Dera Ghazi Khan (Urdu: ڈیرہ غازی خان) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The district covers an area of 5,306 m² and it is a long narrow strip of country, 198 m. in length, sloping gradually from the hills which form its western boundary to the river Indus on the east.

Below the hills the country is high and arid, generally level, but sometimes rolling in sandy undulations, and much intersected by hill torrents, 201 in number. With the exceptions of two, these streams dry up after the rains, and their influence is only felt for a few miles below the hills.

The eastern portion of the district is at a level sufficiently low to benefit by the floods of the Indus. A barren tract intervenes between these zones, and is beyond the reach of the hill streams on the one hand and of the Indus on the other. Although liable to great extremes of temperature, and to a very scanty rainfall, the district is not unhealthy.

The Sulaiman Mountains rise to a height of 10,000 feet in the north of the district.

History

The population according to the 1901 census of India (then a British colony) was 471,149 - the great majority being Baluch Muslims. The frontier tribes on the Dera Ghazi Khan border include the Jarwar, Qaisrani, Bozdar, Khosa, Leghari, Khetran, Gurchani, Mazari, Marri and Bugti tribes. Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th edition published in 1911 mentions Baluchs of this area as:

Frank and open in his manners, fairly truthful, faithful to his word, temperate and enduring, and looking upon courage as the highest virtue, the true Baluch of the Derajat is a pleasant man to have dealings with .

There are petroleum and gas reservoirs in district Dera Ghazi Khan at sites rodho, zindapir, afiband, Dhodhak etc. The Koh-e-Sulaiman Range constitutes a major part of this area, This range is full of naturl deposits like Marble & Lime Stone. A big cement plant DG Cement is also situated in Kofla Sattai Tehsil Dera Ghazi Khan.

Demography

According to the 1998 Census of Pakistan, the district had a population of 1,643,118 of which 13.76% were urban.

Administration

The district is divided into 3 tehsils , which are divided into a total of sixty Union Councils:

Tehsil	No. of Unions
Dera Ghazi Khan	41
Taunsa Sharif	18
De-Ex.Area of D.G.Khan	1
Total	60

Notable areas

• Fort Munro - a very attractive place for tourist namely Fort Munro is situated at the western side of D.G.Khan. It is at a distance of about 80 km from D.G.Khan City. Fort Munro is at an altitude of 6300 feet above sea level. Its climate remained cool & pleasant during summer season.

References