Utman Khel Tehsil

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Utman Khel Tehsil

Utman Khel Tehsil is a district subdivision (tehsil) of Bajaur District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is the fifth largest of Bajaur’s seven tehsils.

Geography
The tehsil covers about 194 square kilometers and is centered in a shallow mountain valley about 14.28 kilometers wide. It borders Barang Tehsil to the south, Khar Bajaur Tehsil to the west, Lower Dir District’s Munda Tehsil to the east, and Timergara Tehsil in Lower Dir to the north.

Demographics
As of the 2017 census, Utman Khel Tehsil has about 107,000 residents (107,248), up from around 58,000 in 1998. The population accounts for roughly 9.8% of Bajaur District’s total population.

Language
The vast majority speak Pashto as their mother tongue (about 99%). Other languages spoken in smaller numbers include Urdu, Sindhi, Brahui, Balochi, Kashmiri, Saraiki, Punjabi, and others.

Religion
Almost all residents are Muslim (about 99.98%), with a few Ahmadis, Christians, and others.

Name origin
The tehsil is named after the Utmankhel (Utmankhel) tribe, which is part of the Karlani Pakhtun confederacy.

Politics
In national and provincial elections, Utman Khel Tehsil is part of NA-40 Bajaur-I and PK-20 Bajaur-II. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has historically won in this area, and Imran Khan is seen as an advocate for Pakhtuns.

See also
Nearby Bajaur tehsils include Mamund, Khar Bajaur, Salarzai, Nawagai, Barang, Bar Charmer Kand, and the broader Bajaur District.