Rahim Yar Khan
Rahim Yar Khan
رحیم یار خاں | |
|---|---|
| Rahim Yar Khan | |
 | |
  Rahim Yar Khan Location within Punjab, Pakistan  Rahim Yar Khan Location within Pakistan | |
| Coordinates: 28°25′12″N 70°18′0″E / 28.42000°N 70.30000°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Punjab |
| District | Rahim Yar Khan |
| Area | |
• Total | 210.2 km2 (81.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 83 m (272 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 519,261 |
| • Rank | 21st, Pakistan 14th, Punjab |
| • Density | 2,470/km2 (6,398/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Postal code | 64200 |
| Calling code | 068 |
| Number of tehsils | 4 |
| Number of Union councils | 139 |
| Website | rykhan |
Rahim Yar Khan (Urdu: رحیم یار خان, romanized: Rahīm Yār Khān; Urdu pronunciation: [ɾəɦiːm jɑːɾ xɑːn]) is a city in the Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st most populous city in Pakistan and is the capital of the Rahim Yar Khan District. The city's administration is divided into nine union councils.[2] Originally named Noshehra, it was renamed to Rahim Yar Khan in honour of the son of Sadeq Mohammad Khan IV.
History
[edit]People have lived near this area for a very long time. The ancient tower of Pattan Minara stands 8 km to the east of the city center, and is believed to be the remains of a 5,000-year-old monastery, with the minara built during the Hakrra valley civilization of the Mauryan period (250 BC).[3]
Rahim Yar Khan was founded in 1751 as Noshehra.[4] Its region was part of the Multan province of Mughal Empire.[5] Railway administrators wanted to change the name of the town due to its similar name to Nowshera. In 1881, Sadeq Mohammad Khan IV renamed the area to Rahim Yar Khan in honour of his son.[6]
Rahim Yar Khan was a part of the Bahawalpur State until 1943, when it became a separate district.[7]
Climate
[edit]Rahim Yar Khan has hot dry climate characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Rahim Yar Khan city is located on the eastern bank of the River Indus which played a vital role in shaping the region's landscape. One-fourth of the city is within the Cholistan Desert.[4]
Economy
[edit]Rahim Yar Khan is one of the leading agriculture and industrial centre of Southern Punjab. The economy is primarily based on agriculture. 65% of the population is employed in agricultural work.[4] Rahim Yar Khan produces sugarcane, wheat, cotton, rice while also being renowned for its high quality mangoes. The city is home to numerous agro-based Industries.
Demographics
[edit]| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 | ... | — |
| 1951 | 14,919 | — |
| 1961 | 43,548 | +191.9% |
| 1972 | 74,262 | +70.5% |
| 1981 | 119,036 | +60.3% |
| 1998 | 233,537 | +96.2% |
| 2017 | 477,100 | +104.3% |
| 2023 | 519,261 | +8.8% |
| Sources:[8] | ||
The population of the city is 519,261 during the 2023 census.[1]
Language
[edit]- Punjabi (51.4%)
- Saraiki (35.1%)
- Urdu (8.80%)
- Pashto (1.86%)
- Others (2.76%)
In the 2023 census, 51.44% of the population spoke Punjabi, 35.14% spoke Saraiki, 8.80% spoke Urdu, 1.86% spoke Pashto and an additional 2.76% of the population spoke other languages including 1.13% who did not consider their mother tongue to be among the options given.[9]
Religion
[edit]Majority of the population are Muslims (97.44%). Minority faiths include Hinduism (1.33%), Christians (1.18%) and others.[10]
Education
[edit]Transport
[edit]
Motorway
[edit]Rahim Yar Khan is connected with M-5 Motorway which is also known as Multan-Sukkur motorway.
Railways
[edit]Rahim Yar Khan Railway Station is one of the main railway station on ML-1.
Airport
[edit]Shaikh Zayed International Airport is located in Rahim Yar Khan. It serves the people of city with domestic and international flights.[4] There are daily flight from this airport to Karachi, twice in a week to/from Lahore, and once a week to Islamabad. The Airport runway is capable of accommodating Boeing 747 aircraft.
Notable people
[edit]- Aima Baig, singer
- Asim Saleem Bajwa, Lieutenant general (Pakistan)
- Talha Chahour, actor
- Saima Akram Chaudhry, Pakistani screenwriter
- Abdullah Darkhawasti, Pakistani Sunni Islamic scholar
- Fida-Ur-Rehman Darkhawasti, Islamic scholar, academic person and politician
- Muniba Mazari, social activist
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan Metro Area Population 1950-2024". macrotrends.net. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ↑ "county & Unions in the District of Rahim Yar Khan". National Reconstruction Bureau, Government of Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ↑ Khan, Photo: Amina (19 May 2013). "The mystery of Pattan Minara". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology.
- ↑ Dasti, Humaira Faiz (1998). Multan, a Province of the Mughal Empire, 1525–1751. Royal Book. ISBN 978-969-407-226-5.
- ↑ Rahim Yar Khan District.
- ↑ Rafique, Nayar (1 January 2021). "Education, Political Awareness, and Political Participation: A Case of Rahim Yar Khan District of Pakistan". International Journal of Education and Information Technologies. doi:10.46300/9109.2021.15.39.
- ↑ "Population by administrative units 1951-1998" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
- ↑ "First Digital Census: Understanding Its Importance and Process - Pakistan Bureau of Statistics population". Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ↑ "7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results (Excel Format)". Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
Works cited
[edit]Books
[edit]Journals
[edit]- Valeri, Marc (2010). "High Visibility, Low Profile: The Shi'a in Oman Under Sultan Qaboos". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 42 (2). Cambridge University Press: 251–268. JSTOR 40784725.
News
[edit]- "Our History". Rahim Yar Khan District. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020.
- "RYK – The City of Ancient Heritage". Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology. Archived from the original on 7 July 2025.
