Kalabagh (Punjab)
Kalabagh is situated in Mianwali District in Punjab, at the distance of 415 km from Lahore, turn left from Islamabad-Lahore Motorway M-2 on Talagang-Chakwal Road, on the western bank of the Indus River in the Salt Range, and a wonderful scenic views of the Indus River through the hills.
After Kalabagh, the Indus River flows in broader and multiple channels and then forming a borderline between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa provinces.
About Mianwali
Mianwali is located along the Indus River at the distance of 340 km from Lahore and it is accessed via Khushab by Lahore-Islamabad Motorway M-2. It has a boundary with Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province, so there is a mixture of cultures of both of the provinces Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa.
Mianwali has boundaries with Chakwal, Attock, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Karar, Khushab, and Bhakker districts. Islamabad - Dera Ismail Khan Motorway M-14 runs across the district to access all of the towns in the Mianwali district. It is also connected with railway for various type of transportation. Mianwali-Kalabagh road and Mianwali-Muzaffargarh road are main roads run right in the center of the district to connect all of the other towns. Kundian Railway junction in the Mianwali district was an important railway junction in the British regime. It is still an important railway junction in Pakistan Railway.
Mianwali is called due to Sufi Saint Mian Ali, who had preached Islam in the region. He belonged from the Maina family that came from Baghdad. Mian Ali Mianwali was a known settlement as agricultural region in the Indus Valley civilization.
Mianwali geography is diversified land including the Pothohar Plateau and the Salt Range in the north, whereas Thal Desert in the southern side. The Indus River flows right in the center of the district. Several streams and the Kurram River also flow in the district which help to irrigate the land in the district. Both the Indus River and the Kurram River confluence near Isa Khel in the Mianwali district.
Mianwali district is an agricultural region due to fertile lands along the Indus River. Various crops such as wheat, maize, rice, and sugarcane are the main crops of the region. There are numerous fruit orchards in the district, in which mango gardens in Kalabagh are famous.
The Jinnah Barrage is located on the Indus River near Kalabagh to irrigate the vast area in the Sindh Sagar Doab in east of the Indus River. It is the part of the Thal Project and originates the Thal Canal to irrigate the vast area in the Thal Desert in Bhakkar, Layyah, Khushab, Muzaffargarh, and Mianwali districts.
Chashma Barrage and Chashma Hydroelectric project are situated on the Indus River in the town of Kundian. It is located at a distance of 56 km on the downstream of Jinnah Barrage. It is a dual purpose barrage including irrigation, power generation, and flood control. It has capacity to produce 184 MW electricity. It is also a good place to visit and enjoy the cool breeze around the barrage. A lake is also there, which is best place for fishing and boating. The site is developed under the Ramsar sites, which are sites to preserve the natural environment for different kind of wildlife.
The Chashma Nuclear Power Plant and Kundian Nuclear Fuel Complex are located in Kundian to generate energy for industrial usage with several nuclear reactors by uranium fuel fabrication facility.
Kalabagh is a town located on the western bank of the Indus River, that is the proposed location of Kalabagh Dam in Pakistan. Kalabagh Dam is now an controversial dam due to various political and regional factors, but it is need of the people of Pakistan for the growth and development of the country. Kalabagh is also famous due to the Nawab of Kalabagh, who lived in the fort known as Qila Nawab Sahib. He had developed number of mango gardens in the area to make this region famous for mango production. It is also known for the red hills of the Salt Range and famous for scenic views of the Indus River flowing through a narrow passage in the hills.
Namal Lake is situated near the Rikhi village in the Namal Valley in the Salt Range at a distance of 32 km from the Mianwali city. The lake is due to the construction of Namal Dam in 1913. The purpose of this project was to irrigate various regions in the Mianwali district. The water sources of this lake are the hill torrents and rains. Due to climate change and underground water level, the condition of this lake is not good. Its water level reduce at much below than the normal lake level. It dried up one time in the past.
The climate of the Mianwali district is extreme hot, where the winter season is cold and dry. In monsoon period, it receives much quantity of rainfall.