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 Dera
Ismail Khan is a
district in the
North-West Frontier
Province of Pakistan
that contains the
town of Dera Ismail
Khan. The district
has an area of 7,326
sq km and a
population of about
853,000 people. It
is bounded on the
east by Punjab
Province, to the
southwest by South
Waziristan district,
and to the northwest
by Tank and Lakki
Marwat districts.
It was created as an
administrative unit
of British India,
part of the Derajat
division of the
North-West Frontier
Province. It was
formerly divided
into two almost
equal portions by
the Indus, which
intersected it from
north to south. To
the west of the
Indus the
characteristics of
the country
resembled those of
Dera Ghazi Khan. To
the east of the
present bed of the
river there is a
wide tract known as
the Kachi, exposed
to river action.
Beyond this, the
country rises
abruptly, and a
barren, almost
desert plain
stretches eastwards,
sparsely cultivated,
and inhabited by
nomadic tribes of
herdsmen. In 1901
the trans-Indus
tract was allotted
to the newly formed
North-West Frontier
Province, the cis-Indus
tract remaining in
the Punjab
jurisdiction. The
cis-Indus portions
of the Dera Ismail
Khan and Bannu
districts now
comprise the new
Punjab district of
Mianwali. Wheat and
wool were exported.
In 1901 it contained
an area of 3403 sq.
mi. and a population
of 252,379, chiefly
Pashtun and Baluch
Muslims. In 1947 it
became part of the
newly-independent
Pakistan.
Dera Ismail Khan is
a very backward area
of Pakistan and most
of the people live
below poverty line.
Despite being
situated on the bank
of Indus River, the
area is dry and very
hot. It is famous
for "Dhakki" (A
village nearby)
dates and embroidery
work by womenfolk.
However inadequate
marketing leaves
workers with very
little income(less
than 50 cents a day
on rough average).
Dera Ismail Khan is
full of religious
sentiments and a
number of Islamic
Madrassas (religious
schools)operate in
the neighbourhood
and they saw a
mushroom growth
during Afghan War
and Taliban era.
The city lacks basic
urban infrastructure
like potable water,
fuel gas, railroads
and adeaquate health
care. It is located
on the Indus Highway
which links Pakistan
from North to South
along West Bank of
River Indus. There
is very little
agriculture and
virtually no
industries. However
it is home to Gomal
University and Gomal
Medical College. |
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