Battagram











Battagram District:

Battagram (Urdu: بٹگرام) is a city of Battagram District in the Province Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa of

Pakistan. It is located at 34°41'N 73°1'E and has an altitude of 1038 metres (3408 feet). It has a total land area of 1301 square kilometres and the estimated population of Battagram District in 2004-2005 was 361,000. The main language of the district is Pashto.

Etymology
Before these nouveau inhabitants, Hindus were a majority in the area as the name of Battagram, (भटग्राम - Sanskrit which means Land or Village of the Warriors), suggest. Many other small villages in district Battagram are also still named after Sanskrit words or their old Hindu residents e.g. Chohan, Ajmera, Rashmera, Chapargram etc.

Administration
Battagram obtained the status of district in July 1993 when it was upgraded from a Tehsil and separated from Mansehra District. Before Battagram obtained the status of district, it was a Tehsil of the Mansehra District. It has geographical borders with Kohistan District, the Tribal Area of Kala Dhaka (Black Mountain of Hazara), Shangla District and Malakand Division. The district consists of two sub-divisions or Tehsils, containing 20   Union Councils. 

Union Councils:
Allai Tehsil 8 .......... Batagram Tehsil 12
Allai .........BANNA, BATEELA, BATKUL, BIARI, JAMBERA, PASHTO, RASHANG, SAKARGAH
Battagram .......... AJMERA, BANIAN, BATAGRAM, BATAMORI, GIJBROI, KUZA BANDA, PAIMAL SHARIF, PESHORA, RAJDAHRI, SHUMLAI, THAKOT, TRAND

The district is represented in the provincial assembly by two MPAs from its constituencies PF-59 (Battagram-1) and PF-60 (Battagram-2)

Scenery
Battagram district is noted for its scenic mountain scenery, thick forests, fertile lands and enchanting streams. Most of the population is rural and depends upon agriculture for their day to day living. As a recent phenomenon, fishing has also become a mode of earning due to some modern scientific techniques. Another distinctive feature of this district is the notable presence of Shahrah-e-Resham (Karakoram Highway) or Silk route and hence which is helping the infant industrial base to thrive.

From Wikipedia