Nurkot is a town located on the Rightbank of NullahBaein, 30 km by road northeast of Narowal city, in Shakargarh Tehsil of Narowal District of the Punjab province of Pakistan, at an elevation of 258 meters. Nurkot and the adjoining town of Maingri have grown into each other and are often referred to collectively. Together, they form the largest and the most important town of the Constituency PP-48 of Punjab Assembly. It is the economic, educational, social and transport hub for the surrounding small towns and villages in the region. Because of its proximity to the Indian border and permanent presence of military in the cantonment area, Nurkot is a strategically important town.
History
The sixteenth century Ain-i-Akbari mentions Maingri Pargana of the RachnaSarkar in the Lahore Subah of Mughal Empire, inhabited by Gujjars and Silhariya, as comprising 62,293 Bigha of agricultural land generating a revenue of 1.475 million Dams, and the local forces consisting of 20 cavalry and 1,000 infantry. The area was later annexed by the Jammu Rajas in early eighteenth century, in 1778 Kanhaiya Sardars took it and in the early nineteenth century it was annexed by Ranjit Singh. The area was then annexed by the British after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849. Later on, Maingri became a Zail of Shakargarh Tehsil. In 1853, Shakargarh Tehsil of Sialkot District was transferred to Gurdaspur District and it remained an administrative subdivision of Gurdaspur District until Partition in 1947. Under Radcliffe Award, three of the four tehsils of Gurdaspur district on the eastern bank of the Ujh river – the tahsils of Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot – were awarded to India and only one, Shakargarh, was assigned to Pakistan. After the creation of Pakistan, Shakargarh became a part of Sialkot District once again. In July 1991, two tehsils were split off from Sialkot District and Shakargarh became a tehsil of the newly formed Narowal District. Shakargarh was the gateway of Mughals entering Gurdaspur and going to Delhi. Shakargarh was also the gateway to Kashmir and regarded as the rest point for travellers. One of the main reason for its popularity was and still is its rich and fertile land for wheat and top quality rice cultivation. One of the superior land for rice cultivation in world. Nurkot was named after a prominent local leader 'Noor Ipu' from Monnan Clan of Gujjars who laid foundation of this town in earlier 18th or late 17th century.
Language
As per the 1998 census of Pakistan, Punjabi language is spoken by 95% population of the town. Other Languages include:
Urdu being national language is spoken and understood.
English is also understood and spoken by the sizable educated people.
