Shahpur District, established in 1893 during the British Raj, existed in what is now Pakistan until 1960. From its inception until 1914, Shahpur served as the district headquarters. In 1914, the headquarters were relocated to Sargodha, although the district retained the name Shahpur. In 1960, the Sargodha District was formed, and Shahpur District was restructured as Shahpur Tehsil.
Notable and historical personalities Hazrat Shah Shams Shirazi - Qazi in the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar Hazrat Shah Yousaf - Sufi Peer. Nawab Sir Malik Umar Hayat Khan Tiwana- A General from British India Nawab Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana- Former Prime Minister of the United Punjab Nawab Muhammad Hayat Qureshi - Former Cabinet Member of the Viceroy, Governor-General of India Nawabzada Zakir Qureshi - Former Federal Minister of Pakistan Nawab Mubaraz Khan Tiwana of Jahanabad - Philanthropist, Former Cabinet Member of the Governor-General of India Mian Habib Sultan Nangiana - Sufi Saint Sir Feroz Khan Noon - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan
History
Shahpur district was annexed by the British from its former Sikh rulers after the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848–1849. Shahpur, historically significant in the Punjab region, was a district during British colonial rule. Established in the early 19th century, it encompassed parts of present-day Sargodha, Khushab, and Bhakkar districts in Pakistan. The district played a role in the 1857 uprising against British rule, witnessing notable events. Post-independence in 1947, Shahpur underwent administrative changes, leading to the creation of separate districts. Today, the region continues to carry historical and cultural significance within the broader context of Punjab's heritage.
The Shahpur district was one of the six districts of the Rawalpindi Division. It was divided into two equal parts by the river Jhelum, the western half constituting the Khushab tehsil, while the cis-Jhelum portion was subdivided into two tehsils also nearly equal in area, the Bhera tehsil to the east, and the Shahpur tehsil in the middle.
Demographics
Four census were conducted between 1855 and 1891 by the British. The proportion percent of total populations returned as belonging to the chief religions at successive censuses is as follows.
Percentage of total populations Census of Hindu Sikh Muslim Other 1855 17.2 82.8 100 1868 14.5 0.9 82.8 1.8 100 1881 14.0 1.1 84.9 100 1891 13.4 2.0 84.6 100
+ Religious groups in Shahpur District (British Punjab province era)Religiousgroup1881189119011911192119311941 Islam 357,742 417,661 442,921 572,565 596,100 679,546 835,918 Hinduism 59,026 66,065 68,489 72,695 82,182 90,561 102,172 Sikhism 4,702 9,777 12,756 33,456 30,361 40,074 48,046 Christianity 29 80 91 8,616 11,270 11,294 12,770 Jainism 9 0 2 5 3 14 13 Buddhism 0 0 0 28 2 1 2 Zoroastrianism 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 Judaism 0 0 0 0 0 0 Others 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total population 421,508 493,588 524,259 687,366 719,918 821,490 998,921 + Religion in the Tehsils of Shahpur District (1921)TehsilIslam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism OthersTotal Shahpur Tehsil 117,894 14,610 5,014 381 0 0 137,899 Khushab Tehsil 149,087 14,307 5,301 23 0 0 168,718 Bhalwal Tehsil 190,194 25,620 4,152 984 0 1 220,951 Sargodha Tehsil 138,925 27,645 15,894 9,882 3 1 192,350 + Religion in the Tehsils of Shahpur District (1941)TehsilIslam Hinduism Sikhism Christianity Jainism OthersTotal Shahpur Tehsil 161,337 15,968 6,037 179 5 3 183,529 Khushab Tehsil 211,565 17,474 5,809 8 0 3 234,859 Bhalwal Tehsil 263,691 31,683 6,484 482 1 4 302,345 Sargodha Tehsil 199,325 37,047 29,716 12,021 7 72 278,188
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