Palak

Union Councils
name = Palak


caption = Palak is located in Abbottabad District
province = NWFP
district = Abbottabad
tehsil = Abbottabad
nazim = Abdul Razzaq Abbassi
naib nazim = Tariq Shahid [http://www.abbottabad.gov.pk/Union-council/UCDetailPage.asp?name=Palak Palak Union Council] ]
population = 18,997 [ [http://www.abbottabad.sdnpk.org/list_administrative.htm List of Union Councils Abbottabad] ]
coordinates

Palak is one of the 51 Union Councils of Abbottabad District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan [ [http://www.abbottabad.sdnpk.org/adminunit.htm Administrative Units of District Abbottabad] ] .

Location

Palak is located in the South eastern edge of Abbottabad district (and hence also the south eastern tip of NWFP). It forms part of NWFP's border with Punjab province and Kashmir, and it also borders the following Union Councils "within" Abbottabad district, Seer Gharbi to the west, Nathiagali to the North and Malkot to the north west.

Palak is the gateway of District Abbottabad because a gali Barian is a border of NWFP and Punjab and Union Council Palak is started from Barian.

Subdivisions

Palak is the largest union council of the Circle Bakote area - as part of the local government reforms of 2000 Malkot Union Council was merged into Palak.

Palak UC is subdivided into the following areas:Arwar, Darwaza, Kala Bon, Longal, Malkot, Palak, Riala (Riyala) and Soorjal (Surajaal).

Other villages are

*Kushi Kot

Demographics

The total population of the union council is almost 5,000. The main tribes of Palak are the Dhond Abbasi, Gujjars and Sattis.

Schools

The first Primary Vernacular Boys School had founded in Reala in 1900 and had to be transferred to Birote because of no student availability. Palak has two high schools for boys and one middle school for girls.

Politics

Haji Abdul Razaaq Abbasi was elected as Nazim of UC Palak by defeating his opponent who was supported by Sardar Mehtab. Haji Abbasi scored the highest number of votes throughout Abbottabad District and has now become a very famous politician in the district.

Sultan Mehmood Abbasi of Khushi Kot UC Palak was the first student leader of PSF in H-9 college Islamabad, he was arrested in 1980 for protesting against military ruler Zia ul Haq.

Mehtab Ahmed Khan who was elected as an MPA (Member of Provincial Assembly) in 1985 and was later selected as Chief Minister of NWFP belongs to Union council Palak, as does Arshad Mahmood Abbasi who is the youngest person to be selected as Assistant Director in Ministry of Education through FPSC.

Claims to fame

Palak gives its name to Palak Pakora, a well known Indian dish. Bala Kohati, a local resident in 1884, was among the first to create and make the dish popular. He was briefly famous, across what is now northern India and Pakistan (pre-partition) after cooking and eating 40 Palak Pakoras, which ultimately lead to his death [ [http://www.tribuneindia.com/cusisine/20448/Palak_dish.htm Palak Dish - Tribune India] ]

Famous people

* Mehtab Ahmed Khan, who was elected as an MPA (Member of Provincial Assembly) in 1985 and was later selected as Chief Minister of NWFP.

*Arshad Mahmood Abbasi who is the youngest person to be selected as Assistant Director in Ministry of Education through FPSC.

* Abdul Rehman Khan Abbasi - ex-candidate of PM-Q and grandson of Amir Khan.

* Haji Abdul Razaaq Abbasi, who was elected Nazim of UC Palak by defeating his opponent who was supported by Sardar Mehtab. Haji Abbasi scored the highest number of votes throughout Abbottabad District and has now become a very famous politician in the district.

* Sultan Mehmood Abbasi of Khushi Kot UC Palak was the first student leader of PSF in H-9 college Islamabad, he was arrested in 1980 for protesting against military ruler Zia ul Haq.

* Dr Nahid Akhtar - famous lung specialist.
* Waqar Ahmed Abbasi, Environmentalist- Director Friends Of The Earth and also a Governor at Salford College (UK based) [http://www.prideofpakistan.com:8080/maincontroller?requestId=20&categoryId=37]
* Dr Arshad Jamil, Oncologist consultant and well known figure in Cancer field, UK based.

References