# Dera Ismail Khan District

Dera Ismail Khan District (Urdu and Saraiki: ضلع ڈیره اسماعیل خان, Pashto: دېره اسماعيل خان ولسوالۍ), often abbreviated as D.I. Khan is a district in the Dera Ismail Khan division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The capital of the district is the town of Dera Ismail Khan. The district has an area of 9,334 km$^2$ (3,604 sq mi) and a population of 1,822,916 as of the 2023 Census. After the Second Anglo-Sikh war in 1849 the district was annexed by the British as part of the Punjab and remained so until 1901 when the North West Frontier Province or NWFP (now renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) was created.

## Geography

The district of Dera Ismail Khan is bounded on the North east by the Bhakkar and Dera Ghazi Khan districts of Punjab. Eastern portions of the district along the Indus river are characterized by fertile alluvial plains, while lands farther from the river consist of clay soil cut by ravines from rainfall. The district is bounded on the southwest by a thin strip of the South Waziristan district, which separates D.I Khan from the Koh-e-Sulaiman mountain in the neighboring Baluchistan province. In the northwest is the Tank District.
D.I Khan is separated from the Marwat plains of the Lakki Marwat district by a spur of clay and sandstone hills that stretch east from the Sulaiman mountains to the Indus river known as the Sheikh Badin Hills.
The highest peak in the range is the limestone Sheik Badin mountain, which is protected by the Sheikh Badin National Park. Near the Indus River is a spur of limestone hills known as the Kafir Kot hills, where the ancient Hindu complex of Kafir Kot is located. DI Khan is also considered the center of Pakistan because of its location between Bhakkar, Mianwali of North Punjab, Zhob of Balochistan and South Waziristan of Pakistan's tribal belt.

## History
### Etymology

It is named after Dodai mercenary Ismail Khan, son of Malik Sohrab Dodai of the Langah Sultanate, who laid the foundation of the area.

### Ancient history

The Dera Ismail Khan District is littered with ruins from ancient civilizations. Dera Ismail Khan is home to the collection of Hindu ruins from two separate sites 20 miles apart, jointly known as Kafir Kot.
The region came under the influence of the Nanda empire of the ancient India from 300 BCE. With the rise of Chandragupta Maurya, the region came under the complete control of the Mauryan empire. Afterward, the region was briefly and nominally controlled by the Shunga empire. However, with the decline of the Shungas, the region passed to local Hindu and Buddhist rulers and was interrupted by foreign rulers. Many of these foreign rulers, like the Indo-Parthians, Sakas, and Kushans converted to Hinduism and Buddhism and promoted these Indian religions throughout central and south Asia. The region reached its height under the Buddhist ruler Kanishka. After the fall of the Kushans, the region came under the control of the Gupta empire of the ancient India. During this period, Hindu and Buddhist art and architecture flourished in the area.
With the decline of the imperial Guptas, the Hindu Shahis came to rule the area. The Hindu Shahis built two massive forts in the northern edges of Dera Ismail Khan. The forts were later renamed as "Kafir kots" (forts of the Kuffar (Disbelievers)). These Hindu Shahi forts were known for high towers and steep defensive walls. The Hindus also built many Hindu temples around the area. However, many of them are now in rubble. The Hindu Shahis remained in control of the area until their defeat by the Turkic Muslim army of Ghaznavids.
The district is part of what was historically territory inhabited by the Baloch people during the medieval India, who were invited to settle in the region by Shah Husseyn of the Langah Sultanate of Multan. These Baloch settlers were displaced by or assimilated into later waves of the Pashtun settlement.

### British era

Dera Ismail Khan district was annexed by the British from its former Sikh rulers after the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848–1849. Dera Ismail Khan was created as an administrative unit of the British India, part of the Derajat Division of the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). It was formerly divided into almost two equal portions by the Indus river 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 track 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.
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 the Bannu districts now comprise the new Punjab district of Mianwali. Wheat and wool were exported. In 1901, it contained an area of 8,814 km$^2$ (3,403 sq mi) and a population of 252,379. In 1947, it became part of the newly independent State of Pakistan.
In 2016, 191,000 acres in the district were brought under cultivation with completion of the Gomal Zam dam, and a series of irrigation canals partially funded by the United States Government.

## Demography

Languages
Saraiki are main ethnic groups in Dera Ismail Khan District in simple majority. Total population of DI Khan District is 1,822,916 consists of Males 956,098 & females 866,667 as of 2023 Pakistani census.
* Saraiki (65.76%)
* Pashto (31.96%)
* Urdu (1.7%)
* Balochi (0.04%)
* Others (0.51%)
There are 1,198,862 Saraiki, 582,703 Pashto, 31,152 Urdu, 4,765 Punjabi, 863 Sindhi, 791 Balochi, 490 Kashmiri, 2,738 Hindko, 5 Brahui, 18 Shina, 2 Balti, 3 Kalasha & 524 others of total 1,822,916
As of the 2023 census, Dera Ismail Khan district has 270,021 households and a population of 1,829,811. The district has a sex ratio of 110.24 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 46.58%: 58.14% for males and 33.71% for females. 559,401 (30.69% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age. 374,757 (20.48%) live in urban areas.

### Religion

Religion in Dera Ismail Khan District :
| Religion | 1941$^{:22}$ | 1941$^{:22}$ | 2017 | 2017 | 2023 | 2023 |
| Religion | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Islam | 205,910 | 84.92% | 1,690,436 | 99.81% | 1,816,418 | 99.64% |
| Hinduism | 33,888 | 13.98% | 642 | 0.04% | 717 | 0.04% |
| Sikhism | 2,000 | 0.82% | — | — | 58 | ~0% |
| Christianity | 195 | 0.08% | 2,278 | 0.13% | 5,645 | 0.31% |
| Other | 474 | 0.20% | 238 | 0.02% | 78 | 0.01% |
| Total Population | 242,467 | 100% | 1,693,594 | 100% | 1,822,916 | 100% |
Religious groups in Dera Ismail Khan District (British North-West Frontier Province era) :
| Religious group | 1881 | 1881 | 1891 | 1891 | 1901 | 1901 | 1911 | 1911 | 1921 | 1921 | 1931 | 1931 | 1941$^{:22}$ | 1941$^{:22}$ |
| Religious group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Islam | 385,244 | 87.23% | 420,189 | 86.42% | 218,338 | 86.51% | 224,992 | 87.85% | 218,315 | 83.72% | 235,707 | 86% | 255,757 | 85.79% |
| Hinduism | 54,446 | 12.33% | 62,961 | 12.95% | 29,434 | 11.66% | 28,617 | 11.17% | 39,311 | 15.08% | 35,822 | 13.07% | 39,167 | 13.14% |
| Sikhism | 1,691 | 0.38% | 2,840 | 0.58% | 4,362 | 1.73% | 2,175 | 0.85% | 1,904 | 0.73% | 1,878 | 0.69% | 2,390 | 0.8% |
| Christianity | 253 | 0.06% | 204 | 0.04% | 230 | 0.09% | 336 | 0.13% | 1,237 | 0.47% | 657 | 0.24% | 810 | 0.27% |
| Zoroastrianism | 13 | 0% | 7 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Jainism | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 15 | 0.01% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0% |
| Buddhism | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 5 | 0% |
| Judaism | — | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0% |
| Others | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Total population | 441,649 | 100% | 486,201 | 100% | 252,379 | 100% | 256,120 | 100% | 260,767 | 100% | 274,064 | 100% | 298,131 | 100% |
| Note1: British North-West Frontier Province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. Note2: Population decrease noted between 1891 census and 1901 census due to the creation of British North-West Frontier Province, bifurcating from British Punjab province. The trans-Indus tract of Dera Ismail Khan district 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 the Bannu districts would comprise the new Punjab district of Mianwali. |||||||||||||||

## Education

The Dera Ismail Khan district has many schools and colleges, predominantly in the capital of Dera Ismail Khan.
* University of Agriculture, Dera Ismail Khan
* Gomal University- Two campuses in Dera Ismail Khan
* St. Helen's High School & College
* Qurtuba University
* Gomal Medical College
* University Wensam College
* Shawn School & College Paharpur
* Punjab College Meraj Campus
* Dar-e-Arqam School, Dera Ismail Khan
* The City School, Dera Ismail Khan
* Government College of Technology, Dera Ismail Khan campus
* The Educators Dikhan campus
Beaconhouse School System
* Overseas Pakistan Foundation School
* Educare School
* Knowledge Home
* Islamabad Schools
* Mufti Mehmood Public School & College

## Politics

The district is represented in the National Assembly by two elected MNAs who represent the following constituencies:
| Constituency | MNA | Party |
| NA-24 | Fazal-ur-Rehman | Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (F) |
| NA-39 | Muhammad Yaqoob Shiekh | PTI |

### Provincial Assembly

| Member of Provincial Assembly | Party Affiliation | Constituency | Year | Area |
| Ehtisham Javed | Independent | PK-95 Dera Ismail Khan-I | 2018 | Paharpur/Paniyala |
| Ahmad Kundi | Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians | PK-96 Dera Ismail Khan-II | 2018 | D.I.Khan North |
| Faisal Amin Khan | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf | PK-97 Dera Ismail Khan-III | 2018 | D.I.Khan city |
| Lutf ur Rahman | Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal | PK-98 Dera Ismail Khan-IV | 2018 | Paroa Tehsil |
| Aghaz Ikram Ullah Gandapur | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf | PK-99 Dera Ismail Khan-V | 2018 | Kulachi, Draban, FR DIK |

## Cuisine and food

Sobat is a traditional dish predominantly prepared in the capital of Dera Ismail Khan. It consists of chicken, onions, garlic, tomatoes, khusk dhania, garam masala, turmeric, and other spices. It is usually eaten as dinner. Sobat is known all over Pakistan, and brings a lot of attention to the district and the city.

## Sports

Football is a very popular game in Dera Ismail Khan. Other games including cricket, hockey, badminton, and many more are played as well. Ali Amin Khan has also provided a platform for more involvement in sports in this region. In 2017, he introduced a tennis ball cricket league, named Dera Premier League, and the teams from different geographical regions of Pakistan competed. Season two was held in 2018. DPL became Pakistan's biggest tape ball cricket tournament.
Dera Ismail Khan has a cricket team as well: Dera Ismail Khan cricket team. Some cultural games (kabaddi, mailay and kodi, which is played by three sportsmen called pehlwaan where one runs while two other have to catch him in a big circular ground encircled by spectators) are still popular among native Saraiki people and have been for decades.

## Administration

The district is subdivided into six Tehsils which contain a total of 47 Union Councils:

### Tehsils

* D.I. Khan (Urdu: تحصیل ڈیره اسماعیل خان)(Pashto: دېره اسماعيل خان تحصیل‎)
* Kulachi (Urdu: تحصیل کلاچی)(Pashto: کلاچی تحصیل‎)
* Paharpur (Urdu: تحصیل پہاڑ پور)(Pashto: پہاڑ پور تحصیل‎)
* Paroa (Urdu: تحصیل پرووا)(Pashto: پرووا تحصیل‎)
* Daraban (Urdu: تحصیل درابن)(Pashto: درابن تحصیل‎)
* Drazanda (Urdu: تحصیل درازندہ)(Pashto: درازنده تحصیل‎)
** formerly Frontier Region Dera Ismail Khan (Urdu: سرحدی علاقہ ڈیره اسماعیل خان)(Pashto: دېره اسماعيل خان سرحدي سیمه‎)
After the merger of Tribal areas, Darazinda is now also a tehsil of D.I.Khan.