Utmanzai is a town in Charsadda tehsil of Charsadda District in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.[1] It is located at the border between Mohmand District and Charsadda District.

Utmanzai (British India)
Town
Utmanzai (British India) is located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Utmanzai (British India)
Utmanzai (British India)
Utmanzai (British India) is located in Pakistan
Utmanzai (British India)
Utmanzai (British India)
Coordinates: 34°11′40.8″N 71°45′56.4″E / 34.194667°N 71.765667°E / 34.194667; 71.765667
Country Pakistan
ProvinceKhyber Pakhtunkhwa
Elevation
390 m (1,280 ft)
Population
 (1998)
 • Total24,848
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)

Overview

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It is one of the eight main villages of Hashtnagar (one of the two constituent parts of Charsadda District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).[2] It is present on Main Tangi road between Rajjar and Turangzai.

Utmanzai is the birthplace of famous Pakhtun leader and Frontier Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (famously known as Bacha Khan).[3] Among other notable political figures, educationalists and thinkers who belong to the village are Khan Abdul Ghani Khan, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Khan Abdul Ali Khan, Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan (known as Doctor Khan Saib), Major General Akbar Khan, Nisar Muhammad Khan and Lieutenant General Imran Ullah Khan.

Utmanzai, is the centre of regional and national politics because it is the birthplace of Khudai Khidmatgar Tehreek, a movement which played a crucial role in the struggle against British Raj.[4][5][6]

The main ethnic group in Utmanzai is Muhammadzai; however, there are further 4–5 ethnic subgroups, including Shamozai, Parich Khel, Khwazi Khel, Peeran, Katikan, Julagan and several others that are few in number.

Historical and Ancient places

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Abdul Ghaffar Khan House

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Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Badshah Khan) house is present in Khwazi Khel an ethnic subgroup in Utmanzai, Charsadda. This is the house where Abdul Ghaffar khan was born.[7]

Abdul Ghani Khan Tomb

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Abdul Ghani Khan a son of Abdul Ghaffar Khan, was a famous poet with significant contributions to Pashto poetry. He is also known as Ghani Baba. His tomb is considered a historical place due to its association with this significant historical figure. Ghani Khan's tomb is situated in the Haji sahib graveyard on Tangi Road near Utmanzai Bazaar.

Ghani Khan Derai

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Ghani Khan Derai (The Mound of Ghani Khan), is a public place situated on Rajjar to Takht Bhai road in the district Charssdda. All the ancient and historical information, equipment, footwear, and dresses, that belonged to Abdul Ghani Khan are gathered there to preserve history.[8]

Population

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The population of Utmanzai, according to the 1998 census, is 19,530. The population of Utmanzai according to the official census over the years is shown in the table below.[9]

Census Year Population
1951 10,272
1961 12,610
1972 15,857
1981 18,931
1998 24,848

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Newspaper, the (2013-07-29). "Restoration of Utmanzai municipal body sought". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  2. ^ "On the road to Charsadda | TNS - The News on Sunday". tns.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  3. ^ "The forgotten philosophy of Bacha Khan - Daily Times". Daily Times. 2016-09-27. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  4. ^ "Bacha Khan remembered: Khudai Khidmatgar leader enshrined in his spirit rebellion - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2016-01-19. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  5. ^ Mehdi, Tahir (2012-08-14). "The Two-Muslim theory". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  6. ^ "'Bacha Khan's ancestral home be declared heritage site' - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2016-09-02. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
  7. ^ NON-FICTION: REINCARNATING BACHA KHAN https://www.dawn.com/news/1751379
  8. ^ https://www.dawn.com/news/613559/death-anniversary-of-ghani-khan-passes-silently
  9. ^ "AREA & POPULATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS BY RURAL/URBAN: 1951-1998 CENSUSES (PDF)" (PDF). www.pbs.gov.pk. Retrieved 2017-11-24.