Kohistan District (Pakistan)
Encyclopedia
Kohistan has two distinct meanings in Pakistan
. In Persian "koh" means "peak" and "istaan" means "land of". In its usual modern sense Kohistan District is an administrative district
within Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province covering an area of 7,492 sq.kilometres; it had a population of 472,570 at the 1998 Census. In a broader historic and geographic sense, Kohistan is used for a region that stretches from the border with Azad Kashmir
in the east to Afghanistan
's Nuristan province in the west.
Kohistan has a rich local history as a crossroads between Central
, South
and Southwestern Asia
. Predominantly inhabited by Dardic
and Pashtun
tribes since ancient times, Kohistan has been invaded and contested by Persians, Greeks
, Scythians, Kushans, Turks
, Afghans
, Mughals, and the British
.
The most widely belief amongst them is that their ancestors came from Arabia to escape the persecution for not accepting of Islam.
Some educated amongst the Kohistan claim themselves the descendants of Alexander’s soldiers recruited from Iran and left in Kohistan while other attribute descent to Aryan.
The Kohistan of the Indus Valley, which is also called Shinkari
, "the country of the Shins" by the people themselves is inhabited by what are apparently the remains of a number of tribes of cognate race, whose progenitors once inhabited the valleys skirting the Punjab
, and possibly extended to the north and north west have been hitherto confounded under the name of Dard
s - a name which practically, has no real signification.
Ethnicity and Tribes
On the Swat side the tribes are divided into two groups, Manzar and Money. They were two brothers and sons of Nafria.
Tribes of Dubair, Kandia and Ranolia belong to Manzar group. Those of Banked, Jijal, Pattan, Kayal and Seo belong to Money group.
The main tribes on the left bank are Koka Manke Khel and Darram Khel. They are of cognate origin and do not convey clear territorial division.
2.Food
The main food of the people of Kohistan is Maize and locally grown vegetables, Milk, Cheese etc. in the Valley
3.Occupations
Majority of the people are engaged with agriculture. A number of people do business. Most of the people depend upon their share in forest. Ratio of education is very low; however the tendency towards jobs in Government functionaries is increasing day by day.
4.Culture, Customs and Traditions
The men are fair, clean limbed with quick eyes and sharp feature. Generally the men support beards. Due to appalling poverty the standard of health is poor; Poverty is visible from the faces of women folk.
They prefer to go down areas to pick up work there. A man usually marries two and in some cases three or four women. The people are religious, Molvi are their only natural leaders and spokesmen.
Historical Places
1.Supat Valley
Supat Valley situated on the eastern southern side of Jalkot, which touches Kaghan and Narran valleys of Manshera District, is an important site for tourism. It remains covered with snow from September to April. The valley consists of vast plains and that is why horse race competitions amongst the people are held these. It is also famous for different colorful flowers in spring.
2.Seo Mosque'
This Mosque is situated in Village Seo at a distance of 10 km from Dassu Tehsil toward north and its centuries old. Its wooden pillars and beam are decorated by carving pictures and flowers on them.
Kohistan District consists of four Teshils viz Dassu, Pattan,Pallas and Kandia. The District Nazim is Chief Executive of the District assisted by Tehsil Nazim Dassu, Pattan and Pallas.
After the devolution of powers to the grass root level, all the devalued departments of the District like Finance, Education, Health, Agriculture etc. are headed by the respective EDOs under over all control and supervision of the District Coordination Officer who is assisted by the Assistant Coordination Officer and three TMOs of the TMAs Dassu, Pattan and Palas. The District Police Officer is the District Head, police department consisting of Police stations Dassu, Komila, Batera, Pattan, Dubair, Palas and Shatial. He is responsible for law and order as well as investigation branch of the police.
Judiciary
Before the enforcement of the Nifaz-e-Sharia Ordinance 1994, the area on the right bank of Indus (Swat Kohistan) was ruled by Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) Regulation while the left side administrated by regular law.
After the enforcement of the above ordinance in Malakand Division and Kohistan in 1994 and subsequent promulgation of Sharia Nizam-e-Adl regulation issued on 16 January 1999 with slight amendments, the judicial system throughout Kohistan District is managed through Qazi Courts.
1. Zilla Qazi (District & Session Judge)
2. Alla Allaqa Qazi (Senior Civil Judge)
3. Allaqa Qazi (judicial Magistrate)
Revenue
Since no settlement has been carried out in the District therefore, revenue transaction is nominal. Tehsildar/Revenue officers and few Patwaries are entrusted the job of loan recoveries granted by Small Development Finance Cooperation (SDFC) and Zari Traqiati Bank of Pakistan (ZTBP).
They are also performing the duty of land acquisition and other miscellaneous duties of relief operation, domiciles etc. the District Revenue Officer (Collector) is the head of Revenue Administration.
The District is represented in the National Assembly of Pakistan
& provincial assembly by three elected MNA & MPAs who represent the following constituencies:
Kohistan District is divided into 4 Tehsil
s (subdivisions):
The capital of Kohistan is Dassu.
Kohistan is a sparsely populated district of the Hazara division
of Pakistan. Located in an area where the Eurasian landplate
and Indian subcontinent
meet and collide, Kohistan is susceptible to earthquake activity such as the Kashmir earthquake of 2005
.
Lush green forests, meadows and streams as well as massive mountains and hills literally make Kohistan resemble the Scottish Highlands of Britain. The Indus River
divides Kohistan into two parts with the eastern portion referred to as the Indus Kohistan and the western portion referred to as Swat Kohistan. The Karakoram Highway
passes through Kohistan on its way to Gilgit
. Most of the cities on the Karakoram Highway
in Kohistan are not more than 600m high from sea level.
Kohistan is one of the most isolated and the most deprived district not only in Hazara Division
but in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Swat is situated to its west, Chilas, Darial and Tangir on the northern side and Naran, Kaghan and Alai valley surround Kohistan from the southern and eastern sides. It is located in the heart of the Himalayas from 34.40 to 30.35 degrees latitude and from 75.30 to 50.72 degrees longitude. It is connected with Dir
via the Badawi Pass
.
The River Indus flows through Kohistan and divides it socially and culturally. Kohistan is one of the least developed districts in the country and its national significance is the Karakurum Highway. This road is the main source of trade, transportation and link between Pakistan and China
. The ancient Silk Road has long been a thoroughfare for tourists, traders and conquerors from Central Asia and in the past, business delegations would use this passage to travel up to Europe and Little Asia (Kochak).
Kohistan is where the Hindukush, Karakuram and Himalayan mountain systems meet and serve as a natural boundary for environmental regions in the chains of the Himalayas
, Karakoram
and Hindu Kush
mountains. This uniqueness of the mountains system also results in rich flora and fauna and therefore gives home to unique species such as the Western Tragopan
pheasant and the Snow Leopard
.
in February 2010 buried a village in the district, killing at least 100 people.
, Islamabad
, Lahore
, and Karachi
.
The people in Kohistan largely depend on livestock for their livelihood and this is also the reason for their seasonal migration to sub-alpine and alpine pastures of Kohistan and neighbouring valleys and districts. Agriculture development is comparatively poor with only one crop growing in high altitudes and two in the lower areas. Cultivation of crops such as barley and rice has almost been given up.
People usually keep buffaloes, cows, sheep, goats and bullocks. Milk of these animals is not usually sold, but by-products of milk such as butter, are. Other by-products such as wool and skin are utilized for house-consumption and are also sold in the market.
Cash income is rare and people resort to the sale of timber, such as Deodar, Pine, Spruce, Acacia and Oak. Sale of medicinal herbs is also common though there is no check, which impact the seasonal removal of these plants has on the overall population of the species or on the health of the ecosystem.
Besides this, people are also involved in the sale of fuel-wood, farm products such as walnuts and walnut bark (vernacular: dindasa). Honey is also sold in local and provincial markets. In winter season, the local men go to urban areas in search of work.
, Kohistani, Torwalis. Pashtun community dominates the west of the district and can also be found in all the cities. The people mainly speak Indo-Iranian languages
and share various similar cultural traits including the religion of Islam
with the majority adhering to the Sunni sect while large minorities of Shia Muslims are also to be found throughout the area.
According to the Census of 1981, the population of the district of Kohistan was 465,237; by 1998 this grew to 472,570. The average literacy rate is around two percent, but the actual literacy rate based on field data shows that this rate is three times more.
The geographic location, lush green valleys adorned with rich flora and fauna were the biggest attractions for external invaders. It was also the only passage between China and South East Asia; the area remained under constant attacks by Tibetans, Sikhs, and Hindus. This constant invasion resulted in one of the most distinctive societies and cultures in the region, "The Rebellion Culture". This is the main characteristic of Kohistan, and its people are still following the same culture.
Kohistan's literacy rate is amongst the lowest in Pakistan and hovers around 20%. It has the lowest Human Development Index of all districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. But education is slowly expanding due to government efforts. After the arrival of Pakistan's Army for relief operations following the earthquake of October 2005, the educational system received a sudden boost-up, and most of the schools are working. The Army's commanding Officer of the area, Lt. Col. Sibghat Ullah, took responsibility for one school in Pattan (The Army Garrison School [Pattan]) which has become a role model for the complete district.
In total there are four Army supported schools established in Kohistan, which include the Army School for Girls, Shalkanabad (Palas); the Army School for boys, Keyal; and the Community Model School for girls at Pattan.
After the departure of the Pakistan Army from the area, the standard of the schools could not be maintained by the local authorities, and thus the standards declined.
In 2006 the National commission for Human Development NCHD re-trained the Education Department for exercising the Base line survey of 0-9 YEARS.The teachers at their locations carried out the survey in entire Kohistan and after data analysis the target of 5–7 years for enrollment under the Universal primary education -UPE was achieved. NCHD paly also its role in the Adult literacy program with a target age group of 11–45 years by community support.The Than UPE team headed by Shahzad Humayun DPME NCHD( 2006–07) orchestrated all the support with the help of DCO AND District nazim to support the Education department for maximum enrollment. NCHD strives for the UPE which is the second major goal of MDGs for improving the human development index.More over Feeder schools were established to enroll children previously deprived from enrollment due to long distance from schools.
It should be added that the community is highly positive for facilitation.
Education Facilities in Kohistan
Total Education Facacilities
1. Govt; Degree Colleg 01
2. Higher Secondary Schools Boys 01
3. Higher Secondary Schools Girls 01
4. High School for Boys 14
5. High School for Girls 01
6. Middle Schools for Boys 72
7. Middle Schools for Girls 05
8. Primary Schools for Boys 479
9. Primary Schools for Girls 238
10. Community Model Primary School Girls 04
11. Mosque/ Maktab Schools (Boys) 315
______________________________________________
Total 1130
Source: Noorul Hadi M&E Officer ERRA DRU Kohistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. In Persian "koh" means "peak" and "istaan" means "land of". In its usual modern sense Kohistan District is an administrative district
Districts of Pakistan
The Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
within Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province covering an area of 7,492 sq.kilometres; it had a population of 472,570 at the 1998 Census. In a broader historic and geographic sense, Kohistan is used for a region that stretches from the border with Azad Kashmir
Azad Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...
in the east to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
's Nuristan province in the west.
Kohistan has a rich local history as a crossroads between Central
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, South
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Southwestern Asia
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Predominantly inhabited by Dardic
Dardic languages
The Dardic languages are a sub-group of the Indo-Aryan languages spoken in northern Pakistan, eastern Afghanistan, and the Indian region of Jammu and Kashmir...
and Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribes since ancient times, Kohistan has been invaded and contested by Persians, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Scythians, Kushans, Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
, Afghans
Demographics of Afghanistan
The population of Afghanistan is around 29,835,392 as of the year 2011, which is unclear if the refugees living outside the country are included or not. The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between...
, Mughals, and the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
.
History
Due to lack of written record and lack of written traditions among the people, the origin and descent of the people is shrouded in obscurity.The most widely belief amongst them is that their ancestors came from Arabia to escape the persecution for not accepting of Islam.
Some educated amongst the Kohistan claim themselves the descendants of Alexander’s soldiers recruited from Iran and left in Kohistan while other attribute descent to Aryan.
The Kohistan of the Indus Valley, which is also called Shinkari
Shinkari
Shinkari is an area in Kohistan of the Indus Valley in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan.- Overview :There are high schools in both government and private sectors, such as the APS . Hazara University is located some 10 km away from the town of Shinkari.The Karakoram Highway...
, "the country of the Shins" by the people themselves is inhabited by what are apparently the remains of a number of tribes of cognate race, whose progenitors once inhabited the valleys skirting the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, and possibly extended to the north and north west have been hitherto confounded under the name of Dard
Dard
-People:* Khwaja Mir Dard, 18th century Urdu poet.* Dard Hunter, born William Joseph Hunter , an American authority on printing, paper, and papermaking—especially by hand....
s - a name which practically, has no real signification.
Ethnicity and Tribes
On the Swat side the tribes are divided into two groups, Manzar and Money. They were two brothers and sons of Nafria.
Tribes of Dubair, Kandia and Ranolia belong to Manzar group. Those of Banked, Jijal, Pattan, Kayal and Seo belong to Money group.
The main tribes on the left bank are Koka Manke Khel and Darram Khel. They are of cognate origin and do not convey clear territorial division.
2.Food
The main food of the people of Kohistan is Maize and locally grown vegetables, Milk, Cheese etc. in the Valley
3.Occupations
Majority of the people are engaged with agriculture. A number of people do business. Most of the people depend upon their share in forest. Ratio of education is very low; however the tendency towards jobs in Government functionaries is increasing day by day.
4.Culture, Customs and Traditions
The men are fair, clean limbed with quick eyes and sharp feature. Generally the men support beards. Due to appalling poverty the standard of health is poor; Poverty is visible from the faces of women folk.
They prefer to go down areas to pick up work there. A man usually marries two and in some cases three or four women. The people are religious, Molvi are their only natural leaders and spokesmen.
Historical Places
1.Supat Valley
Supat Valley situated on the eastern southern side of Jalkot, which touches Kaghan and Narran valleys of Manshera District, is an important site for tourism. It remains covered with snow from September to April. The valley consists of vast plains and that is why horse race competitions amongst the people are held these. It is also famous for different colorful flowers in spring.
2.Seo Mosque'
This Mosque is situated in Village Seo at a distance of 10 km from Dassu Tehsil toward north and its centuries old. Its wooden pillars and beam are decorated by carving pictures and flowers on them.
Administration
1.Executive Judiciary and Revenue SystemKohistan District consists of four Teshils viz Dassu, Pattan,Pallas and Kandia. The District Nazim is Chief Executive of the District assisted by Tehsil Nazim Dassu, Pattan and Pallas.
After the devolution of powers to the grass root level, all the devalued departments of the District like Finance, Education, Health, Agriculture etc. are headed by the respective EDOs under over all control and supervision of the District Coordination Officer who is assisted by the Assistant Coordination Officer and three TMOs of the TMAs Dassu, Pattan and Palas. The District Police Officer is the District Head, police department consisting of Police stations Dassu, Komila, Batera, Pattan, Dubair, Palas and Shatial. He is responsible for law and order as well as investigation branch of the police.
Judiciary
Before the enforcement of the Nifaz-e-Sharia Ordinance 1994, the area on the right bank of Indus (Swat Kohistan) was ruled by Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) Regulation while the left side administrated by regular law.
After the enforcement of the above ordinance in Malakand Division and Kohistan in 1994 and subsequent promulgation of Sharia Nizam-e-Adl regulation issued on 16 January 1999 with slight amendments, the judicial system throughout Kohistan District is managed through Qazi Courts.
1. Zilla Qazi (District & Session Judge)
2. Alla Allaqa Qazi (Senior Civil Judge)
3. Allaqa Qazi (judicial Magistrate)
Revenue
Since no settlement has been carried out in the District therefore, revenue transaction is nominal. Tehsildar/Revenue officers and few Patwaries are entrusted the job of loan recoveries granted by Small Development Finance Cooperation (SDFC) and Zari Traqiati Bank of Pakistan (ZTBP).
They are also performing the duty of land acquisition and other miscellaneous duties of relief operation, domiciles etc. the District Revenue Officer (Collector) is the head of Revenue Administration.
The District is represented in the National Assembly of Pakistan
National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
& provincial assembly by three elected MNA & MPAs who represent the following constituencies:
- NA-23 (Kohistan)
- PF-61 (Kohistan-1)
- PF-62 (Kohistan-2)
- PF-63 (Kohistan-3)
Kohistan District is divided into 4 Tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s (subdivisions):
- DassuDassu (KPK)Dassu Tehsil is the district headquarters of Kohistan District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It had 15 Union Councils before the separation of the Kandia valley. Since its being named as Tehsil, the Dassu subdivision has 11 Union Councils. The total population of Dassu according to 1998 Census was...
- Pattan
- Palas
- Kandia
The capital of Kohistan is Dassu.
Geography
The name of the District has been derived from the name of the area that is Kohistan, which means the land of mountains. The District lies between 34º 54´ and 35º 52´-north latitudes and 72º43´ and 73º57´ east longitudes. It is bounded on the north and northeast by Ghizer and Diamer Districts of Northern areas, on the southeast by Manshera District on the south by Battragram District and on the west by shangla and Swat DistrictsKohistan is a sparsely populated district of the Hazara division
Hazara Division
On the dissolution of West Pakistan in 1970, Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad...
of Pakistan. Located in an area where the Eurasian landplate
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
and Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
meet and collide, Kohistan is susceptible to earthquake activity such as the Kashmir earthquake of 2005
2005 Kashmir earthquake
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major earthquake centered in Pakistan-administered Kashmir known as Azad Kashmir, near the city of Muzaffarabad, affecting Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It occurred at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time on 8 October 2005...
.
Lush green forests, meadows and streams as well as massive mountains and hills literally make Kohistan resemble the Scottish Highlands of Britain. The Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
divides Kohistan into two parts with the eastern portion referred to as the Indus Kohistan and the western portion referred to as Swat Kohistan. The Karakoram Highway
Karakoram Highway
The Karakoram Highway is the highest paved international road in the world, but at its peak at the China-Pakistan border it is only paved on the Chinese side. It connects China and Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain range, through the Khunjerab Pass, at an altitude of as confirmed by both...
passes through Kohistan on its way to Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
. Most of the cities on the Karakoram Highway
Karakoram Highway
The Karakoram Highway is the highest paved international road in the world, but at its peak at the China-Pakistan border it is only paved on the Chinese side. It connects China and Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain range, through the Khunjerab Pass, at an altitude of as confirmed by both...
in Kohistan are not more than 600m high from sea level.
Kohistan is one of the most isolated and the most deprived district not only in Hazara Division
Hazara Division
On the dissolution of West Pakistan in 1970, Hazara District and the two tribal agencies were merged to form the new Hazara Division with its capital at Abbottabad...
but in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Swat is situated to its west, Chilas, Darial and Tangir on the northern side and Naran, Kaghan and Alai valley surround Kohistan from the southern and eastern sides. It is located in the heart of the Himalayas from 34.40 to 30.35 degrees latitude and from 75.30 to 50.72 degrees longitude. It is connected with Dir
Dir
-Acronyms:* Detroit International Riverfront, an area of Detroit, Michigan that borders the Detroit River* Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based approach, a developmental intervention to autism developed by Stanley Greenspan and Serena Weider....
via the Badawi Pass
Badawi Pass
The Badawi Pass is a pass that connects Upper Dir District with Kohistan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan.-References:* Encyclopedia of Pakistan by Zahid Hussain Anjum. Jahangir Book Depot,Pakistan 2005-06...
.
The River Indus flows through Kohistan and divides it socially and culturally. Kohistan is one of the least developed districts in the country and its national significance is the Karakurum Highway. This road is the main source of trade, transportation and link between Pakistan and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The ancient Silk Road has long been a thoroughfare for tourists, traders and conquerors from Central Asia and in the past, business delegations would use this passage to travel up to Europe and Little Asia (Kochak).
Kohistan is where the Hindukush, Karakuram and Himalayan mountain systems meet and serve as a natural boundary for environmental regions in the chains of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, Karakoram
Karakoram
The Karakoram, or Karakorum , is a large mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, India and China, located in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan , Ladakh , and Xinjiang region,...
and Hindu Kush
Hindu Kush
The Hindu Kush is an mountain range that stretches between central Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir in the Chitral region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.It is the westernmost extension of the Pamir Mountains, the Karakoram Range, and is a...
mountains. This uniqueness of the mountains system also results in rich flora and fauna and therefore gives home to unique species such as the Western Tragopan
Western Tragopan
The Western Tragopan or Western Horned Tragopan is a medium-sized brightly plumaged pheasant found along the Himalayas from Hazara in northern Pakistan in the west to Uttarakhand within India to the east...
pheasant and the Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
.
Climate
The weather of the region tends to be relatively mild with rain, snow and cold temperatures in the winter and mildly hot summers. Kohistan comprises mountains and the hilly agricultural regions. The low altitudes (below 900m) in Kohistan get very hot in summer and extremely cold in winter. In the higher regions, weather remains pleasant in summer. Due to the intensive snowfall, travelling to and from the valleys can remain restricted in winter. An avalanche2010 Kohistan avalanche
The 2010 Kohistan avalanche occurred in the Kohistan District, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan on February 17, 2010, striking the village of Bagaro Serai and killing up to 102 people. Up to 45 are missing.- Incident :...
in February 2010 buried a village in the district, killing at least 100 people.
Economy
Most Kohistanis rely upon animal husbandry for sustenance and income and tend to use cows, sheep, goats for milk and meat. In addition, the timber industry is on the rise, while many local men travel to find work in PeshawarPeshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, and Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
.
The people in Kohistan largely depend on livestock for their livelihood and this is also the reason for their seasonal migration to sub-alpine and alpine pastures of Kohistan and neighbouring valleys and districts. Agriculture development is comparatively poor with only one crop growing in high altitudes and two in the lower areas. Cultivation of crops such as barley and rice has almost been given up.
People usually keep buffaloes, cows, sheep, goats and bullocks. Milk of these animals is not usually sold, but by-products of milk such as butter, are. Other by-products such as wool and skin are utilized for house-consumption and are also sold in the market.
Cash income is rare and people resort to the sale of timber, such as Deodar, Pine, Spruce, Acacia and Oak. Sale of medicinal herbs is also common though there is no check, which impact the seasonal removal of these plants has on the overall population of the species or on the health of the ecosystem.
Besides this, people are also involved in the sale of fuel-wood, farm products such as walnuts and walnut bark (vernacular: dindasa). Honey is also sold in local and provincial markets. In winter season, the local men go to urban areas in search of work.
People and culture
Kohistan's population is estimated to be over 500,000 and is spread across the various towns and villages. Kohistan is predominantly home to various Dardic peoples including the ShinaShina
Shina can refer to:* Shina , a Japanese term for mainland China* Shina , Shina Gado, a character from the Bloody Roar video game series* Shina people, Dardic people of Pakistani Kashmir* Shin of Hindukush...
, Kohistani, Torwalis. Pashtun community dominates the west of the district and can also be found in all the cities. The people mainly speak Indo-Iranian languages
Indo-Iranian languages
The Indo-Iranian language group constitutes the easternmost extant branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It consists of three language groups: the Indo-Aryan, Iranian and Nuristani...
and share various similar cultural traits including the religion of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
with the majority adhering to the Sunni sect while large minorities of Shia Muslims are also to be found throughout the area.
According to the Census of 1981, the population of the district of Kohistan was 465,237; by 1998 this grew to 472,570. The average literacy rate is around two percent, but the actual literacy rate based on field data shows that this rate is three times more.
The geographic location, lush green valleys adorned with rich flora and fauna were the biggest attractions for external invaders. It was also the only passage between China and South East Asia; the area remained under constant attacks by Tibetans, Sikhs, and Hindus. This constant invasion resulted in one of the most distinctive societies and cultures in the region, "The Rebellion Culture". This is the main characteristic of Kohistan, and its people are still following the same culture.
Education
The literacy rate of the District among the population aged 10 years and above is 11.1% the literacy ratio in male is 17.23% compared to 2.95% female. The proportion of working or employed population to population of 10 years and above is 26.47% which is 70.53% of the total labor force out of the total employed population 71.60% are self employed 10.68% working as employees and 17.32% are unpaid family helper.Kohistan's literacy rate is amongst the lowest in Pakistan and hovers around 20%. It has the lowest Human Development Index of all districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. But education is slowly expanding due to government efforts. After the arrival of Pakistan's Army for relief operations following the earthquake of October 2005, the educational system received a sudden boost-up, and most of the schools are working. The Army's commanding Officer of the area, Lt. Col. Sibghat Ullah, took responsibility for one school in Pattan (The Army Garrison School [Pattan]) which has become a role model for the complete district.
In total there are four Army supported schools established in Kohistan, which include the Army School for Girls, Shalkanabad (Palas); the Army School for boys, Keyal; and the Community Model School for girls at Pattan.
After the departure of the Pakistan Army from the area, the standard of the schools could not be maintained by the local authorities, and thus the standards declined.
In 2006 the National commission for Human Development NCHD re-trained the Education Department for exercising the Base line survey of 0-9 YEARS.The teachers at their locations carried out the survey in entire Kohistan and after data analysis the target of 5–7 years for enrollment under the Universal primary education -UPE was achieved. NCHD paly also its role in the Adult literacy program with a target age group of 11–45 years by community support.The Than UPE team headed by Shahzad Humayun DPME NCHD( 2006–07) orchestrated all the support with the help of DCO AND District nazim to support the Education department for maximum enrollment. NCHD strives for the UPE which is the second major goal of MDGs for improving the human development index.More over Feeder schools were established to enroll children previously deprived from enrollment due to long distance from schools.
It should be added that the community is highly positive for facilitation.
Education Facilities in Kohistan
Total Education Facacilities
1. Govt; Degree Colleg 01
2. Higher Secondary Schools Boys 01
3. Higher Secondary Schools Girls 01
4. High School for Boys 14
5. High School for Girls 01
6. Middle Schools for Boys 72
7. Middle Schools for Girls 05
8. Primary Schools for Boys 479
9. Primary Schools for Girls 238
10. Community Model Primary School Girls 04
11. Mosque/ Maktab Schools (Boys) 315
______________________________________________
Total 1130
Source: Noorul Hadi M&E Officer ERRA DRU Kohistan