Divisions are the third tier of government below the federal and provincial levels. In 2000, local government reforms abolished administrative divisions and raised the districts to become the new third tier of government.[2] But in 2008, the division system was restored again.[3][4]
Following the British conquest of the region in 1849, the area around Rawalpindi became a division of the Punjab province of British India, primarily because of the strategic location of the city of Rawalpindi.
The Imperial Gazetteer of India describes the division as follows:
"North-western Division of the Punjab, lying between 31°35' and 34° 1' N. and 70° 37' and 74°29' E. The Commissioner's headquarters are at Rawalpindi and Murree. The total population of the Division increased from 2,520,508 in 1881 to 2,750,713 in 1891, and to 2,799,360 in 1901. Its total area was 25,000 Km Square (15,736) square miles, and the density of the population is 178 persons per square mile, compared with 209 for the Province as a whole"[6]
On independence in 1947, the division was one of four divisions of the province of West Punjab but from 1955 to 1970, the divisions was one of twelve (later thirteen) divisions of West Pakistan province under the One Unit policy. On the dissolution of West Pakistan, the division was restored to the new Punjab province, but parts of the division were transferred with parts of Lahore Division to form the new Gujranwala Division.
Demographics
According to 2023 census, Rawalpindi division had a population of 11,406,496.[7]
^Divisions/Districts of PakistanArchived 2006-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Note: Although divisions as an administrative structure has been abolished, the election commission of Pakistan still groups districts under the division names
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