Miranshah میران شاہ میران شاه | |
|---|---|
City | |
  Miranshah  Miranshah | |
| Coordinates:33°0′9″N70°4′8″E / 33.00250°N 70.06889°E /33.00250; 70.06889 | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | North Waziristan |
| Tehsil | Miran Shah |
| Elevation | 930 m (3,050 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 4,361 |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Calling code | 0928 |
Mīrānshāh (Urdu:میران شاہ)(Pashto:میران شاه) is a main town in the region that is the administrative headquarters ofNorth Waziristan District,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province ofPakistan. Miranshah lies on the banks of theTochi River in a wide valley surrounded by the foothills of theHindu Kush mountains. It is located at an elevation of about 930 metres (3,050 ft), 17 kilometres (11 mi) from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border (Durand Line). The nearest city in Pakistan isBannu, about 55 kilometres (34 mi) to the east, while the nearest city across the border in Afghanistan isKhost, 60 kilometres (37 mi) to the northwest.
The city has a shrinking population of only 4,361, and it has only 356 households.[1] This makes it the least populous urban area inBannu Division, but it is also the only urbanized area in the entire region ofNorth Waziristan, and also the entireWaziristan region, a mountainous area that has 99% of its 1.22 million residents living in rural areas. Miranshah remains a regional business hub for surrounding rural areas that visits the bazaar for day to day requirements. Miranshah bazaar is become a hustling during daytimes while it remains less busy during late hours.
Miranshah is the administrative headquarters ofNorth Waziristan District, in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan (FATA). In 2018, FATA was merged into theKhyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 3,797 | — |
| 1998 | 5,965 | +1.75% |
| 2017 | 4,361 | −1.63% |
| Source:[2][1] | ||
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Miranshah was named after theTimurid ruler,Miran Shah, the son ofTimur.
In 1905, the British constructed Miranshah Fort to control North Waziristan.
In the early 1950s, thePakistan Air Force (PAF) and the "Tochi Scouts" of Pakistan's paramilitaryFrontier Corps carried out counter-insurgency operations from Miranshah Airfield and Miranshah Fort against the insurgency fomented by the rebellious General Shudikhel Dawar andMirzali Khan (Faqir of Ipi). In the 1950s, Miranshah was also the site of a weapons firing range of the PAF, which was located next to the Miranshah Airfield.[3]
After9/11, Miranshah gained prominence in the United States-ledWar on Terror and has witnessed numerousdrone strikes by the USCentral Intelligence Agency targeting alleged militants hiding in the town and the surrounding foothills.[4] Miranshah and its surrounding areas have also witnessed fighting between militants and Pakistani military and paramilitary forces.
Miranshah has a historical fort built by the British in 1905, which, since Pakistan's independence on 14 August 1947, has been used as a garrison by the "Tochi Scouts" of Pakistan'sFrontier Corps. The town also has a 7,000 ft. long airfield, which is used for both civil and military purposes.
Other notable places include a bazaar, a sports stadium, a primary school, a secondary school and a college.
