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| Location>Kohistan District | |||||||||
Location
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| People of Kohistan | |||||||||
Kohistan is divided into to east and west banks
by the River Indus . Its western bank, up until 1976 was called
Abasin Kohistan included in Swat district and the eastern part known
as Yaghistan (the rebellious land) and popularly known as Hazara
Kohistan. On the western bank, Bankhar, Duber, Jijal, Pattan, Keyal,
Seo, Razqa, Kandia and Gabral are located while on the eastern bank
are situated the valleys of Darra Madkhel, Batera, Kolai, Palas,
Jalkot, Sumar, Sazin, Shatyal and Harban |
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| Population of Kohistan | |||||||||
District Kohistan
covers an area of 7492 sq. Kilometres. The capital lies at Dassu
and the District is divided into three Tehsil’s namely Palas,
Pattan and Dassu. According to the demographic survey of 1981, the
population of district Kohistan is about one million. The average
literacy rate is around two percent, but the actual literacy rate
based on the field data shows that this rate is three times more. |
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| Economy | |||||||||
The people in
Kohistan largely depend on livestock for their livelihood and this
is also the reason for their seasonal migration to sub-alpine and
alpine pastures of Kohistan and neighbouring valleys and districts.
Agriculture development is comparatively poor with only one crop
growing in high altitudes and two in the lower areas. Cultivation
of crops such as barley and rice has almost been given up.
People usually keep cows, sheep, goats and bullocks along with buffalos in small numbers. Milk of these animals is not usually sold, but by-products of milk such as butter, are. Other by-products such as wool and skin are utilized for house-consumption and are also sold in the market. Cash income is rare and people resort to the sale of timber, such as Deodar, Pine, Spruce, Acacia and Oak. Sale of medicinal herbs is also common though there is no check, which impact the seasonal removal of these plants has on the overall population of the species or on the health of the ecosystem. Besides this, people are also involved in the sale
of fuel-wood, farm products such as walnuts and walnut bark (vernacular:
dindasa). Honey is also sold in local and provincial markets. In
winter season, the local men go to urban areas in search of work. |
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