Rawalpindi Division


Rawalpindi Division is an administrative division of Punjab Province, Pakistan, forming part of the third tier of government below the federal and provincial levels. Divisions are composed of districts which formed the fourth tier of government. In 2000, local government reforms abolished administrative divisions and raised the districts to become the new third tier of government. The division system was restored again in 2008.

Districts

DistrictArea Population
Rawalpindi5,2865,405,633
Attock6,8581,883,556
Chakwal6,5241,495,982
Jhelum3,5871,222,650
Total22,25510,007,821

History

British rule

Following the British conquest of the region in 1849, the area around Rawalpindi became a division of the Punjab province of British India, primarily because of the strategic location of the city of Rawalpindi.
The Imperial Gazetteer of India describes the division as follows:
"North-western Division of the Punjab, lying between 31°35' and 34° 1' N. and 70° 37' and 74°29' E. The Commissioner's headquarters are at Rawalpindi and Murree. The total population of the Division increased from 2,520,508 in 1881 to 2,750,713 in 1891, and to 2,799,360 in 1901. Its total area is 15,736 square miles, and the density of the population is 178 persons per square mile, compared with 209 for the Province as a whole"
The division was composed of five districts:
DistrictArea Population
Shahpur4,840524,259
Jhelum2,813501,424
Rawalpindi2,010558,699
Attock4,022464,430
Total136852,048812

After independence

On independence in 1947, the division was one of four divisions of the province of West Punjab but from 1955 to 1970, the divisions was one of twelve divisions of West Pakistan province under the One Unit policy. On the dissolution of West Pakistan, the division was restored to the new Punjab province, but parts of the division were transferred with parts of Lahore Division to form the new Gujranwala Division.