Bahawalnagar District


Bahawalnagar District, is a district of Punjab province in Pakistan. Before the independence of Pakistan, Bahawalnagar was part of Bahawalpur state governed by the Nawab of Bahawalpur. The city of Bahawalnagar is the capital of the district. Its population according to the 2017 census is people.

District boundaries

The boundaries of Bahawalnagar in the east and south touches the Indian territory while Bahawalpur district lies on its west and river Sutlej flows on its northern side. District Bahawalnagar spreads over an area of 8878 square kilometers.

Administration

The district of Bahawalnagar is spread over an area of 8,878 square kilometres comprising five tehsils and 118 Union Councils:
Tehsil nameNo of Unions
Bahawalnagar31
Chishtian29
Fort Abbas16
Haroonabad22
Minchinabad20
Total118

Languages

According to the national census of 1998, the predominant first language in the district was Punjabi, spoken by 94.6% of the population, followed by Urdu at 3.7% and Saraiki at 1.2%.

Population and literacy rate

The population of Bahawalnagar, according to the 1998 Census of Pakistan, is 2,061,447.
The sub-campus of Islamia University is located here. Presently this sub campus is offering limited subjects for postgraduate education and graduation while there is only one post-graduation degree college for boys with an area nearly equal to 75 acres, formed in 1945, and one for girls.

History

Nawab Bahawal Khan-1 as second nawab of Bahawalpur ascended the throne in 1746 A.D.
Muhammad Mubarik after ruling successfully for years died issueless in 1772 A.D. He was succeeded by nephew Sahibzada Jafar Khan alias Nawab Muhammad Bahawal Khan-II in 1772.

Shrine of Tajuddin Chishti

Shaikh Khawaja Tajuddin Chishti also known as Taj Sarwar Chishti was a Sufi saint of Chishti Order. He was a grandson Shaikh Farid-ud-din Ganjshakar of Pakpattan and his descendants founded the village of Chishtian around 1265 CE. Many native tribes in Punjab region accepted Islam due to his missionary Daawah. Shaikh Khawaja Tajuddin Chishti faced hostility from tribes that opposed his Muslim missionary Daawah and he was martyred in a battle and was buried in Chishtian. Shrine of Sufi saint Shaikh Khawaja Tajuddin Chishti, located at the city of Chishtian. The dargah of Shaikh Taj-ud-din Chishti is called Roza Taj Sarwar.