Mirpur District is a district in Pakistan's Azad Kashmir Territory. The district is named after the main city - Mirpur. The District of Mirpur comprises mostly plain and some hilly areas. Its hot and dry climate and other geographical conditions closely resemble those of Jhelum and Gujrat, the adjoining Districts of Pakistan.
Administration
Mirpur District is located in the south west of the Kashmir region - it is part of Azad Kashmir . Azad Kashmir has been considered politically, constitutionally and geographically as part of a separate state, i.e. Jammu & Kashmir.
Consequently, fiscal issues, i.e. budget and tax affairs have been dealt with by the 'Azad Jammu & Kashmir Council', instead of the Central Board of Revenue. Azad Jammu & Kashmir Council is a supreme body, consisting of 11 members - 6 of these members are from the Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and 5 members are from the Government of Pakistan.
Also its chairman / chief executive is always the President of Pakistan. Hence, the rest of members are Azad Kashmir's own Prime Minister and President and some ministers, (also note that Azad Kashmir has its own president, prime minister and legislative assembly also supreme-court and high-court & other departments). The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) is responsible for tax affairs of rest of all Pakistani territory, i.e. all four provinces and the capital, Islamabad.
Immigration
People from this region of Azad Kashmir have historically looked abroad for employment. Many a ship employed Mirpuri boiler men in the age of steam. During the two world wars many Mirpuris enlisted in the merchant navy and armed services. During the last four decades a large number of people from this district have gone abroad, especially to United Kingdom for earning their livelihood. The Mangla Dam project in the early sixties resulted in the displacement of a large number of people, who under an agreement between the Pakistan government and the British government, were allowed to settle in the UK, where they are usually known as Mirpuri and play a role in the British society, economy, and politics.
Apart from UK people of Mipur have also gone to Mideast countries like Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Masqat, Amman, Qatar, some to Trukey. Almost in every country of the world usually Mipuri people represent the pakistani community. These people have also secured their culture and have not left their language and other moral values and they are proud of it.
As such, they are today the major foreign exchange earning resource for Pakistan. Around 50,000 people were moved from this district in the mid-sixties to make way for the construction of Mangla Dam, but corrupt handling of funds meant long drawn out delays in completing the project. Most of these people settled in new Mirpur whilst some moved elsewhere in Pakistan or to the UK.
Tehsils of Mirpur
Mirpur is divided into the following tehsils
Notable places
Castes in Mirpur
- Awan- Mostly in Sungot and Khari Sharif and Andrah Kalan Islamarh,mostly people are settled in UK.
- Arain- They are low in numbers but they mostly rich people with a tendency towards business.
- Gujjars - Last of the three main castes. Though Gujjars in Mirpur are in a minority, compared to Jatt and Rajputs, they are very much united and active economically and politically.
- Jatt- They represent the majority population of Mirpur. Jats reside in Dadyal, Main city & Khari Sharif. Jatts take an active role in the politics of Mirpur.
- Mughals- Mughals are not involved in politics but they are very active in the education sector.
- Rajputs - Second highest place for population, they play an active role in politics and bureaucracy. Mostly resident in Main city and Khari Sharif region. The sub-clans of rajputs are Gakhar, Chibs, Punwar Solans, Minhas, Jarrals etc.
- Sadat People - Though they are not big in numbers they are an active people and occupy important positions in all sectors.
Notable People of Old Mirpur
- Ch. Khadim Hussain of Chechian (MLA)
- Ch. Noor Hussain of Chechian (Politician).
- General Raja Akbar Khan of Kalri(panjeri)
- Raja Allah Dad Khan of Lehri (Jagirdar)
- Raja Bashir Ahmed Khan of Mehmunpur (Zaildar)
- Raja Gul Nawaz Khan of Lehri (Zaildar)
- Raja Fazal Dad Khan of Panjeri(winner of Military cross)
- Raja Sajawal Khan of Mehmunpur (Zaildar and Assessor)
- Subah Sadiq Shah of Nawan Garan (Activist of Quran Movement)
References
Syed Baqir Ali shah (strongest man in history of AJK) Syed Ali Ahmad Shah(ex president of AJK) Syed Badi-u-zaman Shah(Transporeter since 1943)
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