Attock District

For other uses, see Attock (disambiguation).

District of Punjab in Pakistan

Attock

ضلع اٹک

District of Punjab

Clockwise from top-left: Attock Fort, Inderkot Mosque, Begum ki Sarai, Wah Mughal Gardens, Gurdwara Panja Sahib

Attock District highlighted within Punjab Province

Coordinates: 33°45′57.6″N 72°21′39.2″E﻿ / ﻿33.766000°N 72.360889°E﻿ / 33.766000; 72.360889
Country|  Pakistan
Province|  Punjab
Division| Rawalpindi
Established| April 1904; 121 years ago (1904-04)
Headquarters| Attock
Government

• Type| District Administration
• Mayor| \
--
• Deputy Commissioner| Rao Atif Raza
Area

• District of Punjab

| 6,857 km2 (2,648 sq mi)
Elevation

| 355 m (1,165 ft)
Population

(2023)[1]

• District of Punjab

| 2,133,005
• Density| 316.5/km2 (820/sq mi)
• Urban

| 623,984 (29.25%)
• Rural

| 1,546,439 (70.75%)
Literacy

[2]

• Literacy rate|

* Total:
(70.22%)
* Male:
(79.69%)
* Female:
(60.66%)

Time zone| UTC+5 (PKT)
Area code| 057
ISO 3166 code| PK-PB
Languages| Punjabi, Hindko, Pashto, Urdu
No. of Tehsils| 6
Tehsils| Attock Tehsil
Fateh Jang Tehsil
Hazro Tehsil
Hassan Abdal
Jand Tehsil
Pindi Gheb Tehsil
Website| attock.punjab.gov.pk

Attock District ( Punjabi/Urduضلع اٹک:), known as Campbellpur District during British Raj, is a district, located on the Pothohar Plateau, in north western Punjab, Pakistan; created in April 1904. According to 2023 Pakistani census population of Attock District is 2,133,005 (2.1 million), making it the 23rd most populous district of the province behind Rajanpur district and overall the 37th most populous district in Pakistan.[3]

## Etymology

[edit]

The district was formed as Campbellpur District after Commander-in-Chief of British forces Sir Colin Campbell [4]. Later, in 1978, district name was changed to Attock after the major and historical city of Attock to reflect the older, historical name of the region.[5] The word "Attock" in itself is derived from the word "Atak" in local languages which means blockade, barrier or obstruction.

One interpretation of the name attributes it to Mughal Emperor Akbar who encountered difficulties crossing the river therefore the city was named Attock by him however this claim is not supported by many as several literary writings use the word Attock and its sanskrit origin "Hataka" or "Ataka" earlier than the inception of Mughal Empire [6]. The more acceptable opinion is that due to the geography and military significance of the region, many travelers would be halted here and therefore the region would be an obstacle for the travellers and thus Attock was it's name.[7]

## History

[edit]

See also: Attock § History

### Pre-Historic Period

[edit]

The region that is now the Attock District has been historically part of Soanian Culture. Nearby archeological excavations near Soan Valley in southern Attock and northern Chakwal point to prehistoric human activity.[8] The stone tools and early human remains found from these sites show human activity of at least 500,000 years ago.[9] Several Petroglyphs have also been uncovered near Ghazi-Gariala hydropower project which were a major hurdle in development of the project as it posed enivronmental threat to an ancient and culturally significant site.[10]

### Ancient Period

[edit]

The region has also been influenced by Indus Valley Civilization as nearby site of Taxila (now in Rawalpindi district) shows deep connections with Indus valley settlements as the site lied on the old Grand Trunk Road.[11] Later, after the decline of the Indus valley civilization, several Indo-Aryan tribes settled in the region most notably of which was the Gandhara Civilization which were present in north, central, and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as well as in Gilgit-Baltistan province, including Taxila, and Salt Range in Punjab, Pakistan, along with their presence in Indian Kashmir, Ladakh, and Uttarakhand.[12]

### Modern Period

[edit]

The district was established in April 1904 as Campbellpur District during the British Raj through the merging of tehsils from neighbouring districts.[4] Today the district consists of 6 tehsils: Attock, Fateh Jang, Hazro, Hassan Abdal, Jand and Pindi Gheb.[13]

## Geography

[edit]

Attock district is located in the north western side of the Punjab province. The District has a total area of 6,857km2 (2,648 sq mi), making it the 7th largest district of the province and 41st largest overall in Pakistan. Attock borders 7 district namely Chakwal to the south, Mianwali to the southwest, Rawalpindi to the east, Kohat to the west, Nowshera to the northwest, and Swabi and Haripur to the north.

Geographically, Attock is mainly hills, plateaus, and dissected plains. The Pothohar Plateau mainly covers the eastern part of the district, in the middle of the district sits a low mountain range; Kala Chitta Range whereas on the western and southern side of the district the indus merges with its river tributaries such as Haro river which joins the Indus near Ghazi Barotha Dam, Soan river which joins indus at Makhad [14] and Kabul river which meets Indus river near Attock Khurd. [15][16] In between the hills and rivers, dissected plains exist.

## Demographics

[edit]

Main article: Demographics of Attock

### Population

[edit]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1951 | 486,043| —
1961 | 532,845| +0.92%
1972 | 748,890| +3.14%
1981 | 876,667| +1.77%
1998 | 1,274,935| +2.23%
2017 | 1,883,556| +2.08%
2023 | 2,133,005| +2.09%
Sources:[17][1]

As of the 2023 census, Attock district has 353,973 households and a population of 2,170,423. The district has a sex ratio of 100.83 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 70.22%: 79.69% for males and 60.66% for females.[18][3] 473,463 (22.2% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age.[19] 623,984 (28.75%) live in urban areas.[18]

### Religion

[edit]

| Religion in Attock district (2023) [20]

Religion |  | Percent
Islam |

| 99.3%
Christianity |

| 0.62%
Other |

| 0.08%

As per the 2023 census Islam is the predominant religion with 99.3% of the population.[21]

Religion in contemporary Attock District  Religious
group  | 1941[22] | 2017[23] | 2023[21]

|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Islam | 484,616  | 89.85%  | 1,877,221  | 99.51%  | 2,118,159  | 99.30%
Hinduism [a] | 35,593  | 6.60%  | 575  | 0.03%  | 501  | 0.02%
Sikhism | 16,740  | 3.10%  | —  | —  | 769  | 0.04%
Christianity | 500  | 0.09%  | 7,699  | 0.41%  | 13,286  | 0.62%
Others  | 1,910  | 0.36%  | 883  | 0.05%  | 290  | 0.01%
Total Population  | 539,359  | 100%  | 1,886,378  | 100%  | 2,133,005  | 100%
Note: 1941 census data is for Attock, Pindi Gheb and Fateh Jang tehsils of erstwhile Attock district of Punjab province, which roughly corresponds to contemporary Attock district. District and tehsil borders have changed since 1941.
Religious groups in Attock District (British Punjab province era)  Religious
group  | 1911[24][25] | 1921[26] | 1931[27] | 1941[22]

|
|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Islam | 471,890  | 90.88%  | 465,694  | 90.91%  | 531,793  | 91.07%  | 611,128  | 90.42%
Sikhism | 26,914  | 5.18%  | 19,809  | 3.87%  | 19,522  | 3.34%  | 20,120  | 2.98%
Hinduism [a] | 19,741  | 3.8%  | 26,184  | 5.11%  | 31,932  | 5.47%  | 43,209  | 6.39%
Christianity | 707  | 0.14%  | 557  | 0.11%  | 710  | 0.12%  | 504  | 0.07%
Zoroastrianism | 11  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 3  | 0%
Jainism | 9  | 0%  | 5  | 0%  | 2  | 0%  | 13  | 0%
Buddhism | 1  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 1  | 0%  | 7  | 0%
Others  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 891  | 0.13%
Total population  | 519,273  | 100%  | 512,249  | 100%  | 583,960  | 100%  | 675,875  | 100%
Note1: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.

Note2: District created in 1904 by taking Talagang Tehsil from Jhelum District and Pindi Gheb, Fateh Jang and Attock Tehsils from Rawalpindi District.
Religion in the Tehsils of Attock District (1921)[26] Tehsil | Islam | Hinduism | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others[b] | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Attock Tehsil  | 158,313  | 91.26%  | 11,203  | 6.46%  | 3,428  | 1.98%  | 523  | 0.3%  | 5  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 173,472  | 100%
Pindigheb Tehsil  | 108,356  | 90.22%  | 6,131  | 5.11%  | 5,582  | 4.65%  | 28  | 0.02%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 120,097  | 100%
Talagong Tehsil  | 98,887  | 91.14%  | 5,233  | 4.82%  | 4,379  | 4.04%  | 2  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 108,501  | 100%
Fatehjang Tehsil  | 100,138  | 90.89%  | 3,617  | 3.28%  | 6,420  | 5.83%  | 4  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 110,179  | 100%
Note: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
Religion in the Tehsils of Attock District (1941)[22] Tehsil | Islam | Hinduism [a] | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others[c] | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Attock Tehsil  | 207,557  | 88.6%  | 19,346  | 8.26%  | 6,047  | 2.58%  | 455  | 0.19%  | 13  | 0.01%  | 846  | 0.36%  | 234,264  | 100%
Pindigheb Tehsil  | 150,458  | 90.09%  | 13,112  | 7.85%  | 3,347  | 2%  | 40  | 0.02%  | 0  | 0%  | 50  | 0.03%  | 167,007  | 100%
Talagong Tehsil  | 125,512  | 91.94%  | 7,616  | 5.58%  | 3,380  | 2.48%  | 4  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 4  | 0%  | 136,516  | 100%
Fatehjang Tehsil  | 127,601  | 92.41%  | 3,135  | 2.27%  | 7,346  | 5.32%  | 5  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 1  | 0%  | 138,088  | 100%
Note1: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.

Note2: Tehsil religious breakdown figures for Christianity only includes local Christians, labeled as "Indian Christians" on census. Does not include Anglo-Indian Christians or British Christians, who were classified under "Other" category.

### Languages

[edit]

Languages of Attock district (2023) [28]

1. Punjabi (65.23%)
2. Pashto (15.59%)
3. Hindko (14.45%)
4. Urdu (2.68%)
5. Others (2.05%)

In the 2023 census, 65.23% of the population identified their first language as Punjabi, 14.45% as Hindko, 15.59% as Pashto and 2.68% as Urdu.[28] In the previous census of 1998, the multiple-choice question did not have an option for Hindko; the percentages were 87% for Punjabi, 8.3% for Pashto and 1.1% Urdu.[29]

The Punjabi dialect of the eastern Fateh Jang Tehsil is called Sohāī̃ and belongs to the Dhani dialect group. The dialects of Pindi Gheb Tehsil (called Ghebi) and of Attock (sometimes called Chhachi) have been classified as a sub-dialect of Hindko dialect.[30]

## Administration

[edit]

The district of Attock is divided into following six tehsils:[13]

Tehsil[31] | Area

(km²)[32]

| Pop.

(2023)

| Density

(ppl/km²)

(2023)

| Literacy rate

(2023)[33]

| Union Councils

|
|
|
|
|

Attock[13] | 1,002  | 516,277  | 515.25  | 74.80%  | ...
Fateh Jang[13] | 1,249  | 374,726  | 300.02  | 66.94%  | ...
Hassan Abdal | 350  | 253,670  | 724.77  | 70.22%  | ...
Hazro | 348  | 386,544  | 1,110.76  | 66.45%  | ...
Jand | 2,043  | 330,328  | 161.69  | 71.59%  | ...
Pindi Gheb[13] | 1,865  | 308,878  | 165.62  | 70.36%  | ...

## Union Councils

[edit]

The District contains a total of 72 Union Councils.[34]

## Education

[edit]

Attock has a total of 1,287 government schools out of which 51 percent (657 schools) are for female students. The district has an enrolment of 224,487 in public sector schools.[35]

## See also

[edit]

* Kamra, Pakistan
* Pothohar Plateau

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Attock District.

1. ^ a b "Population by Sex, Religion and Rural/Urban, Census - 2023" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
2. ^ "Literacy rate, enrolments, and out-of-school population by sex and rural/urban, CENSUS-2023" (PDF).
3. ^ a b "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 12" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
4. ^ a b Gazetteer of the Attock District 1930, Punjab Government, Lahore 1932. Reprinted version: Sang-e-Meel Publications, Lahore, 1989
5. ^ "Brief History of Attock". Attock Police website. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
6. ^ taandcom (22 September 2020). "ATTOCK AND CREDIBILITY OF PATA KHAZANA". Taand English. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
7. ^ "History of Attock". Green Post. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
8. ^ "Soan River — witness to rise and fall of many civilisations". Dawn. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
9. ^ "Ancient Pakistan History - 1". Pakistan Defence. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
10. ^ HALIM, M.A; Khan, GULZAR.M. "REPORT ON GHAZI-GARIALA HYDROPOWER PROJECT ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES" (PDF).
11. ^ Allchin, Bridget; Allchin, Raymond (29 July 1982). The Rise of Civilization in India and Pakistan. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-28550-6.
12. ^ Zahir, Muhammad, (2017). "The Geographical Distribution of Gandhara Grave Culture or Protohistoric Cemeteries in Northern and North-Western South Asia", Gandharan Studies, Vol. 10, pp. 1-30.
13. ^ a b c d e "Tehsils and Unions in the District of Attock". National Reconstruction Bureau, Government of Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
14. ^ "Sindh Sagar Doab | Indus River, Punjab, Agriculture | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
15. ^ Abbasi, Arshad Mehmood; Shah, Munir Hussain; Khan, Mir Ajab (15 October 2014). Wild Edible Vegetables of Lesser Himalayas: Ethnobotanical and Nutraceutical Aspects, Volume 1. Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-09543-1.
16. ^ "Attock Fort: The Stronghold on the River - Muhammad Awais - Youlin Magazine". www.youlinmagazine.com. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
17. ^ "Population by administrative units 1951-1998" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
18. ^ a b "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 1" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
19. ^ "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 5" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
20. ^ "District Wise Results / Tables (Census - 2023)" (PDF). www.pbscensus.gov.pk. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
21. ^ a b "Pakistan Census 2023" (PDF).
22. ^ a b c India Census Commissioner (1941). "Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab". p. 42\. JSTOR saoa.crl.28215541. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
23. ^ "District census: Attock". pbs.gov.pk. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 2017.
24. ^ "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1911. p. 27\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393788. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
25. ^ Kaul, Harikishan (1911). "Census Of India 1911 Punjab Vol XIV Part II". p. 27. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
26. ^ a b "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables". 1921. p. 29\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
27. ^ "Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1931. p. 277\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25793242. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
28. ^ a b "District Wise Results / Tables (Census - 2023)" (PDF). www.pbscensus.gov.pk. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
29. ^ 1998 District Census report of Attock. Census publication. Vol. 12\. Islamabad: Population Census Organization, Statistics Division, Government of Pakistan. 1999.
30. ^ Shackle, Christopher (1980). "Hindko in Kohat and Peshawar". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 43 (3): 484–86\. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00137401. ISSN 0041-977X. S2CID 129436200.
31. ^ Divisions/Districts of Pakistan Archived 2006-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Note: Although divisions as an administrative structure has been abolished, the election commission of Pakistan still groups districts under the division names
32. ^ "TABLE 1 : AREA, POPULATION BY SEX, SEX RATIO, POPULATION DENSITY, URBAN POPULATION, HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE, CENSUS-2023, PUNJAB" (PDF).
33. ^ "LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023" (PDF).
34. ^ "Union Councils of district Attock". Retrieved 23 April 2023.
35. ^ "Punjab Annual Schools Census Data 2014-15". School Education Department, Government of the Punjab website. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2023.

1. ^ a b c 1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis
2. ^ Including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Tribals, others, or not stated
3. ^ Including Anglo-Indian Christians, British Christians, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Tribals, others, or not stated

Portal:

* Geography

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Punjab (Pakistan).

* v
* t
* e

Districts of Punjab, Pakistan

Provincial capital: Lahore

Bahawalpur|

* Bahawalnagar
* Bahawalpur
* Rahim Yar Khan

Dera Ghazi Khan|

* Dera Ghazi Khan
* Jampur
* Kot Addu
* Layyah
* Muzaffargarh
* Rajanpur
* Taunsa

Faisalabad|

* Chiniot
* Faisalabad
* Jhang
* Toba Tek Singh

Gujranwala|

* Gujranwala
* Narowal
* Sialkot

Gujrat|

* Gujrat
* Hafizabad
* Mandi Bahauddin
* Wazirabad

Lahore|

* Kasur
* Lahore
* Nankana Sahib
* Sheikhupura

Mianwali|

* Bhakkar
* Mianwali
* Talagang

Multan|

* Khanewal
* Lodhran
* Multan
* Vehari

Rawalpindi|

* Attock
* Chakwal
* Jhelum
* Murree
* Rawalpindi

Sahiwal|

* Okara
* Pakpattan
* Sahiwal

Sargodha|

* Khushab
* Sargodha

* v
* t
* e

Attock District

Tehsils|

* Attock
* Fateh Jang
* Hazro
* Hassan Abdal
* Jand
* Pindi Gheb

Union councils|

* Akhori
* Attock Khurd
* Khaur
* Nara
* Malak Mala
* Mian Wala

Cities and
towns|

* Attock (district headquarters)
* Attock Khurd
* Fateh Jang
* Ghorghushti
* Gondal
* Haji Shah
* Hasan Abdal
* Hazro
* Jand, Attock
* Khagwani
* Khaur
* Lawrencepur
* Makhad
* Pindigheb
* Thatta

Villages|

* Akhori
* Barazai
* Basal
* Basia
* Bathou
* Behbudi
* Boota
* Burhan
* Chechi
* Chhab
* Chura Sharif
* Daurdad
* Dhari Rai Ditta
* Dhok Mohammad
* Dilawarabad
* Dowal
* Formulli
* Gangal
* Garhi Matani
* Haddowali
* Hameed
* Ikhlas
* Jalalia
* Jhamat
* Kalu Kalan
* Kamalpur Musa
* Kamalpuralam
* Kamra
* Khunda
* Kot Sundki
* Malhoo
* Mansar
* Mohalla Sadiqabad
* Momanpur
* Monno Nagar
* Musa
* Nakka Khurd
* Nara
* Nartopa
* Nilhad
* Painda
* Pindi Sarhal
* Pindsultani
* Pirdad
* Shadikhan
* Shamsabad
* Shinka
* Sirka
* Sulemanadbad
* Tarap
* Waisa

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Israel

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
*[%]: percentage
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template