Jhelum (Urdu, Template:Lang-pa) (Greek: Alexandria Bucephalous) is a city on the right bank of the Jhelum River, in the district of the same name in the north of Punjab province, Pakistan. Jhelum is known for providing a large number of soldiers to the British[4] and later to the Pakistan armed forces due to which it is also known as city of soldiers or land of martyrs and warriors.[5][6] Jhelum is a few miles upstream from the site of the Battle of the Hydaspes between the armies of Alexander the Great and Raja Porus. A city called Bucephala was founded nearby to commemorate the death of Alexander's horse, Bucephalus. Other notable sites nearby include the 16th century Rohtas Fort, the Tilla Jogian complex of ancient temples, and the 16th-century Grand Trunk Road which passes through the city. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the population of Jhelum was 145,647[7] and in 2010 its population is 174,679.[7] The name of the city is derived from the words Jal (pure water) and Ham (snow), as the river that flows through the river originates in the Himalayas.[8] There are a number of industries in and around Jhelum city, including a tobacco factory, wood, marble, glass and flour mills.[9]
Etymology
Jhelum's earliest name was Vitasta.[10][11]
Anjum Sultan Shahbaz recorded some stories of the name Jhelum in his book Tareekh-e-Jhelum as[12]:
Many writers have different opinions about the name of Jhelum. One suggestion is that in ancient days Jhelum was known as Jalham. The word Jhelum is reportedly derived from the words Jal(pure water) and Ham (snow). The name thus refers to the waters of a river (flowing besides the city) which have their origins in the snow-capped Himalayas.[13]
However some writers believe that when "Dara-e-Azam" reached a certain place on the river bank after winning many battles, he fixed his flag at that place and called it "Ja-e-Alam" which means "Place of the Flag". With the passage of time it became Jhelum from "Ja-e-Alam".
According to tradition, Hazrat Saeed Bin Abi Waqas, brother of Hazrat Saad Bin Abi Waqas, was sent to China to preach Islam, during his journey he arrived at the city of Jhelum, he saw the reflection of a city in the river and said "هذا جهيلم" (this is Jheelum), which means "City besides the river, in full moonlight"
The JanjuasRajputs, Jats and Ahirs[10][14]
,[15] who now hold the Salt Range and its northern plateau respectively, appear to have been the earliest inhabitants of Jhelum.[16] The history of Jhelum dates back to the semi-mythical period of the Mahabharata. Hindu tradition represents the nearby Salt Range as the refuge of the five Pandava brothers during the period of their exile. The next major point in the history of the district was the Battle of the Hydaspes between Alexander the Great and the local ruler, Porus.Abisares (or Abhisara;[17] in Greek Αβισαρης), called Embisarus (Eμβισαρoς) by Diodorus,[18] was an Indian king of abhira[19] descent beyond the river Hydaspes, whose territory lay in the mountains, sent embassies to Alexander the Great both before and after the conquest of Porus in 326 BC, although inclined to espouse the side of the latter. Alexander not only allowed him to retain his kingdom, but increased it, and on his death appointed his son as his successor.
The Gakhars appear to represent an early wave of conquerors from the west, and who still inhabit a large tract in the east of the district; while the Awans, who now cluster in the western plain, are apparently later invaders, the Gakhars were the dominant race during the early Muslim era and they long continued to retain their independence, both in Jhelum itself and in the neighbouring district of Rawalpindi.[16]
During the flourishing period of the Mughal dynasty, the Gakhar chieftains were among the most prosperous and loyal vassals of the house of Babar, but after the collapse of the Mughal empire, Jhelum came under the rule of the Sikhs.[16]
In 1765 Gujar Singh defeated the last independent Gakhar chief, Muqarrrab Khan, and subjugated the wild mountaineers of the Salt Range and the Murree Hills. His son succeeded to his dominions until 1810, when it fell to Ranjit Singh. Under the rule of Ranjit Singh, the dominant classes of Jhelum suffered much from fiscal actions; and the Janjua, Gakhars, and Awan families gradually lost their landed estates to their Jat dependents.[16]
In 1849 Jhelum passed with the rest of the Sikh territories to the British. Ranjit Singh, however, had so thoroughly subjugated the wild mountain tribes of the district that little difficulty was experienced in reducing it to working order. In 1857 the 14th Native Infantry stationed at Jhelum town mutinied, and made a vigorous defence against a force sent from Rawalpindi to disarm them, but decamped on the night following the action, with the main body being subsequently arrested by the Kashmiri authorities, into whose territory they had escaped.
During British rule Jhelum was a district of Rawalpindi Division, and was larger than the current district of Jhelum. On April 1, 1914, the tehsil of Talagang was detached from the district and incorporated with the new district of Attock. The old Jhelum district (minus Talagang) covered an area of 7,285 km2 (2,813 sq mi) and included Chakwal tehsil - it was bounded by Shahpur and Attock to the west, and by Rawalpindi to the north - the Jhelum River separated it from Kashmir to the north-east and from Gujrat and Shahpur to the south-east and south.[16]
During British rule Jhelum was connected by the North-Western Railway to other cities in the Indian empire, 1,367 miles from Calcutta, 1,413 from Bombay, and 849 from Karachi. The population according to the 1901 census of India was 14,951.[16]
"The present town is of modern origin, the old town, which may have been the Bucephala of Alexander having been, on the left or opposite bank of the river. Under Sikh rule the place was quite unimportant, being mainly occupied by a settlement of boatmen, and at the time of annexation contained about 500 houses. It was then chosen as the site of a cantonment and as the head-quarters of the civil administration. For some years it was the seat of the Commissioner of the Division, but in 1859 his head-quarters were transferred to Rawalpindi. Under British rule Jhelum has steadily advanced in prosperity; and it is the entrepôt for most of the trade of the District, though, since the completion of the Sind-Sāgar branch of the North-Western Railway; the salt trade no longer passes through it. It is an important timber dépôt, the timber from the Kashmir forests which is floated down the river being collected here. A good deal of boat-building is carried on. The cantonment, which is 3 miles from the civil station, contains the church and post office. The normal strength of the garrison is one Native cavalry and four Native infantry regiments. The municipality was founded 1867. During the ten years ending 1902-3 the receipts averaged Rs. 32,100, and the expenditure Rs, 31,900. Receipts and expenditure from cantonment funds in the same period averaged Rs. 31,900 and Rs. 6,100 respectively. The chief income of the municipality in 1903-4 was Rs.34,200 chiefly from octroi; and the expenditure was Rs. 41,000. The town has two Anglo vernacular schools, a municipal high school, and a middle school maintained by the American Presbyterian Mission. Besides the civil hospital, the mission also maintains a hospital."[16]
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 35 British soldiers of HM XXIV regiment were killed by the local resistance. A lectern inside St. John's Church Jhelum the church shows the names of those 35 soldiers. St. John's Church is located in Jhelum Cantonment beside the river Jhelum. It was built in 1860 and is a landmark of the city. It is a Protestant church and was in use during the British period. For forty years it remained closed. Now it has been renovated and opened and almost in good condition.
Hazara (country), the Abisares of the Greeks; it forms the north-western district of the Peshawar division. It was conquered by Arjuna.[20] But Dr. Stein identifies the kingdom of Abhisara with the tract of the lower and middle hills between the Vitasta (Jhelum) and Chadrabhaga (Chenab) including the state of Rajapuri (Rajauri) in Kasmira.[10][21][15]
Administration
The River Jhelum below the bridge beside Jhelum City
Literacy rate of Jhelum is among the highest in Pakistan. At 79%, it is only lower than that of Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi.[27] Somewhat higher than the literacy in Punjab province (58 percent).[27] The literacy rate has remarkably increased from 38.9 percent in 1981. The rate is much higher in urban area when compared with rural areas both for males and females. 84% of the population have electricity and 96% have the water facility.[28]Human Development Index of Jhelum is 0.770, which highest in Pakistan after Karachi.
City
Shabir plaza Shandar ChowkGumbad wali Masjid
In the past few years, the city has experienced rapid expansion and has become a vibrant economic and cultural center. The old city has fascinating narrow streets and crowded bazaars.
The main market area of the city is centered around "Shandar Chowk", "GTS Chowk", "Muhammadi Chowk" and includes "Main Bazaar", "Niya Bazaar", "Raja Bazaar", "Kinari Bazaar", "Sarafa Bazaar", "Chowk-Ehl-e-Hadith" and Soldier Arcade etc.
Some of the main roads of Jhelum City are Civil Line, Railway Road, Old GT Road, Kucheri Road, Iqbal Road and Rohtas Road.
A cantonment was built during the British rule, which has grown up into a strong Garrison, with an Infantry Division commanded by a Major General.
The estimated population of Jhelum in 2010 is 174,679[7] and the area of Jhelum is about 22 km2 (8.5 sq mi).
Lying at 32°56′ North latitude and 73°44′ East longitude, Jhelum is located just 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from the Capital of Pakistan Islamabad, and 3 hours drive from the heart of Punjab Lahore. Jhelum is linked with these cities through the National HighwayN-5. Several cities are within 1 to 2 hours drive including Gujrat (home to fan manufacturing),[29]Gujranwala,[30]Chakwal and Mirpur, Azad Kashmir.[31]
Jhelum is hot in summer, and dry and mild in winter. The maximum mean temperature in summer, in June, is recorded as 45.7 °C, where in winter, in January; the minimum temperature as recorded is 1.8 °C respectively. Average annual rainfall is about 900 mm (about 35 inches) which is much below the required quantity but in the rainy season the water torrents flow from North to the river Jhelum with a very fast speed and cause damages to the crops, bridges, roads and are responsible for the soil erosion in the district.[32]
Major floods
The biggest flood in Jhelum came in 1992. This flood sunk Jhelum city. Some people argue that 1996 flood was the biggest but they are very weak in their analysis as 1996 flood was very normal flood and did nothing to the city. But 1992 flood was very devastating.[33]
Important sites
Front view of Melange super MarketAkram Shaheed Library
Rohtas Fort is a garrison fort built by the great Afghan king Sher Shah Suri. This fort is about 4 km in circumference and the first example of the successful amalgamation of Pukhtun and Hindu architecture in the sub-continent. Qila Rohtas is situated in a gorge approximately 16 km NW of Jhelum and 7 km from Dina.
The old city has a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and crowded bazaars. Opposite to the CMHJhelum Cantt is located the beautiful mosque of the city, CMH Masjid Jhelum.
Nearly at a distance of 100m from Shandar Chowk, in the center of city is located Major Akram Shaheed Memorial Park. Major Muhammad Akram Memorial Library is also present in this park. On 6 September at the occasion of Defence Day, Parade also took place over here.
Mangla Dam Water Reservoir
Lehri Nature Park is almost 30 kilometers from Jhelum and 90 kilometres on GT Road in the hilly Pothohar region from Islamabad. It is 10 kilometres from GT Road.
The Mangla Dam is located on the Jhelum River about 30 km (19 mi) from Jhelum, it is the twelfth largest dam in the world. It was constructed in 1967 across the Jhelum River. There is the Mangla View Resort[34] that is the first planned resort development in Pakistan to offer residences, villas, townhouses, hotels, serviced apartments & retail outlets. The resort is located on a 340-acre (1.4 km2) site on the Mangla Dam area.
Rasul Barrage is located on the Jhelum River about 30 km downstream from Jhelum. Two major water canals originate at the Rasul barrage, Rasul-Qadirabad link canal which is also called Lower-Jhelum link canal and Rasul-Shahpur branch canal.The area around the Rasul Barrage lake is also a picnic spot.
Travel
Local
Auto Rickshaws are very popular mode of transport for short routes within the city. Many of the new rickshaws in the city use Compressed natural gas (CNG) instead of the petrol engines as CNG is environmentally clean and cheaper compared to petrol. Rickshaws by QingQi are another important mode of transportation. The older horse drawn tongas are now defunct although some can still be privately commissioned. Taxis and privately commissioned small passengger carrying vans are available
The Jhelum Railway Station was built in 1928 during British rule before the independence of Pakistan. It was connected by the North-Western Railway to other cities in the Indian empire. Jhelum is on main line of Pakistan Railways, and linked to whole country through Railway line across the Pakistan.
Many of the railway lines and bridges were designed and constructed by exceptionally hardworking engineers during the British time and after independence in railway workshop Jhelum.
The PTCL provides the main network of landline telephone with minority shares of few other operators like WorldCall. All major mobile phone companies operating in Pakistan provide service in Jhelum. Broadband internet access is available from DSL, EVDO to state of the art WiMax technology from many ISPs, WiMax and WiFi operators like PTCL EVO,[35]Wateen, Mobilink, WorldCall, LinkdotNet etc. WorldCall has laid its fiberoptics throughout the city of Jhelum for future project of FTTH with Tripple Play service.[36] In August 2008 PTCL has also launched its IPTV service named PTCL Smart TV in Jhelum.
Besides the mainstream sports like cricket, hockey, and squash, a lot of other sports are also played in the rural areas around the city. These, which are equally popular, include tent pegging, volleyball, football, stone-lifting, and Kabaddi thousands of people flock to these local grand sporting events as keenly as the average sports fan anywhere in the world.
These events are usually sponsored by the UK and foreign based Paksistani diaspora.
.
Poverty
Jhelum like many of Pakistans urban areas is an impoverished and underdeveloped city, it has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and declining exports or manufacture. Poverty levels amongst the most needy have increased dramatically and support to meet their needs has been cut. In sharp contrast much of the general public have increased their personal wealth. There are many expensive motor vehicles, ostentatious houses, and designer shops which contrast starkly with the poverty and poor infrastructure that immediately surrounds them. Whilst the male literacy rate has increased the female literacy rate in Jhelum has demonstrably decreased and is now amongst the lowest in Punjab.[40]
Many mothers bringing up children alone encounter enormous difficulties and prejudice. It is a critical issue because If a family has no work prospects, is living as house servants or as refugees trusted by few and despised by many then they are more likely to put children and themselves out on the roads to beg.
Whilst many people beg out of necessity it seems the phenomenon has increased uncontrollably over the last ten years, many of the cities roads and street corners throng with beggars chasing people for paltry sums of money. They appear to be closely controlled and organised by criminal gangs who benefit the most. It is these gangs in turn who create the biggest problems to the wider society. They have at their disposal, juvenile delinquints, disabled persons, females and child workers, many of them shameless with horrific appearance or disabilities that are a convenient tool for extorting whatever little money they can.
Many of the resident affluent people see these beggars as more of a blessing in disguise than irritating entities. They find them to be the most readily available recipients of charity or "Sadqa" on a regular basis. It is often a philanthropic spirit that makes them fork out money, if on the one hand the affluent see beggars as a medium to purifying (or legalise) their wealth, the beggars find this occupation the easiest way to earn a living. Hence this relationship has abetted beggary and turned it into an organised form. It seems as the wealth of the general population in Jhelum has increased so too have the numbers of beggars, unfortunately too many of them are vulnerable child workers.[41]
While most child workers have homes to return to, Jhelum has its fair share of street children completely alone, at the mercy of their employers, and circumstances night and day. Exposed to organised criminal gangs, drug addicts, and abuse. They are at highest risks of developing communicable diseases such as TB, Hepatitis and HIV. Inevitably many by the time they are 16 are juvenile delinquents with anti social tendencies and a problem to wider society. Unemployable and faithfull to the gang culture which has seen them through the years they often resort to pickpocketing, robbery, violence, prostitution and trafficking as a means of survival.[42]
Crime & Disorder
Crime in Jhelum is present in many forms this includes drug trafficking, money laundering, murder robbery and fraud. There is a proliferation of authorised and unauthorised firearms and ammunitions into the hands of the general public and petty thiefs. In recent years armed robberies and holdups on quiet roads have seen a dramatic increase only recently a motorcycle gang responsible for large amounts of crime were apprehended, they were in possession of an extraordinary arsenal of weapons and ammunitions. Consequently there has been a year on year rise in crime. The numbers of police officers injured fatally or otherwise has also risen.[43] This has generated an heightened fear of crime amongst the population at large. Many people are frightened to travel at night unless absolutely necessary. Statistically crime has risen by 6% per annum. For some reason twice as many robberies are reported in Jhelum than in nearby Attock and Chakwal.[44]
Jhelum has its very own long established Heera Mandi which to all intents and purposes seeems to be still very active.[45] At one time this centred around the Palace Cinema on the Upper Chowk. As the Chowk became redeveloped the acitivities moved to an area known as the Ghaggar Maala. Some of the patrons hypocritical and even going so far as to justify their activities under the out dated religious edict of Muta [46]
Underground criminal gangs manage activities in the area, operating at a low key low profile level, amongst the myriads of small shops, stalls and havellis. It is reputed that with the right contacts one can purchase almost anything one desires from here. This includes alcohol, drugs, prostitution Prostitution in Pakistan and other blackmarket commodoties. Crime in Pakistan
Jhelum has a fairly well-developed educational infrastructure. The overall literacy rate for Jhelum is 79 percent, somewhat a higher literacy in Punjab province (58 percent).[27]
In technical education there are two technical colleges, the Government Institute of Technology, Chak Daulat and the Government Technical Training Institute.[48]
Jhelum also has two sub-campuses of the Virtual University of Pakistan namely Wings Institute of Learning and Punjab College For Women.[49]University of the Punjab is also establishing a sub-campus at Jhelum. Governament of Punjab has allocated 65 kanals of land for this purpose.[50]
DHQ Civil Hospital Jada JhelumAlKhadim Memorial Hospital
Jhelum has some of the largest hospitals[53] in the area which include the hospital in cantonment area of the city managed by the Pakistan Army or sub organisations.[54]
Mirza Abdul Ghafoor Baig, Advocate Supreme Court, Ex-Member Punjab Bar Council, Ex-President District Bar Association, Jhelum, Ex-Chairman, Punjab Bait-ul-Mal, Jhelum, Ex-Non-Official Visitor of Jail, Senior Most Advocate of Jhelum practicing since 1956. Referred in Moulana Kousar Niazi's Book 'Aur Line Cut Gai' and can be easily seen in the captioned Picture on Book 'Tareekh-e-Jhelum' sitting at the immediate right hand of Mustafa Zaidi.
Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain DG Training and Evaluation.
Fazal-i-Qadar Additional Secretary Government of Pakistan.
Major General (R) Syed Saeed Zaidi, DG Rangers, DG Artillery, DG Plans, MD Fauji Cement. Ex SSG. Presently in Politics.
Sqn.Ldr(r)/Capt(R) Syed Masood Zaidi, Veteran Fighter Pilot of 1965 & 1971 Wars. Senior Pilot of PIA. He is PM Gilani's Relative.
SSP (R) Syed Wajih ul Hasan Zaidi (late), Was SSP(Police) West Pakistan and also was a Philanthropist. Was one of the pioneers of Pakistan Rangers. Best known for being very blunt & taking confrontations with Nawab Kalabagh, General Ayub Khan, & General Yahaya Khan over their policies. Was forced into retirement.
Qamar Shaheen Babar, Journalist, R/o Village & Post Office Wagh, Tehsil Pind Dadan Khan, District Jhelum. an investigative Journalist of the leading News Channel "NewsOne" from Pakistan, Having a lot of Investigative Stories on his credit.
Dr Shahbaz Khan international water scientist and engineer
Pakistan
Media related to Jhelum at Wikimedia Commons
Map of Tehsil Jhelum
A fort in Jhelum City
Railway Road
JJ Shop
Stylo and Hush Puppies, Civil Line
Saleem center, Civil Lines
Ladi's mart, MM#3
Cantonment Square, Jhelum
Mahfooz Plaza, Kazim Kamal Road
KFC Jhelum Cantt
View of a match
Zamir Jafri Cricket Stadium
Tulip lawn Jhelum
Kazim Kamal Park
A view of Old GT Road from Shabir Plaza
A view of Railway Road
Old GT Road
Passport Office
Sh. Qaym Din Masjid
Shandar Chowk Jhelum
Jhelum River near Bela BBQ
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