Rahim Yar Khan
Rahim Yar Khan
رحیم یار خاں | |
|---|---|
| Rahim YAR Khan | |
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  Rahim Yar Khan Location of Rahim Yar Khan  Rahim Yar Khan Rahim Yar Khan (Pakistan) | |
| Coordinates: 28°25′12″N 70°18′0″E / 28.42000°N 70.30000°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Punjab |
| District | Rahim Yar Khan |
| Area | |
• Total | 210.2 km2 (81.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 83 m (272 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 519,261 |
| • Rank | 21st, Pakistan 14th, Punjab |
| • Density | 2,500/km2 (6,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Postal code | 64200 |
| Calling code | 068 |
| Number of tehsils | 4 |
| Number of Union councils | 139 |
| Website | rykhan |
Rahim Yar Khan (Urdu: رحیم یار خان, romanized: Rahīm Yār Khān; Urdu pronunciation: [ɾəɦiːm jɑːɾ xɑːn]) is a city in the Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st most populous city in Pakistan and is the capital of the Rahim Yar Khan District. The city's administration is divided into nine union councils.[2] Originally named Noshehra, it was renamed to Rahim Yar Khan in honour of the son of Sadeq Mohammad Khan IV.
History
[edit]People have lived near this area for a very long time. The ancient tower of Pattan Minara stands 8 km to the east of the city center, and is believed to be the remains of a 5,000-year-old monastery, with the minara built during the Hakrra valley civilization of the Mauryan period (250 BC).[3]
Rahim Yar Khan was founded in 1751 as Noshehra.[4] Its region was part of Multan province of Mughal Empire.[5] Railway administrators wanted to change the name of the town due to its similar name to Nowshera. In 1881, Sadeq Mohammad Khan IV renamed the area to Rahim Yar Khan in honour of his son.[6]
Rahim Yar Khan was a part of Bahawalpur State until 1943, when it became a separate district.[7]
Climate
[edit]One-fourth of the city is within the Cholistan Desert.[4]
Economy
[edit]65% of the population is employed in agricultural work.[4]
Demographics
[edit]| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 | ... | — |
| 1951 | 14,919 | — |
| 1961 | 43,548 | +191.9% |
| 1972 | 74,262 | +70.5% |
| 1981 | 119,036 | +60.3% |
| 1998 | 233,537 | +96.2% |
| 2017 | 477,100 | +104.3% |
| 2023 | 519,261 | +8.8% |
| Sources:[8] | ||
The population of the city is 519,261 during the 2023 census.[1]
Transport
[edit]
Shaikh Zayed International Airport is located in Rahim Yar Khan. It serves the people of city with domestic and international flights.[4] There are daily flight from this airport to Karachi, twice in a week to/from Lahore, and once a week to Islamabad. This airport was partially damaged in 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.[9][10]
Notable people
[edit]- Aima Baig, singer
- Asim Saleem Bajwa, Lieutenant general (Pakistan)
- Talha Chahour, actor
- Saima Akram Chaudhry, Pakistani screenwriter
- Abdullah Darkhawasti, Pakistani Sunni Islamic scholar
- Fida-Ur-Rehman Darkhawasti, Islamic scholar, academic person and politician
- Muniba Mazari, social activist
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan Metro Area Population 1950-2024". macrotrends.net. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "county & Unions in the District of Rahim Yar Khan". National Reconstruction Bureau, Government of Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ Khan, Photo: Amina (19 May 2013). "The mystery of Pattan Minara". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology.
- ^ Dasti, Humaira Faiz (1998). Multan, a Province of the Mughal Empire, 1525–1751. Royal Book. ISBN 978-969-407-226-5.
- ^ Rahim Yar Khan District.
- ^ Rafique, Nayar (1 January 2021). "Education, Political Awareness, and Political Participation: A Case of Rahim Yar Khan District of Pakistan". International Journal of Education and Information Technologies. doi:10.46300/9109.2021.15.39.
- ^ "Population by administrative units 1951-1998" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "Rahim Yar Khan's Sheikh Zayed airport damaged by Indian strike". Dawn. 11 May 2025.
- ^ "India targets Sheikh Zayed International airport in Rahim Yar Khan". The Express Tribune. 10 May 2025.
Works cited
[edit]Books
[edit]- Sachedina, Amal (2021). Cultivating the Past, Living the Modern: The Politics of Time in the Sultanate of Oman. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9781501758621. JSTOR 10.7591/j.ctv1bxh5sk.
Journals
[edit]- Valeri, Marc (2010). "High Visibility, Low Profile: The Shi'a in Oman Under Sultan Qaboos". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 42 (2). Cambridge University Press: 251–268. JSTOR 40784725.}
News
[edit]- "Our History". Rahim Yar Khan District. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020.
- "RYK – The City of Ancient Heritage". Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology. Archived from the original on 7 July 2025.
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