AKORA KHATTAK HISTORY

Akora Khattak is located around 14-km (9 miles) to the East of Nowshera city in Nowshera District on Grand Trunk Road. Akora Khattak was formerly called Sarai Akora, and is named after Malik Akor Khan Khattak who was the great-grandfather of the famous Pashtun warrior and poet Khushal Khan Khattak.

SHER SHAH SURI PERIOD
When the emperor Sher Shah Suri’s army dug two wells in this place and made it a rest place and named the place Sarai Malik Pura, caravans came from the Central Asia for trading purpose and stayed at this place.

MUGAL PERIOD
In 1581, Mughal emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar came to Peshawar to finish the mutiny of his brother ‘Mirza Hakeem’ and stayed there for a few years. During this stay, he met (jarga) with all the tribal chiefs for the betterment of the area. In the meeting, the name of Malik Akor Khan often came up. It was reported to the emperor that Malik Akor Khan was a robber and often robbed the troops on the highway. He lived at Neelab (Nizampur) and continually created problems for the Mughal government. The emperor Jalal-Ud-din Mohammad Akbar decided to resolve this problem by making Malik Akor Khan a government servant and charged him with the responsibility of collecting tolls from the caravans on the crossing of the Indus at Attock.

Malik Akor Khan came to the Sarai Malik Pura (Akora Khattak) for this purpose and made this area his living place. In time, this place was renamed as Sarai Akora which later became “Akora Khattak”.

SIKH PERIOD
In 1820, Sikhs of Punjab conquered Peshawar and other Pathan areas and ruled it up to 1849. In 1826, the Mujahidin-I-Islam (Sayed Ahmad Barelvi) fought a battle against Sikhs at this place. After it, in 1834, Sardar Lehna Singh built the fort of Akora Khattak near the river Kabul.

BRITISH PERIOD
The British period starts from August 29, 1849. In 1809, the colonial Indian administrator and later Governor Of Bombay, Mountstuart Elphinstone visited Peshawar.
The cantonment of Akora Khattak was established in 1850 and on 23 March 1851 Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor General of India, visited the place.

In 1916, the first police station of Akora Khattak was established.

POPULATION
The population of Akora Khattak, according to 2017 consensus, is 47,255. The population of Akora Khattak, according to official consensus, over the years is shown in the table below.

HISTORICAL PLACES
Akora Khattak has many historical places. The most famous are Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak, Shrine of Akhund Adyan Baba Seljoki, Darul Uloom Haqqania, Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library and museum.

Tomb of Khushal Khan Khattak
Akora Khattak is the birthplace and burial place of the great pashto poet and warrior Khushal Khan Khattak. The mausoleum of Khushal Khan was built in 1949.

Shrine of Akhund Adyan Baba Seljoki
Among the historical places of Akora Khattak, Shrine of Great Turkish Sufi Master and aalim Qutb e Aalam Sheikh Akhund Adyan is situated near Kabul river. The road in front of the shrine itself traces back to Sher Shah suri regime, the road is called Shahi Laar or royal road starting from civil hospital to military camp. The descendants of Sheik Akhund Adyan Baba Seljuki are living in Ziarat kaka Sahib and called Qazyan or Qazi. Sheikh Akhund Adyan Baba died in 1074 AH. Sheikh was teacher of Kaka Sahib. Outside the tomb of Akhun Adyan baba the grave of Shahbaz Khan Khattak (father of Khushal Khan Khattak) is lying. Due to his religious sacrifices of that time Mughal government built his fort like area for his shrine.

Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqani
Darul Uloom-e-haqqania was founded by Maulana Abdul Haq (father of Maulana Sami Ul Haq) along with his companion Haji Mohammad Yousaf in 1947. It is the second largest Islamic religious seminary in Pakistan. More than 8000 students have been educated there.

Khushal Khan Khattak memorial library
Akora Khan also has Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library and a small museum. Library was established in 1994 in the memory of Khushal Khan Khattak. The museum has many medieval era artefacts, some of which were used by Khushal Khan Khattak.

Rang Mahal
Rang mahal of Mughal era situated near Meera, Akora Khattak. It was built by Mughals for their rest.

EDUCATION
Schools and Colleges
• Govt Centennial Model high school (boys)
• Khyber Model College and School Akora Khattak Campus
• The student model high school and College
• Govt high school (boys) Baghbanpura
• Govt Girls Middle School Baghbanpura
• Sir Syed public High school
• Govt high school (girls)
• Haqqania High School
• Tamir-e-millat high school
• Public collegiate high school
• Bright Start English school
• Jamia Shams Ul Madaris Surya Khel for (boys and girls)
• Rahman public school
• Army Public school Akora Khattak
• The Sun Rise public school
• Govt Khushal Khan Khattak degree college (boys)
• Govt Khushal Khan Khattak college (girls)
• The Safah public school
• The Quaid Public School
• The Suffa Public School
• The Sarhad Public School Akora Khattak
• AIMS (Alqalam Islamic Model School)
• ummah higher secondary school soria khel Akora khattak

ACADMIES
• Umma Children Academy
• National Children Academy
• Scientific Learnig tuition Academy Akora khattak
• The Aryana English Language & Computer Academy
• Jamal Ul Quran Online Academy Akora khattak

INSTITUTES
• Shahcom Institute of Technology (Regd.)
• National Institute of Technology
• HEALTH CARE
• Civil Hospital: The main health source in Akora Khattak is the government hospital
• Al-Shifa Homeopathic Clinic: Dr. Muhammad Ali is a big name in homeopathic practices in Akora Khattak now since more than 27 years
• LRBT Free Eye Hospital

SPORTS
The youth of Akora Khattak are very active in every field of sport but unfortunately there are few facilities available for their use. However, cricket, volleyball, bodybuilding are sports played in Akora khattak. Recently, paragliding was also introduced in Akora Khattak.

NOTABLE PEOPLE
• Khushal Khan Khattak – Warrior, poet, chief, and freedom fighter
• Maulana Abdul Haq – Islamic scholar and founder of the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Haqqania
• Ajmal Khattak – politician and writer
• Ijaz ul haq khattak – politician and writer, political analyst, social worker

• Akhtar Zaman Khattak – From a fructiferous family of Mustaqeem Khan (Mustaqeem Khel at the home of Ajmal Khan Khattak, of Nizampur (Historical Place, Where Khushal Khan Khattak used to come for hunting and sightseeing because he was very fond of walking far and wide) Elaqa Khwarra, between Attock Khurd and Neela (Boundary of District Nowshera and Kohat), social worker, hospitable promoting peace and humanity.