View source for Peshawar District

{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Peshawar District
| official_name      = 
| native_name        = {{lang|ur|{{nq|ضلع پشاور‎}}}}<br>{{lang|ps|{{script/Arabic|پېښور ولسوالۍ‎}}}}
| native_name_lang   = 
| settlement_type    = [[List of districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|District]] of [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
|size = 280
|photo1a = MohabbatKhanMosque.png
|photo2a = View of entry gate of Gorkhatree.jpg
}}
| imagesize          = 
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = Top: [[Mahabat Khan Mosque]]<br>Bottom: Entrance to [[Gorkhatri]]
| image_map          = {{wikidata|property|raw|P242}}
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = Peshawar District (red) in [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = Location of Peshawar District in [[Pakistan]]
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Pakistan]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[Provinces of Pakistan|Province]]
| subdivision_name1  = Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
| subdivision_type2  = [[Divisions of Pakistan|Division]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Peshawar Division|Peshawar]]
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 
| founder            = 
| seat_type          = [[Headquarters]]
| seat               = [[Peshawar]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = District Administration
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = [[Deputy Commissioner (Pakistan)|Deputy Commissioner]]
| leader_name        = N/A
| leader_title1      = District Police Officer
| leader_name1       = N/A
| leader_title2      = District Health Officer
| leader_name2       = N/A
| area_total_km2     = 1518
| population_footnotes = <ref name="2023 census"/>
| population_as_of   = [[2023 Census of Pakistan|2023]]
| population_total   = 4758762
| population_rural   = 2,900,465 (59.95%)
| population_urban   = 1,905,884 (40.05%)
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics2_title1 = Literacy rate
| demographics2_info1 = {{ bulleted list| '''Total:'''<br />53.28% | '''Male:'''<br />64.91% | '''Female:'''<br />41.09% }}
| timezone1          = [[Time in Pakistan|PST]]
| utc_offset1        = +5
| blank_name_sec1    = Languages
| blank_info_sec1    = [[Pashto language|Pashto]], [[Hindko]]
| blank1_name_sec1   = 
| blank1_info_sec1   = 
| demographics1_title1 = 
| demographics_type2 = Literacy
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_12_kp_districts.pdf |title= Literacy rate, enrolments, and out-of-school population by sex and rural/urban, CENSUS-2023, KPK}}</ref>
| demographics1_info1 = 
| website            = {{URL|peshawar.kp.gov.pk}}
| total_type         = Total
}}
'''Peshawar District''' ({{langx|ps|پېښور ولسوالۍ}}, {{langx|hnd|{{nq|ضلع پشور‎}}}}, {{langx|ur|{{nq|ضلع پشاور‎}}}}) is a [[Districts of Pakistan|district]] in the [[Peshawar Division]] of the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] province of [[Pakistan]]. It is located about 160&nbsp;km west of the Pakistan's capital [[Islamabad]]. The district headquarter is the city of [[Peshawar]], which is also the capital of [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber Paktunkhwa]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://paiman.jsi.com/Resources/Docs/district-health-profile-peshawar.pdf|title=District Health Profile Peshawar District (PDF)|website=paiman.jsi.com|access-date=2017-12-20}}</ref>

==History==
This district and the city has seen the rise and fall of many civilizations. It was once the center of [[Gandhara]] and has subsequently been ruled by [[Persians]], [[Greeks]], [[Buddhism|Buddhists]], [[Kushan Empire|Kushans]], [[Afghans]], [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]], [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]], [[Sikhs]] and the [[British Empire|British]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} Peshawar district was annexed by the British from its former [[Sikhs|Sikh]] rulers after the [[Second Anglo-Sikh war|Second Anglo-Sikh War]] of 1848–1849.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Banerjee |first=Abhijit |url=https://eml.berkeley.edu/~webfac/bardhan/e271_sp03/2_18.pdf |title=History, Institutions and Economic Performance: The Legacy of Colonial Land Tenure Systems in India (BREAD Working Paper No. 003) |last2=Iyer |first2=Lakshmi |date=January 2003 |publisher=Bureau for Research in Economic Analysis of Development |pages=39 |chapter=Appendix Table 1: Districts of British India, With Dates and Mode of Acquisition by the British}}</ref> The original district of Peshawar was a district of the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North-West Frontier Province]] of [[British Raj|British India]].<ref>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V20_117.gif Peshawār District - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 20, p. 111.]</ref>

After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the old Peshawar District became [[Peshawar Division]] comprising the current districts of Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshera. In July 1988, the former Charsadda tehsil was separated and attained the status of a separate district. In 1990, the Nowshera tehsil also was upgraded to the status of a district.{{sfn|District census report of Nowshera|1998|p=1}} Under the latest revision of Pakistan's administrative structure, promulgated in 2001, Peshawar was also given the status of a city district.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

== Demographics ==
=== Population ===

{{Historical populations
|align=left
|percentages=pagr
|1951 |424,937
|1961 |572,443
|1972 |867,144
|1981 |1,150,364
|1998 |2,080,692
|2017 |4,331,959
|2023 |4,758,762
|footnote= Sources:<ref>{{cite web |title=Population by administrative units 1951-1998 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/1998/administrative_units.pdf |publisher = [[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref><ref name="2023 census"/>}}

As of the [[2023 Pakistani census|2023 census]], Peshawar district has 690,976 households and a population of 4,758,762. The district has a sex ratio of 103.99 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 53%: 65% for males and 41% for females. 1,355,625 (28.54% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age. Approximately 1,905,975 (40.05%) live in urban areas.<ref name="2023 census">{{cite web|title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 1 |url= https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/kp/dcr/table_1.pdf |website=www.pbscensus.gov.pk|publisher=[[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref>

=== Languages ===
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
|caption = Languages of Peshawar district (2023)
|label1 = [[Pashto]] |value1 = 93.07 |color1 = olive
|label2 = [[Hindko]] |value2 = 3.79 |color2 = lightblue
|label3 = [[Urdu]] |value3 = 1.80 |color3 = darkblue
|label4 = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] |value4 = 0.55 |color4 = cornflowerblue
|label5 = Others |value5 = 0.79 |color5 = grey
}}

At the time of the 2023, 93.07% of the district’s population spoke [[Pashto]], 3.79% [[Hindko]], 1.8% [[Urdu]] and 0.55% [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] as their first language.<ref name="2023censuslanguage">{{cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 11 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/kp/dcr/table_11.pdf |website=[[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]] }}</ref> Due to the settlement of Afghan refugees and language shift Pashto has gained ground at the expense of Hindko.

According to linguists, the nearly-extinct [[Tirahi language]] was likely spoken in the region before the arrival of the Afghans.<ref name="morg">{{Cite journal |last=Turner |first=R. L. |date=1934-01-01 |title=Review of Report on a Linguistic Mission to North-Western India |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland |volume=66 |issue=4 |pages=801–803 |doi=10.1017/S0035869X00112675 |jstor=25201006}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Strand |first=Richard |date=2001 |title=Indo-Âryan-Speaking Peoples of the Hindu-Kush Region |url=https://nuristan.info/IndoAryan/IndoAryas.html |website=Nuristan}}</ref>

{{clear}}

===Ethnic groups===
The main ethnic groups in Peshawar district are:
*[[Hindkowans|Hindkowan]]
*[[Gurjar|Gujjar]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Morgan |first=Llewelyn |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_View_from_Malakand_Harold_Deane_s_No/A_FyEAAAQBAJ?hl=en |title=The View from Malakand: Harold Deane’s ‘Note on Udyana and Gandhara’ |last2=Oliveri |first2=Luca Maria |date=2022-06-02 |publisher=Archaeopress Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-80327-208-5 |pages=87_89 |language=en |quote=In the Peshawar District & on the hills bordering on the Peshawar District the Gujars all speak Pushtu (Pashto) and in some ways are more Pathan than the Pathans themselves.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Jeratha |first=Aśoka |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Splendour_of_Himalayan_Art_and_Cultu/IQDkxM0GTw4C?hl=en |title=The Splendour of Himalayan Art and Culture |date=1995 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-034-7 |pages=18 |language=en |quote=Gujjars reside in several cities and the localities of Attak, ''Peshawar'', Jhelam, Rawal Pindi, Gujranwala, Sialokote, Lahore, etc, in Pakistan.}}</ref>
*[[Pashtun]]
*[[Indus Kohistani people|Kohistani]]

=== Religions ===

{{bar box
|title=Religions in Peshawar district (2023)<ref name="2023censusreligion"/>
|titlebar=#FCD116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|green|99.21}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity in Pakistan|Christianity]]|dodgerblue|0.70}}
{{bar percent|Other|grey|0.09}}
}}

[[Muslims]] make up the majority in Peshawar. Peshawar once had significant minorities of [[Hindus]] and [[Sikhs]] living in the small towns and [[Peshawar|Peshawar city]], but most fled during Partition. 1,800 Hindus and 1,400 Sikhs remain in the district. [[Christians]] however have continued to grow.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Religion in contemporary Peshawar District
! rowspan="2" |[[Religion in Pakistan|Religious]]<br>group
! colspan="2" |1941<ref name="Census1941B"/>
! colspan="2" |2017<ref name="2017census">{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Census 2017 District-Wise Tables: Peshawar |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/index.php/census-2017-district-wise/results/018 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |website=[[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2023<ref name="2023censusreligion">{{Cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 9 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/kp/dcr/table_9.pdf |website=[[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics]]}}</ref>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[Islam]] [[File:Star and Crescent.svg|15px]] 
|335,871
|86.27%
| 4,300,937
| {{Percentage | 4300937 | 4331959 | 2 }}
|4,713,004
|99.21%
|-
| [[Hinduism]] [[File:Om.svg|15px]]
|33,551
|8.62%
| 1,811
| {{Percentage | 1709 | 4331959 | 2 }}
|1,822
|0.04%
|-
| [[Sikhism]] [[File:Khanda.svg|15px]]
|15,454
|3.97%
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|1,481
|0.03%
|-
| [[Christianity]] [[File:Christian cross.svg|15px]]
|2,618
|0.67%
| 25,125
| {{Percentage | 25125 | 4331959 | 2 }}
|33,249
|0.70%
|-
| [[Zoroastrianism]]
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|{{N/a}}
|5
|~0%
|-
|Others
|1,835
|0.49%
|2,561
|{{Percentage | 2561 | 4331959 | 2 }}
|827
|0.02%
|-
! Total Population
!389,329
!100%
! 4,331,959
! {{Percentage | 4331959 | 4331959 | 2 }}
!4,750,388
!100%
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="7" | {{small|Note: 1941 census data is for Peshawar tehsil of erstwhile Peshawar district, which roughly corresponds to contemporary Peshawar district sans former Frontier Region Peshawar. District and tehsil borders have changed since 1941.}}
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Religious groups in Peshawar District ([[British North-West Frontier Province]] era)
! rowspan="2" |[[Religion in Pakistan|Religious]]<br>group
! colspan="2" |1881<ref name="Census1881B">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25057657 |jstor=saoa.crl.25057657 |access-date=16 June 2024 |title=Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II. |year=1881 |pages=17}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1891<ref name="Census1891B">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25318669 |jstor=saoa.crl.25318669 |access-date=22 June 2024 |title=The Punjab and its feudatories, part II--Imperial Tables and Supplementary Returns for the British Territory |year=1891 |pages=14}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1901<ref name="Census1901B">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25363739 |jstor=saoa.crl.25363739 |access-date=25 February 2024 |title=Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province. |year=1901 |pages=34}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1911<ref name="Census1911B">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25394102 |jstor=saoa.crl.25394102 |access-date=23 September 2021 |title=Census of India 1911. Vol. 13, North-west Frontier Province : part I, Report; part II, Tables. |year=1911 |pages=306}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1921<ref name="Census1921B">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25430163 |jstor=saoa.crl.25430163 |access-date=2 February 2023 |title=Census of India 1921. Vol. 14, North-west Frontier Province : part I, Report; part II, Tables. |year=1921 |pages=344}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1931<ref name="Census1931B">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.25793233|jstor=saoa.crl.25793233 |access-date=7 February 2023 |title=Census of India, 1931, vol. XV. North-west frontier province. Part I-Report. Part II-Tables |last1=Mallam |first1=G. L. |last2=Dundas |first2=A. D. F. |year=1933 |publisher=Peshawar, Printed by the manager, Government stationery and printing, 1933. |pages=373}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1941<ref name="Census1941B">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.28215543 |jstor=saoa.crl.28215543 |access-date=23 September 2021 |title=Census of India, 1941. Vol. 10, North-West Frontier Province |year=1941 |pages=22}}</ref><ref name="PeshawarDistrict1941">{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/site/south-asia-open-archives/saoa/censusofindia1941-28216851/|title=CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME X NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE|access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref>{{rp|22}}
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
! [[Islam]] [[File:Star and Crescent.svg|15px]]
| 546,117
| {{Percentage | 546117 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 654,443
| {{Percentage | 654443 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 732,870
| {{Percentage | 732870 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 807,788
| {{Percentage | 807788 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 836,222
| {{Percentage | 836222 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 898,683
| {{Percentage | 898683 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 769,589
| {{Percentage | 769,589 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! [[Hinduism]] [[File:Om.svg|15px]]
| 39,321
| {{Percentage | 39321 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 35,417
| {{Percentage | 35417 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 40,183
| {{Percentage | 40183 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 35,367
| {{Percentage | 35367 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 48,144
| {{Percentage | 48144 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 42,321
| {{Percentage | 42321 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 51,212
| {{Percentage | 51212 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! [[Christianity]] [[File:Christian cross.svg|15px]]
| 4,088
| {{Percentage | 4088 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 4,742
| {{Percentage | 4742 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 4,288
| {{Percentage | 4288 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 5,604
| {{Percentage | 5604 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 7,652
| {{Percentage | 7652 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 8,974
| {{Percentage | 8974 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 6,890
| {{Percentage | 6890 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! [[Sikhism]] [[File:Khanda.svg|15px]]
| 3,103
| {{Percentage | 3103 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 9,125
| {{Percentage | 9125 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 11,318
| {{Percentage | 11318 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 16,196
| {{Percentage | 16196 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 15,326
| {{Percentage | 15326 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 24,271
| {{Percentage | 24271 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 24,030
| {{Percentage | 24030 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! [[Zoroastrianism]] [[File:Faravahar.svg|15px]]
| 39
| {{Percentage | 39 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 37
| {{Percentage | 37 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 46
| {{Percentage | 46 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 49
| {{Percentage | 49 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 59
| {{Percentage | 59 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 24
| {{Percentage | 24 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! [[Jainism]] [[File:Jain_Prateek_Chihna.svg|15px]]
| 3
| {{Percentage | 3 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 4
| {{Percentage | 4 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 3
| {{Percentage | 3 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! [[Buddhism]] [[File:Dharma_Wheel_(2).svg|15px]]
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 2
| {{Percentage | 2 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 18
| {{Percentage | 18 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! [[Judaism]] [[File:Star_of_David.svg|15px]]
| {{N/a}}
| {{N/a}}
| 4
| {{Percentage | 4 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 2
| {{Percentage | 2 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 1
| {{Percentage | 1 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 11
| {{Percentage | 11 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 70
| {{Percentage | 70 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! Others
| 3
| {{Percentage | 3 | 592674 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 703768 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 788707 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 865009 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 907367 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 974321 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 851833 | 2 }}
|-
! Total population
! 592,674
! {{Percentage | 592674 | 592674 | 2 }}
! 703,768
! {{Percentage | 703768 | 703768 | 2 }}
! 788,707
! {{Percentage | 788707 | 788707 | 2 }}
! 865,009
! {{Percentage | 865009 | 865009 | 2 }}
! 907,367
! {{Percentage | 907367 | 907367 | 2 }}
! 974,321
! {{Percentage | 974321 | 974321 | 2 }}
! 851,833
! {{Percentage | 851833 | 851833 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="15" | {{small|Note: [[British North-West Frontier Province]] era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.}}
|}

=== 1897 Gazetteer ===
According to the 1897 district gazetteer, published during the [[British Raj]], most people living in Peshawar valley were [[Pathans]] and belonged to an agricultural community but there was also large number of [[Punjabi people|Punjabi]] and [[Hindkowans|Hindkowan]] communities living in the valley; all three ethnolinguistic groups religiously belonged to [[Islam]], [[Hinduism]] and [[Sikhism]].<ref name="Gazetteer1897">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.1483/mode/2up |access-date=2 June 2025 |title=Gazetteer of the Peshawar District 1897-98 |year=1899}}</ref> Most people in the [[Peshawar]] city spoke and understood [[Urdu]], while economic elites from small towns such as big feudal [[Khan (surname)|Khan]] families, traders, alongside many [[Hindus]] also spoke [[Urdu]].<ref name="Gazetteer1897"/> [[Persian language|Persian]] was also spoken by elites of the [[Peshawar]] city and by traders from [[Kabul]], despite a majority of the district population especially the agriculturists and Pathans only spoke [[Pashto language|Pashto]].<ref name="Gazetteer1897"/>

At the time, during the late 19th century, approximately 92–93 percent of the total population of Peshawar Valley followed Islam, while the remaining 7–8 percent followed [[Hinduism]], [[Sikhism]] and other religions.<ref name="Gazetteer1897"/> Persons adhering to minority religions primarily lived in major urban centres, cities, towns, and cantonments such as [[Peshawar]], [[Charsadda]] (now in the [[Charsadda District, Pakistan|Charsadda District]]) and [[Hoti, Pakistan|Hoti]] (now in the [[Mardan District]]).<ref name="Gazetteer1897"/> 97 percent of the population living in rural towns practiced Islam.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Church Missionary Review, Volume 48|author=Church Missionary Society|date=1897|publisher=Cornell University|isbn=0815797613|page=757}}</ref>

===Afghan refugees===
In recent years, Peshawar district hosts up to 20% of all Afghan refugees in Pakistan.<ref name="UNHCR" /> In 2005, Peshawar district was home to 611,501 Afghan refugees who constituted 19.7% of the district's total population.<ref name="UNHCR">{{cite web |author1=Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit |title=AFGHANS IN PESHAWAR Migration, Settlements and Social Networks |url=http://www.unhcr.org/43e754da2.pdf |website=Collective for Social Science Research |publisher=[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]] |access-date=5 April 2017 |date=January 2006 |archive-date=5 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405172225/http://www.unhcr.org/43e754da2.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Peshawar's immediate environs were home to large Afghan refugee camps, with [[Jalozai]] camp hosting up to 300,000 refugees in 2001<ref name="Aljazeera">{{cite news |title=Fearing and fleeing in Pakistan |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/03/fearing-fleeing-pakistan-201434849183800.html |access-date=5 April 2017 |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=5 March 2014 |archive-date=5 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405171610/http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/03/fearing-fleeing-pakistan-201434849183800.html |url-status=live }}</ref> making it the largest refugee camp in Asia at the time.<ref name="Aljazeera" /> By 1980, 100,000 refugees a month were entering the province,<ref name="UNHCR2">{{cite web |author1=Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit |date=January 2006 |title=AFGHANS IN PESHAWAR Migration, Settlements and Social Networks |url=http://www.unhcr.org/43e754da2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405172225/http://www.unhcr.org/43e754da2.pdf |archive-date=5 April 2017 |access-date=5 April 2017 |website=Collective for Social Science Research |publisher=[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]]}}</ref> with 25% of all refugees living in Peshawar district in 1981.<ref name="UNHCR2">{{cite web |author1=Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit |date=January 2006 |title=AFGHANS IN PESHAWAR Migration, Settlements and Social Networks |url=http://www.unhcr.org/43e754da2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405172225/http://www.unhcr.org/43e754da2.pdf |archive-date=5 April 2017 |access-date=5 April 2017 |website=Collective for Social Science Research |publisher=[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]]}}</ref>

Afghan refugees began to be frequently accused of involvement with terrorist attacks that occurred during Pakistan's [[War in North-West Pakistan|war against radical Islamists]].<ref name="PRI" /> By 2015 the Pakistani government adopted a policy to repatriate Afghan refugees, including many who had spent their entire life in Pakistan.<ref name="PRI">{{cite news |title=Pakistan wants millions of Afghan refugees gone. It's a humanitarian crisis waiting to happen. |url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-03-30/pakistan-wants-millions-afghan-refugees-gone-its-humanitarian-crisis-waiting |access-date=5 April 2017 |agency=Reuters |publisher=Public Radio International |date=30 March 2017 |archive-date=12 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112100212/https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-03-30/pakistan-wants-millions-afghan-refugees-gone-its-humanitarian-crisis-waiting |url-status=live }}</ref> The policy of repatriation was also encouraged by the government of Afghanistan,<ref name="Constable">{{cite news |last1=Constable |first1=Pamela |author-link=Pamela Constable |title='There is nothing here but dust': What Afghan deportees face after years as refugees in Pakistan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/there-is-nothing-here-but-dust-what-afghan-deportees-face-after-years-as-refugees-in-pakistan/2017/03/19/8fc648a6-03f6-11e7-9d14-9724d48f5666_story.html |access-date=5 April 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=19 March 2017 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106221137/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/there-is-nothing-here-but-dust-what-afghan-deportees-face-after-years-as-refugees-in-pakistan/2017/03/19/8fc648a6-03f6-11e7-9d14-9724d48f5666_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> though many refugees had not registered themselves in Pakistan. Un registered refugees returning to Afghanistan without their old Afghan identification documents now have no official status in Afghanistan either.<ref name="Constable" />

== Education ==
[[File:University of Peshawar.jpg|thumb|University of Peshawar (Public Sector)]]

Peshawar District has many universities for various disciplines starting from [[Humanities]], [[General science|General Sciences]], [[Science]]s, [[Engineering Science]]s to [[Medical sciences|Medical Sciences]], [[Agricultural science|Agriculture Sciences]] and [[Management science|Management Sciences]]. Currently, there are nine medical colleges of which two are in the public sector, including [[Khyber Medical University]], and seven in the private sector, which all are recognised and approved by Pakistan Medical and Dental Association.<ref name=":2" />

The first public sector university was the [[University of Peshawar]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uop.edu.pk/|title=University of Peshawar|last=UoP|first=CITS|website=University of Peshawar|access-date=2017-12-04}}</ref> which was established in 1950. The [[University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uetpeshawar.edu.pk/|title=University of Engineering & Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan|website=www.uetpeshawar.edu.pk|access-date=2017-12-04}}</ref> and the [[Agricultural University Peshawar|University of Agriculture, Peshawar]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aup.edu.pk/|title=The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan|website=www.aup.edu.pk|access-date=2017-12-04}}</ref> were also established in 1980 and 1981 respectively. The first private sector university [[CECOS University of Information Technology and Emerging Sciences|CECOS University of IT and Emerging Sciences]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cecos.edu.pk/|title=CECOS – University of Information Technology and Emerging Sciences|website=www.cecos.edu.pk|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-04}}</ref> started functioning in 1986. Soon after, another university by the name of [https://www.brains.edu.pk/ Brains]<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Brains Institute Peshawar|url=https://www.brains.edu.pk/|access-date=2020-09-26|website=www.brains.edu.pk|language=en-US}}</ref> [https://www.brains.edu.pk/ Institute and post graduate college] was established. In 1995, a public sector management institute named as [[Institute of Management Sciences (Peshawar)|Institute of Management Sciences]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imsciences.edu.pk/|title=IMSciences|website=www.imsciences.edu.pk|language=en-gb|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref> was established, which became degree awarding institute in 2005.

In 2001, four (4) new private sector universities started working in Peshawar. The name of these universities are [[Qurtuba University]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.qurtuba.edu.pk/|title=Qurtuba University Peshawar|website=www.qurtuba.edu.pk|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref> [[Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology|Sarhad University of Science and IT]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.suit.edu.pk/|title=Sarhad University|website=www.suit.edu.pk|language=en|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref> [[National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences|Fast University, Peshawar Campus]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pwr.nu.edu.pk/|title=FAST-NUCES Peshawar {{!}} National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences|website=pwr.nu.edu.pk|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref> and [[City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar|City University of Science and IT]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cityuniversity.edu.pk/cusitnew/index.php|title=CUSIT: City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar|website=www.cityuniversity.edu.pk|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref> [[Gandhara University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gandhara.edu.pk/|title=Gandhara University Peshawar Pakistan: Home Page|website=www.gandhara.edu.pk|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref> was established in 2002 while [[Abasyn University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://abasyn.edu.pk/|title=Abasyn University|website=abasyn.edu.pk|language=en|access-date=2017-12-08}}</ref> was created in 2007. 
[[File:City University Peshawar.jpg|thumb|City University Peshawar (Private Sector)]]
In 2007, [[Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] established first public sector medical university, [[Khyber Medical University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kmu.edu.pk/|title=Khyber Medical University {{!}} Committed to Excellence in Medical Education and Research|website=www.kmu.edu.pk|language=en|access-date=2017-12-09}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/660792|title=University status for Khyber Medical College planned|date=2011-09-21|work=DAWN.COM|access-date=2017-12-12|language=en-US}}</ref> and the district also has 2 public sector medical colleges, one is [[Khyber Medical College]]<ref name=":4" /> and one for girls named as [[Khyber Girls Medical College]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.pmdc.org.pk/AboutUs/RecognizedMedicalDentalColleges/tabid/109/Default.aspx|title=Pakistan Medical & Dental Council > About Us > Recognized Medical/Dental Colleges|last=Council|first=Pakistan Medical & Dental|website=www.pmdc.org.pk|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116114959/http://www.pmdc.org.pk/AboutUs/RecognizedMedicalDentalColleges/tabid/109/Default.aspx|archive-date=2012-01-16}}</ref>

The first women university was established in 2012, when [[Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sbbwu.edu.pk/sbbwu/|title=Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Peshawar|last=SBBWU|first=ITC|website=www.sbbwu.edu.pk|access-date=2017-12-09}}</ref> started working while private sector [[IQRA National University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.inu.edu.pk/|title=IQRA NAtional University {{!}} Peshawar, Hayatabad|website=www.inu.edu.pk|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-12-09}}</ref> was also established in 2012.

Apart from excellent range of universities, Peshawar district also has huge numbers of [[further education]] (Post School) institutes both in public and private sectors. The most renowned are [[Islamia College Peshawar]], which was established in 1913 and was upgraded to become university in 2008 and [[Edwardes College Peshawar]], which is the oldest of all institutions in the district started functioning in 1900.

=== State of Education in Peshawar ===
According to Pakistan District Education Rankings 2017 published by [[Alif Ailaan]], Peshawar ranks 4th in Pakistan in terms of primary school infrastructure while it ranks 52nd in Pakistan for middle school infrastructure. In terms of education score, Peshawar ranks 64th in Pakistan with having a relatively low retention score. Beyond Primary Readiness in Peshawar is on the lower side as it ranks 62nd in Pakistan.

The main issues reported in [https://web.archive.org/web/20180803074507/https://elections.alifailaan.pk/taleemdo-app/ Taleem Do! App] for district Peshawar are overcrowded class rooms and lack of class rooms in schools.

Girls’ education is also one of the most reported issues in the app, with main focus on lesser number of Girls schools and also schools located at long distances.

Issues of lack of teachers, non availability of science labs and lack of High Schools were also reported.

Issues regarding the high fee collections in private schools was also reported on multiple occasions.

== Administration ==
The district Peshawar is administrated by Deputy commissioner who is chief administrative, land revenue officer and the representative of government in district. DC is assisted by Additional Deputy commissioner and Assistant commissioner. Peshawar is divided into seven tehsil which are further divided into village council (rural areas) and neighbourhood council (urban areas). There are total 357 councils in peshawar district out of which 130 are neighbourhood councils and 227 are village councils.
Each tehsil has its own government known as tehsil municipal administration having an elected tehsil council and tehsil chairman except Peshawar city tehsil, which is administrated by a city local government, which is composed of an elected city council and an elected mayor.

=== Tehsils of Peshawar District ===
{{static row numbers}}
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-hash"
!Tehsil
!Name
(Urdu) (Pashto)
!Area
(km²)<ref>{{Cite web |title=TABLE 1 : AREA, POPULATION BY SEX, SEX RATIO, POPULATION DENSITY, URBAN POPULATION, HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE, CENSUS-2023, KPK |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_1_kp_districts.pdf}}</ref>
!Pop.
(2023)
!Density
(ppl/km²)

(2023)
!Literacy rate
(2023)<ref>{{Cite web |title=LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023, KPK |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_12_kp_districts.pdf}}</ref>
!Union Councils
|-
|[[Badbher Tehsil]]
|({{langx|ur|{{nq|تحصیل بڈبھیر}}}})({{langx|ps|{{script/Arabic|بډبیر تحصیل}}}})
|357
|439,912
|1,232.25
|38.66%
|
|-
|[[Chamkani Tehsil]]
|({{langx|ur|{{nq|تحصیل چمکنی}}}})({{langx|ps|{{script/Arabic|چمکني تحصیل}}}})
|226
|624,354
|2,762.63
|54.72%
|
|-
|[[Hassan Khel Tehsil]]
|({{langx|ur|{{nq|تحصیل حسن خیل}}}})({{langx|ps|{{script/Arabic|حسن خېل تحصیل}}}})
|261
|72,557
|278
|55.34%
|
|-
|[[Mathra Tehsil]]
|({{langx|ur|{{nq|تحصیل متھرا}}}})({{langx|ps|{{script/Arabic|متهرا تحصیل}}}})
|218
|495,059
|2,270.91
|45.79%
|
|-
|[[Peshawar City Tehsil]]
|({{langx|ur|{{nq|تحصیل پشاور شہر}}}})({{langx|ps|{{script/Arabic|پېښور ښار تحصیل}}}})
|176
|2,113,596
|12,009.07
|60.88%
|
|-
|[[Peshtakhara Tehsil]]
|({{langx|ur|{{nq|تحصیل پشتخرہ}}}})({{langx|ps|{{script/Arabic|پشتخرې تحصیل}}}})
|135
|480,436
|3,558.79
|45.45%
|
|-
|[[Shah Alam Tehsil]]
|({{langx|ur|{{nq|تحصیل شاہ عالم}}}})({{langx|ps|{{script/Arabic|شاه عالم تحصیل}}}})
|145
|532,848
|3,674.81
|44.96%
|
|}

===Neighbourhood and Village Councils of Peshawar District===
1. Peshawar City Tehsil
Village Councils = 9 Neighbourhood Councils =121 	  Total Councils = 130.
2. Badhaber tehsil
Village Councils = 37 Neighbourhood Councils = 0 	  Total Councils = 37. 
3. Chamkani tehsil
Village Councils = 42 Neighbourhood Councils = 4 	  Total Councils = 46. 
4. Shah Alam tehsil
Village Councils = 41 Neighbourhood Councils = 2 	  Total Councils = 43. 
5. Pishtakhara tehsil
Village Councils = 34 Neighbourhood Councils = 2 	  Total Councils = 36. 
6. Mathra tehsil
Village Councils = 53 Neighbourhood Councils = 1 	  Total Councils = 54.
7. Hassan Khel
Village Councils = 11 Neighbourhood Councils = 0	  Total Councils = 11.

Each Village and Neighborhood Council is composed of 7 Members which are as given below

1. Chairman of VC or NC

2. Vice Chairman of VC or NC

3. General Councilor

4. Women Councilor

5. Youth Councilor

6. Worker and Peasant Councilor

7. Minority Councilor

These members are elected by voter directly through local elections

=== Provincial Assembly Seats ===
According to new delimitation list made by election commission of Pakistan the district Peshawar is represented in provincial assembly through 14 constituencies. Currently all seats are empty because assembly is dissolved and new elections are going to happen soon.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Member of Provincial Assembly !! Constituency 
|-
| assembly dissolved ||PK-69 Peshawar-I
|-
| assembly dissolved ||PK-70 Peshawar-II
|-
| assembly dissolved ||PK-71Peshawar-III
|-
| assembly dissolved || PK-72 Peshawar-IV
|-
| assembly dissolved || PK-73 Peshawar-V
|-
| assembly dissolved || PK-74 Peshawar-VI
|-
|  assembly dissolved || PK-75 Peshawar-VII
|-
|  assembly dissolved || PK-76 Peshawar-VIII
|-
| assembly dissolved || PK-77 Peshawar-IX
|-
| assembly dissolved || PK-78 Peshawar-X
|-
|  assembly dissolved || PK-79 Peshawar-XI
|-
|  assembly dissolved || PK-80 Peshawar-XII
|-
| assembly dissolved || PK-81 Peshawar-XIII
|-
|  assembly dissolved || PK-82 Peshawar-XIV
|}

=== National Assembly Seats ===
The district is represented in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan|Pakistan National Assembly]] by five (5) members.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Report |first=Bureau |date=2002-08-09 |title=PESHAWAR: Peshawar gets 4 NA, 11 PA seats |language=en-US |work=DAWN.COM |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/51800 |access-date=2017-11-30}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituency !! Member of National Assembly 
|-
| NA 28 Peshawar I || Vacant
|-
| NA 29 Peshawar II || Vacant
|-
| NA 30 Peshawar III || Vacant
|-
| NA 31 Peshawar IV || Vacant
|-
| NA 32 Peshawar V || Vacant
|}

== See also ==
*[[Union Councils of District Peshawar]]
*[[Districts of Pakistan]]
**[[List of districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]
*[[List of tehsils of Pakistan|Tehsils of Pakistan]]
**[[List of tehsils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Tehsils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]
*[[Divisions of Pakistan]]
**[[Divisions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Notelist}}

== Bibliography ==
*{{Cite book |title=1981 District census report of Peshawar |location=Islamabad |publisher=Population Census Organization, Statistics Division, Government of Pakistan |volume=26 |date=1983 |page=86 |ref={{harvid|District census report of Peshawar|1981}}}}
*{{Cite book |title=1998 District census report of Charsadda |location=Islamabad |publisher=Population Census Organization, Statistics Division, Government of Pakistan |series=Census publication |volume=68 |date=2000 |ref={{harvid|District census report of Charsadda|1998}}}}
*{{Cite book |title=1998 District census report of Nowshera |location=Islamabad |publisher=Population Census Organization, Statistics Division, Government of Pakistan |series=Census publication |volume=55 |date=1999 |ref={{harvid|District census report of Nowshera|1998}}}}
*{{Cite book |title=1998 District census report of Peshawar |location=Islamabad |publisher=Population Census Organization, Statistics Division, Government of Pakistan |series=Census publication |volume=33 |date=1999 |ref={{harvid|District census report of Peshawar|1998}}}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Neighbourhoods of Peshawar}}
{{Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa}}
{{Tehsils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|34|00|N|71|45|E|region:PK_type:adm3rd_source:GNS-enwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Peshawar District| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]