Country Pakistan District Jhelum District Union councils 10 Area 1,258 km² Capital Sohawa | Region Punjab Towns 4 Time zone PST (UTC+5) Postal code 49230 Area code 0092544 | |
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Sohawa is an administrative sub-division (Tehsil) of the Jhelum District, situated in the Punjab province of Pakistan, located in the northwestern part of the district. One sign of Sohawa is the toll plaza by the name of 'Tarakki' on the Grand Trunk Road. The main bazaar of Sohawa attracts people from nearby villages.
Contents
Map of Sohawa, Pakistan
History
The Etymology of the name Sohawa has not been proven, yet, according to folk etymologies, the original name was Soo Awa which means '100 fences of potters'. Originally a small village near Khoraka, Soahwa merged with Khoraka after several years of human settlement. The original village is part of the main town (Khoraka) and is called "Ward #1" or Purana Sohawa (literally "old Sohawa").
Demographics
The most famous village is Kot Dhamiak (Fort of Dhamials), which has existed since the time of Sultan Raja Dhami Khan. It was a fort at the time when Shahab Din conquered this area in the 16th century, as well as being the place where Shehab-ud-din Ghori was murdered by Khokhars. The village named Bishindaur which was changed to Dewan-e-Hazoori by Mian Mohammad Nawaz Shareef at the request of Majlis-e-Qadria Hazrat Dewan-e-Hazoori is located about 5 miles from Sohawa. Bishandour was named after Bishan Singh who ruled the area and was the grandson of Raja Ram Singh who was the ruler of Amber, and head of the Kachwaha Rajput clan, from 1688 to 1699. Bishandour village is named after the great saint Hazrat Dewan-e-Hazoori. Today, a big market in the village is where most of the community do their shopping.
Dewan e Hazoori was the biggest food market of Sohawa before partition. Dewan e Hazoori has an annual religious event for the birth of the Wali Haji Hafiz Syed Muhammed Abdullah RA, commonly known as Dewan E Hazoori. There are a darbar and a mosque at the heart of the village, where people flock to every Thursday to visit and pay their respects. Hazrat Dewan-e-Hazoori Educational Complex is also a place to visit in Dewan-e-Hazoori. Surgdhan Village is also a famous place of Sohawa Tehsil.
Health facilities
The Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQs) Sohawa for the people of Sohawa and surrounding rural areas has been developed by the Government of Pakistan that provides only basic health facilities. The hospital currently houses 40 beds, 20 for female and 20 for male patients. The following facilities are available: emergency services, 4 bedded labor room services, operation theater facilities, dental surgery, ambulance services, indoor services lab, X-Rays, ultrasonography facilities, ECG facilities, blood bank, 24 hours round the clock & OPD curative, and preventive and rehabilitative services. The following Posts of Specialists are still vacant: Medical Specialist, Child Specialist, gynecologist, ophthalmologist, ENT specialist, pathologist, and radiologist. This hospital offers free facilities for MCH and deliveries. Presently there are three female doctors to provide round the clock 24-hour care. There is also a rural health center in Domeli, which includes 12 basic health units (Adrana, Jandala, Nagial, Gurah Uttam Singh, Kohali, Phulray Syedan, Surgdhan, Dewan e Hazoori, Pail Mirza, Karounta, Panchor, and Banth), three Government rural dispensaries (Lehri, Gaddar, and Baragawah), and four Rural dispensaries (dial, Hayal,Pari derwaiza & Dhairy bakrala) to provide additional health services.
Major Tribes and Clans
The major tribes and clans of the district are the following: Rajput Pakhral