The recorded history of Chakwal covers thousands of years. As noted in District gazetteer Jehlum 1904, the city was founded by Chaudhary Chaku Khan, Chief of the Mair Minhas Rajpoot tribe from Jammu in 1525 C.E. during the era of Mughal Emperor Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar. In 1881 during the British era, it was declared the Tehsil headquarters and was finally upgraded to the district status in 1985.
Location
Chakwal is located in the Potohar plateau and is known as the home of the soan valley civilization. The history of the area dates back to the semi-mythical period of the Maha-Bharat. Chakwal is a site of the famous encounter of Alexander the great with Raja Ambhi.
Chakwal has been bestowed by rich culture, history, art, and Extravagant environment. Once been known as a picnic spot of the Mughal Dynasty and the British Lords, Chakwal still offers a unique landscape to its visitors.
World-renowned Kallar Kahar lake, Takhat-e-Babri, a stage built of stone by Emperor Babar to address his Army, Bagh-e-Safa, and above all Katas Raj temples (Famous temples-fort and Medieval University surrounded by 100 temples built over a period of 1000 years by the Hindu rajas provide ideal places for family hangouts.
Al-Baruni (a famous Mathematician of all times) measured the circumference of the earth while studying Sanskrit at Katas Raj University.
Village Lawa (now declared as a Tehsil / Sub-Division) holds the record of being the Largest Village in Asia. Chakwal is known as Military valley as 90% of its old and young men have served or presently serving the Army.
Producing personalities
Chakwal also holds the record of producing fine men like Colonel Muhammad Khan (a Veteran of World War II), former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and many stalwarts of legal fraternally like Mr. Justice Qazi Muhammad Gull, Mr. Justice Zia Mehmood Mirza (former Judges August Supreme Court of Pakistan), Mr.Justice(R) Rustam Ali Malik (former judge Hon’ble Lahore High Court) and Malik Lehrasab Khan (former judges Hon’ble Lahore High Court), Mr. Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza and Mr. Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed (Sitting Judges of Hon’ble Lahore High Court). City Chakwal has also produced lawyers of the highest caliber such as Ch. Afrasiab Khan Adv. Supreme court of Pakistan, Syed Zia Ul Hassan Zaidi Adv. Supreme Court of Pakistan etc.
How many Tehsils are there in Chakwal district?
At present, District Chakwal comprises 5 Tehsils namely Tehsil Chakwal, Kallar Kahar, Talagang, Choa Saiden Shah, and Law.
Before the establishment of district Chakwal in the year 1985, Tehsil and District Chakwal used to be a part of / Tehsil of District Jehlum. Similarly, Tehsil Kallar Kahar and Choa Saiden Shah formed part of Tehsil Pind-dadan khan District Jehlum whereas, Tehsil Talagang and Lawa were the part of District Attock (Camel-pur).
After partition, sanctioned strength of Civil Judges for Tehsil Chakwal remained up to one. As long as 1958 Civil Court Chakwal worked near Tehsil Chowk (pond of District Board). Later the courts were shifted to a civil rest house situated near the civil club on Talagang road.
In the year 1979, a proper building comprising of a courtroom and official residence of the Civil Judge was constructed, and then in the year 1984 court of Addl.
Sessions judge was established in the same compound. In 1985 Chakwal was upgraded to the status of District.
The courts kept working in the old building supra till the year 1992-1993 when a model District Complex, at Ghazi Abad (Chakwal City) was built wherein on 10.12.1992 the then Chief Justice Lahore High Court Mr. Justice (R) Mian Mehboob Ahmed inaugurated the Judicial Complex and Sessions / Civil Courts were accordingly shifted to the District complex.
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