Shakargarh (Punjabi: تحصیل شکر گڑھ), is a tehsil located in Narowal District, Punjab, Pakistan. Shakargarh was the only tehsil of Gurdaspur district which was included in Pakistan at the time of the independence in 1947. The literacy rate of Shakargarh is more than 97.6%, the highest in Pakistan. Pakistan Standard Time is referenced from Shakargarh.

Administration

The tehsil of Shakargarh is administratively subdivided into union councils, three of which form the tehsil capital Shakargarh. These are:

History

Shakargarh became tehsil in 1853. Its literacy rate is 97 percent. Sialkot was annexed by the British after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849. In 1853, Shakargarh Tehsil of Sialkot district was transferred to Gurdaspur District and it remained an administrative subdivision of Gurdaspur district until Partition in 1947. Under the Radcliffe Award, three of the four tehsils of Gurdaspur district on the eastern bank of the Ujh river (which joined the Ravi a little further down) – Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot – were awarded to India and only one, Shakargarh, was assigned to Pakistan. After the creation of Pakistan, Shakargarh became a part of Sialkot district once again. In July 1991, two tehsils (Narowal and Shakargarh) were split off from Sialkot district and Shakargarh became a tehsil of the newly formed Narowal district. The Imperial Gazetteer of India, written over a hundred years ago during British rule, describes Shakargarh as follows: "Tahsīl of Gurdāspur District, Punjab, lying between 32°2' and 32° 30' N. and 74° 57' and 75° 23' E., with an area of 485 sqmi. The Ravi divides it from the rest of the District to the south, while on the north it touches Jammu territory. West of the narrow lowlands along the Ravi, the country is an arid expanse of rolling downs intersected by torrent beds. The population in 1901 was 234,465, compared with 250,336 in 1891. It contains 703 villages, of which Shakargarh is the headquarters. The land revenue and cesses in 1903-4 amounted to Rs. 4,29,000."

Demographics

The population of Tehsil Shakargarh according to 1998 Pakistan Census was 520,855. According to 2017 Pakistan Census the total population of Tehsil was 672,030 with 590,387 in rural and 81,643 in urban area. The average annual growth rate is 1.35 and population density is 804.83 sq per km.

Religion

An overwhelming majority (99%) are Muslims with a small minority adhering to Christianity. Local Sikhs and Hindus.

Tribes

Gujjar are the predominant caste followed in order by Ansaris, Pathans, Jatts, and Rajputs.The tehsil boasts as one with the highest literacy rate in Pakistan at over 97%.

Notable people