Talagang

Talagang تلا گنگ
City
Traffic Chowk
Talagang Show map of Punjab, Pakistan Talagang Show map of Pakistan
Coordinates: 32°55′40″N 72°24′40″E / 32.92778°N 72.41111°E / 32.92778; 72.41111
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
District	Talagang
Division	Rawalpindi
Population
• Estimate  ()	401,986
• Urban	64,083
• Rural	337,903 [1]
Time zone	UTC+5 (PST)
Calling code	0543

Talagang (Punjabi: تلا گنگ; Urdu: تلہ گنگ) is a city and the headquarters of the Talagang District located in Punjab, Pakistan.^[2][3] It is part of the Potohar Plateau and lies on the north of Salt Range and east of the Kala Chita range.^[4][5] Talagang is known for its literature and has produced prolific writers and poets including Dr. Satyapal Anand, who was born in 1931, in the adjoining village Kot Sarang. The area largely depends upon arid agriculture. It's famous for its peanut production which is the highest in the Potohar region consisting of around 42,000 acres of cultivation followed by Chakwal, which has around 34,985 acres. It is known for its hunting grounds with local fauna including black francolin, white-throated francolin, quail, and hare.

The old name of Talagang was Awan Mahal. This name was given to honour the Awan tribe. The Awan believe themselves to be the descendants of Ali ibn Abu Talib and that gives them high status in the Indian Muslim environment.

Talagang is 45 km from Chakwal. The motorway is located 30 km from M2. It is located at a distance of 237 km from Lahore, the capital of Punjab. While the capital of Pakistan is located about 112 km from Islamabad, Talagang remains a traffic hub as it is located on Islamabad-Karachi national highway.^[6] However, with the functioning of the Rawalpindi-Mianwali CPEC Section, the traffic flow has considerably reduced, consequently impacting economic activities. Hopefully, the district's status may reboot its economy.

Lieutenant Malik Mohammed Khan was a highly respected person within Talagang ^[7] and the surrounding areas, Lieutenant Malik Mohammed Khan was the son of Malik Fazal Ellahi Zaildar a major landowner in Tehsil Talagang. After retirement from the British Indian Army Lieutenant Malik Mohammed Khan became a welfare officer and was also awarded the OBI (Order of British India). He strongly believed in education, especially in the education of girls, he helped set up the first girls' school in Talagang in the face of fierce opposition, and he succeeded because of his high social standing in Talagang and the surrounding areas. He was a major landowner and was from the Awan tribe. Malik Mohammed Khan was good friends with Subedar-Major and honorary army captain Malik Mihr Khan, OBI, IOM & IDSM. Captain Malik Mihr Khan was the father of Malik Nur Khan Awan. Lieutenant Malik Mohammed Khan died on 9 July 1969.

In Talagang, Subedar Major Mauladad Khan, known for his bravery and long military service, held significant influence in the 6th Battalion of the Punjab Regiment. Despite being a respected figure, Khan's adherence to traditional customs often clashed with efforts to introduce uniformity and modernization. His resistance, citing "the way it was done in Talagang," became a recurring obstacle for Adjutant Dunsterville, who sought to bring order to the regiment's practices. Khan's steadfastness, typified by his simplistic approach of "fix bayonets and charge," persisted until his retirement, leaving a legacy of tradition that even Dunsterville, despite his efforts, ultimately succumbed to.^[8]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Talagang.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Talagang.

• Municipal Committee Talagang at Local Government and Community Development Department