Chitral District
History
Chitral shares much of its history and culture with the neighbouring Hindu Kush territories of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region sometimes called "Peristan" because of the common belief in fairies (peri) inhabiting the high mountains.
The entire region that now forms the Chitral District was an independent monarchical state until 1895, when the British negotiated a treaty with its hereditary ruler, the Mehtar, under which Chitral became a semi-autonomous princely state within the Indian Empire. Chitral retained this status even after its accession to Pakistan in 1947, finally being made an administrative district of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, disestablishing the Princely State.
Topography and access
Chitral is counted amongst the highest regions of the world, sweeping from 1,094 metres at Arandu to 7,726 metres at Tirichmir and packing over 40 peaks more than 6,100 metres in height. The terrain of Chitral is very mountainous, and Tirich Mir (25,289 feet), the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, rises in the north of the district. Around 4.8 percent of the land is covered by forest, and 76 percent is mountains and glaciers.
Chitral is connected to the rest of Pakistan by two major road routes, the Lowari Pass ( elevation. 10,23 ft.) from Dir and Shandur Top (elevation 12,200 ft.) from Gilgit. Both routes used to be closed in winter, but circa 2017 the highway Lowari Tunnel under the Lowari Pass opened to vehicular traffic for at least ten hours per day. A number of other high passes, including Darkot Pass, Thoi Pass, and Zagaran Pass, provide access on foot to Chitral from Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Arandu Pass, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan
- Broghol Pass, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan
- Dorah Pass, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan
- Darkot Pass, on the border between Chitral and Gupis-Yasin District
- Shandur Pass, on the border between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan
- Lowari Pass, on the border between Chitral and upper Dir
- Lowari Tunnel, highway under Lowari Pass
- Thoi Pass, on the border between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan
- Zagaran Pass, on the border between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan
Demographics
The district has a population of about 414,000. The general population is mainly made up of Kho people, who speak Khowar, which is also spoken in parts of Yasin, Gilgit, Dir, and Swat. Chitral is also home to the Kalash tribe, who live in Bumburet and two other remote valleys southwest of Chitral town. A few thousand Nuristani people are also known to live in Chitral.
The main language of the region is Khowar. There are also smaller communities of speakers of Arabic, Dameli, Gawar-Bati, Gujari(Gojri), Kalasha, Kyrgyz, Kataviri/Kamviri, Madaklashti, Palula, Sariquli, Wakhi, and Yidgha. Urdu has official status.
Chitral City
The city of Chitral is the main city in the district and serves as its capital. It is situated on the west bank of the Chitral River (also known as the Kunar River) at the foot of Tirich Mir, which at 7,708 m (25,289 ft) is the highest peak of the Hindu Kush. Until 14 August 1947, it served as the capital of the princely state of Chitral.
Administration
The district of Chitral is divided into twenty-four union councils and two tehsils:
National Assembly
This district is represented by one elected MNA (Member of the National Assembly) in Pakistan National Assembly. Its constituency is NA-32.
| Member of National Assembly | Party Affiliation | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Abdul Akbar Khan | Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal | 2002 |
| Shahzada Mohiuddin | Pakistan Muslim League | 2008 |
| Shahzada Iftikhar Uddin | All Pakistan Muslim League | 2013 |
Provincial Assembly
The district is represented by two elected MPAs in the provincial assembly, who represent the following constituencies:
