GHULAM MURTAZA SATTI

Former MNA Ghulam Murtaza Satti was born on June 18, 1966 in his native place Narrar in Tehsil Kahuta, District Rawalpindi. He was elected as MNA on a PPP seat in year 2002. He was elected nazim of the Narrh union council in Kahuta Tehsil in 2000.

On July 24, 2008, the federal government appointed former MNA Ghulam Murtaza Satti as head of Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF). 


Murtaza Satti joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in 2017.

An educationist by profession, he completed master’s degree in public administration from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad in 1991. 

He got his early education in his native village and after completing his matriculation he traveled to Karachi for his further education.  Murtaza was a colour holder in the volley ball during his university days while he was studying in Karachi University. he is an avid hunter as well.

PAHARI AND POTHWARI - A SOCIOLINGUISTIC SURVEY

Northern Pakistan boasts a rich variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Much has been learned about the sociolinguistic situation of this part of the world through recent research, such as the Sociolinguistic Survey of Northern Pakistan (O’Leary 1992). Cultural societies in various language communities are supporting mother-tongue literacy and production of vernacular literature as a means of preserving the rich ethnic heritage of this area.

 The Punjabi dialect chain in the Indo-Aryan language family includes millions of speakers in northern Pakistan. This is one area where the sociolinguistic situation has not been investigated. Choosing a well-respected and widely understood dialect for development of printed and oral materials is an important factor in literacy and literature development. Knowledge about language vitality and domains of use is important for language planners who make decisions about future education and training.

Pahari, which means “mountainous,” is primarily spoken in the Murree and Kotli Sattian tehsils of the Rawalpindi District in northern Pakistan. The Murree dialect of Pahari ends at the Jhelum River, but another dialect of the same language, also called Pahari as well as Chibhali, extends into Azad Kashmir. As one travels from Murree to Abbottabad, one passes through a transitional region between Ayubia and Nathiagali, where the language gradually changes from Pahari to Hindko. 

Pothwari is spoken in the plateau south of the Pahari dialect area. Its southern border is formed by the Salt Range; from there the area runs northward to Rawalpindi and eastward to the Jhelum River. As one travels from Rawalpindi to Murree, the language transitions from Pothwari to Pahari around Bharakao, approximately where the Murree Hills begin. Mirpuri is spoken in the district of Mirpur in Azad Kashmir. People who live in this area refer to their language sometimes as Mirpuri but also as Pahari. Hundreds of thousands of those living in this district have immigrated to the UK and other countries (Lothers and Lothers 2003).

Michael Lothers and Laura Lothers published a survey report in 2010, comprised of 262 pages. This report gives a snapshot of the Pahari-Pothwari language complex. It addresses questions of dialect versus language and the number of dialects through synchronic, descriptive means rather than a historical, phonological comparison. The survey team used oral interviews, questionnaires, wordlists, comprehension testing, and our own observation from the two and a half years we lived in Murree, Pakistan.

The Pahari-Pothwari language complex includes three major but mutually intelligible dialects: Pahari, Pothwari and Mirpuri. Those speaking the latter, Mirpuri, also refer to their language as Pahari.

CLICK HERE TO READ "PAHARI AND POTHWARI: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC SURVEY"

BERBERIS ARISTATA (HIMALAYAN BERBERRY), (SUMBAL)

Berberis Aristata is a thorny shrub belonging to the family Berberidaceae and the genus Berberis. It has yellow root. The flowers are yellow and in corymbose racemes. The fruits are oblong-ovoid or ovoid, bright red berries.

It is widely found in Northern Areas of Pakistan, Mansehra, Balakot, Galyat, Swat and North Waziristan in KPK, Kashmir, Murree and Kotli Sattian hills in Punjab, and also found in different areas of Balochistan.

Berberis Aristata is known as "Sumbal" in local language of Kotli Sattian. Sumbal can treat fatal diseases, including Cancer, Brain tumor, Diabetes, Thyroid glands, Infertility and Arthritis. 

MARPHOLOGY DESCRIPTION

It is a dynamical bush. The old plant is seven to eight feet tall, and It is full of thorns and branches spread around, each thorn is in set of three thorns. Trunk diameter of old plants becomes three to four inches, and the roots are eight to ten feet deep in the ground. This root is used as a herb, its skin is peeled off from the root and then dried in the shade and it’s taste is bitter and colour is yellow. Sumbal flowers flourish in the form of bright yellow clusters, leaves are oblong and sharp-edged, flowers are dispersed after a few days and they are replaced with little green berries, ripening blackish. Its leaves and flowers are eatable with bitter taste. It is used as a treatment of the mouth and throat diseases, and the Powder of Sumbal Root is good for healing cancer patients.

THE FLOWERING AND FRUITING SEASON

Flowering in Berberis Aristata starts from the first fortnight of March and remains in progress up to the end of April. The peak flowering season under Solan conditions was recorded to be from 8-25 April. The fruit start ripening from the second week of May and continue to do so throughout June. They can be retained on the shrub after ripening for quite a long period, but they fall off soon after the onset of rains. The fruiting season, therefore, ends abruptly with the commencement of the rainy season.

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects and self. The plant is self-fertile.

The small fruits with their seeds are sweet, with a blend of acid. They are slightly bitter and the bitterness is due to the seeds. The taste and flavour of the fruits is good.

SUMBAL HERB NAMES IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

Botanical name : Berberis Aristata
English name : Tree Turmeric, Indian Berberry, Himalayan Berberry
Urdu name : Darhald (Root), Zarishk (Berries), Rassaut (Root bark extract), Sumbal, Sumbloo

Arabic name : Ameerbaarees
Persian name : Filzahra (Root), Zarishk (Berries)

Baloch name : Zaril, Koroy
Pashto name : Zarilragay, Koroy
Kashmiri name : Rassashud (Root bark extrat), Kaw Dach Mool (Root)
Punjabi name : Rassaut, Sumlu

Pahari name : Sumbal
Chinese name : Huang Lian

German name : Indischer Berberitze

French name : Epine-vinette d’lnde

Hindi Name : Rasaut (Root Bark Extract), Darhald (Root), Zarishk (Berries)

Nepali Name : Chutro

Cancer (All Types):

Mix the Sumbal and the Turmeric powder in same weight. Fill the mixture in double zero sized capsules. Take one capsule after morning and evening meals, with milk. Cancer of every type will be controlled within a month.

1. Mouth or Breast Cancer: Mix the Kushta Sunkh (کشتہ سنکھ), Sumbal and Turmeric powder in same weight. Use a double zero sized fill capsule 3 times a day, after meals with Dhamasa soaked water.
2. Soak the small piece of Sumbal in a bowl of water in the evening, and drink in the morning, before meal. Similarly soak in the morning and drink in the evening.
   
   

   Brain Tumor:

   Take Siris tree bark, Kushta Sunkh, Sumbal and Turmeric Powder in the same weight. Add sum sugar and fill in double zero sized capsules. Diabetic patients may exclude sugar. Take one capsule thrice a day, after meals with Dhamasa soaked water. Continue it for 3 to 4 months for complete health.

   Cancerous Sore:

   Use half filled double zero sized capsule of Sumbal Powder thrice a day with fresh water or milk. The sore will be healed within 20 days.

   Mouth Disease:

   Sumbloo can also be used in mouth or sore throat. Hust keep small piece of Sumbloo in mouth and sleep. The bitter Sumbal water goes through mouth and throat and patient is healed within a night.

   Toothache:

   Take half-filled double sized capsule of mixed powder of Sumbal, Galingale (پان کی جڑ) and Jujube (عُناب) in same weight, twice a day, after meals.

   Pawn Ribs or Neck Pain:

   Take half-filled, double zero sized capsules of Sumbal powder, twice a day, after meals.
   Best Toothpaste: Mix Sumbal Powder equal to half the quantity of a good toothpaste, Now use it like a toothpaste.

   Thyroid Glands:

   Mix the Kushta Sunkh, Turmeric, Sumbal and Arsenic Powder No. 2 in the same weight and fill it in double-zero sized capsule. Take one capsule twice a day, with milk, for two to three months. You can also keep a small piece of Sumbal in mouth at night will also help healing Thyroid.

   Chronic Wounds:

   Just sprinkle the Sumbal powder on chronic wounds, to cure them, and also take a small quantity of it twice a day, with water or milk.

   Diabetes:

   Take small quantity of Sumbal twice a day with milk. You can also drink Sumbal soaked water twice a day before meals. To get rid of diabetes, soak a small piece Sumbal in a bowl of water at night and drink in morning. Similarly, soak in morning and drink before night meal.

   Arthritis:

   Take small quantity of Sumbal powder with milk, at night. Pain will be relieved within two or three days.Boil the two or three pieces of Sumbal, and drink. The joint pain will be removed.

   Infertility:

   Fill the double zero sized capsule with Kushta Sunkh, turmeric and Sumbal powder in equal weight, and take thrice a day with milk, for at least six months.

   Broken Bones:

   Mix Sumbal Powder in white part of eggs and apply on broken bone. Also bind strongly if possible. the bone will rejoin in 20 days.

   Hepatitis:

   Soak one piece of Sumbal in a bowl of water in the evening and drink in the morning before meal. Again do the same in the morning and drink in the evening before evening meal.

   Enlargement of Liver or Spleen:

   Prepare green tea of Sumbal and take before meals, twice a day.

   Stomach Worms:

   Take a small quantity of Sumbal powder early morning with water to get rid of Stomach Worms, within two to three days. You can repeat the process if needed.

   Diarrhea and Cramps: Mix Sumbal and dried Ginger powder in same weight and take thrice a day with milk or water.

   Side Effects :  Sumbal is safe for use but because of the berberine it contains, it must not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women and should not be administered to newborns.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Reference : Watt (1889)
                      Healthy Manners
   
   Research : Anjum Satti

CLIMATE OF KOTLI SATTIAN

The climate of the Subdivision Kotli Sattian differs considerably on account of differences in altitude and relief on the heights. The climate is cold in winter and mild in summer. In depths and valleys, it is mild in general. On the whole, the subdivision experiences cool and mild summers and cold winters.

Precipitation in winter is normally in the form of snow and sleet. Hailstorms are frequent during the winter and they also occur often during the monsoon season. But the precipitation during the summer is mostly in the form of rain. The subdivision receives a very high amount of rainfall averaging 60.53 inches with the mean annual number of rainy days at 89.3. The rainfall is received both from the monsoon and western disturbances.

July is the wettest month of the year receiving 14.26 inches of rain with a mean number of rain days at 15. It is followed very closely by August, which receives an average rainfall of 14 inches. The driest month of the year is November which receives only 0.87 inches of rainfall with only 1.7 days of rain.

Murree is the rainiest place of Pakistan with mean annual rainfall of about 1,484 mm (164cm). Kotli Sattian is geographically a part of Murree and Kahuta Hills. It was declared a subdivision in 1990 by breaking up 40 villages out of both subdivisions. Patriata is located on almost border of Murree and Kotli Sattian subdivisions. Patriata is the highest point of Murree Hills which consequently is the highest point of Punjab as well. Patriata hills (Including some parts of Kotli Sattian subdivision) are the rainiest region of Pakistan.

LT ARSALAN ALAM SATTI - SHAHEED, SITARA-E-BASALAT

Lt. Arsalan Alam Satti was born (17th April 1995) and raised in the village of Ghel Sattian, Murree. He was the only son and brother of three sisters. 

Arsalan Satti secured regular commission in Pakistan Army by joining Pakistan Military Academy L/C 135 on 13th May 2015 and completed his military training on 15th April 2017. He belonged to 29 Sindh Regiment.

He looked into everything in a different perspective, his desires and goals were no longer surrounded by this petty, mundane world. He was into another world. He wanted to conquer the world but in a way that was beyond our wisdom, a way which seemed to be out of this world but a world full of serenity and bounties.

Arsalan Satti described himself in an intro of his Facebook profile; "I alone can't change the world, but i can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples."

He participated in "Operation Khyber-4" after completion of his training from Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul. In August, "Operation Khyber-4" in Rajgal Valley had been successfully completed. The operation was launched in July to wipe out terrorists in the valley by targeting their hideouts. The army then established a number of check posts in the border region to stem the movement of militants. Arsalan Satti was promoted to Lieutenant days before his martyrdom and appointed as an Officer Commanding at the high-altitude post next to Afghan border after the military completed its operation against terrorists in the area. He was among those officers and soldiers who were posted to defend the area from cross-border infiltration.

The 22-year-old officer was commanding a post in Rajgal Valley, which borders Afghanistan, when it came under fire from the Afghan side on 23rd September 2017, at 09:00am. Lieutenant Arsalan Satti was shot in the head by a sniper and was airlifted to Peshawar for treatment, but he succumbed to his injures at the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.

Arsalan Satti was laid to rest on Sunday 24th September 2017 in his native village Ghel Sattian in Murree with full military honours. 

Lieutenant Arsalan Alam Satti, you surely had it all! ALL HAIL TO YOU!

Lt. Arsalan Alam Satti Shaheed's father Shamsher Alam Satti couldn't bear the loss of his beloved son, he suffered a heart attack on 29th November 2017. He was taken to CMH Murree where he breathed his last.


The Government of Pakistan awarded Sitara-e-Basalat to Lt. Arsalan Alam Satti - Shaheed for his gallantry, after his martyrdom on 23rd March 2019.                                        
                                       

               
By: Anjum Satti

LT ARSALAN ALAM SATTI - SHAHEED

Lt. Arsalan Alam Satti was born (17th April 1995) and raised in the village of Ghel Sattian, Murree. He was the only son and brother of three sisters. 

Arsalan Satti secured regular commission in Pakistan Army by joining Pakistan Military Academy L/C 135 on 13th May 2015 and completed his military training on 15th April 2017. He belonged to 29 Sindh Regiment.

He looked into everything in a different perspective, his desires and goals were no longer surrounded by this petty, mundane world. He was into another world. He wanted to conquer the world but in a way that was beyond our wisdom, a way which seemed to be out of this world but a world full of serenity and bounties.

Arsalan Satti described himself in an intro of his Facebook profile; "I alone can't change the world, but i can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples."

He participated in "Operation Khyber-4" after completion of his training from Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul. In August, "Operation Khyber-4" in Rajgal Valley had been successfully completed. The operation was launched in July to wipe out terrorists in the valley by targeting their hideouts. The army then established a number of check posts in the border region to stem the movement of militants. Arsalan Satti was promoted to Lieutenant days before his martyrdom and appointed as an Officer Commanding at the high-altitude post next to Afghan border after the military completed its operation against terrorists in the area. He was among those officers and soldiers who were posted to defend the area from cross-border infiltration.

The 22-year-old officer was commanding a post in Rajgal Valley, which borders Afghanistan, when it came under fire from the Afghan side on 23rd September 2017, at 09:00am. Lieutenant Arsalan Satti was shot in the head by a sniper and was airlifted to Peshawar for treatment, but he succumbed to his injures at the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.

Arsalan Satti was laid to rest on Sunday 24th September 2017 in his native village Ghel Sattian in Murree with full military honours. 

Lieutenant Arsalan Alam Satti, you surely had it all! ALL HAIL TO YOU!

Lt. Arsalan Alam Satti Shaheed's father Shamsher Alam Satti couldn't bear the loss of his beloved son, he suffered a heart attack on 29th November 2017. He was taken to CMH Murree where he breathed his last.
                                        
                                       

               
By: Anjum Satti

THE PEOPLE, RACES AND TRIBES OF KOTLI SATTIAN

The People of Kotli Sattian are generally well built and of balanced height, sturdy and strong, hardworking and fair in complexion. They are proud of their ancestors and pure-blood.

The people of this region are inborn soldiers and belong to the martial races in the northwest of the sub-continent. They possess a distinctive place and role in the
Armed Forces of Pakistan. Subdivision Kotli Sattian is the home of prosperous families, Bureaucrats and high rank military officers, who prefer to live in the glitz and glitter that is Islamabad.

There are four principal tribes that reside in the Subdivision. The Sattis are in absolute majority. The second major tribe is the Dhanial, who are in majority in the Karor area, comprising six villages. Karor is the central settlement.

The next major tribe is the Abbasi. This tribe occupies the whole village of karor. Also, the Abbasi families are scattered through the subdivision but in quite limited numbers.

The other major tribe is the Kethwal. They have a whole village named Dhirkot Kethwalan, and they also live in Phofandi and Balawara.

Sadaat who possess a distinct status among the people and respected, The Dhok Seelah, Karl, Burhad, Patian and Mori settlements are where Sadaat are in good numbers. There are still a number of families long inhabited in the area. However, they are not called by their actual family name. They are known by their age-old professions.

BURJ, KOTLI SATTIAN TO PATRIATA HIKING TRAIL

Picturesque Kotli Sattian to Patriata trek is among the most beautiful treks of the region. It’s an abandoned jeep trek starting from Burj (6 km away from Kotli Sattian town) and reaches the Patriata top via Phofandi Top exposing the beauty of Kashmir and Murree region, on a clear day this trek offers spectacular views for the nature lovers. The distance of this trek is 6 km.

The Patriata, Khalabut and Phofandi hills are beautifully wooded and the scenery is exquisite. The panorama view comprises, at it frequently does, a breathtaking picture of a foreground of lovely, lush woodland scenery and a background of the lofty snow clad peaks of the Himalayas.

KOTLI SATTIAN - THE LAND OF EVERGREEN HILLS

Kotli Sattian is an extension of the Indo-Himalayan ecological region that falls in the transitional zone of Irano-Saharan ecosystem which extends to the Southwest.This is a very beautiful subdivision of district Rawalpindi (Punjab), Pakistan which is bounded on the east by the river Jhelum, on the southwest by the river soan: an ancient historical river of subcontinent and on the northwest by the Murree subdivision: a scenic hill station of Pakistan. It is also bounded on the south by Kahuta subdivision. Kotli Sattian touches the Kashmir territory on the east by bridging the River Jhelum and on the southwest, it is the next door neighbor of Islamabad, The Federal Capital of Pakistan. The evergreen hills with its gentle and steep slopes, the cool, fresh & health giving fountains, the dancing & singing streams, the winding roads & paths that wind through the lively pine woods and the bracing climate beckon the wanderer to this hilly area. The territorial name is derived from the mountain town of Kotli and the Satti tribe. This subdivision is geographically a part of Murree and Kahuta hills. It was declared a subdivision in 1990 by breaking up 40 villages out of both subdivisions. The subdivision is situated between 33 degrees to 37 degrees and 33 - 35' North Latitude and between 73-26' and 73-27' east longitude. It's length from river Jhelum on the north to Glingali on the south is about 60 km. It's extreme width from river Jhelum on the east to river Soan is the southwest is nearly 40 km. The headquarters of the Subdivision is 45 km from district headquarters and Federal Capital. It stands at 38 km from kahuta town and 36 km from Murree Hill station. The approximate altitude of the subdivision above the sea level is from 1878 feet to 7335 feet. The headquarters of the subdivision is at 4809 feet above sea level. AREA According to the facts collected from administrative records and census (1998) reports, the total area of the subdivision is 83,243 acres out of which 55,590 acres of land is owned by local inhabitants and the remaining 27,653 acres of land is covered by forests and is the property of the government of Punjab and is managed through the Punjab forest department HEADQUARTERS The revenue estate, with the name Kotli Sattian, is the headquarters of the subdivision. The administrative offices, judiciary and major business centers are almost at the center, and is linked to the roads in all directions. The headquarters at present is a rural estate but is rapidly developing into a small town. KOTLI SATTIAN

KHALABAT SATTIAN - MURREE HILLS

Khalabat is a hilly village of Murree hills in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan. Khalabat is 23 miles south-east of Murree town - a popular hill station, 31 miles north-east of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. It is in the lower Himalayan hills and this area has cold, snowy winters, relatively cool summer with drastically escalated rain. During monsoon village top mostly remains covered by fog, monsoon starts in July and continues til September.

Maize is the traditional crop of the area, land holdings are small due to the hilly terrain and production is hardly sufficient for subsistence. Apple, apricot, pear, plum, walnut, cherry, raspberry, fig and pine nuts are main fruit of Khalabat.

The village has forest land as well as cultivated land. Part of the forest is kept by the government ; some of it, called guzara, is for community use. The forest is covered by thick blue pine trees. The top peak of the village is at altitude of 7,417 ft which is known as "Kullah", and the distance between this peak and Patriata top is just 300 meters, Patriata top is the highest point of the Murree hills which consequently the highest point of the Punjab as well.
There is a dense blue pines forest between Khalabat and Patriata, which is home to different wild animals like leopard, bear, monkey, fox and various species of pheasant and rabbit.
Forest is full of wilderness and it has large number of culinary and medicinal herbs.

The third type of land is used for house construction. Due to the need for terraces, houses and fields are small and homes are scattered.

There are four Mosques in village including Central Jammah Mosque. There is one primary school for boys and one for girls, one private high school for boys and girls and a college for girls. The literacy rate of Khalabat is 91.5%.

The village consists of five parts. The villagers are of different ethnic groups and each occupies a specific area of the village.
The largest ethnic group in the village consists of Satti who are also the second largest tribe in the Murree Hills. There are four tribes inhabiting the Murree hills: Abbasi, Satti, Dhanial and Kethwal. Khalabat is a Satti village situated in Satti area. In this village the first migrants were three Satti brothers from a neighboring village to the south east of Khalabat. Dhanials came later, the few households of Kethwals are the latest arrivals in the village.

Ethnic group Percentage in Khalabat
Satti 66%
Dhanial 24%
Kethwal 9%
others 1%

KhalabatVibe

                                                                By : Anjum Satti

             

KOTLI SATTIAN POPULATION - CENSUS 2017

According to latest census data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), population of Kotli Sattian Tehsil is 119,312.

In Rawalpindi district, the population of Kahuta tehsil has increased to 220,576 from 155,080, Murree to 233,471 from 176,426, Kotli Sattian to 119,312 from 81,523 while the population of Kallar Sayyedan tehsil increased to 217,273 from 158,120 during 1998-2017.       Click here for more details

15 Schools of Tehsil Murree and Kotli Sattian upgraded to higher levels

 The Punjab government has upgraded 15 schools to the levels of elementary, secondary and higher secondary in the constituency of PP-1 Punjab. These schools are situated in different Union Councils of Tehsil Murree and Kotli Sattian. 107 posts are also created following the demand of the staff after the up-gradation of 15 schools recently approved by Punjab Government.

While talking to Capital Times Arshed Abbasi PMLN leader and coordinator to Provincial Minister for Labour and Men Power Raja Ashfaq Sarwar confirmed the news and said that keeping in view the need of the students to upgrade these schools Provincial Minister and PMLN leadership of the area made every efforts and finally 15 schools are upgraded to next levels.

A senior official of the education department told Capital Times that the ruling party’s leader Raja Ashfaq Sarwar had recommended the schemes which the provincial government approved.

“We are happy that we will have to go nowhere else as our own school has been upgraded to high school,” said Maria, a student. “We are from poor families and it was difficult for us to send our daughters to remote areas to seek education for matric classes. Upgradation of the school has resolved our problems,” said a group of parents.
                                                        Click here for more details