Akora Khattak

Akora Khattak (Pashto: اکوړه خټک‎ pronounce , Urdu: اکوڑہ خٹک pronounce ) or Sarai Akora is a town in Jehangira tehsil of Nowshera District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.[2][3] Nowshera Cantonment is located to the east while Jahangira town is located west of Akora Khattak.

Akora Khattak اکوڑہ خٹک
Coordinates:
CountryPakistan
ProvinceKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa
DistrictNowshera District
Population
 (2017[1])
 • Total47,255
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)
Khushal Khan Memorial Library

Overview and history
Khushal Khan Khattak

Akora Khattak is located around 14-km (9 miles) to the east of Nowshera city in Nowshera District on Grand Trunk Road.[2][4] Akora Khattak was formerly called Sarai Akora, and is named after Malik Akor Khan Khattak, who was the great-grandfather of the famous Pashtun warrior and poet, Khushal Khan Khattak.[5]

Sher Shah Suri period

When the emperor “Sher Shah Suri's army dug two wells in this place and made it a rest place and named the place Sarai Malik Pura. Caravans came from the Central Asia for trading purpose and stayed at this place.

Mughal period

In 1581 Mughal emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar came to Peshawar to finish the mutiny of his brother ‘Mirza Hakeem’ and stayed there for a few years. During this stay, he met (jarga) with all the tribal chiefs for the betterment of the area. In the meeting the name of Malik Akor Khan often came up. It was reported to the emperor that Malik Akor Khan was a chieftain and often robbed the troops on the highway. He lived at Neelab (Nizampur) and continually created problems for the Mughal government. The emperor Jalal-ud-din Mohammad Akbar decided to resolve this problem by making Malik Akor Khan an ally and charged him with the responsibility of collecting tolls from the caravans on the crossing of the Indus at Attock.

Malik Akor Khan came to the Sarai Malik Pura (Akora Khattak) for this purpose and made this area his living place. In time this place was renamed as Sarai Akora which later became “Akora Khattak”.

Sikh period

In 1820 Sikhs of Panjab conquered Peshawar and other Pathan areas and ruled it up to 1849. In 1826 the Mujahidin-I-Islam (Sayed Ahmad Barelvi) fought a battle against Sikhs at this place. In 1834 Sardar lehna Singh built the fort of Akora Khattak near the river Kabul.

British period

The British period starts from 29 August 1849. In 1809 the colonial Indian administrator and later Governor Of Bombay, Mountstuart Elphinstone visited Peshawar.

The cantt. of Akora Khattak was established in 1850 and at 23 March 1851 Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of India, visited the place.

In 1916 the first police station of Akora Khattak was established.

Population

The population of Akora Khattak, according to 2017 consensus, is 47,255 [1]. The population of Akora Khattak, according to official consensus, over the years is shown in the table below.[6]

Consensus Year Population
1961 7954
1972 11,191
1981 13,788
1998 19,530
2017 47,255

Historical places
Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak

Akora Khattak has many historical places. The most famous are Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak, Shrine of Akhund Adyan Baba Seljoki, Darul Uloom Haqqania, Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library and museum.

Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak

Akora Khattak is the birthplace and burial place of the poet great pashto poet and warrior Khushal Khan Khattak.[7][8] The mausoleum of Khushal Khan was built in 1949.[9]

Shrine of Akhund Adyan Baba Seljoki
Shrine of Akhund adyan baba

Among the historical places of Akora Khattak, Shrine of Great Turki Sufi Master and aalim Qutb e Aalam Sheikh Akhund Adyan( شیخ اخوند ادین سلجوقی قطب عالم) is situated near Kabul river. The road in front of the shrine itself traces back to Sher Shah suri regime, the road is called Shahi laar(شاہی لار) or royal road. Starting from civil hospital to military camp. The descendants of Sheik Akhund Adyan Baba Seljuki are living in Ziarat kaka Sahib and called Qazyan or Qazi. Sheikh Akhund Adyan Baba died in 1074 AH. Sheikh was teacher of Kaka Sahib.Outside the tomb of Akhun Adyan baba the grave of Shahbaz Khan Khattak (father of Khushal Khan Khattak) is lying. Due to his religious sacrifices of that time Mughal government built his fort like area for his shrine which was reconstructed by Khan Sahib Nur Ahmed Khan in the early 20th century.

Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania
Dar-Ul-Uloom Haqqania
Main article: Darul Uloom Haqqania

Darul Uloom-e-haqqania was founded by Maulana Abdul Haq (father of Maulana Sami Ul Haq) along with his companion Haji Mohammad Yousaf in 1947. It is the second largest Islamic religious seminary in Pakistan. More than 8000 students have been educated there.

Khushal Khan Khattak memorial library
Khushal Khan Khattak Library

Akora Khan also has Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library[5] and a small museum. Library was established in 1994 in the memory of Khushal Khan Khattak. The museum has many medieval era artefacts, some of which were used by Khushal Khan Khattak.

Rang Mahal
Rang Mahal of Mughal era

Rang mahal (رنگ محل ) of Mughal era situated near meera akora Khattak. It was built by Mughals for their rest.

Education
Umma Children Academy

Schools and Colleges

  • Govt Centennial Model high school (boys)
  • Khyber Model College and School Akora Khattak Campus
  • The student model high school and College
  • Govt high school (boys) Baghbanpura
  • Govt Girls Middle School Baghbanpura
  • Sir Syed public High school
  • Govt high school (girls)
  • Haqqania High School
  • Tamir-e-millat high school
  • Public collegiate high school
  • Bright Start English school
  • Jamia Shams Ul Madaris Surya Khel for (boys and girls)
  • Rahman public school
  • Army Public school Akora Khattak
  • The Sun Rise public school
  • Govt Khushal Khan Khattak degree college (boys)
  • Govt Khushal Khan Khattak college (girls)
  • The Safah public school
  • The Quaid Public School
  • The Suffa Public School
  • The Sarhad Public School Akora Khattak
  • AIMS (Alqalam Islamic Model School)
  • ummah higher secondary school soria khel akora khattak

Academies

  • Umma Children Academy
  • National Children Academy
  • Scientific Learning tuition Academy Akora khattak
  • The Aryana English Language & Computer Academy

Jamal Ul Quran Online Academy Akora khattak

Institutes

  • Shahcom Institute of Technology (Regd.)
  • National Institute of Technology

Health care
LRBT free eye hospital
  • Civil Hospital: The main health source in Akora Khattak is the govt hospital.
  • Al-Shifa Homeopathic Clinic: Dr. Muhammad Ali is a big name in homeopathic practices in akora Khattak now since more than 27 years.
  • LRBT Free Eye Hospital.

Sports
Paragliding

The youth of Akora Khattak are very active in every field of sport but unfortunately there are few facilities available for their use. However, cricket, volleyball, bodybuilding are sports played in akora khattak. Recently, Paragliding was also performed in Akora Khattak.

Notable people
  • Khushal Khan Khattak – warrior poet, chief, and freedom fighter
  • Maulana Abdul Haq – Islamic scholar and founder of the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Haqqania
  • Ajmal Khattak – politician and writer
  • ijaz ul haq khattak - politician and writer, political annalist, social worker,
  • Khan Bahadur Muhammad Amin Khan - Political leader, Entrepreneur, Magistrate and recipient of the Khan Bahadur title
  • Khan Sahib Nur Ahmed Khan- Political activist, Business contractor, Magistrate and recipient of the Khan Sahib title
  • Akhtar Zaman Khattak - From a Fructiferous Family of Mustaqeem Khan (Mustaqeem Khel(مستقیم خیل)) at the home of Ajmal Khan Khattak, of Nizampur (Historical Place, Where Khushal Khan Khattak used to come for hunting and sightseeing bcz he was very fond of walking far and wide) Elaqa Khwarra(علاقہ خوڑہ), Between Attock Khurd and Neelab(نیلاب)(Boundary of District Nowshera and Kohat), Social Worker, Hospitable, like Peace and Humanity

See also

References
  1. "Area & Population of Administrative Units by Rural/Urban: 6th population 2017 Censuses". Archived from the original on 2017-10-15. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  2. Bergen, Peter; Tiedemann, Katherine (2013-02-14). Talibanistan: Negotiating the Borders Between Terror, Politics, and Religion. OUP USA. ISBN 9780199893096.
  3. "PESCO restores electricity in Nowshera City despite collapsed of 23 transmission towers". www.brecorder.com. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  4. "Map from nowshera to Akora Khattak". Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  5. "Remembering a revered poet: Ajmal Khattak, a proponent of peace - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2012-05-13. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  6. "Area & Population of Administrative Units by Rural/Urban: 1951-1998 Censuses (pdf)" (PDF). www.pbs.gov.pk. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  7. Correspondent, A (2016-03-07). "Khushal Khan Khattak remembered". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  8. "Apna Akora Khattak". www.apnaakorakhattak.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  9. Ali, Zulfiqar (2015-05-18). "Khushal Khan Khattak's mausoleum a shambles". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
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