Bewal
Encyclopedia
Bewal is a town and Union Council in the eastern part of Gujar Khan
Tehsil and to south east from Rawalpindi
and Islamabad
, Pakistan
. Bewal along with Sui Cheemian
is today probably the most wealthy place anywhere in rural Pakistan, with a large proportion of its population being settled in Europe, particularly the UK. In several villages of Union Council Bewal, virtually every family has at least one member living and working in England.
Unlike other rural areas in Pakistan, Bewal is reasonably well developed. A major new International Hospital is being built in Bewal by British Bewalis and is due to start providing quality healthcare to local people in summer 2009.
Despite boasting a very low crime rate in the past, there has been a significant increase in looting, murders and house break-ins in recent years. The literacy rate in the area is estimated to be about 70 percent for men and somewhat lower for women.Bank Alfalah Limited has started its Islamic Banking branch in Bewal in December 24, 2009. It in pioneer in providing ATM
service at Bewal.
(PPP)and has elected PPP candidates to both the Provincial and National Assemblies during the last several General Elections. Local politicians play a major role in the lives of the populace.
Rawalpindi is the city which is a main shopping centre for the people. The countryside surrounding the town consists of typical Pothohar Plateau
landscape. Surrounded by several smaller towns, Bewal is a hub for other areas around it. Other main towns include Kallar Syedan, Choha Khalsa, Jabber Islampura jabbar,Goleen and Smot. The fertile land of the Bewal region grows crops such as wheat, corn and peanuts.
Raja's daughter nicknamed Baby which was suffixed with a Hindi word "Waala" (which is a common practice throughout the subcontinent), and together it was "Babywaal", which ended up as a Bewal over time. There are no historical proofs for these claims. though.
Up until the spring of 1947, Bewal had a sizable non-Muslim
population, most of which consisted of Sikh
s with a small number of Hindu
s. Bewal suffered from communal riots in which local Muslims besieged the town for over a week. The stalemate resulted in the rioters setting fire to the homes of the Sikhs and Hindus living in the centre of Bewal. Virtually the entire population of Sikhs and Hindus in Bewal was burnt alive in the ensuing fires.
A Hindu temple stills stands in Bewal although the two Gurudawaras did not survive the fire of 1947. Many former Sikh and Hindu residents and their descendants have visited Bewal in the 1980s and 1990s. Before partition Sikhs and Hindus dominated the local business scene of Bewal, while local Muslims hardly had any kind of business at all. Muslims were mostly farmers in poor conditions. It was an area governed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh
of Kashmir
and in the past it was a part of Kashmir. Qilla Sanghani (a fortress built during British Raj), Pakka Khu (a well, said to be built by some Mughul king) and Pakki Masjid (a mosque also said to be built by Mughul King) are the main historical sites in the area. There is a village in Bewal called Dheri that is the most beautiful village there, and while there are many bungalows, no one lives there, they all live in the UK.
Telecommunication
The PTCL provides the main network of landline telephone with minority shares of other operators. All major mobile phone companies operating in Pakistan provide service in Bewal. Pakistan's Broadband revolution has had a significant impact on telecommunications in Bewal. DSL internet also has a major coverage in the city with PTCL the main stakeholders. Recently a high speed 3G Network, EVO Nitro, was also set up by PTCL with maximum speeds of 9.3 Mbit/s to add up to the already established EVO 3G Network. Though localized, it is the first instance in the history of telecommunication that EVDO RevB technology was commercially launched.
and Butts also known kashmiries
Inhabitants in this region are modest and polite.Majority own various shops in main bazaar while other are farmers and stick to their lands, rest of the people are abroad for a living especially in United Kingdom.
A large number of people went to live and work in United Kingdom since 1970. In daily life people indulge themselves in simple activities like sports which include, Kabaddi
, Volleyball
, Bull Racing, Dog Fighting
.
In recent elections held in United Kingdom
Sayeeda Warsi
ak Baroness Warsi a British
lawyer from Dewsbury
Yorkshire
and member of Conservative Party , became a cabinet minister who is also from Bewal.
Sports like Kabbadi, Cricket
, Racing
were a major go then. Usually it halted many other activities as people tended to come and watched these exciting events.another school which was founded by Mr Muhammad Ramzan(late) in 1989 as named New Age elmentory academy, Late muhammad Ramzan was a well known personalty in bewal and he made lot of efforts to increase the litracy rate in bewal, due to his hectic efforts the new age acamy produce an excellent stuff for the country many number of students now serving in national and multinational system.
Gujar Khan
Gujar Khan is a city in Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. It is the headquarters of Gujar Khan Tehsil, the largest tehsil of Punjab. It is approximately 55 kilometres southeast of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan and 220 km to the north west of Lahore, capital of Punjab...
Tehsil and to south east from Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
and 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...
, Pakistan
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...
. Bewal along with Sui Cheemian
Sui Cheemian
Sui Cheemian, also spelt Sui Chimian, and less commonly as Sui Cheema is a Cheema village in Punjab, Pakistan. It is a Union council of Gujar Khan Tehsil . Sui Cheemian gets its name from the Cheema tribe of Jats, who make up the majority of the population...
is today probably the most wealthy place anywhere in rural Pakistan, with a large proportion of its population being settled in Europe, particularly the UK. In several villages of Union Council Bewal, virtually every family has at least one member living and working in England.
Unlike other rural areas in Pakistan, Bewal is reasonably well developed. A major new International Hospital is being built in Bewal by British Bewalis and is due to start providing quality healthcare to local people in summer 2009.
Despite boasting a very low crime rate in the past, there has been a significant increase in looting, murders and house break-ins in recent years. The literacy rate in the area is estimated to be about 70 percent for men and somewhat lower for women.Bank Alfalah Limited has started its Islamic Banking branch in Bewal in December 24, 2009. It in pioneer in providing ATM
ATM
-In science and technology:*Adobe Type Manager, typeface management software from Adobe Systems Allocated*Air traffic management, synonym for air traffic control*Alternating Turing machine, model of computation used in theoretical computer science...
service at Bewal.
Politics and Agriculture
Traditionally, Bewal has been a stronghold of the Pakistan Peoples PartyPakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP)and has elected PPP candidates to both the Provincial and National Assemblies during the last several General Elections. Local politicians play a major role in the lives of the populace.
Rawalpindi is the city which is a main shopping centre for the people. The countryside surrounding the town consists of typical Pothohar Plateau
Pothohar Plateau
The Pothohar Plateau is a plateau in north-eastern Pakistan and the western parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The area was the home of the Soanian Culture, which is evidenced by the discovery of fossils, tools, coins, and remains of ancient archaeological sites...
landscape. Surrounded by several smaller towns, Bewal is a hub for other areas around it. Other main towns include Kallar Syedan, Choha Khalsa, Jabber Islampura jabbar,Goleen and Smot. The fertile land of the Bewal region grows crops such as wheat, corn and peanuts.
History
There are many versions of stories about its history and name. Some believe it was named after Alexander The Great's horse which was killed during a furious fight. Others would claim that it was named after a HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Raja's daughter nicknamed Baby which was suffixed with a Hindi word "Waala" (which is a common practice throughout the subcontinent), and together it was "Babywaal", which ended up as a Bewal over time. There are no historical proofs for these claims. though.
Up until the spring of 1947, Bewal had a sizable non-Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
population, most of which consisted of Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s with a small number of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s. Bewal suffered from communal riots in which local Muslims besieged the town for over a week. The stalemate resulted in the rioters setting fire to the homes of the Sikhs and Hindus living in the centre of Bewal. Virtually the entire population of Sikhs and Hindus in Bewal was burnt alive in the ensuing fires.
A Hindu temple stills stands in Bewal although the two Gurudawaras did not survive the fire of 1947. Many former Sikh and Hindu residents and their descendants have visited Bewal in the 1980s and 1990s. Before partition Sikhs and Hindus dominated the local business scene of Bewal, while local Muslims hardly had any kind of business at all. Muslims were mostly farmers in poor conditions. It was an area governed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
of Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
and in the past it was a part of Kashmir. Qilla Sanghani (a fortress built during British Raj), Pakka Khu (a well, said to be built by some Mughul king) and Pakki Masjid (a mosque also said to be built by Mughul King) are the main historical sites in the area. There is a village in Bewal called Dheri that is the most beautiful village there, and while there are many bungalows, no one lives there, they all live in the UK.
Telecommunication
The PTCL provides the main network of landline telephone with minority shares of other operators. All major mobile phone companies operating in Pakistan provide service in Bewal. Pakistan's Broadband revolution has had a significant impact on telecommunications in Bewal. DSL internet also has a major coverage in the city with PTCL the main stakeholders. Recently a high speed 3G Network, EVO Nitro, was also set up by PTCL with maximum speeds of 9.3 Mbit/s to add up to the already established EVO 3G Network. Though localized, it is the first instance in the history of telecommunication that EVDO RevB technology was commercially launched.
People
The principal clans of Bewal are the Qureshis, Awan, Gakhar,Gujar, Mughals, Sayyid, Rajputs (jasyal Kanyals,[ chouhan rajpoots,majority live in mohra kanyal and dhera kanyal].Bangial, Bhattis, Minhas, Jat rajputs ( injrahal rajputs,Cheema, Chhina, Dhamial, Kalyals and Sandhu).and Butts also known kashmiries
Inhabitants in this region are modest and polite.Majority own various shops in main bazaar while other are farmers and stick to their lands, rest of the people are abroad for a living especially in United Kingdom.
A large number of people went to live and work in United Kingdom since 1970. In daily life people indulge themselves in simple activities like sports which include, Kabaddi
Kabaddi
Kabaddi is a South Asian team sport...
, Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, Bull Racing, Dog Fighting
Dog fighting
Dog fighting is a form of blood sport in which game dogs are made to fight, sometimes to the death. It is illegal in most developed countries. Dog fighting is used for entertainment and may also generate revenue from stud fees, admission fees and gambling....
.
In recent elections held in United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Sayeeda Warsi
Sayeeda Warsi
Sayeeda Hussain Warsi, Baroness Warsi is a British lawyer and politician. She is the co-Chairman of the Conservative Party ....
ak Baroness Warsi a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lawyer from Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and member of Conservative Party , became a cabinet minister who is also from Bewal.
Government Boys High School Bewal
Government Boys High School Bewal has been an emotional mark to many for many years as it's been a center of educational and sporting activities. From late eighties to late nineties it was a center for annual sports event. Also the school has a reputation of being one of the best schools in district Rawalpindi in terms of quality education and disciplines and a major competitor for other government or private educational institute within area.Sports like Kabbadi, Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Racing
Racing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
were a major go then. Usually it halted many other activities as people tended to come and watched these exciting events.another school which was founded by Mr Muhammad Ramzan(late) in 1989 as named New Age elmentory academy, Late muhammad Ramzan was a well known personalty in bewal and he made lot of efforts to increase the litracy rate in bewal, due to his hectic efforts the new age acamy produce an excellent stuff for the country many number of students now serving in national and multinational system.