Chakwal was given the status of a district in 1985. Interestingly, since the colonial era the district has produced some remarkable soldiers. The first Indian to become a general in the British Indian Army, Mohammad Akbar Khan, came from Chakwal, as did the first designated commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, General Iftikhar Khan. The first Muslim to become an officer in the Indian Corps of Engineers, General Mohammad Anwar Khan, and the first Indian cavalry commander, brigadier-general Mohammad Zafar Khan, also hailed from Chakwal. All the four men were brothers.

The district is also home to Pakistani columnist Ayaz Amir as well as Naeem Siddiqi, poet, writer, religious scholar and a leader of the JI, and politician Majeed Malik. Manmohan Singh, India’s current prime minister, is also from Chakwal.

Constituencies:

NA60:

In 2002, Ayaz Amir of the PMLN lost by 2,000 votes to the PMLQ’s Tahir Iqbal, a retired military officer and a close relative of Majeed Malik. Khurram Nawab of the PPP polled 41,000 votes.

For the February election, the PMLQ’s ticket has gone to Sadar Mohammad Nawab Khan, who is related to the sitting district nazim, Sardar Ghulam Abbas. Amir is the PMLN candidate while the PPP is fielding Fauzia Behram, a senior leader of the local chapter of her party and a former provincial assembly member.

NA61:

The last time people went to the polls in this constituency, they had to choose between two Tammans. The battle was won by Malik Mohammad Faiz Tamman, an independent candidate. Sardar Mansoor Hayat Tamman of the PMLQ came second. Faiz Tamman later joined the PMLQ.

The exclusive hold of the PMLQ on the constituency perhaps made Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi choose it for himself for the 2008 race. But he is being challenged by the two Tammans: Mohammad Faiz Tamman is in the race as the PMLN candidate while the PPP has fielded Sardar Mansoor Hayat Tamman.