Dina, Pakistan

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Dina دِینہ

| name = Dina

| settlement_type = City

| image_skyline = Dina pakistan picture.jpg

| image_alt =

| image_caption =

| image_map =

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| Division =

| coordinates ={{coord|33|01|42|N|73|36|04|E|region:PK_type:city|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Pakistan

| pushpin_label_position =

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| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{PAK}}

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon|Punjab, Pakistan}} Punjab

| subdivision_type2 = District

| subdivision_name2 = Jhelum District

| subdivision_type3 = Tehsil

| subdivision_name3 = Dina Tehsil

| subdivision_type4 = Division

| subdivision_name4 = Rawalpindi

| subdivision_type5 = Region

| subdivision_name5 = Islamabad

| population_total = 56,886{{cite web |title=Jhelum District – Population of Cities, Towns and Villages 2017-2018 |url=https://www.politicpk.com/jhelum-district-population-of-cities-towns-and-villages-2017-2018/ |website=Politic |access-date=5 April 2019 |pages=33–35 |date=15 November 2017}}

| demographics_type1 = Languages

| demographics1_title1 = Official

| demographics1_info1 = Urdu

Punjabi

Pahari-Pothwari

| population_as_of = 2017–18

| population_blank1_title = Demonym

| population_blank1 = Jhelumi

| postal_code_type = Postal code

| postal_code = 49400

| area_code = 0544

| area_code_type = Calling code

| website =

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}}

Dina (Punjabi and {{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|دِینہ}}}}) is a city in Jhelum District of Punjab province of Pakistan. Dina is one of the oldest towns in Punjab.

According to the 2023 census, 50,737 people live in Dina, 34.12% of them in the urban area.{{cite web|url=http://www.urckarachi.org/Population%20Table-5.htm |title=Urban Resource Centre |work=urckarachi.org |access-date=27 November 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060513113007/http://www.urckarachi.org/Population%20Table-5.htm |archive-date=13 May 2006 }} Dina has provided many soldiers to the British and later the Pakistan armed forces and is known as the city of soldiers or land of martyrs and warriors.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7024719.stm|title=BBC NEWS - South Asia - Rise of Pakistan's 'quiet man'|work=bbc.co.uk|access-date=27 November 2015}}

Location

Dina is located near the Pothohar Plateau, in the north of the Punjab province. It is the heart of Jhelum district. It is bordered by Jhelum and Sohawa to its south, Rohtas City to its south west, Garh Mahal to its south and east, Mirpur to its east, Chakwal to its west, Mangla Cantt to its northeast, and Domeli to its north. The district of Jhelum stretches from the River Jhelum almost to the Indus. Nearby villages include Mota Gharbi, Khukha, Gaggar Kalan, Gaggar Khurd, Natain, Khojki, Dhok Padhal and Dhok Gujral.

Dina is about {{convert|17|km|-1}} from Jhelum and about {{convert|27|km|-1}} from Sohawa, {{convert|190|km|-1}} northwest of Lahore, {{convert|70|km|-1}} southeast of Rawalpindi and around {{convert|103|km|-1}} southeast of Islamabad,{{cite web |title=Dina on map |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Islamabad/Dina,+Jhelum,+Punjab |website=Google Maps |access-date=21 September 2019}} at the junction of roads, one leading to the Mangla Dam and Mirpur, and another to Rohtas Fort and Tilla Jogian mountain. The historic Grand Trunk Road passes through the centre of the city.

Economy

There is limited industrial activity including woodworking, ironworking and marble processing. The main source of income for residents is remittances from relatives working in the UK and the Persian Gulf region. Many residents join the Pakistan Army. There is some small-scale agriculture with wheat and pulses as the main crops.

Salt is quarried at the Mayo mine in the Salt Range hills. The chief centre of the salt trade is Pind Dadan Khan. Two coal mines in the district supply the North-Western Railway. They are the only working coal mines in Punjab province.Many businesses in jehlum are owned by Arain families.

History

Dina is the nearest town to the Pothohar Plateau, Mirpur which is rich in archaeological sites of the ancient Soanian culture.{{cite news |last1=Shahid |first1=Jamal |title=Three million-year-old fossilised tusks found in Jhelum |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1241100 |access-date=26 August 2018 |work=Dawn |date=22 February 2016}}

Culture

The main languages spoken in Dina are Punjabi and Urdu. English is not understood by majority of the population.

Several poets and famous personalities were born in Dina, the popular Pakistani poet Zamir Jafri and the Indian poet Gulzar. Gulzar wrote the following lines for his birthplace:

{{poemquote|

Zikr Jhelum ka, baat ho Dine ki.

Chand Pukhraj ka, raat Pashmine ki

}}

Transport

The district is crossed by the main line of the North-Western railway of Pakistan Railways, and traversed along the south by a branch line.

The district us also crossed by main road N5.

Education

Notable people

Gulzar, Indian film director, lyricist and poet
Fawad Chaudhry, Former Minister of Information and Broadcasting (Pakistan)
Chaudhry Altaf Hussain, former Governor of Punjab and member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Zamir Jafri, Kamran Pirzada Journalist,

References

Category:Populated places in Jhelum District

Category:Jhelum District