Balakot: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
m Reverted edit by 49.36.168.109 (talk) to last version by Goofball321 |
|||
| (661 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{About|the town|other places named Balakot|Balakot (disambiguation)}} |
|||
'''Balakot''' ({{lang-ur|بالاکوٹ}}), is a town in [[Mansehra District]] in the [[North-West Frontier Province]] of [[Pakistan]]. It is located at {{coord|34|33|N|73|21|E|region:PK_type:city|display=inline,title}} and has an average elevation of 971 metres (3188 feet)<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/PK/3/Balakot.html Location of Balakot - Falling Rain Genomics]</ref> - the town was destroyed during the 2005 earthquake. The city has been rebuilt with the assistance of Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV)<ref>rel="nofollow" [http://www.spapev.org]</ref>, a Saudi relief organization. While a separate project, initiated by the Government of [[Pakistan]] 'New Balakot City' is being developed near [[Mansehra]], with a plan to relocate the population of two Union Councils of [[Balakot]], demarcated as Red Zone. |
|||
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} |
|||
[[Image:Main Town of Balakot.JPG|thumb|400 px|Right|[[Balakot]] main town on June 08, 2005 - before the earthquake.]] |
|||
{{EngvarB|date=July 2019}} |
|||
== Location == |
|||
{{Use Pakistani English|date=November 2023}} |
|||
[[Image:Kunhar river near Balakot.JPG|thumb|400 px|right|[[Kunhar river]] near Balakot during July]] |
|||
{{Infobox settlement |
|||
Balakot is located about thirty-eight kilometres in north-east of the city of [[Mansehra]]. It is a historical town, famous tourist destination of the region and gateway to [[Kaghan valley]] of the [[North-West Frontier Province]] of [[Pakistan]]. The river [[Kunhar]], originating from [[Lulusar]] lake runs through the city and merges with [[Jhelum River]] just outside [[Muzaffarabad]] in [[Azad Kashmir]]. |
|||
| official_name = Balakot Upper Pakhli |
|||
| native_name = {{nq|بالاکوٹ}} |
|||
| name = Balakot |
|||
| settlement_type = |
|||
| image_skyline = File:Balakot City in the evening.jpg |
|||
| imagesize = 320px |
|||
| image_alt = |
|||
| image_caption = |
|||
| image_map = |
|||
| mapsize = 150 px |
|||
| map_alt = |
|||
| map_caption = |
|||
| coordinates = {{coord|34.54|73.35|region:PK_type:city|display=inline}} |
|||
| pushpin_map = Pakistan#Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
|||
| pushpin_label_position = <!-- left, right, top, bottom, none --> |
|||
| pushpin_map_alt = |
|||
| pushpin_mapsize = |
|||
| pushpin_map_caption = |
|||
| subdivision_type = [[Country]] |
|||
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Pakistan}} |
|||
| subdivision_type1 = [[Subdivisions of Pakistan|Province]] |
|||
| subdivision_name1 = [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] |
|||
| subdivision_type2 = [[Divisions of Pakistan|Division]] |
|||
| subdivision_name2 = [[Hazara Division|Hazara]] |
|||
| subdivision_type3 = [[List of districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|District]] |
|||
| subdivision_name3 = [[Mansehra District|Mansehra]] |
|||
| subdivision_type4 = [[List of tehsils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Tehsil]] |
|||
| subdivision_name4 = [[Balakot Tehsil|Balakot]] |
|||
| population_total = |
|||
| population_as_of = 1998 |
|||
| population_est = |
|||
| pop_est_as_of = |
|||
| population_footnotes = |
|||
| area_total_km2 = |
|||
| elevation_m = |
|||
| elevation_m_min = |
|||
| elevation_m_max = |
|||
| population_density_km2 = |
|||
| leader_title = [[Khan (title)|Khan]] |
|||
| leader_name = Khan Muhammad Saleem Khan (Sarkheli Swati) |
|||
| leader_title1 = [[Assistant Commissioner]] |
|||
| leader_name1 = Saddam Hussain Memon ([[Pakistan Administrative Service|BPS-17 PAS]]) |
|||
| blank_name_sec1 = Languages |
|||
| blank_info_sec1 = [[Hindko]] |
|||
| area_code = |
|||
| area_code_type = [[List of dialling codes of Pakistan|Calling code]] |
|||
| timezone1 = [[Pakistan Standard Time|PST]] |
|||
| utc_offset1 = +05:00 |
|||
| website = |
|||
| footnotes = |
|||
| government_type = [[Municipal Corporation]] |
|||
}} |
|||
'''Balakot''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|l|ɑː|ˌ|k|ɒ|t}}; {{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|بالاکوٹ}}}}; {{IPA-ur|bɑː.lɑː.koːʈ}}) is a town in [[Mansehra district]], [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]], [[Pakistan]]. The town was significantly damaged during the [[2005 Kashmir earthquake]] but was later rebuilt with the assistance of the [[Government of Pakistan]]. |
|||
==Geography== |
|||
[[File:Balakot KunharRiver.jpg|thumb|[[Kunhar river]] flowing through Balakot]] |
|||
Balakot is located on the right bank of the [[Kunhar River]] in [[northern Pakistan]]. It is almost two-thirds of the length of the river from its origin at Lake Dharam Sar deep in the [[Kaghan Valley]] before its confluence with the Jehlum River.<ref name=Gilles/> |
|||
The lower area below Balakot, sometimes referred to as Nainsukh Valley, is temperate, while [[Kaghan Valley]] above Balakot City is cold enough to turn the whole area to freezing in the winter. [[Kaghan Valley|Kaghan valley]] is a pleasant summer destination. Its upper part from [[Naran (town)|Naran]] upstream lacks the [[Monsoon of South Asia|monsoon]], but the lower part gets it well, and so it is forested.<ref name=Gilles>{{Cite book |last=Gilles |first=Bridget O'Brien |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6RWsYgEACAAJ |title=Balakot, Pakistan: Reconstruction and Rehabilitation |date=2008 |publisher=Clemson University |language=en}}</ref> |
|||
==Climate== |
|||
Balakot has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') with hot summers and cool winters. Rainfall in Balakot is much higher than in most other parts of Pakistan. The heaviest rainfall occurs either in late winter (February–March) associated with frontal systems, or in the monsoon season (June–August); however, all months see significant rainfall on average. |
|||
{{Weather box |
|||
|location = Balakot |
|||
|metric first = Y |
|||
|single line = Y |
|||
|Jan record high C = 24.4 |
|||
|Feb record high C = 25.2 |
|||
|Mar record high C = 31.1 |
|||
|Apr record high C = 36.0 |
|||
|May record high C = 43.3 |
|||
|Jun record high C = 42.1 |
|||
|Jul record high C = 41.2 |
|||
|Aug record high C = 39.7 |
|||
|Sep record high C = 35.2 |
|||
|Oct record high C = 33.9 |
|||
|Nov record high C = 29.0 |
|||
|Dec record high C = 24.7 |
|||
|Jan high C = 13.9 |
|||
|Feb high C = 15.2 |
|||
|Mar high C = 19.3 |
|||
|Apr high C = 25.9 |
|||
|May high C = 31.3 |
|||
|Jun high C = 35.5 |
|||
|Jul high C = 32.3 |
|||
|Aug high C = 31.2 |
|||
|Sep high C = 31.0 |
|||
|Oct high C = 27.4 |
|||
|Nov high C = 22.2 |
|||
|Dec high C = 15.9 |
|||
|Jan mean C = 8.1 |
|||
|Feb mean C = 9.5 |
|||
|Mar mean C = 13.5 |
|||
|Apr mean C = 19.3 |
|||
|May mean C = 24.3 |
|||
|Jun mean C = 28.1 |
|||
|Jul mean C = 26.8 |
|||
|Aug mean C = 25.9 |
|||
|Sep mean C = 24.0 |
|||
|Oct mean C = 19.3 |
|||
|Nov mean C = 14.2 |
|||
|Dec mean C = 9.5 |
|||
|Jan low C = 2.2 |
|||
|Feb low C = 3.8 |
|||
|Mar low C = 7.6 |
|||
|Apr low C = 12.7 |
|||
|May low C = 17.4 |
|||
|Jun low C = 20.7 |
|||
|Jul low C = 21.2 |
|||
|Aug low C = 20.6 |
|||
|Sep low C = 17.1 |
|||
|Oct low C = 11.3 |
|||
|Nov low C = 6.1 |
|||
|Dec low C = 3.1 |
|||
|Jan record low C = −3.0 |
|||
|Feb record low C = -2.2 |
|||
|Mar record low C = −1.0 |
|||
|Apr record low C = 3.9 |
|||
|May record low C = 8.0 |
|||
|Jun record low C = 10.0 |
|||
|Jul record low C = 15.0 |
|||
|Aug record low C = 13.3 |
|||
|Sep record low C = 10.0 |
|||
|Oct record low C = 5.2 |
|||
|Nov record low C = 1.7 |
|||
|Dec record low C = −1.3 |
|||
|Jan precipitation mm = 105.4 |
|||
|Feb precipitation mm = 156.1 |
|||
|Mar precipitation mm = 195.9 |
|||
|Apr precipitation mm = 122.5 |
|||
|May precipitation mm = 80.5 |
|||
|Jun precipitation mm = 107.3 |
|||
|Jul precipitation mm = 384.3 |
|||
|Aug precipitation mm = 311.4 |
|||
|Sep precipitation mm = 100.8 |
|||
|Oct precipitation mm = 48.9 |
|||
|Nov precipitation mm = 44.0 |
|||
|Dec precipitation mm = 87.5 |
|||
|source 1 =NOAA (1971–1990)<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web |
|||
|url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/PK/41536.TXT |
|||
|title = Balakot Climate Normals 1971–1990 |
|||
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |
|||
|access-date = 16 January 2013}}</ref> |
|||
}} |
|||
== Administration == |
== Administration == |
||
Balakot is one of the main cities in Mansehra District. It serves as the chief city of [[Balakot (tehsil)|Balakot Tehsil]], which is the largest [[Tehsil]] in Mansehra District. It also has a [[Union Councils of Pakistan|Union Council]] and administers the many surrounding smaller towns and villages.<ref>[http://www.nrb.gov.pk/lg_election/union.asp?district=73&dn=Mansehra Tehsils & Unions in the District of Mansehra] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718001117/http://www.nrb.gov.pk/lg_election/union.asp?district=73&dn=Mansehra |date=18 July 2011}}</ref> |
|||
[[Image:Mansehra District SubDiv.svg|thumb|200px|right|Administrative subdivisions of Mansehra District.]] |
|||
Balakot is one of the main cities of Mansehra District, it serves as the chief city of [[Balakot (tehsil)|Balakot Tehsil]], which is the largest [[Tehsil]] of Mansehra District. And is also a [[Union Councils of Pakistan|Union Council]] and administers the many surrounding smaller towns and villages<ref>[http://www.nrb.gov.pk/lg_election/union.asp?district=73&dn=Mansehra Tehsils & Unions in the District of Mansehra]</ref>. |
|||
== History == |
== History == |
||
The town or village of Balakot was occupied by members of the [[Swati|Swati tribe]], was on the banks of Kumar before it enters the Pakli Valley. The Sikhs invaded [[Mansehra]] in the year 1818 after stiff resistance from its inhabitants. As the Mansehra region fell under Sikh control, it was annexed to [[Punjab region|Punjab]]. The movement placed [[Waziristan]], the [[Mohmand]] country beyond [[Kumar]], [[Chitral]] and [[Yusufzai]] tribes within the control and responsibility of the Indian government. [[Syed Ahmad Shaheed]] and [[Shah Ismail Shaheed]] with the help of the Mujahadeen, including the 6 [[Swati]]'s tribes of Balakot and [[Syed]]s of Kaghan, led many revolts and attacks against the Sikhs. At last on 6th May 1831 during a fierce battle Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Shah Ismail Shaheed along with hundreds of their followers were killed<ref>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V05_297.gif Ambela - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 289.]</ref>. The central mosque of Balakot is named after Syed Ahmed Shaheed. Qazi Khalil Ahmed District Khateeb of District Mansehra,is the present Khateeb of Central Syed Ahmed Shaheed Mosque Balakot. The mosque is destroyed second time by the natural disaster, as it was just reconstructed again after being destroyed by a 1992 flood in Balakot. The areas includes diverse groups, the predominant spoken language however is [[Hindko]]. |
|||
=== |
=== Early history === |
||
The known history of the city was not well recorded before the [[British Raj|British period]]. Archaeologists from [[Hazara University]], however, have found terracotta remains and terracotta figurines from distant points in the high altitudes around the area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://unesco.org.pk/culture/documents/publications/|title=Index of /culture/documents/publications|website=unesco.org.pk|access-date=2018-11-30}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> They might shed light on earlier inhabitants of the area. Old graveyards also suggest linkages towards pre-Muslim occupants who later converted to Islam.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ali1, Shah2, Hameed3,Ashfaq4, Muhammad5|date=2011|title=Archaeological Explorations in Balakot, District Mansehra, 2006–07: A Preliminary Report|url=https://www.awkum.edu.pk/News_Archive/1_News_2013/4_April_2013/April_Pic_2013/09-04-13-Dr-Ihsan-Publications/Pakistan-Heritage-Vol-3.pdf|journal=Pakistan Heritage|volume=3|pages=149–160}}</ref> |
|||
The town was completely destroyed in the massive [[2005 Kashmir earthquake|earthquake]] on [[8 October]] [[2005]]. The [[United Arab Emirates]] has volunteered to rebuild this small city into a more spectacular one with housing colonies, schools, hospitals, and other civic facilities. However the Pakistan government has announced that the city will be relocated at a new location<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4869208.stm BBC NEWS - Pakistan to move quake-hit town]</ref>. |
|||
=== Battle of Balakot (1831) === |
|||
== Prominent Personalities == |
|||
The [[battle of Balakot]] (1831) was the defining battle of [[Syed Ahmad Barelvi]]'s [[Syed Ahmad Barelvi#Jihad movement and Islamic State|Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen]] against the Sikh empire, in which he and [[Shah Ismail Dehlvi]] were killed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/shah-ismail-shaheed-ebooks|title=Shah Ismail Shaheed|website=Rekhta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://islamhouse.com/en/books/51908|title=Strengthening of the Faith - English - Shah Ismail Shaheed|first=Shah Ismail|last=Shaheed|website=IslamHouse.com}}</ref><ref name=GoogleBooks>[https://books.google.com/books?id=LFaIp-8BEDoC&dq=shah+ismail+shaheed&pg=PT4 Profile of Dehlvi on books.google.com website] Retrieved 16 August 2018</ref> Balakot was a refuge for Mujahideen after being ousted from [[Swabi]] and [[Amb (princely state)|Amb]]. The [[Sikh Empire|Sikhs]], who outnumbered the ill-prepared Mujahideen, defeated them. For the sake of this event, Balakot City is sometimes also referred to as ''Sarzameen-e-Shuhada'' ("The Land of [[Martyr]]s").<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/balakot-deserves-a-bollywood-encore/articleshow/68173459.cms|title = Balakot Pakistan: Balakot witnessed an anti-terror strike 188 years ago too, here's a slice from history|newspaper = The Economic Times|last1 = Dasgupta|first1 = Reshmi}}</ref> |
|||
These are some prominent personalities of Balakot which played their part in the region. |
|||
These personalities are detected from the local people of Balakot. |
|||
Mahtab Singh, a writer of the history of Hazara, writes that Sikhs, to stop the movement from continuing any further, reopened the grave of Syed Ahmad and set the body into the [[Kunhar River]], probably in [[Talhata|Talhatta]], 10 km down stream.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Tareekh-i-Hazara|last=Panni|first=Sherbahadur Khan|location=Lahore}}</ref> |
|||
=== Syed Qasim Shah === |
|||
He had his Bachelor's of Business Administration from USA. He started his political career as chairman of district council [[Mansehra]], and later was elected as member of the provincial assembly [[NWFP]], the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]] and [[Senate of Pakistan]]. He had been holding key responsibilities in the federal government during his political career. |
|||
Sikh rule was brutal and fearsome and ended after James Abbot's capture of [[Hazara, Pakistan|Hazara]]. There have been many skirmishes between locals and Sikh forces. One famous event happened in 1844 when Gulab Singh, Maharaja of Kashmir, sent a campaign to the [[Chilas]] under [[Sikh Khalsa Army|Diwan]] Ibrahim, which was effectively destroyed by local populations in [[Kaghan Valley]] at Diwan Bela, named after him. |
|||
===Mian Wali-ur-Rehman (Wali Mian)=== |
|||
He was twice elected [[Member of Provincial Assembly]] (MPA). He belonged to [[Gujar]] tribe. He did many developmental projects in the region. He was also an Islamic scholar. He died in Balakot in 2004. |
|||
=== War of Independence (1857) === |
|||
===Qazi Khalil Ahmed=== |
|||
After [[James Abbott (Indian Army officer)|James Abbot]]'s coming to the region in the early 1840s, Sikhs were kept in check in upper [[Hazara, Pakistan|Hazara]], and he was able to wage war on Sikhs with this local support in [[Haripur, Pakistan|Haripur]].<ref name="Watson-1908">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.31463|title=Gazetteer Of The Hazara District, 1907|last=Watson|first=H.D.|publisher=Chatto & Windus|year=1908|location=London|pages=160–161}}</ref> |
|||
Qazi Khalil Ahmed, District Khateeb of [[Mansehra]] is religious personality of the area. |
|||
During the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|War of Independence]] in 1857, no local chief is reported to have revolted. Instead, local chiefs helped the British Army bring down mutineers in [[Hoti, Mardan|Hoti Garrission]], [[Mardan]]. In another incident, [[Bengal Native Infantry|55th Native Infantry]] mutineers were trying to seek refuge in Kashmir State, however, they were only able to cross the Indus in [[Kohistan District, Pakistan|Kohistan]], and were caught near [[Dudipatsar|Lake Dudipatsar]] by local forces of the Kaghan chiefs, [[Kohistani people|Kohistanis]], and Gujjars. The whole gorge is now known as Purbi Nar (the gorge of Eastern People, or Bengalis). A few escaped to [[Kashmir|Kashmir State]] ,where they were handed over to the British Army for execution.<ref name="Watson-1908" /> |
|||
===Jamil Ahmad Khan=== |
|||
Jamil khan is the first ever CSS passed officer from Balakot.He remained assistant commissioner, deputy commissioner and home secretary of Gilgit. |
|||
=== |
===2005 earthquake=== |
||
{{main|2005 Kashmir earthquake}} |
|||
He is a famous poet, writer and critic .He has been recognised as [[SON OF BALAKOT]] in reward of his services. He has written three books.His recent book ''SAFHA E KHAK'' is about the earthquake of Oct, 2005. |
|||
The hillside town of Balakot, comprising 12 union councils with a population of 30,000 people, was completely destroyed by the earthquake on October 8,2005. The [[Fault (geology)|fault line]] passes through Balakot. It follows the hilly area to the north up to [[Allai Tehsil|Allai]] and leads to the [[Bagh, Azad Kashmir|Bagh]] in [[Azad Jammu and Kashmir]] from the villages of Balakot. This fault line, the Balakot-Bagh fault, is said to be the source of the Kashmir earthquake.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eeri.org/lfe/pdf/kashmir_eeri_2nd_report.pdf|title=Learning from Earthquakes: The Kashmir Earthquake of October 8, 2005: Impacts in Pakistan|date=February 2006|website=EERI|access-date=20 June 2018}}</ref> The estimated death toll from Balakot town and the districts in the affected Kashmir area was between 73,000 and 80,000, with some sources stating it to be more than 80,000.<ref name="open.edu">{{Cite web|url=http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/science/geology/the-balakot-earthquake-ten-years-on|title=The Balakot Earthquake: Ten years on – OpenLearn – Open University|website=open.edu|access-date=2018-06-19}}</ref> |
|||
===Chairman Muhammad Farid Khan=== |
|||
Chairman Muhammad Farid Khan Khawajakheli. He was born in 1922. He was the son of Muhammad Aslam Khan, the Chief Of Balakot. Muhammad Farid Khan played a great role in the politics of Balakot. He made the government build grid stations, phone exchange, tehsil buildings and roads in Balakot.He got his higher education from Lucknow, India. He died in the recent earthquake. . |
|||
The [[United Arab Emirates]] volunteered to rebuild this town into an improved one with housing colonies, schools, hospitals, and other civic facilities. Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV), a Saudi relief organisation, also provided much assistance.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.spapev.org/ |title=Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims |access-date=9 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221172921/https://www.spapev.org/ |archive-date=21 December 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Late last year the Pakistani government announced that the city would be relocated about 20 km away to a safer spot with more earthquake-proof buildings.<ref>Over 80% of the building collapsed and several schools where most of the students were buried alive.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4869208.stm BBC NEWS – Pakistan to move quake-hit town]</ref> |
|||
===Nasim Bangish=== |
|||
He was a politician and diplomat of Balakot. He was president of [[Pakistan Muslim league]] N Balakot. He also died in the recent earthquake. |
|||
A [[Jaish-e-Mohammed]] militant group had a presence near the town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg944.aspx|title=Treasury Targets Pakistan-Based Terrorist Organizations Lashkar-E Tayyiba and Jaish-E Mohammed|website=treasury.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2016/11/19/infamous-post-911-california-sleeper-cell-case-continues-to-unravel/|title=Small-Town "Terrorists" : The Infamous Post-9/11 California "Sleeper Cell" Case Continues to Unravel|first=Abbie|last=VanSickle|date=19 November 2016}}</ref> A 2004 [[United States Department of Defense]] document also stated that there was a JeM training camp in Balakot.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hashim |first=Asad |title=India air raids hit near Jaish-e-Mohammad-run school |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/2/28/at-raid-site-no-casualties-and-a-mysterious-school |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> However, according to analysts, the militants left Balakot after the earthquake in 2005 to avoid detection by the international aid groups arriving to provide relief.<ref name=Abi-Habib>Maria Abi-Habib, [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/world/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-airstrikes.html After India's Strike on Pakistan, Both Sides Leave Room for De-escalation], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref> |
|||
== External links == |
|||
* [http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/0,5538,PB64-SUQ9MTEyNDYmbnI9MQ_3_3,00.html Pictures of destruction in Balakot] including [http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/0,5538,PB64-SUQ9MTEyNDYmbnI9OA_3_3,00.html aerial view of the town] |
|||
* [http://www.flickr.com/gp/11039094@N07/6bX1k1 Balakot in Pictures] |
|||
* [http://www.flickr.com/gp/11039094@N07/6Yv3fN More Post-Earthquake Ph |
|||
===New Balakot City=== |
|||
Computer Skill Centre Balakot |
|||
After the earthquake, it was discovered that the city was built on geological fault lines, and the government recommended moving the residents 15 miles away to Bakarial.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/world/asia/20pakistan.html Quake-Stricken Town Is to Move, Saddening Survivors], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref> The new site was decided to be renamed "New Balakot City," and the original town of Balakot to be preserved as "national heritage".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/214056-new-balakot-city-an-unfulfilled-dream-for-earthquake-stricken-residents|title=New Balakot City: an unfulfilled promise to earthquake survivors|website=www.geo.tv}}</ref> |
|||
In 2011, it was reported that many residents of Balakot had been rebuilding their homes and businesses in the town, despite a government ban.<ref>[https://www.dawn.com/news/611011/ban-on-reconstruction-violated-in-balakot Ban on reconstruction violated in Balakot], ''[[Dawn (newspaper)|The Dawn]]''</ref> |
|||
== References == |
|||
{{reflist}} |
|||
A decade after the earthquake, the New Balakot City was still being constructed and many residents still lived in temporary earthquake-resistant shelters.<ref name="BBC News-2015">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34464815|title=Broken city, broken promises in Kashmir|date=8 October 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-06-19}}</ref> Amid the locals' discontent, the Pakistani government cited the problem of acquiring the land at Bakrayal as a reason for the delay due to a dispute between the national and provincial government as well as the landowners.<ref name="BBC News-2015" /> There are observers who also note that political patronage diverted aid away from those who need it.<ref name="open.edu" /> There are those who started rebuilding their houses in the old city. By 2006, construction of New Balakot City had resumed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1035255/new-balakot-project-construction-of-bakriyal-city-to-resume-in-a-week/|title=New Balakot project: Construction of Bakriyal city to resume in a week – The Express Tribune|last=Sadaqat|first=Muhammad|date=28 January 2016|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=2018-06-19}}</ref> |
|||
=== 2019 bombing by the Indian Air Force === |
|||
{{main|2019 Balakot airstrike}} |
|||
In the early morning hours of 26 February, Indian warplanes crossed the [[Line of Control|de facto border]] in the disputed region of [[Kashmir]],<ref>{{citation|title=Modi vows action after dozens die in deadliest attack in Indian-held Kashmir in 3 decades|author1=Joanna Slater|author2=Niha Masih|newspaper=Washington Post|date=15 February 2019|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-modi-promises-retaliation-after-worst-attack-in-kashmir-in-three-decades-kills-dozens/2019/02/15/f5dd55d6-309e-11e9-8781-763619f12cb4_story.html}} Quote: "Both India and Pakistan claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir, but it has been divided between them for more than 70 years."</ref> and dropped bombs in the vicinity of Balakot.<ref name=slater1>{{citation|title=India strikes Pakistan in severe escalation of tensions between nuclear rivals|author=Joanna Slater|newspaper=Washington Post|date=26 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{citation|journal=Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/26/pakistan-india-jets-breached-ceasefire-line-kashmir-bomb|title='Get ready for our surprise': Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes|date=26 February 2019|author1=Michael Safi|author2=Mehreen Zahra-Malik|author3=Azar Farooq}} Quote: "Pakistan, ... said the war planes made it up to five miles inside its territory"</ref> |
|||
Pakistan's military, the first to announce the airstrike on 26 February morning,<ref>{{citation|journal=Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/26/pakistan-india-jets-breached-ceasefire-line-kashmir-bomb|title='Get ready for our surprise': Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes|date=26 February 2019|author1=Michael Safi|author2=Mehreen Zahra-Malik|author3=Azar Farooq}} Quote: "Pakistan, which was the first to announce the incursion, ..."</ref> described the Indian planes as dropping their payload in an uninhabited wooded hilltop area near Balakot.<ref name=nyt1> |
|||
{{citation|title=Indian Jets Strike in Pakistan in Revenge for Kashmir Attack |
|||
|author1=Maria Abi-Habib|author2=Austin Ramzy |
|||
|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/world/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-jets.html |
|||
|date=25 February 2019}} Quote: "A spokesman for Pakistan’s armed forces, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, on Tuesday posted on Twitter four images of a forested area pockmarked with small craters and debris, which he said was the site of Indian airstrikes."</ref> |
|||
India, confirming the airstrike later the same day, characterised it to be a [[preemptive strike]] directed against a [[terrorist training camp]], and causing the deaths of more than 100 terrorists.<ref name="SlaterConstable2019"> |
|||
{{cite news |last1=Slater |first1=Joanna |last2=Constable |first2= Pamela |author2-link=Pamela Constable |
|||
|title=Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft, escalating hostilities |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistan-says-it-has-shot-down-two-indian-jets-in-its-airspace/2019/02/27/054461a2-3a5b-11e9-a2cd-307b06d0257b_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=27 February 2019 |access-date=27 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227172333/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistan-says-it-has-shot-down-two-indian-jets-in-its-airspace/2019/02/27/054461a2-3a5b-11e9-a2cd-307b06d0257b_story.html |archive-date=27 February 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
|||
Analysis of open-source satellite imagery by the [[Atlantic Council]]'s Digital Forensics Laboratory,<ref name=Atlantic-Countil-DFL>{{citation| title=Surgical Strike in Pakistan a Botched Operation? Indian jets carried out a strike against JEM targets inside Pakistani territory, to questionable effect|author= @DFRLab|date=28 February 2019|url=https://medium.com/dfrlab/surgical-strike-in-pakistan-a-botched-operation-7f6cda834b24|journal=Medium}} Quote: "Indian fighter jets carried out strikes against targets inside undisputed Pakistani territory, but open-source evidence suggested that the strike was unsuccessful."</ref> San Francisco-based [[Planet Labs]],<ref name=reuters-balakot-3-8-19>{{citation|date= May 2019 |title=Satellite images show buildings still standing at Indian bombing site|author=Martin Howell|author2=Gerry Doyle|author3=Simon Scarr|publisher=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir-pakistan-airstrike-insi/satellite-images-show-buildings-still-standing-at-indian-bombing-site-idUSKCN1QN00V}} Quote: "The images produced by Planet Labs Inc, a San Francisco-based private satellite operator, show at least six buildings on the madrasa site on 4 March, six days after the airstrike. |
|||
... There are no discernible holes in the roofs of buildings, no signs of scorching, blown-out walls, displaced trees around the madrasa or other signs of an aerial attack."</ref> European Space Imaging,<ref>{{citation|title=PAKISTAN: Satellite Imagery confirms India missed target in Pakistan airstrike|date=8 March 2019 |author=European Space Imaging|url=https://www.euspaceimaging.com/pakistan-satellite-imagery-confirms-india-missed-target-in-pakistan-airstrike/}} Quote: " ... said Managing Director Adrian Zevenbergen. '... The image captured with Worldiew-2 of the buildings in question shows no evidence of a bombing having occurred. There are no signs of scorching, no large distinguishable holes in the roofs of buildings and no signs of stress to the surrounding vegetation.' "</ref> and the [[Australian Strategic Policy Institute]],<ref name=ASPI-balakit>{{citation|title=India's strike on Balakot: a very precise miss?|date= 27 March 2019|author1=Marcus Hellyer|author2=Nathan Ruser|author3=Aakriti Bachhawat|journal=The Strategist|publisher=Australian Strategic Policy Institute|url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/indias-strike-on-balakot-a-very-precise-miss/}} Quote: "But India’s recent air strike on a purported Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist camp in Balakot in Pakistan on 26 February suggests that precision strike is still an art and science that requires both practice and enabling systems to achieve the intended effect. Simply buying precision munitions off the shelf is not enough."</ref> has concluded that India did not hit any targets of significance on the Jaba hilltop site in the vicinity of Balakot.<ref name=WaPo1>{{citation|author1=Sameer Lalwani|author2=Emily Tallo|title=Did India shoot down a Pakistani F-16 in February? This just became a big deal.|newspaper=Washington Post|date=17 April 2019|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/17/did-india-shoot-down-pakistani-f-back-february-this-just-became-big-deal/}} Quote: " Open-source satellite imagery suggests India did not hit any targets of consequence in the airstrikes it conducted after the terrorist attack on the paramilitaries.</ref><ref name=guardian-saafi1>{{citation|title=Kashmir's fog of war: how conflicting accounts benefit both sides:India and Pakistan's differing narratives are not unusual in the social media age, say experts|author1=Michael Safi |author2=Mehreen Zahra-Malik|journal=Guardian|date=5 March 2019 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/05/kashmir-fog-of-war-how-conflicting-accounts-benefit-india-pakistan}} Quote: "Analysis of open-source satellite imagery has also cast doubt on India’s claims. A report by the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab was able to geolocate the site of the attack and provide a preliminary damage assessment. It compared satellite images from the days before and after India’s strike and concluded there were only impacts in the wooded areas with no damage visible to surrounding structures."</ref> |
|||
Villagers from the area spoke of four bombs striking a nearby forest and field around 3 am, damaging a building, and injuring a local man.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1919080/1-no-blood-no-bodies-no-debris-no-tragedy/|title=No blood. No bodies. No debris. No tragedy|date=27 February 2019|website=The Express Tribune|language=en-US|access-date=27 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227234154/https://tribune.com.pk/story/1919080/1-no-blood-no-bodies-no-debris-no-tragedy/|archive-date=27 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Reuters-2019-2">{{Cite news|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/india-kashmir-village-idINKCN1QH29B|title=Pakistani village asks: Where are bodies of militants India says it...|date=1 March 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=2 March 2019|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302111622/https://in.reuters.com/article/india-kashmir-village-idINKCN1QH29B|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Journalists associated with the ''[[Associated Press]]'' visited the area on 26 February and saw craters and damaged trees. The villagers they met reported no casualties.<ref>[https://www.apnews.com/e64d72f76c4f475493e4d41501ebab06 Tensions escalate as Indian airstrike hits inside Pakistan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024601/https://www.apnews.com/e64d72f76c4f475493e4d41501ebab06 |date=2 March 2019 }}, ''[[Associated Press]]''</ref> A team from [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] visited the site two days after the strikes and noted "splintered pine trees and rocks" which were strewn across the four blast craters. The local hospital officials and residents asserted that they did not come across any casualty or wounded people. The reporters located the facility,<ref name="aljazeera"/> a school run by Jaish-e-Mohammed, at around a kilometre to the east of one of the bomb craters, atop a steep ridge but were unable to access it.<ref name="aljazeera">{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/indian-air-raid-site-casualties-mysterious-madrassa-190227183058957.html|title=At raid site, no casualties and a mysterious school|website=aljazeera.com|access-date=28 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228140436/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/indian-air-raid-site-casualties-mysterious-madrassa-190227183058957.html|archive-date=28 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Reporters from Reuters were repeatedly denied access to the madrassa by the military citing security issues but they noted the structure (and its vicinity) to be intact from the back.<ref name="Reuters-2019-2" /><ref name="Reuters-2019">{{Cite news|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/india-kashmir-pakistan-madrasa-idINKCN1QO26W|title=No access to Pakistan religious school that India says it bombed|date=8 March 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=8 March 2019|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307205346/https://in.reuters.com/article/india-kashmir-pakistan-madrasa-idINKCN1QO26W|archive-date=7 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The press wing of the Pakistan military had twice postponed scheduled visits to the site.<ref name="Reuters-2019" /> However, on 29 March 2019, [[Inter-Services Public Relations]] (ISPR) took journalists to the site where the strike took place. There were around 375 students present in the Madrasa. Journalists were allowed to interview the students. They were also allowed to take photos and record videos of the site.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/03/29/pakistan-allows-media-visit-balakot-air-strike-location.html|title=Pakistan allows media to visit Balakot air strike location|date=29 March 2019|work=The Week}}</ref> |
|||
On 10 April, some international journalists, who were taken to the Jaba hilltop in a tightly controlled trip after 45 days of the strike arranged by Pakistani government, discovered the largest building of the site to show no evidence of damage.<ref name=reuters-11april>{{citation|title=Inside the Pakistani Madrasa Where India Said It Killed Hundreds of 'Terrorists|date=11 April 2019|author1=Martin Howell|author2=Salahuddin|agency=Reuters|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/04/11/world/asia/11reuters-india-kashmir-pakistan-madrasa.html}} Quote: "Those visiting the site on Wednesday didn't see any signs that there had been significant building work to either clear structures or erect new ones. And the vegetation didn't appear to have suffered the stress that might be expected from a missile attack."</ref><ref name=bbc-april-10>{{citation|title=Balakot air strike: Pakistan shows off disputed site on eve of India election|date=10 April 2019|author=BBC|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47882354}} Quote: "They were given access to an Islamic school in Balakot, where Indian media say militants were killed in retaliation for an attack in Kashmir. The large building appeared to be fully intact ..."</ref><ref name=afp-balakot>{{citation|title=Pakistan takes media, diplomats on visit to Indian strike site|author=Agence France Presse|agency=AFP|url= https://www.france24.com/en/20190411-pakistan-takes-media-diplomats-visit-indian-strike-site |work=france24|date=11 April 2019}} Quote: "International outlets which visited the Indian air strike site in Pakistan found no evidence of a major terrorist training camp – or of any infrastructure damage at all."</ref><ref name=abc-14april>{{citation|title=The remote school at the centre of a dispute between nuclear neighbours Pakistan and India|author=Siobhan Heanue|journal=Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-14/india-pakistan-tensions-the-remote-school-at-centre-of-dispute/10996826|date=14 April 2019}} Quote: "One thing is clear: India's claim that it destroyed a militant training camp and killed more than 300 extremists cannot be backed up by the evidence. More than a month after India launched airstrikes inside Pakistan in retaliation for a militant attack that killed 40 paramilitary troops in Kashmir, foreign media have been allowed to see the areas hit."</ref> |
|||
== Demographics == |
|||
The majority of the population is speaker of [[Hindko]] and [[Gujari language|Gujari]], [[Indo-Aryan language]]s closely related to Punjabi, which are also spoken in the rest of Mansehra district.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Hallberg| first1 = Calinda E.| last2 = O'Leary| first2 = Clare F.| editor-last1 = O'Leary| editor-first1 = Clare F.| editor-last2 = Rensch| editor-first2 = Calvin R.| editor-last3 = Hallberg| editor-first3 = Calinda E.| date = 1992| title = Hindko and Gujari| chapter = Dialect Variation and Multilingualism among Gujars of Pakistan| isbn = 969-8023-13-5| publisher = National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University and Summer Institute of Linguistics| location = Islamabad| series = Sociolinguistic Survey of Northern Pakistan| url = http://www.sil.org/resources/archives/38573| pages = 91–196}} p. 135.</ref> |
|||
==Transportation== |
|||
In 1965, a bridge was built in Balakot over the [[Kunhar river]] called the Ayub Bridge. The bridge connects Balakot, as well as the [[Kaghan valley]], with the rest of Pakistan.<ref>"[https://www.dawn.com/news/1362410 Balakot bridge's repair restores KP-GB traffic]," Dawn.</ref> |
|||
==See also== |
|||
*[[Kaghan Valley|Kaghan]] |
|||
*[[Naran (town)|Naran]] |
|||
{{Commons category|Balakot (town)}} |
|||
==References== |
|||
{{Reflist}} |
|||
== External links == |
|||
* [http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/0,5538,PB64-SUQ9MTEyNDYmbnI9OA_3_3,00.html aerial view] |
|||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100820125721/http://www.azfarrizvi.com/hope.html Hope Floats – A series of documentaries by Pakistani filmmaker Azfar Rizvi] |
|||
* [http://tribune.com.pk/story/269962/2005-earthquake-balakot-remembers-its-dead-amid-tears-and-sobs/ story re 2005 earthquake in Balakot] |
|||
{{Mansehra-Union-Councils}} |
{{Mansehra-Union-Councils}} |
||
[[Category:2005 Kashmir earthquake]] |
[[Category:2005 Kashmir earthquake]] |
||
[[Category:Union |
[[Category:Union councils of Mansehra District]] |
||
[[Category:Populated places in Mansehra District]] |
|||
[[Category:Populated places destroyed by earthquakes]] |
|||
[[new:बालाकोत]] |
|||
Latest revision as of 10:53, 25 May 2024
Balakot
بالاکوٹ | |
|---|---|
| Balakot Upper Pakhli | |
 | |
  Balakot  Balakot | |
| Coordinates: 34°32′N 73°21′E / 34.54°N 73.35°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Division | Hazara |
| District | Mansehra |
| Tehsil | Balakot |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Khan | Khan Muhammad Saleem Khan (Sarkheli Swati) |
| • Assistant Commissioner | Saddam Hussain Memon (BPS-17 PAS) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:00 (PST) |
| Languages | Hindko |
Balakot (/ˈbælɑːˌkɒt/; Urdu: بالاکوٹ; Urdu pronunciation: [bɑː.lɑː.koːʈ]) is a town in Mansehra district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The town was significantly damaged during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake but was later rebuilt with the assistance of the Government of Pakistan.
Geography[edit]
Balakot is located on the right bank of the Kunhar River in northern Pakistan. It is almost two-thirds of the length of the river from its origin at Lake Dharam Sar deep in the Kaghan Valley before its confluence with the Jehlum River.[1]
The lower area below Balakot, sometimes referred to as Nainsukh Valley, is temperate, while Kaghan Valley above Balakot City is cold enough to turn the whole area to freezing in the winter. Kaghan valley is a pleasant summer destination. Its upper part from Naran upstream lacks the monsoon, but the lower part gets it well, and so it is forested.[1]
Climate[edit]
Balakot has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Rainfall in Balakot is much higher than in most other parts of Pakistan. The heaviest rainfall occurs either in late winter (February–March) associated with frontal systems, or in the monsoon season (June–August); however, all months see significant rainfall on average.
| Climate data for Balakot | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 24.4 (75.9) |
25.2 (77.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
36.0 (96.8) |
43.3 (109.9) |
42.1 (107.8) |
41.2 (106.2) |
39.7 (103.5) |
35.2 (95.4) |
33.9 (93.0) |
29.0 (84.2) |
24.7 (76.5) |
43.3 (109.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.9 (57.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
19.3 (66.7) |
25.9 (78.6) |
31.3 (88.3) |
35.5 (95.9) |
32.3 (90.1) |
31.2 (88.2) |
31.0 (87.8) |
27.4 (81.3) |
22.2 (72.0) |
15.9 (60.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
9.5 (49.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
19.3 (66.7) |
24.3 (75.7) |
28.1 (82.6) |
26.8 (80.2) |
25.9 (78.6) |
24.0 (75.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
14.2 (57.6) |
9.5 (49.1) |
18.5 (65.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.2 (36.0) |
3.8 (38.8) |
7.6 (45.7) |
12.7 (54.9) |
17.4 (63.3) |
20.7 (69.3) |
21.2 (70.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
17.1 (62.8) |
11.3 (52.3) |
6.1 (43.0) |
3.1 (37.6) |
12.0 (53.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −3 (27) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−1 (30) |
3.9 (39.0) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.0 (50.0) |
15.0 (59.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
10.0 (50.0) |
5.2 (41.4) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−3 (27) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 105.4 (4.15) |
156.1 (6.15) |
195.9 (7.71) |
122.5 (4.82) |
80.5 (3.17) |
107.3 (4.22) |
384.3 (15.13) |
311.4 (12.26) |
100.8 (3.97) |
48.9 (1.93) |
44.0 (1.73) |
87.5 (3.44) |
1,744.6 (68.68) |
| Source: NOAA (1971–1990)[2] | |||||||||||||
Administration[edit]
Balakot is one of the main cities in Mansehra District. It serves as the chief city of Balakot Tehsil, which is the largest Tehsil in Mansehra District. It also has a Union Council and administers the many surrounding smaller towns and villages.[3]
History[edit]
Early history[edit]
The known history of the city was not well recorded before the British period. Archaeologists from Hazara University, however, have found terracotta remains and terracotta figurines from distant points in the high altitudes around the area.[4] They might shed light on earlier inhabitants of the area. Old graveyards also suggest linkages towards pre-Muslim occupants who later converted to Islam.[5]
Battle of Balakot (1831)[edit]
The battle of Balakot (1831) was the defining battle of Syed Ahmad Barelvi's Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen against the Sikh empire, in which he and Shah Ismail Dehlvi were killed.[6][7][8] Balakot was a refuge for Mujahideen after being ousted from Swabi and Amb. The Sikhs, who outnumbered the ill-prepared Mujahideen, defeated them. For the sake of this event, Balakot City is sometimes also referred to as Sarzameen-e-Shuhada ("The Land of Martyrs").[9]
Mahtab Singh, a writer of the history of Hazara, writes that Sikhs, to stop the movement from continuing any further, reopened the grave of Syed Ahmad and set the body into the Kunhar River, probably in Talhatta, 10 km down stream.[10]
Sikh rule was brutal and fearsome and ended after James Abbot's capture of Hazara. There have been many skirmishes between locals and Sikh forces. One famous event happened in 1844 when Gulab Singh, Maharaja of Kashmir, sent a campaign to the Chilas under Diwan Ibrahim, which was effectively destroyed by local populations in Kaghan Valley at Diwan Bela, named after him.
War of Independence (1857)[edit]
After James Abbot's coming to the region in the early 1840s, Sikhs were kept in check in upper Hazara, and he was able to wage war on Sikhs with this local support in Haripur.[11]
During the War of Independence in 1857, no local chief is reported to have revolted. Instead, local chiefs helped the British Army bring down mutineers in Hoti Garrission, Mardan. In another incident, 55th Native Infantry mutineers were trying to seek refuge in Kashmir State, however, they were only able to cross the Indus in Kohistan, and were caught near Lake Dudipatsar by local forces of the Kaghan chiefs, Kohistanis, and Gujjars. The whole gorge is now known as Purbi Nar (the gorge of Eastern People, or Bengalis). A few escaped to Kashmir State ,where they were handed over to the British Army for execution.[11]
2005 earthquake[edit]
The hillside town of Balakot, comprising 12 union councils with a population of 30,000 people, was completely destroyed by the earthquake on October 8,2005. The fault line passes through Balakot. It follows the hilly area to the north up to Allai and leads to the Bagh in Azad Jammu and Kashmir from the villages of Balakot. This fault line, the Balakot-Bagh fault, is said to be the source of the Kashmir earthquake.[12] The estimated death toll from Balakot town and the districts in the affected Kashmir area was between 73,000 and 80,000, with some sources stating it to be more than 80,000.[13]
The United Arab Emirates volunteered to rebuild this town into an improved one with housing colonies, schools, hospitals, and other civic facilities. Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV), a Saudi relief organisation, also provided much assistance.[14] Late last year the Pakistani government announced that the city would be relocated about 20 km away to a safer spot with more earthquake-proof buildings.[15]
A Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group had a presence near the town.[16][17] A 2004 United States Department of Defense document also stated that there was a JeM training camp in Balakot.[18] However, according to analysts, the militants left Balakot after the earthquake in 2005 to avoid detection by the international aid groups arriving to provide relief.[19]
New Balakot City[edit]
After the earthquake, it was discovered that the city was built on geological fault lines, and the government recommended moving the residents 15 miles away to Bakarial.[20] The new site was decided to be renamed "New Balakot City," and the original town of Balakot to be preserved as "national heritage".[21]
In 2011, it was reported that many residents of Balakot had been rebuilding their homes and businesses in the town, despite a government ban.[22]
A decade after the earthquake, the New Balakot City was still being constructed and many residents still lived in temporary earthquake-resistant shelters.[23] Amid the locals' discontent, the Pakistani government cited the problem of acquiring the land at Bakrayal as a reason for the delay due to a dispute between the national and provincial government as well as the landowners.[23] There are observers who also note that political patronage diverted aid away from those who need it.[13] There are those who started rebuilding their houses in the old city. By 2006, construction of New Balakot City had resumed.[24]
2019 bombing by the Indian Air Force[edit]
In the early morning hours of 26 February, Indian warplanes crossed the de facto border in the disputed region of Kashmir,[25] and dropped bombs in the vicinity of Balakot.[26][27]
Pakistan's military, the first to announce the airstrike on 26 February morning,[28] described the Indian planes as dropping their payload in an uninhabited wooded hilltop area near Balakot.[29]
India, confirming the airstrike later the same day, characterised it to be a preemptive strike directed against a terrorist training camp, and causing the deaths of more than 100 terrorists.[30] Analysis of open-source satellite imagery by the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensics Laboratory,[31] San Francisco-based Planet Labs,[32] European Space Imaging,[33] and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute,[34] has concluded that India did not hit any targets of significance on the Jaba hilltop site in the vicinity of Balakot.[35][36]
Villagers from the area spoke of four bombs striking a nearby forest and field around 3 am, damaging a building, and injuring a local man.[37][38] Journalists associated with the Associated Press visited the area on 26 February and saw craters and damaged trees. The villagers they met reported no casualties.[39] A team from Al Jazeera visited the site two days after the strikes and noted "splintered pine trees and rocks" which were strewn across the four blast craters. The local hospital officials and residents asserted that they did not come across any casualty or wounded people. The reporters located the facility,[40] a school run by Jaish-e-Mohammed, at around a kilometre to the east of one of the bomb craters, atop a steep ridge but were unable to access it.[40] Reporters from Reuters were repeatedly denied access to the madrassa by the military citing security issues but they noted the structure (and its vicinity) to be intact from the back.[38][41] The press wing of the Pakistan military had twice postponed scheduled visits to the site.[41] However, on 29 March 2019, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) took journalists to the site where the strike took place. There were around 375 students present in the Madrasa. Journalists were allowed to interview the students. They were also allowed to take photos and record videos of the site.[42]
On 10 April, some international journalists, who were taken to the Jaba hilltop in a tightly controlled trip after 45 days of the strike arranged by Pakistani government, discovered the largest building of the site to show no evidence of damage.[43][44][45][46]
Demographics[edit]
The majority of the population is speaker of Hindko and Gujari, Indo-Aryan languages closely related to Punjabi, which are also spoken in the rest of Mansehra district.[47]
Transportation[edit]
In 1965, a bridge was built in Balakot over the Kunhar river called the Ayub Bridge. The bridge connects Balakot, as well as the Kaghan valley, with the rest of Pakistan.[48]
See also[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balakot (town).
References[edit]
- ^ a b Gilles, Bridget O'Brien (2008). Balakot, Pakistan: Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. Clemson University.
- ^ "Balakot Climate Normals 1971–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
- ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Mansehra Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Index of /culture/documents/publications". unesco.org.pk. Retrieved 30 November 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Ali1, Shah2, Hameed3,Ashfaq4, Muhammad5 (2011). "Archaeological Explorations in Balakot, District Mansehra, 2006–07: A Preliminary Report" (PDF). Pakistan Heritage. 3: 149–160.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Shah Ismail Shaheed". Rekhta.
- ^ Shaheed, Shah Ismail. "Strengthening of the Faith - English - Shah Ismail Shaheed". IslamHouse.com.
- ^ Profile of Dehlvi on books.google.com website Retrieved 16 August 2018
- ^ Dasgupta, Reshmi. "Balakot Pakistan: Balakot witnessed an anti-terror strike 188 years ago too, here's a slice from history". The Economic Times.
- ^ Panni, Sherbahadur Khan. Tareekh-i-Hazara. Lahore.
- ^ a b Watson, H.D. (1908). Gazetteer Of The Hazara District, 1907. London: Chatto & Windus. pp. 160–161.
- ^ "Learning from Earthquakes: The Kashmir Earthquake of October 8, 2005: Impacts in Pakistan" (PDF). EERI. February 2006. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ a b "The Balakot Earthquake: Ten years on – OpenLearn – Open University". open.edu. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ "Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims". Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
- ^ Over 80% of the building collapsed and several schools where most of the students were buried alive.BBC NEWS – Pakistan to move quake-hit town
- ^ "Treasury Targets Pakistan-Based Terrorist Organizations Lashkar-E Tayyiba and Jaish-E Mohammed". treasury.gov.
- ^ VanSickle, Abbie (19 November 2016). "Small-Town "Terrorists" : The Infamous Post-9/11 California "Sleeper Cell" Case Continues to Unravel".
- ^ Hashim, Asad. "India air raids hit near Jaish-e-Mohammad-run school". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ Maria Abi-Habib, After India's Strike on Pakistan, Both Sides Leave Room for De-escalation, The New York Times
- ^ Quake-Stricken Town Is to Move, Saddening Survivors, The New York Times
- ^ "New Balakot City: an unfulfilled promise to earthquake survivors". www.geo.tv.
- ^ Ban on reconstruction violated in Balakot, The Dawn
- ^ a b "Broken city, broken promises in Kashmir". BBC News. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ Sadaqat, Muhammad (28 January 2016). "New Balakot project: Construction of Bakriyal city to resume in a week – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ Joanna Slater; Niha Masih (15 February 2019), "Modi vows action after dozens die in deadliest attack in Indian-held Kashmir in 3 decades", Washington Post Quote: "Both India and Pakistan claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir, but it has been divided between them for more than 70 years."
- ^ Joanna Slater (26 February 2019), "India strikes Pakistan in severe escalation of tensions between nuclear rivals", Washington Post
- ^ Michael Safi; Mehreen Zahra-Malik; Azar Farooq (26 February 2019), "'Get ready for our surprise': Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes", Guardian Quote: "Pakistan, ... said the war planes made it up to five miles inside its territory"
- ^ Michael Safi; Mehreen Zahra-Malik; Azar Farooq (26 February 2019), "'Get ready for our surprise': Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes", Guardian Quote: "Pakistan, which was the first to announce the incursion, ..."
- ^ Maria Abi-Habib; Austin Ramzy (25 February 2019), "Indian Jets Strike in Pakistan in Revenge for Kashmir Attack", The New York Times Quote: "A spokesman for Pakistan’s armed forces, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, on Tuesday posted on Twitter four images of a forested area pockmarked with small craters and debris, which he said was the site of Indian airstrikes."
- ^ Slater, Joanna; Constable, Pamela (27 February 2019). "Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft, escalating hostilities". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ @DFRLab (28 February 2019), "Surgical Strike in Pakistan a Botched Operation? Indian jets carried out a strike against JEM targets inside Pakistani territory, to questionable effect", Medium Quote: "Indian fighter jets carried out strikes against targets inside undisputed Pakistani territory, but open-source evidence suggested that the strike was unsuccessful."
- ^ Martin Howell; Gerry Doyle; Simon Scarr (May 2019), Satellite images show buildings still standing at Indian bombing site, Reuters Quote: "The images produced by Planet Labs Inc, a San Francisco-based private satellite operator, show at least six buildings on the madrasa site on 4 March, six days after the airstrike. ... There are no discernible holes in the roofs of buildings, no signs of scorching, blown-out walls, displaced trees around the madrasa or other signs of an aerial attack."
- ^ European Space Imaging (8 March 2019), PAKISTAN: Satellite Imagery confirms India missed target in Pakistan airstrike Quote: " ... said Managing Director Adrian Zevenbergen. '... The image captured with Worldiew-2 of the buildings in question shows no evidence of a bombing having occurred. There are no signs of scorching, no large distinguishable holes in the roofs of buildings and no signs of stress to the surrounding vegetation.' "
- ^ Marcus Hellyer; Nathan Ruser; Aakriti Bachhawat (27 March 2019), "India's strike on Balakot: a very precise miss?", The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute Quote: "But India’s recent air strike on a purported Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist camp in Balakot in Pakistan on 26 February suggests that precision strike is still an art and science that requires both practice and enabling systems to achieve the intended effect. Simply buying precision munitions off the shelf is not enough."
- ^ Sameer Lalwani; Emily Tallo (17 April 2019), "Did India shoot down a Pakistani F-16 in February? This just became a big deal.", Washington Post Quote: " Open-source satellite imagery suggests India did not hit any targets of consequence in the airstrikes it conducted after the terrorist attack on the paramilitaries.
- ^ Michael Safi; Mehreen Zahra-Malik (5 March 2019), "Kashmir's fog of war: how conflicting accounts benefit both sides:India and Pakistan's differing narratives are not unusual in the social media age, say experts", Guardian Quote: "Analysis of open-source satellite imagery has also cast doubt on India’s claims. A report by the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab was able to geolocate the site of the attack and provide a preliminary damage assessment. It compared satellite images from the days before and after India’s strike and concluded there were only impacts in the wooded areas with no damage visible to surrounding structures."
- ^ "No blood. No bodies. No debris. No tragedy". The Express Tribune. 27 February 2019. Archived from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Pakistani village asks: Where are bodies of militants India says it..." Reuters. 1 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ Tensions escalate as Indian airstrike hits inside Pakistan Archived 2 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press
- ^ a b "At raid site, no casualties and a mysterious school". aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
- ^ a b "No access to Pakistan religious school that India says it bombed". Reuters. 8 March 2019. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "Pakistan allows media to visit Balakot air strike location". The Week. 29 March 2019.
- ^ Martin Howell; Salahuddin (11 April 2019), "Inside the Pakistani Madrasa Where India Said It Killed Hundreds of 'Terrorists", The New York Times, Reuters Quote: "Those visiting the site on Wednesday didn't see any signs that there had been significant building work to either clear structures or erect new ones. And the vegetation didn't appear to have suffered the stress that might be expected from a missile attack."
- ^ BBC (10 April 2019), "Balakot air strike: Pakistan shows off disputed site on eve of India election", BBC News Quote: "They were given access to an Islamic school in Balakot, where Indian media say militants were killed in retaliation for an attack in Kashmir. The large building appeared to be fully intact ..."
- ^ Agence France Presse (11 April 2019), "Pakistan takes media, diplomats on visit to Indian strike site", france24, AFP Quote: "International outlets which visited the Indian air strike site in Pakistan found no evidence of a major terrorist training camp – or of any infrastructure damage at all."
- ^ Siobhan Heanue (14 April 2019), "The remote school at the centre of a dispute between nuclear neighbours Pakistan and India", Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Quote: "One thing is clear: India's claim that it destroyed a militant training camp and killed more than 300 extremists cannot be backed up by the evidence. More than a month after India launched airstrikes inside Pakistan in retaliation for a militant attack that killed 40 paramilitary troops in Kashmir, foreign media have been allowed to see the areas hit."
- ^ Hallberg, Calinda E.; O'Leary, Clare F. (1992). "Dialect Variation and Multilingualism among Gujars of Pakistan". In O'Leary, Clare F.; Rensch, Calvin R.; Hallberg, Calinda E. (eds.). Hindko and Gujari. Sociolinguistic Survey of Northern Pakistan. Islamabad: National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University and Summer Institute of Linguistics. pp. 91–196. ISBN 969-8023-13-5. p. 135.
- ^ "Balakot bridge's repair restores KP-GB traffic," Dawn.
External links[edit]
- aerial view
- Hope Floats – A series of documentaries by Pakistani filmmaker Azfar Rizvi
- story re 2005 earthquake in Balakot
