Kharmang Valley


The Kharmang Valley is one of five main valleys in the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan. The area became a district in 2015, with temporary headquarters at Tolti. The valley sits about from Skardu.
Tourist destinations include Manthokha Waterfall, Khamosh Waterfall, Mehdiabad valley. Kharmang is where the Indus River enters into Pakistani territory from Leh District in India.

Etymology

Kahrmang is a Balti word that consists of two parts. The name Kharmang was given to the valley in the era of Ali Sher Khan Anchan, who built many forts in this region because of its strategic importance.

Demographics

Kharmang valley is a populated area. The approximate population is about 20,000 households ; most of the population resides in scattered villages. The main source of income is subsistence livestock rearing for their livelihood and agriculture and unskilled man power working abroad and urban centers of Pakistan. Many Kharmang people work in Gulf countries with a majority in Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Natives of Kharmang Valley speak Balti and predominantly follow Shia Islam, with the exception of a few people who belong to Noorbakhshi who live around Mehdi Abad.