Dera Ismail Khan ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان |
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Coordinates: 31°49′53″N 70°54′7″E / 31.83139°N 70.90194°ECoordinates: 31°49′53″N 70°54′7″E / 31.83139°N 70.90194°E | |
Country | Pakistan |
Province | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
District | Dera Ismail Khan District |
Government | |
• DC DIKhan | Mr. Nisar Ahmad |
Elevation | 165 m (541 ft) |
Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
Number of union councils | 47 |
Dera Ismail Khan ( Urdu : ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان, Pashto: ډېره اسماعيل خان , Saraiki :ډېره اسماعيل خان ), often abbreviated to D.I. Khan, is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, 200 miles (320 km) west of Lahore and 120 miles (190 km) northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. The total population of the city is 86,969 according to census 1998. D.I.Khan is famous for its lacquered woodwork, glass and ivory ware, mats and sarongs. Newer industries within the city include sugar, soap, textile and oil milling. CRBC Canal is the major canal that provides water for irrigation. One of the most famous product of the district is the "Dhakki Date", which is exported to the Middle East, United States, and Europe. Dhaki Date is named after the Dhaki in Dera Ismail Khan.The district also produces wheat, sugar cane, rice and famous variety of mango called the langra.The city has many famous persons in every field like Jaffar Khan,Abdul Wahid Qereshi and many more.
In Punjabi, the word ḍerā means "tent, encampment", and is commonly used for residential towns in the Indus valley such as Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Bugti, Dera Murad Jamali, Dera Allah Yar, Dera Ismail Khan, etc. Dera Ismail Khan thus means the residential town of Sardar Ismail Khan Baloch. People of Dera Ismail Khan as well as Dera Ghazi Khan are also known as Derawal or sometimes as Dervi while the latter is used as Pen name or Takhallus. Historically the Derajat were established at the time when in the 15th century, Baloch tribal immigration took place from Makran, Qalat.chagi and Sibi Balochistan, to Indus Valley. Sultan Husain, the Langah Dynasty's Sultans of Multan, being unable to hold his trans-Indus possessions; called the Baloch tribal warriors, for help and assigned these territories to Sardar Malik Sohrab Khan Dodai Baloch as "Jagir". Sohrab's sons, Ghazi Khan, Ismail khan and Fateh Khan, founded the three Deras or villages' named after them.