Bannu

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Bannu (Urdu: بنوں ) is a city in NWFP province of Pakistan. It is a divisional administrative center, an important road junction and market city.

The present location of the town was founded by Sir Herbert Edwardes in 1848, and was formerly called Edwardesabad. It was a leading British military base, especially in actions against Afghan border tribes.

1 History
2 Health
3 Bannu Medical College
4 Violence
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

a town and district of British India, in the Derajat division of the North-West Frontier Province. The town (also called Edwardesabad and Dhulipnagar) lies in the north-west corner of the district, in the valley of the Kurram river. Pop. (1901) 14,300. It forms the base for all punitive expeditions to the Tochi Valley and Waziri frontier.

The district of Bannu, since the constitution of the North-West Frontier Province in 1901, contains an area of 1680 sq. m. lying north of the Indus. The cis-Indus portions of Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan now comprises the new Punjab district of Mianwali. In addition to the Indus the other streams flowing through the district are the Kurram (which falls into the Indus) and its tributary the Gambila. The valley of Bannu proper, stretching to the foot of the frontier hills, forms an irregular oval, measuring 60 m. from north to south and about 40 m. from east to west. In 1901 the population was 231,485, of whom the great majority were Mahommedans. The principal tribes inhabiting the district are: (1) Waziri Pathans, recent immigrants from the hills, for the most part peaceable and good cultivators; (2) Marwats, a Pathan race, inhabiting the lower and more sandy portions of the Bannu valley; (3) Bannuchis, a mongrel Afghan tribe of bad physique and mean vices. The inhabitants of this district have always been very independent and stubbornly resisted the Afghan and Sikh predecessors of the British. After the annexation of the Punjab the valley was administered by Herbert Edwardes so thoroughly that it became a source of strength instead of weakness during the Mutiny. The inhabitants of the valley itself are now peaceful, but it is always subject to incursion from the Waziri tribes in the Tochi valley and the neighbouring hills. Salt is quarried on government account at Kalabagh and alum is largely obtained in the same neighbourhood. The chief export is wheat. A military road leads from Bannu town towards Dera Ismail Khan. The Indus, which is nowhere bridged within the district, is navigable for native boats throughout its course of 76 m. The chief frontier tribes on the border are the Waziris, Battannis and Dawaris.

The Banisee or Bano Zai (Bano Zai meaning the sons of Bano, a woman usually called as the mother of Bano Zais tribe)a tribe of Afghans lives here. Bannu is called Bana and Bani Gul in the local Pashto language. The population consists of native-born called Banisees, Wazirs that have migrated from Waziristan, Hindus, Marwats, and Khataks. 98% of the population practices the Sunni branch of Islam while the other 2% is a combination of Shia, Hindu, and Christians.

It is a place of very happy people. In the afternoon one can see groups of young men wearing garlands of flowers in the roads and parks. Favorite activities of the people in bannu are hockey, cricket, football (soccer) and volleyball & some local games such as kabaddi & yenda etc.Bannu has produced various famous names in the field of hockey such as Hamidi, Rasheed junior etc. Bannu also has golf course which is controlled by the army base. Economy is mainly based on agriculture. Living standard is also very poor, as the majority of the population has electricity cut off for about 4 hours during the day in the summer where temperatures can reach 45 degrees Celsius. Some famous figures who earn names at the country level are Ghulam Ishaq Khan former president of Pakistan and Akram Khan Durrani existing chief minister of NWFP. The famous cast of Bannu is Faqir.It is one of the most respectable cast in Bannu.

[edit] Health

There are a few hospitals and a good amount of clinics in this area but due to the expensive charges of hospitals many people can't afford to go to hospitals and clinics therefore they get extremely sick from the smallest of ailments. To avoid this serious situation, Khlifa Gul Nawaz Medical Complex in progress. Ackram Khan Durani, The Chief Minister of NWFP announced Institute of Nuclear Medicine on which work will be started very soon.In cantonment area a well facilitated military hospital “CMH” is also serves people of Bannu.

[edit] Bannu Medical College

Chief Minister Akram Khan durani founded BMC(Bannu Medical College)at 31 augest 2006,Govt give 50 seats(open merit) to BMC,also now planing to increase that to 100.basic aim of BMC to produce medical graduate locally,although there are 4 other medical colleges(Govt based),but for long time it is whish that area of Bannu have own medical college,and now the dream is completed by Akram Durani, Principal of Bannu is presently Omer Ali Khan former principal of KMC Peshawar, BMC is near to women hospital bannu(also with city thana).

ROLE OF ABBASIS Not to forget the role of this great family in bannu history..its big tycoons like Barrister.Muhammad Jan Abbasi and Sher ahmad abbasi who were equally involved in social and religious progress in this small area.their family still holds distinctive repute in Bannu

[edit] Violence

There are also many violent family feuds that occur in this region due to the lack of any law enforcement. A person may kill a person of another family if they, their uncles, or there parents have feud with them. Many feuds occur over land disputes and turn violent and someone winds up getting killed. The relatives of the dead may seek revenge on the killers of their loved on, and this starts the feud. The relatives of the dead kill the murderer, and so the relatives of the murderer who killed the first person seek revenge on his killers and so on, it goes back and forth.