Daska (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, serving as the headquarters of the Daska Tehsil, one of the four of Sialkot District.
Demographics
Population
According to 2023 census, Daska had a population of 228,626.
Punjabis form an ethnic majority in the city, belonging to different tribes — Punjabi–Kashmiris, Mughals/Mirza and Rajputs are dominant in the urban area; with several Gujjar and Jats clans being dominant in the rural areas. Others tribes such as the Awan, Arain, Khokhars, and Gakhars are also present in smaller numbers.
A significant Pashtuns population, mostly from the Kakazai tribe, is found in urban and rural areas, having migrated centuries ago. There is also a significant amount of the ethnic Mewati people from Haryana, having migrated there during the partition of India.
History
17th-19th centuries
Daska was founded during the reign of
Shah Jahan, and was initially named Shah Jahanabad, according to Mughal revenue records.
It was later renamed Daska as it is
das ("ten")
koh (Mughal unit of distance) from
Sialkot,
Pasrur,
Gujranwala, and
Wazirabad.
During the Afghan
Durrani invasion of the 18th century, Daska was ruined, and its inhabitants were forced to seek shelter in the nearby mud fort of Kot Daska.
Daska was later repopulated during the Sikh era.
Daska was captured by
Ranjit Singh in 1802 and made part of the
Sikh Empire.
20th century
In 1929, Daska was the site of Hindu-Sikh riots when
Nihang Sikhs attempted to seize control of
Gurdwara Sant Wayaram Singh. The local Hindu community claimed it was originally built to be a
Hindu temple.
In August 1947, 5,000 refugees from surrounding areas gathered at Daska Camp for two weeks before being escorted to the Indian border by the Pakistan Army.
21st century
In January 2025, the Government of Punjab demolished the Ahmadi worship building constructed by Muhammad Zafarullah Khan.
Notable People
