Makhad
Encyclopedia
Makhad is a hilly historical town in Attock District
in the Northern part of Punjab
province, Pakistan
. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province
. The separation is marked by a fast flowing Indus River
.
This was the last point reached by the British Indus flotilla
of steamboats which once plied the river (Shaw 1998).
In 19th century Jhirk was the busiest river port and centre of commercial activity in Sindh
. It also served as the headquarters of the Indus Flotilla
, the most modern navigational system of those days.
Karachi Port near Karachi
was connected to Jhirk
the head quarter of Indus flotilla
, which was in Jhirk
town near Kotri
and then it will go up to Mithankot
Rajanpur district
near Dera Ghazi Khan
and then to the last point Makhad Attock
. This part of Indus flotilla
was called Punjab flotilla and the Indus flotilla
Interchangeably.
British
Indus flotilla
of steamboats .which once plied the Indus river is described by (Shaw 1998).
Hassan Ali Effendi
the famous educationist who was instrumental in Establishing Sindh Madrasatul Islam used to Work at Indus Flotilla
in his early years while learning English. Quaid-i-Azam was one his student at Sindh Madrasatul Islam Karachi.
Makhad estate had been under the control of Khans of Makhad (Sher Ahmad Khan
). The town is also home of Pir of Makhad. From Islamabad
, Makhad can be accessed by road by reaching Pindi Gheb via Fateh Jang
on GT road.
Though a historically significant town and having the rugged beauty much of Northern Punjab or Potohar region is famous for, Makhad will be one of the many towns that will be completely submerged if the much controversial Kalabagh Dam
is built. Makhad is famous in the region for originating a popular dessert, which is known as Makhaddi Halwa.
The Piracha
tribe, which is one of the largest in Pakistan and today scattered all over the country and even India
, is said to have become a large clan in Makhad in the 10th century.
Attock District
Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...
in the Northern part of Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
province, 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...
. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the rugged North-West Frontier Province
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
. The separation is marked by a fast flowing 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...
.
This was the last point reached by the British Indus flotilla
Indus flotilla
The Indus Flotilla was a steamship company established in 1859 in British India to provide "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steamvessels [sic], between Kotree and Mooltan, to be worked in connexion with the railways." It came to ply the Indus River all the way from Karachi Port in the...
of steamboats which once plied the river (Shaw 1998).
In 19th century Jhirk was the busiest river port and centre of commercial activity in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. It also served as the headquarters of the Indus Flotilla
Indus flotilla
The Indus Flotilla was a steamship company established in 1859 in British India to provide "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steamvessels [sic], between Kotree and Mooltan, to be worked in connexion with the railways." It came to ply the Indus River all the way from Karachi Port in the...
, the most modern navigational system of those days.
Karachi Port near 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...
was connected to Jhirk
Jhirk
Jhirk is a small town on the right bank of River Indus, in district Thatta, province of Sindh, Pakistan.- History :In 19th century, Jhirk was the busiest river port and centre of commercial activity in Sindh. It also served as the headquarters of the Indus flotilla, the most modern navigational...
the head quarter of Indus flotilla
Indus flotilla
The Indus Flotilla was a steamship company established in 1859 in British India to provide "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steamvessels [sic], between Kotree and Mooltan, to be worked in connexion with the railways." It came to ply the Indus River all the way from Karachi Port in the...
, which was in Jhirk
Jhirk
Jhirk is a small town on the right bank of River Indus, in district Thatta, province of Sindh, Pakistan.- History :In 19th century, Jhirk was the busiest river port and centre of commercial activity in Sindh. It also served as the headquarters of the Indus flotilla, the most modern navigational...
town near Kotri
Kotri
Kotri , a large town, is the headquarters station of the Kotri Taluka, or administrative district...
and then it will go up to Mithankot
Mithankot
Mithankot , is located in southern Punjab, Pakistan.- Geography :Mithankot is located on the right bank of the Indus River, only a short distance downstream from its junction with Panjnad River. The latter is formed by successive confluence of the five rivers of Punjab, namely Jhelum, Chenab,...
Rajanpur district
Rajanpur District
Rajanpur District is a district of Punjab province in Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 1,103,618 of which 14.27% were urban. Its administrative centre is the town of Rajanpur.-History & geography:...
near Dera Ghazi Khan
Dera Ghazi Khan
Dera Ghazi Khan is a city located in Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab, Pakistan. Dera Ghazi Khan is one of the most populous cities in Southern Punjab, and it is the largest district in Punjab in terms of area, being approximately in extent....
and then to the last point Makhad Attock
Attock
Attock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
. This part of Indus flotilla
Indus flotilla
The Indus Flotilla was a steamship company established in 1859 in British India to provide "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steamvessels [sic], between Kotree and Mooltan, to be worked in connexion with the railways." It came to ply the Indus River all the way from Karachi Port in the...
was called Punjab flotilla and the Indus flotilla
Indus flotilla
The Indus Flotilla was a steamship company established in 1859 in British India to provide "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steamvessels [sic], between Kotree and Mooltan, to be worked in connexion with the railways." It came to ply the Indus River all the way from Karachi Port in the...
Interchangeably.
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...
Indus flotilla
Indus flotilla
The Indus Flotilla was a steamship company established in 1859 in British India to provide "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steamvessels [sic], between Kotree and Mooltan, to be worked in connexion with the railways." It came to ply the Indus River all the way from Karachi Port in the...
of steamboats .which once plied the Indus river is described by (Shaw 1998).
Hassan Ali Effendi
Hassan Ali Effendi
Hassan Ali Effendi was a renowned educationist in South Asia who is credited as the founder of one of the first Muslim schools in British India: the Sindh Madrasatul Islam , located in Karachi in modern-day Pakistan...
the famous educationist who was instrumental in Establishing Sindh Madrasatul Islam used to Work at Indus Flotilla
Indus flotilla
The Indus Flotilla was a steamship company established in 1859 in British India to provide "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steamvessels [sic], between Kotree and Mooltan, to be worked in connexion with the railways." It came to ply the Indus River all the way from Karachi Port in the...
in his early years while learning English. Quaid-i-Azam was one his student at Sindh Madrasatul Islam Karachi.
Makhad estate had been under the control of Khans of Makhad (Sher Ahmad Khan
Sher Ahmad Khan
Sher Ahmad Khan, known as Khan of Makhad, was the Chief of the Sagri Khattaks. He was also a Jagirdar of Shakardara in Kohat District. The Dynasty was started by Ghazi Khan in the early 16th century during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Ghazi Khan moved from Kohat to Makhad after...
). The town is also home of Pir of Makhad. From 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...
, Makhad can be accessed by road by reaching Pindi Gheb via Fateh Jang
Fateh Jang
Fateh Jang is a town and the tehsil headquarters of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan...
on GT road.
Though a historically significant town and having the rugged beauty much of Northern Punjab or Potohar region is famous for, Makhad will be one of the many towns that will be completely submerged if the much controversial Kalabagh Dam
Kalabagh Dam
The Kalabagh dam is a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Indus River at Kalabagh in Mianwali District of the Punjab province in Pakistan. The project has been controversial since its inception.-History:...
is built. Makhad is famous in the region for originating a popular dessert, which is known as Makhaddi Halwa.
The Piracha
Piracha
Paracha is a family name in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.-Origin:...
tribe, which is one of the largest in Pakistan and today scattered all over the country and even India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, is said to have become a large clan in Makhad in the 10th century.