# Jaffarabad District

Jaffarabad (Balochi: جعفر آباد, Urdu: ضلع جعفر آباد), district lies in the southeastern part of Pakistan's province of Balochistan. Dera Allah Yar, also known as Jhatpat among locals, serves as the district headquarters. Jaffarabad District is sub-divided into two tehsils. According to 2023 Pakistani census Jafarabad district has a population of 594,558.

## History

Jaffarabad District was created in 1987 by bifurcation of Nasirabad District. Sohbatpur, Usta Muhammad & Gandakha ended up being part of Jafarabad district. Jafarabad district is named after Mir Jaffar Khan Jamali.
In 2022 Usta Muhammad was split off to form the new district of Usta Muhammad.

## Demographics
### Population

As of the 2023 census, Jaffarabad district has 81,562 households and a population of 594,558. The district has a sex ratio of 102.79 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 35.53%: 44.43% for males and 26.37% for females. 224,911 (37.83% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age. 163,393 (27.48%) live in urban areas.

### Religion

Religions in Jaffarabad district (2023) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 98.33% | 98.33% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 1.24% | 1.24% |
| Other | Other | 0.43% | 0.43% |
Religions in present-day Jafarabad district :
| Religion | 2017 | 2017 | 2023 | 2023 |
| Religion | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Islam | 506,405 | 98.53% | 584,619 | 98.33% |
| Hinduism | 6,872 | 1.34% | 7,379 | 1.24% |
| Others | 695 | 0.13% | 2,560 | 0.43% |
| Total Population | 513,972 | 100% | 594,558 | 100% |
Islam is the predominant religion of the district with 98.33% followers.

### Language

* Balochi (51.9%)
* Sindhi (19.33%)
* Saraiki (15.45%)
* Brahui (12.07%)
* Others (1.25%)
At the time of the 2023 census, 51.9% of the population spoke Balochi, 19.33% Sindhi, 15.45% Saraiki, and 12.07% Brahui as their first language.

## Administration

The district of Jaffarabad is administratively subdivided into the following two Tehsils:
| Tehsil | Area (km²) | Pop. (2023) | Density (ppl/km²) (2023) | Literacy rate (2023) | Union Councils |
| Jafarabad Tehsil | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Jhatpat Tehsil | 690 | 302,498 | 438.40 | 36.70% | ... |

## Education

According to the Pakistan District Education Rankings 2017, district Jafarabad is ranked at number 113 out of the 141 ranked districts in Pakistan on the Education Score index. This index considers learning, gender parity and retention in the district.
Literacy rate in 2014–15 of population 10 years and older in the district stood at 36% whereas for females it was only 15%.
Post-primary access is a major issue in the district, with 89% of schools being at the primary level. Compared with high schools, which only constitute 4% of government schools in the district. This is also reflected in the enrolment figures, with 27,448 students enrolled in classes 1 to 5 and only 736 students enrolled in class 9 and 10.
Gender disparity is another issue in the district. Only 28% schools in the district are girls’ schools. Access to education for girls is a major issue in the district and is also reflected in the low literacy rates for females.
Moreover, the schools in the district lack basic facilities. According to Alif AAilaan Pakistan District Education Rankings 2017, the district is ranked at number 117 out of the 155 districts of Pakistan for primary school infrastructure. At the middle school level, it is ranked number 116 out of the 155 districts. These rankings take into account the basic facilities available in schools, including drinking water, a working toilet, the availability of electricity, the existence of a boundary wall, and general building conditions. More than 3 out of 5 schools in the district lack electricity, a working toilet, and a boundary wall. More than 1 out of 5 schools do not have clean drinking water.
The main issues reported in Taleem Do! App for the district are the unavailability of class rooms for students and a lack of university. Political interference is also reported in the development of new schools.