) along with his companion Haji Mohammad Yousaf in 1947. It is the second largest Islamic religious seminary in Pakistan. More than 8000 students have been educated there.

Khushal Khan Khattak memorial library

Akora Khan also has Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library[5] and a small museum. Library was established in 1994 in the memory of Khushal Khan Khattak. The museum has many medieval era artefacts, some of which were used by Khushal Khan Khattak.

Rang Mahal
Rang Mahal of Mughal era

Rang mahal (رنگ محل ) of Mughal era situated near meera akora Khattak.

Education
Umma Children Academy

Schools and colleges

  • Govt Centennial Model high school (boys)
  • Khyber Model College and School Akora Khattak Campus
  • The student model high school and College
  • Govt high school (boys) Baghbanpura
  • Govt Girls Middle School Baghbanpura
  • Sir Syed public High school
  • Govt high school (girls)
  • Haqqania High School
  • Tamir-e-millat high school
  • Public collegiate high school
  • Bright Start English school
  • Jamia Shams Ul Madaris Surya Khel for (boys and girls)
  • Rahman public school
  • Army Public school Akora Khattak
  • The Sun Rise public school
  • Govt Khushal Khan Khattak degree college (boys)
  • Govt Khushal Khan Khattak college (girls)
  • The Safah public school
  • The Quaid Public School
  • The Suffa Public School
  • The Sarhad Public School Akora Khattak
  • AIMS (Alqalam Islamic Model School)
  • ummah higher secondary school soria khel akora khattak

Academies

  • Umma Children Academy
  • National Children Academy
  • Scientific Learning tuition Academy Akora khattak
  • The Aryana English Language & Computer Academy
  • Jamal Ul Quran Online Academy

Institutes

  • Shahcom Institute of Technology (Regd.)
  • National Institute of Technology

Health care
  • Civil Hospital: The government hospital is the main health facility.
  • Al-Shifa Homeopathic Clinic: Dr. Muhammad Ali has been a homeopathic practitioner in Akora Khattak for many years.
  • LRBT Free Eye Hospital.

Sports
Paragliding in Akora Khattak

Popular sports for youth are cricket, volleyball and bodybuilding, although there are few facilities available for their use. Paragliding was done in Akora Khattak in the 2010s.

People from Akora Khattak

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Akora Khattak.

References
  1. "Area & Population of Administrative Units by Rural/Urban: 6th population 2017 Censuses". Archived from the original on 2017-10-15. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  2. Bergen, Peter; Tiedemann, Katherine (2013-02-14). Talibanistan: Negotiating the Borders Between Terror, Politics, and Religion. OUP USA. ISBN 9780199893096.
  3. "PESCO restores electricity in Nowshera City despite collapsed of 23 transmission towers". www.brecorder.com. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  4. "Map from nowshera to Akora Khattak". Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  5. "Remembering a revered poet: Ajmal Khattak, a proponent of peace - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2012-05-13. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  6. "Area & Population of Administrative Units by Rural/Urban: 1951-1998 Censuses (pdf)" (PDF). www.pbs.gov.pk. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  7. Correspondent, A (2016-03-07). "Khushal Khan Khattak remembered". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  8. "Apna Akora Khattak". www.apnaakorakhattak.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  9. Ali, Zulfiqar (2015-05-18). "Khushal Khan Khattak's mausoleum a shambles". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
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