Hangu, Pakistan
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Hangu
| native_name = {{hlist|هنګو|{{nq|ہنگو}}}}
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline = Railway bridge, Hangu, Pakistan.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Old railway bridge in Hangu
| image_map =
| mapsize =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Khyber Pakhtunkhwa#Pakistan
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|33|32|N|71|4|E|region:PK_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flagu|Pakistan}}
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_type2 = Division
| subdivision_type3 = District
| subdivision_type4 = Tehsil
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa}}
| subdivision_name2 = Kohat
| subdivision_name3 = Hangu
| subdivision_name4 = Hangu
| total_km2 =
| elevation_m = 810
| population_total = 43,642
| total_type = City
| area_total_km2 = ...
| population_rank = 27th, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
| population_as_of = 2023
| population_density_km2 =
| population_est =
| pop_est_as_of =
| timezone1 = PST
| utc_offset1 = +5
| postal_code = 26190
| area_code = 0925
| website =
| footnotes =
| name =
| leader_party = IND
| leader_title = Chairman
| leader_name = Aamir Ghani
}}
Hangu ({{langx|ps|هنګو}}, {{langx|ur|{{nq|ہنگو}}}}) is a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is the largest city and namesake of Hangu District and the third-largest city in Kohat Division, after Karak and Kohat. In 1998, Hangu was the second-largest city in the division. Hangu is the 27th most populous city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The principal language of the city is Pashto.
Etymology
The name Hangu may have originated from Chinese travelers. Hangu is also the name of a place in China, and since many Chinese travelers have passed through the area for centuries, it is possible that travelers, like Hiuen Tsang, saw some similarities with their own region and thus named it 'Hangu'.{{cite book |author=Aurel Stein |author-link=Aurel Stein |title=An Archaeological tour in Waziristan and Northern Baluchistan |pages=29–30}}
Demographics
= Population =
{{Historical populations
| title = Historical Population
| shading = off
| percentages = pagr
| align = center
|1951 |6977
|1961 |9737| 1972 |13800| 1981 |15526
| 1998 |31022
| 2017 |48764
|source = {{cite web |title=TABLE-1: AREA & POPULATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS BY RURAL/URBAN: 1951-1998 CENSUSES |url=http://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population_census/Administrative%20Units.pdf |website=Administrative Units.pdf |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |access-date=20 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620191533/http://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population_census/Administrative%20Units.pdf |archive-date=20 June 2020 |url-status=live}}
|2023|43,642}}
As of the 2023 census, Hangu had a population of 43,642.{{Cite web |title=URBAN LOCALITIES BY POPULATION SIZE AND THEIR POPULATION BY SEX, ANNUAL GROWTH RATE AND HOUSEHOLD SIZE : CENSUS-2023, KPK |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_2_kp_districts.pdf}}
Education
{{See also|Education in Pakistan}}
Various public and private schools and colleges exist in Hangu. A campus of the Agriculture University was to be built in Hangu, but the project is still pending, as the funds were allegedly transferred to Charsadda by the ANP provincial government. Recently the government degree college Hangu start BS Hons 4-year program under Kohat University of Science and Technology. There are two government high schools for boys and two for girls in Hangu. The first government high school was built in 1935 in British era. Two Government Degree colleges for boys and girls and a number of Private institutes are serving well in promoting education in the area.{{Citation needed|date=January 2019}}
One government high school in Hangu is the Government High School Ibrahim Zai, which was renamed after a teenager who saved it from a suicide bomber and lost his life in the process.{{cite news |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-27929-Hangu-school-named-after-student-hero-Aitzaz-Hasan |title=Hangu school named after student hero Aitzaz Hasan |newspaper=The News |date=January 14, 2014 |access-date=January 3, 2019 |archive-date=July 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708024806/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-27929-Hangu-school-named-after-student-hero-Aitzaz-Hasan |url-status=dead }} And there is a high school named Tameer e Millat High school Hangu for boys and girls located in Madras a road Sangerh in Hangu.Calamur, Krishnadev. "[https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/01/09/261051408/pakistani-teen-dies-stopping-bomber-from-striking-school Pakistani Teen Dies Stopping Bomber From Striking School]." ([https://archive.today/20140111200120/http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/01/09/261051408/pakistani-teen-dies-stopping-bomber-from-striking-school Archive]) National Public Radio. 9 January 2014. Retrieved on 11 January 2014.
Militant incidents
On 9 February 2006, a suicide bomber killed himself along with many of the Shia community on 10th of Muharram in main Hangu Bazaar when he triggered the bomb and killed many including children. After which a war raged between Taliban militants and Shites.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-20425510.amp|title=Taliban bomber kills Pakistan Shia marchers|website=BBC|access-date=10 October 2021}}
On 22 August 2008, sixteen militants (including two Chechens) were killed by Pakistani security forces in a skirmish at Hangu when security forces opened fire on their explosive-laden vehicle at a security checkpoint. One of the militants was arrested.
One policeman and a member of the security forces were injured in the explosion. It was later discovered that the militants came from Darra Adamkhel, a town between Peshawar and Kohat with a thriving arms industry.[http://archives.dawn.com/archives/33941 Dawn.com-Two Chechens among 16 militants killed in Hangu], Abdul Sami Paracha, August 23, 2008
On 10 December 2010, a suicide bomber killed eleven people (including two policemen, a woman and a child) and injured another twenty-two. The attack occurred near Al-Zahra hospital which was under construction.[http://tribune.com.pk/story/88364/explosion-in-hangu-kills-5/ Tribune.com - High-intensity blast: Suicide attack kills 11 in Hangu], Manzoor Ali, December 11, 2010
On 27 May 2011, 28 people were killed and another 55 injured when a suicide bomber exploded his vehicle at a checkpoint in the Hangu bazaar. Among the victims were four policemen. The explosion inflicted heavy damage to the offices of the Hangu police chief and special branch, the city police station, seventeen shops, three restaurants and a branch of the National Bank. The press was contacted by a Taliban spokesman claiming responsibility for the attack.[http://dawn.com/2011/05/27/terror-strike-in-hangu-claims-28-lives/ Dawn.com-Terror strike in Hangu claims 28 lives], Abdul Sahi Paracha, May 27, 2011
On Thursday, 23 August 2012, militants opened fire on a police van, killing three officers and injuring another two. It was suspected that the Taliban was behind the attack.[http://dawn.com/2012/08/23/militants-kill-three-policemen-in-hangu/ Dawn.com-Militants kill three policemen in Hangu], AFP, August 23, 2012
On Tuesday, 7 January 2014, 15-year-old student Aitzaz Hasan sacrificed himself after stopping a suicide bomber from entering his school.https://news.yahoo.com/meet-aitzaz-hasan-pakistani-teen-180455747.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGcfTqHVkMwb1gHBteYhIwG_ggOuowlTAjg25X4HgY9tfokjM7mqo_GHoCp127n-syA0OHHvDbrXhX5OGzEq73jSNGQSrppAZo5x9lDycpO5g6Qx616HR4uPor7IVrdfXj-YhXaftjAp3eQh8HiFp9SGqCpiq4vzmnr8NKRmF5Ku
On Sunday, 26 January 2014, six children were killed in a toy-bomb explosion.[http://www.dawn.com/news/1082849/explosion-kills-six-children-in-hangu/ Dawn.com-Explosion kills six children in Hangu], Dawn News, January 26, 2014
On Friday, 29 September 2023, a suicide bomber exploded their vest inside a mosque, killing 7 and injuring many more.{{Cite web |last=Hatuqa |first=Virginia Pietromarchi,Dalia |title=Pakistan blasts updates: Twin explosions kill dozens of worshippers |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/9/29/pakistan-blast-live-news-52-killed-in-balochistan-religious-procession |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2008/02/080205_hangu_refugees_zs.shtml Refugees]
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