Muzaffargarh District

District of Punjab in Pakistan

Muzaffargarh District

ضِلع مُظفّرگڑھ

District of Punjab

Top: Tomb of Sheikh Sadan
Bottom: Fields in Muzaffargarh district

District Government logo

Map of Muzaffargarh District highlighted in red

Coordinates: 30°4′10″N 71°11′39″E﻿ / ﻿30.06944°N 71.19417°E﻿ / 30.06944; 71.19417
Country|  Pakistan
Province|  Punjab
Division| Dera Ghazi Khan
Headquarters| Muzaffargarh
Government

• Type| District Government
• Deputy Commissioner| Mian Usman Ali [1]
• District Police Officer| Syed Hasnain Haider[2]
• District Health Officer| Allah Bux Khan
Area

• District of Punjab

| 4,778 km2 (1,845 sq mi)
Population

(2023)[3]

• District of Punjab

| 3,528,567
• Density| 740/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
• Urban

| 662,975 (18.79%)
• Rural

| 2,865,592 (81.21%)
Literacy

[4]

• Literacy rate|

* Total:
(43.74%)
* Male:
(51.38%)
* Female:
(35.74%)

Time zone| UTC+5 (PST)
Number of Tehsils| 3
Website| muzaffargarh.punjab.gov.pk

Muzaffargarh District (Urdu: ضِلع مُظفّرگڑھ) is a district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. Its capital is Muzaffargarh city. It lies on the bank of the Chenab River.

## History

[edit]

Muzaffargarh (lit. 'Fort of Muzaffar') was founded by the Saddozai Nawab of Multan, Nawab Muzaffar Khan, in 1794. Muzaffargarh district was annexed by the British from its former Sikh rulers after the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848–1849.[5] In 1861 it became the separate Muzaffargarh District. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslim refugees from India settled in the Muzaffargarh District. Muslim refugees from East Punjab, Haryana, Jammu started arriving and crossed the border into Pakistan; many were given land in Muzaffargarh District to settle.[6]

## Administration

[edit]

The district is administratively divided into the following three tehsils (subdivisions), which contain a total of 93 Union Councils:[7]

Tehsil[8] | Area

(km²)[3]

| Pop.

(2023)

| Density

(ppl/km²)

(2023)

| Literacy rate

(2023)[4]

| Union Councils

|
|
|
|
|

Jatoi | 1,010  | 862,046  | 853.51  | 40.67%  | 16
Alipur | 1,391  | 760,526  | 546.75  | 39.15%  | 14
Muzaffargarh | 2,377  | 1,905,995  | 801.85  | 46.84%  | 35
Total  | 4,778  | 3,528,567  | 738.50  | 43.74%  | 65

## Demographics

[edit]

### Population

[edit]

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

|
|

1951 | 446,038| —
1961 | 532,015| +1.78%
1972 | 756,221| +3.25%
1981 | 1,048,243| +3.69%
1998 | 1,827,465| +3.32%
2017 | 2,981,048| +2.61%
2023 | 3,528,567| +2.85%
Sources:[9]

As of the 2023 census, present Muzaffargarh district has 552,926 households and a population of 3,528,567.[10] The district has a sex ratio of 104.18 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 43.74%: 51.38% for males and 35.74% for females.[3][4] 1,185,064 (33.60% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age.[11] 662,975 (18.79%) live in urban areas.[3]

### Religion

[edit]

Religion in contemporary Muzaffargarh District  Religious
group  | 1941[12]: 62–63 | 2017[13] | 2023[14]

|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Islam | 360,868  | 86.29%  | 2,977,231  | 99.87%  | 3,515,344  | 99.68%
Hinduism [a] | 53,458  | 12.78%  | 332  | 0.01%  | 288  | 0.01%
Sikhism | 3,280  | 0.78%  | —  | —  | 65  | ~0%
Christianity | 162  | 0.04%  | 2,565  | 0.09%  | 10,122  | 0.29%
Ahmadi | —  | —  | 845  | 0.03%  | 734  | 0.02%
Others  | 426  | 0.1%  | 75  | ~0%  | 89  | ~0%
Total Population  | 418,194  | 100%  | 2,981,048  | 100%  | 3,526,642  | 100%
Note: 1941 census data is for Muzaffargarh and Alipur tehsils of erstwhile Muzaffargarh District, which roughly corresponds to contemporary Muzaffargarh district. District and tehsil borders have changed since 1941.
Religious groups in Muzaffargarh District (British Punjab province era)  Religious
group  | 1881[15][16][17] | 1891[18] | 1901[19] | 1911[20][21] | 1921[22] | 1931[23] | 1941[24]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Islam | 292,476  | 86.38%  | 327,727  | 86%  | 350,177  | 86.32%  | 494,915  | 86.91%  | 493,369  | 86.79%  | 513,265  | 86.79%  | 616,074  | 86.42%
Hinduism [a] | 43,297  | 12.79%  | 50,625  | 13.28%  | 52,221  | 12.87%  | 68,158  | 11.97%  | 69,878  | 12.29%  | 72,577  | 12.27%  | 90,643  | 12.72%
Sikhism | 2,788  | 0.82%  | 2,715  | 0.71%  | 3,225  | 0.8%  | 6,322  | 1.11%  | 4,869  | 0.86%  | 5,287  | 0.89%  | 5,882  | 0.83%
Christianity | 33  | 0.01%  | 27  | 0.01%  | 33  | 0.01%  | 60  | 0.01%  | 356  | 0.06%  | 246  | 0.04%  | 227  | 0.03%
Jainism | 11  | 0%  | 1  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 1  | 0%  | 6  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%
Zoroastrianism | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 4  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%
Buddhism | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 1  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 23  | 0%
Judaism | —  | —  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%
Others  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%
Total population  | 338,605  | 100%  | 381,095  | 100%  | 405,656  | 100%  | 569,461  | 100%  | 568,478  | 100%  | 591,375  | 100%  | 712,849  | 100%
Note: 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.
Religion in the Tehsils of Muzaffargarh District (1921)[22] Tehsil | Islam | Hinduism | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others[b] | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Muzaffargarh Tehsil  | 154,990  | 86.79%  | 22,629  | 12.67%  | 655  | 0.37%  | 300  | 0.17%  | 5  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 178,579  | 100%
Alipur Tehsil  | 126,350  | 86.12%  | 18,672  | 12.73%  | 1,681  | 1.15%  | 7  | 0%  | 1  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 146,711  | 100%
Sanawan Tehsil  | 96,325  | 88.4%  | 11,317  | 10.39%  | 1,279  | 1.17%  | 49  | 0.04%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 108,970  | 100%
Leiah Tehsil  | 115,704  | 86.21%  | 17,260  | 12.86%  | 1,254  | 0.93%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 134,218  | 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 Muzaffargarh District (1941)[24] Tehsil | Islam | Hinduism [a] | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others[c] | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | %
Muzaffargarh Tehsil  | 192,516  | 86.96%  | 27,714  | 12.52%  | 962  | 0.43%  | 161  | 0.07%  | 0  | 0%  | 23  | 0.01%  | 221,376  | 100%
Alipur Tehsil  | 168,352  | 85.54%  | 26,144  | 13.28%  | 2,318  | 1.18%  | 1  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 3  | 0%  | 196,818  | 100%
Kot Adu Tehsil  | 117,005  | 87.59%  | 14,803  | 11.08%  | 1,720  | 1.29%  | 52  | 0.04%  | 0  | 0%  | 5  | 0%  | 133,585  | 100%
Leiah Tehsil  | 138,201  | 85.8%  | 21,982  | 13.65%  | 882  | 0.55%  | 4  | 0%  | 0  | 0%  | 1  | 0%  | 161,070  | 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.

### Language

[edit]

Languages of Muzaffargarh district (2023)[25]

1. Saraiki (93.4%)
2. Punjabi (3.65%)
3. Urdu (2.50%)
4. Others (0.45%)

At the time of the 2023 census, 93.40% of the population spoke Saraiki, 3.65% Urdu and 2.50% Punjabi as their first language.[25]

### Ethnicity

[edit]

The most famous tribes and races are as under; Khar (offshoot of Kharal tribe), Khokhar, Dasti, Qureshi, Jatoi, Hinjra, Langrial, Thahim, Gopang, Bukhari, Gilani, Rajput, Jat and Arain.[26] The major ethnic group are the Saraiki-speaking Jat forming the majority, with Saraiki-speaking Gujjar, Baloch, Rajputs and Pathan groups in minority.[27][28]

## Geography and climate

[edit]

Muzaffargarh

Climate chart (explanation)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

7.2

9.5

131

1.7

2.3

6.9

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: World Meteorological Organization
| Imperial conversion

J| F| M| A| M| J| J| A| S| O| N| D

0.3

0.4

0.8

0.9

2.4

105

3.6

108

5.2

103

2.9

100

1.6

0.1

0.1

0.3

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Muzaffargarh spreads over an area of 8,249 km2 and forms a strip between the Chenab River on its east and Indus River on its west, which pass along the Eastern and Western boundaries respectively of the district and a triangle at Alipur tehsil of the district. The district is bounded on the north by district Layyah, on the south by Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan districts across the river Chenab.

Districts Multan and Khanewal are on the eastern side of district Muzaffargarh, across the river Chenab. District Jhang touches it on the northeast. Dera Gahzi Khan and Rajanpur districts lie on the western side across the river Indus. It is one of oldest districts of Punjab. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the population of the district was 2,635,903, of which 12.75% were urban.[29] Muzaffargarh is one of oldest districts of Punjab.

2010 floods

Muzaffargarh was especially hard hit by the 2010 Pakistan floods, given its position between the Chenab and Indus rivers It is spread over an area of 8,249 km2. Muzaffargarh District lies in the strip between the rivers Chenab and Indus.

The city of Muzaffargarh is located in southern Punjab province at almost the exact centre of Pakistan. The closest major city is Multan. The area around the city is a flat, alluvial plain and is ideal for agriculture, with many citrus and mango farms. There are many canals that cut across the Muzaffargarh District providing water from nearby farms. This makes the land very fertile. However usually land close to the Chenab are usually flooded in the monsoon season.

Climate

Muzaffargarh features a semi arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. The city witnesses some of the most extreme weather in the country. The highest recorded temperature is approximately 54 °C (129 °F), and the lowest recorded temperature is approximately −1 °C (30 °F). The average rainfall is roughly 427 millimetres (16.8 in). Dust storms are a common occurrence within the city.

The district's towns include Basti Malik Wala, Taliri, Mauza Bahadur Dawana, Dawana Bahadur Peer Rajan Bukhsh, Kot Addu, Khangarh and Hayat Nagar.

## Education

[edit]

Although Muzaffargarh is one of the oldest and largest districts of Pakistan by area and population, it still has only a single campus of Virtual University of Pakistan. The literacy rate is one of the lowest in the country.[30] District Muzaffargarh has a total of 1,072 male and 1,009 female public sector schools.[31] According to the School Education Department's data, a total of 5,023 male and 4,130 female teachers are employed in public school education sector of the district.[citation needed]

## Forests

[edit]

An area of 100,864 acres is forested in the district biggest Lashari wala Forest. There is also linear plantation of 1250 A.V. mile the roads/rails/canals in the district. Trees grown in the area are kikar, shisham, millbury, eucalyptus, bamboo and coconut.

## Notable people

[edit]

* Milkha Singh, a famous track and field athlete

## Notes

[edit]

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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Administration of Muzaffargarh District". mgarh.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
2. ^ "DPO Muzaffargarh District Police". www.mgarh.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
3. ^ a b c d "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 1" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
4. ^ a b c "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 12" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
5. ^ Banerjee, Abhijit; Iyer, Lakshmi (January 2003). "Appendix Table 1: Districts of British India, With Dates and Mode of Acquisition by the British". History, Institutions and Economic Performance: The Legacy of Colonial Land Tenure Systems in India (BREAD Working Paper No. 003) (PDF). Bureau for Research in Economic Analysis of Development. p. 39.
6. ^ Anwar, Ehtasham (2019). "Muzaffargarh District". Government of the Punjab: District Gazetteers. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
7. ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Muzaffargarh – Government of Pakistan Archived 2012-02-09 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ 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
9. ^ "Population by administrative units 1951-1998" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
10. ^ "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 20" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
11. ^ "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 5" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
12. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB PROVINCE". Retrieved 21 July 2022.
13. ^ "District Wise Results / Tables (Census - 2017)". www.pbscensus.gov.pk. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
14. ^ "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 9" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
15. ^ "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. I." 1881\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057656. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
16. ^ "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II". 1881. p. 14\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057657. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
17. ^ "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. III". 1881. p. 14\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057658. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
18. ^ Edward Maclagan, Sir (1891). "The Punjab and its feudatories, part II--Imperial Tables and Supplementary Returns for the British Territory". p. 14\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25318669. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
19. ^ "Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province". 1901. p. 34\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25363739. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
20. ^ "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1911. p. 27\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393788. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
21. ^ Kaul, Harikishan (1911). "Census Of India 1911 Punjab Vol XIV Part II". p. 27. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
22. ^ a b "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables". 1921. p. 29\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
23. ^ "Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1931. p. 277\. JSTOR saoa.crl.25793242. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
24. ^ a b India Census Commissioner (1941). "Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab". p. 42\. JSTOR saoa.crl.28215541. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
25. ^ a b "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 11" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
26. ^ Fiaz, Hafiz Muhammad; Akhtar, Dr Sohail; Rind, Ayaz Ahmad (31 December 2021). "Socio-cultural Condition of South Punjab: A Case of Muzaffargarh District". International Research Journal of Education and Innovation. 2 (3): 15–34\. doi:10.53575/irjei.v2.03(21)2.15-34 (inactive 12 July 2025). ISSN 2710-0448.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
27. ^ "Gazetteer of the Muzaffargarh District". Punjab Government Press. 19 June 1884 - via Google Books.
28. ^ 1998 District Census report of Muzaffargarh. Census publication. Vol. 120\. Islamabad: Population Census Organization, Statistics Division, Government of Pakistan. 2000. pp. 21–22.
29. ^ "Urban Resource Centre". urckarachi.org. Archived from the original on 13 May 2006.
30. ^ "Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey 2014–15 Report".
31. ^ "Punjab Annual Schools Census Data 2014–15". Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Muzaffargarh District at Wikimedia Commons

* v
* t
* e

Muzaffargarh topics

History|

* History of Muzaffargarh
* Nawab Muzaffar Khan
* Sardar Kaure Khan Jatoi

Attractions|

* Fayyaz Park
* Jamia Sakeena-Tul-Sughra
* Yadgar Club

Sports|

* Faisal Stadium

Transport|

| Road|

* N-70 National Highway
* List of roads in Muzaffargarh

|

Railway stations|

* Chenab West Bank
* Muzaffargarh
* Thermal Power Station
* Kotla Leghari (Closed)
* Budh
* Mahmud Kot
* Gurmani
* Sanawan
* Kot Addu Junction
* Dera Dinpanah
* Ashanpur
* Hamdaniwala Halt
* Lal Mir Halt
* Lal Pir

Lists|

* Cultural heritage sites
* People
* Places
* Politics
* Roads

Related topics|

* Government College
* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Hospital

Category • Commons

* v
* t
* e

Administrative divisions of Muzaffargarh District

Administrations: Muzaffargarh District and Dera Ghazi Khan Division

Capital|

* Muzaffargarh

Tehsils|

* Alipur Tehsil
* Chowk Sarwar Shaheed Tehsil
* Jatoi Tehsil
* Kot Addu Tehsil
* Muzaffargarh Tehsil

Villages and locallities|

* Allama Iqbal Town
* Faqirwala
* Gamoon wala
* Jalalabad
* Jatoi
* Khangarh
* Khar
* Kot Addu
* Meerwala
* Mehmood Kot
* Qasba Gujrat
* Rohilanwali
* Sanawan
* Seet pur

* 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

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* IdRef

*[lit.]: literal translation
*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
*[%]: percentage
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