 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2018) |
Nawan Shehr (Urdu: نواں شہر) is a town in Abbottabad District, Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Pakistan. The town is renowned for the historic Ilyasi Masjid, the largest and oldest mosque of Abbottabad. Behind the mosque lies a small hill with walking trails, adding to the town's scenic charm. During the summer, Nawan Shehr attracts visitors from across the country due to its pleasant climate. It is also home to educational institutions of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. Nawan Shehr has its own old bazaar which is famous for its Chapli Kebab. The primary language spoken is Hindko, with Gojri also spoken in some areas. Nawan Shehr is located on the route to Abbottabad City and the tourist destinations of Thandiani and Nathia Gali along Murree Road, at an elevation of 1,216 meters (3,990 feet).
On the 3rd of June 1847 James Abbott, who would later become First Deputy Commissioner of Hazara, noted in his journal: "Marched to Nowa Shihr, 17 miles, a town of huts in a singularly beautiful and fertile valley, of considerable elevation. The wheat is still standing, although some of the ram crops are in ear. This would form a most desirable residence but for the fever with which it is visited during the rains and the swampiness of the soil at that season, I sought m vain for a quarter of an acre of ground near the town free from cultivation as a site for a shed to shelter me during the rains. I have ordered the erection of one, however, upon ground to be rented during occupation. The fever here seems to be less universal than in Pukli and Hurkishengurh".[2]
Nawanshehr features some of its own tourist attractions, such as:
In Nawanshehr there is a famous mosque that was built over a stream of water that flows from the mountain. The mosque stills stands to this day and still has water flowing underneath it. It is called Ilyasi Masjid. In front of it is a little pond-like area in which people can ride paddle-driven boats. The place is also famous for the 'Pakora' stalls.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 5,668 | — |
| 1961 | 8,507 | +4.14% |
| 1972 | 13,644 | +4.39% |
| 1981 | 14,504 | +0.68% |
| 1998 | 19,871 | +1.87% |
| 2017 | 35,737 | +3.14% |
| 2023 | 40,711 | +2.20% |
| Sources:[3][4] | ||
As of the 2023 census, Nawan Shehr had a population of 40,711.[5]
| Religious group |
1881[7][8][9] | 1901[10][11] | 1911[12][13] | 1921[14][15] | 1931[16] | 1941[6] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
Islam 
|
3,251 | 75.48% | 2,939 | 71.44% | 3,404 | 73.03% | 3,794 | 74.51% | 3,884 | 75.71% | 5,075 | 79.12% |
Hinduism  [b]
|
1,056 | 24.52% | 995 | 24.19% | 1,069 | 22.93% | 1,052 | 20.66% | 883 | 17.21% | 1,030 | 16.06% |
Sikhism 
|
0 | 0% | 180 | 4.38% | 188 | 4.03% | 246 | 4.83% | 363 | 7.08% | 309 | 4.82% |
Jainism 
|
0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | — | — |
Christianity 
|
— | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
Zoroastrianism 
|
— | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
Judaism 
|
— | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
Buddhism .svg){kind=small}
|
— | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | — | — |
| Others | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Total population | 4,307 | 100% | 4,114 | 100% | 4,661 | 100% | 5,092 | 100% | 5,130 | 100% | 6,414 | 100% |
