Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi is a Punjab Province district, Pakistan, situated on the southern extremities of the Himalaya, southern parts of Punjab. The city is the capital of the district and fourth-largest city of Pakistan, with 5,286 square kilometres.

The district’s original area was 6,192 square kilometres till 1960, but Islamabad’s territory was carved out of the district later. It contains seven autonomous tehsils and thirty-eight Union Councils. Moreover, it also has the third-largest city and largest metropolitan area.

The Headquarters of Pakistan Armed Forces is also situated in this city. The article contains all the information about the city, including Rawalpindi History.

Rawalpindi History

Rawalpindi’s earliest settlement goes back to the Ghaznavid Dynasty who destroyed the town and was restored in the early 11th Century by Gakhar. The area was ruled by Mangol in the 14th Century and remained deserted till 1494 and re-established by Jhanda Khan and named it Rawal.

Mughal Emperor invaded the area. In the 16th Century, Rawat Fort was built by Gakhars, in order to protect Potohar Plateau from the forces of Sher Shah Suri. Attock Fort built-in 1581, after Akbar campaigns against Mirza Muhammad Hakim (his brother).

Emperor Akbar remained in Rawalpindi for 13 years from 1585 and onwards. The Mughal Emperor awarded this city to Said Khan in 1559, after the death of Kamal Khan. In the mid of 1760, the Sikhs invaded the town under the command of Sardar Gujjar Singh. Administration of the city was handed over to Sardar Mikha Singh. Sikhs ruled the area till 1849.

The East Indian Company arrived in 1851 and ruled the area till Pakistan’s independence while Sikh and Hindu population migrated to India after 1947. Pashtun and Kashmiri muhajir settled after the independence of Pakistan.

Administration

The District is governed by the District Council and has two Cantonment Boards, one Municipal Corporation and seven tehsils, which are as follow:

• Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation
• Rawalpindi Cantonment Board
• Chaklala Cantonment Board

Population

According to the 2017 census of Pakistan, the district had a population of 2,098,231, among which 84% were Punjabi, 9% were Pashtun, and 7% of the population were from other ethnic groups.

Rawalpindi Postal Code and Area Code

Postal Code: 46000

Area Code: 051

Tehsils

• Taxila
• Rawalpindi
• Gujar Khan
• Kallar Syedan
• Kahuta
• Kotli Sattian
• Murree

Industries

• Gas Processing
• Oil Refineries
• Steel Manufacturing
• Iron Mills
• Brewery
• Sawmills
• Railroad Yards
• Tent Factories
• Hosiery
• Pottery
• Textiles
• Leather goods production

Notable People

• Raja Zafar-ul-Haq
• Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
• Raja Ashfaq Sarwar
• Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
• General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani
• General Tikka Khan
• Ch. Nisar Ali Khan
• Shoaib Akhtar
• Sohail Tanvir
• Wajid Zia
• General Zaheer -ul- Islam
• Bilquis Sheikh
• Azhar Mehmood
• Yasir Arafat
• Najaf Shah
• Umar Amin
• Raja Mohammad Sarwar
• Mohammad Amir
• Amir Khan
• Sarwar Mohammad Husain Shaheed
• Sarwar KhanAbdul Aziz Mira, Naval Chief
• Dada Amir Haider Khan
• Lt. Col(R) Muhammad Shabbir Awan
• Tara Singh (Sikh Activist)

Agriculture

Main Crops of District are:

• Wheat
• Barley 
• Maize
• Millets
• Pulses

Fruits

• Ground Nut
• Mangoes
• Citrus
• Guavas

Vegetables

• Tomato
• Onion
• Turnip
• Banana
• Dates

Livestock

• Goat
• Cow
• Sheep
• Buffaloes

Education

According to Public School Census data 2014, the district had 1230 primary, 316 middle, 366 secondary, as well as 40 higher secondary schools among which 911 were boys schools and 1040, were girls schools including 4,279 teachers at primary level while 3,129 teachers were teaching at the middle, 6,516 at secondary and 1,155 were at the higher secondary level. The teachers contained 9,788 female and 5,291 male teachers.

Educational Institutions 

• Arid Agricultural University
• Army Medical College
• College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
• Military College of Signals
• Rawalpindi Medical University
• Fatima Jinnah Women University
• Gordon College Rawalpindi
• Foundation University Rawalpindi Campus

Hospitals

The city has the most reputable and well-established hospitals. Some of them are as follow;

• Military Hospital Rawalpindi
• Combine Military Hospital
• Bilal Hospital
• District Headquarter Hospital
• Jinnah Memorial Hospital
• Reliance Hospital
• Al Suffah Hospital
• Wah International Hospital
• Azeema Sheikh Hospital
• Fauji Foundation Hospital
• City Hospital

Places of Tourism

• Ayub National Park
• Jinnah Park Rawalpindi
• Army Museum
• Nawaz Sharif Park
• Chandni Chowk
• Rawat Fort
• Liaqat Bagh
• Race Course Park
• Lohi Bhari Safari Park
• Misriot Dam
• CDA Park
• Kachnar Park
• Rawal Lake
• Pir Sohawa
• Cinepax Movie Theatre
• F1 Tracks
• The Hills of Shakarpariyan
• Cloud 9 International Club
• Centaurus Mall
• Monal Restaurant
• F9 Park

Famous Restaurants

• Pizza Square
• McDonald’s
• Dodai Khoray?
• Pizza Master
• LaLaJee Foods
• Kallisto
• International Burger
• Kala Khan Nihari House
• Mei Kong
• Savour Foods
• Texas Steak House
• Balla Tikka House
• Monal Downtown Rawalpindi
• Chaaye Khana

Sports

Cricket is considered to be the critical game played in this city. While the people also love to play Hockey, Volley Ball, Foot Ball, Base Ball and more other games.

Media

Newspapers

• Daily Nawa-i-Waqt
• Daily Jang
• Daily Asas
• The Daily Sada-e-Haq
• Daily Express
• Daily Din
• Daily Pakistan
• Dawn
• Daily Times
• Express Tribune
• The News International
• The Nation

TV Channels

• Sama News
• ATV
• Lights Asia
• Aapna Channel
• Pothohari TV
• City 51
• K2 TV
• Pahariwood Network
• Oxygene TV