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| | #REDIRECT [[History of Poonch district]] |
| '''Poonch District''' was a district of the [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|princely state of Jammu and Kashmir]], currently divided between [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. The Pakistani part of [[Poonch Division|Poonch district]] (now a Division) is part of the [[Azad Kashmir]] territory, whilst the Indian part of [[Poonch district, India|Poonch district]] is part of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. The capital of the Pakistan-controlled side is [[Rawalakot]]; while the capital of the Indian side is [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]].
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| In ancient times, Poonch was part of the ''Abhisara'' region and formed part of [[Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great's]] conquests. In later sources, the region is called ''Paranotsa'', but also known by its capital city, Lohara, which gave rise to the [[Lohara dynasty]] of Kashmir ({{circa}} 1003–1320 CE). Afterwards Poonch came under the control of the [[Mughal Empire]], then the [[Durrani Empire]] and finally the [[Sikh Empire]]. The Sikh monarch, [[Maharaja Ranjit Singh]] gave Poonch to the [[Dogra dynasty|Dogra]] noble, Raja [[Dhian Singh|Dhyan Singh]], as a fief. After the death of Ranjit Singh, Dhyan Singh was murdered in Sikh intrigues, and the region was transferred to [[Gulab Singh]] as part of the [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] state under [[British Paramountcy|British suzerainty]]. After the departure of the British in August 1947, the tribesmen of Poonch [[1947 Poonch rebellion|rebelled]], inviting Pakistani assistance and giving rise to the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]]. The war ended a year later with the region being divided between India and Pakistan.
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| ==Early history==
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| ===Ancient History===
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| When [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]] invaded the lower Jhelum belt to fight Porus, the Jhelum valley region was known as ''Abhisara''.<ref name="Roy2009">{{citation|last=Roy|first=Kumkum|title=Historical Dictionary of Ancient India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RIUZjYEuqskC&pg=PA2|year=2009|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-8108-5366-9|pages=2–}}</ref> It is likely that the Kashmir Valley was under the control of this region. The Abhisaras submitted to the invader, along with [[Ambhi]] of [[Takshashila]] (Taxila), and the region was consolidated into the Alexander's empire.{{sfn|Bamzai, Culture and Political History of Kashmir|1994|pp=67-68}}
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| The ''[[Rajatarangini]]'' mentions Poonch under the name ''Paranotsa''. [[Xuanzang]] in the 7th century transliterated it as ''Pun-nu-tso''.{{sfn|Bamzai, Culture and Political History of Kashmir|1994|p=42}}
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| Based on the [[Mahabharata]] evidence,<ref>MBH 7.4.5; 7/91/39-40.</ref> and evidence from 7th century [[China|Chinese]] traveler [[Xuanzang]],<ref>Watters, Yuan Chawang, Vol I, p 284.</ref> the districts of Rajouri, Poonch and Abhisara had been under the sway of the Republican [[Kambojas]] during [[Indian epic poetry|epic]] times.<ref>''Political History of Ancient India'', 1996, p 133, 219/220, Dr H. C. Raychaudhury, Dr B. N. Mukerjee; ''A History of India'', p 269-71, N. R. Ray, N. K. Sinha; ''Journal of Indian History'', p 304, [[University of Allahabad]]. Department of Modern Indian History, [[University of Kerala]] - 1921.</ref>
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| At the time of Xuanzang's visit, the Kashmir Valley controlled all the territories adjacent to it in the south and the west, including [[Taxila]], which is said to have been subjugated at a recent date.{{sfn|Bamzai, Culture and Political History of Kashmir|1994|p=117}}
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| ===Sovereign State===
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| Around 850CE, Poonch became a sovereign state ruled by Raja Nar, who was basically a horse trader. According to ''Rajatrangani'', Raja Trilochanpal of Poonch gave a tough fight to [[Mahmud of Ghazni|Mahmood Ghaznavi]] who invaded this area in 1020. Ghaznavi failed to enter Kashmir, as he could not capture the fort of Lohara (modern day Loran, in district of Poonch).<ref name=official/>
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| ===Mughal Era===
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| In 1596, Mughal emperor [[Jahangir]] made Siraj-Ud-Din the ruler of Poonch. Siraj-Ud-Din and his descendants Raja Shahbaz Khan, Raja Abdul Razak, Raja Rustam Khan and Raja Khan Bahadur Khan ruled this area up to 1792.
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| ==Sikh Empire (1819–1846)==
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| In 1819 this area was captured by Maharaja [[Ranjit Singh]].<ref name=official>{{citation |url=http://poonch.gov.in/Topmenu/history.html |title=History of Poonch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310133036/http://poonch.gov.in/Topmenu/history.html |archive-date=10 March 2016 |publisher=Official web site of the Poonch District (Jammu and Kashmir) |date=2016}}</ref> Brothers [[Gulab Singh]], [[Dhian Singh|Dhyan Singh]] and [[Suchet Singh]], belonging to the [[Dogra Dynasty|House of Jammu]], enrolled in the Maharaja's army and rose to high positions.
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| In 1822, Ranjit Singh appointed Gulab Singh as the Raja of [[Jammu]] and, in 1827, appointed Dhyan Singh as the Raja of Bhimber, Chibbal and Poonch{{sfn|Snedden, Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris|2015|p=63}} (covering the Mirpur and Poonch districts as of 1947<ref>
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| [http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/a-peep-into-bhimber/ A peep into Bhimber], Daily Excelsior, 6 November 2016.
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| </ref>).
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| Dhyan Singh spent most of his time in Lahore, subsequently becoming the ''diwan'' (prime minister) in the Sikh court. Gulab Singh is said to have managed his jagirs on his behalf. In 1837, the hill tribes of Poonch launched a rebellion, which Gulab Singh suppressed with some cruelty.{{sfn|Snedden, Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris|2015|p=63}}{{sfn|Panikkar, Gulab Singh|1930|pp=31-40}}
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| After the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839, the Sikh court fell into anarchy and palace intrigues took over. Dhyan Singh, Suchet Singh as well as Dhyan Singh's son Hira Singh were murdered in these struggles.{{sfn|Panikkar, Gulab Singh|1930|loc=Chapters III, IV}} Poonch was confiscated by the Sikh Durbar on the grounds that the Rajas had rebelled against the state and handed it over to Faiz Talib Khan of [[Rajouri]].{{sfn|Panikkar, Gulab Singh|1930|p=121}}
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| ==Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (1846–1947)==
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| [[File:Jammu and Kashmir in 1946 map of India by National Geographic.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Poonch jagir in a pre-partition map of Jammu and Kashmir]]
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| After the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]] (1845–1846) and the subsequent Treaties of [[Treaty of Lahore|Lahore]] and [[Treaty of Amritsar (1846)|Amritsar]], the entire territory between the [[Beas River|Beas]] and the [[Indus River|Indus]] rivers was transferred to Gulab Singh, including Poonch. He was recognised an independent ruler, a ''maharaja'', of the newly created state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]].{{sfn|Satinder Singh, Raja Gulab Singh's Role|1971|pp=52-53}} Gulab Singh reinstated the jagir of Poonch to Jawahir Singh, the eldest remaining son of Dhyan Singh.{{sfn|Panikkar, Gulab Singh|1930|p=121}}
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| The brothers Jawahir Singh and Moti Singh were not satisfied. They put forward a claim to being independent rulers of Poonch, maintaining that they were entitled to a share in the 'family property' of all the territories controlled by Gulab Singh. The matter was adjudicated by [[Sir Frederick Currie, 1st Baronet|Sir Frederick Currie]], the British Resident in Lahore, in 1852, who confirmed that Gulab Singh was indeed their suzerain. The brothers were to give the Maharaja Gulab Singh a horse with gold trappings every year and consult him on all matters of importance.{{sfn|Panikkar, Gulab Singh|1930|pp=121-123}}{{sfn|Mridu Rai, Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects|2004|p=48}} The House of Poonch however continued to contest this arrangement right up to 1940.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=232}}
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| In 1852, the brothers Jawahir Singh and Moti Singh quarrelled and the Punjab Board of Revenue awarded a settlement. Moti Singh was awarded the territory of the Poonch district, and Jawahir Singh that of the Mirpur district. Christopher Snedden remarks that Moti Singh's territory amounted to two-thirds of Dhyan Singh's estate.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=232}}{{sfn|Panikkar, Gulab Singh|1930|p=123}}
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| In 1859, Jawahir Singh was accused of 'treacherous conspiracy' by Maharaja [[Ranbir Singh (Maharaja)|Ranbir Singh]] (r. 1857–1885), who succeeded Gulab Singh. The British agreed with the assessment and forced Jawahir Singh into exile in [[Ambala]]. Ranbir Singh paid Jawahir Singh an annual stipend of Rs. 100,000 until his death, and confiscated his territory (the Mirpur district) afterwards because Jawahir Singh had no heirs.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=233}}
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| Moti Singh's son, [[Baldev Singh (Poonch)|Baldev Singh]] contested this action claiming that the territory should return to him as the sole surviving descendant of Dhyan Singh. The British did not accept the claim saying that Jawahir Singh forfeited his territory when he agreed to the annual stipend.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=233}}
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| === Autonomy disputes ===
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| After Maharaja Ranbir Singh was succeeded by [[Partab Singh of Kashmir|Pratap Singh]] (r. 1885–1925), a 'Council of Administration' was imposed on Jammu and Kashmir by the British. The Council is said to have started encroaching on Poonch, egged on by Pratap Singh's brother Amar Singh. Complaints were made to the British, who continued the original line that Poonch was a feudatory of Jammu and Kashmir and so it was an internal affair of Jammu and Kashmir.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=233}}
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| Raja [[Baldev Singh (Poonch)|Baldev Singh]] (r. 1892–1918), who succeeded Moti Singh, complained in 1895 that Jammu and Kashmir started referring to Poonch as a ''jagir'', whereas he maintained that it was a 'state'. This was apparently a very emotive issue for Baldev Singh and, subsequently, to the residents of Poonch. Baldev Singh's successor [[Sukhdev Singh (Poonch)|Sukhdev Singh]] (r. 1918–1927) and [[Jagatdev Singh (Poonch)|Jagatdev Singh]] (r. 1928–1940) continued the complaints. In 1927, the British resident in Kashmir Evelyn Howell got involved and he advised Maharaja [[Hari Singh]] that, while Poonch was clearly subsidiary to Jammu and Kashmir, it was only referred to as an ''illaqa'' in the original grant, not as a ''jagir''.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|pp=233-234}}
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| Jagatdev Singh ascended as the Raja in 1928 at a young age, and the reigning Maharaja [[Hari Singh]] (r. 1925–1949), son of Amar Singh, imposed a ''sanad'' (instruction) on him. The ''sanad'' mentioned, among others, that Poonch was a ''jagir'' and implemented several encroachments on the administration of Poonch. Frictions continued. In 1936, Jagatdev Singh sent a 'memorial' to the [[Viceroy of India]], seeking a review of the relationship between Poonch and Jammu and Kashmir. The Government of India responded that, since Poonch was part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, all submissions should be made through the British Resident of Jammu and Kashmir government. The Resident stated that the order of 1928, eventually based on Currie's original award, definitely settled the status of Poonch as a 'subordinate Jagirdar of Kashmir'. Jagatdev Singh's claims were dismissed without further comment.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|pp=234-236}}
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| With the death of Jagatdev Singh in 1940, his son [[Shiv Ratandev Singh (Poonch)|Shiv Ratandev Singh]] became the new Raja while being a minor. Maharaja Hari Singh appointed a guardian, who was his military secretary, to look after the Raja's 'property'. The Raja's mother was prohibited from participating in the minority administration. In July 1940, a gathering of Poonch public passed a resolution expressing 'profound sorrow and deep indignation and resentment' at the Maharaja's proclamation and his description of Poonch as a ''jagir''. By 1945, the Maharaja's administration was deeply unpopular in Poonch, especially among the families of military servicemen, who contrasted it with that of their counterparts in [[Punjab]].{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|pp=237-238}}
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| ===Administration===
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| Until Jagatdev Singh's accession in 1928, the Poonch jagir was autonomous, except for the payment of a token tribute of Rs. 231 to the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. The jagir had its own officials, including a bureaucracy, police and a standing army of one company. It is said that the local officials, most of whom were Hindus, were disgruntled because their salaries were lower than in the rest of state. This led to inefficiency and corruption.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|pp=29-31}}
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| The Raja of Poonch owned all the land in the jagir. The actual 'holders of land' were referred to as ''assamis'' (agents) of the Raja. In the 1930s, 40 percent of the earnings were collected as tax, amounting to Rs. 1 million. Whereas proprietary rights were granted to landholders elsewhere in Kashmir following the Glancy Commission recommendations in 1933, the Poonchis did not benefit from the reforms due to the jagir's autonomy. For some unknown reason, the residents of the Mendhar tehsil were granted ownership rights, which caused further resentment in the other tehsils.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|pp=30-31}}
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| After 1928, Maharaja Hari Singh started encroaching on the administration of Poonch and, a dual system of rule was established. A resident administrator of the Maharaja was appointed in the Poonch jagir and further officials were loaned from the state. The Raja's courts had jurisdiction only in petty cases. All serious crimes were referred to the courts in Srinagar. The Raja of Poonch lost his prestige and power.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|pp=29-30}}
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| The Maharaja also imposed additional taxes to generate his own revenue from the jagir. They included taxes on cattle and sheep, export/import taxes on items like soap and silk, and imaginative taxes on wives and widows. A 'horse tax' required a payment of 50 percent of the purchase price of a horse. Evidently, these taxes generated considerable resentment.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=30}}
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| ===Economy===
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| Scholar [[Christopher Snedden]] states that, being a mountainous area, Poonch accorded small farms with poor soil, but had high costs of living. The Kashmiri tax burden made the situation worse. Many Poonchi men worked outside the jagir to alleviate the situation. They worked in Punjab, the railways, British Indian army and the British merchant navy in Bombay.{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=28}} The army was an especially important employer. It was said that every male Muslim in the jagir was, had been or would be a soldier in the British Indian army. During the [[World War I]], 31,000 men from Jammu and Kashmir served in the army, a great majority of them from Poonch. During the [[World War II]], over 60,000 men from Poonch served in the army, while the rest of the state contributed only about 10,000 men. The physical proximity of Poonch to the military recruiting grounds in Punjab, such as [[Sialkot]] and [[Rawalpindi]], facilitated their enrolment. Poonchis enlisted as 'Punjabi Musalmans' and served in the [[Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)|Punjab Regiment]].{{sfn|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013|p=31}}{{sfn|Schofield, Kashmir in Conflict|2003|p=41}}
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| ==Division of Poonch==
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| {{Main|1947 Poonch rebellion|Indo-Pakistani War of 1947}}
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| [[File:AJ&K Divisions.png|thumb|left|273x273px|[[Poonch Division]] of Pakistan-administered [[Azad Kashmir]] (in green) in 1947]]
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| [[File:Jammu and Kashmir Poonch district.svg|thumb|right|273px|[[Poonch district, India|Poonch district]] in Indian-administered [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]; with [[Azad Kashmir]] territory to its left.]]
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| After independence in 1947, there was a [[1947 Poonch rebellion|rebellion]] in the western part of the-then Poonch district. The rebels led by Sardar [[Muhammad Ibrahim Khan (politician)|Muhammad Ibrahim Khan]], sought support from the [[Dominion of Pakistan]], which provided arms, and then launched an [[Pakistani tribal invasion of Kashmir|invasion]] of its own using [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas|Pashtun tribals]]. In response, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir joined India, and the conflict turned into an [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947|Indo-Pakistani War]]. When a ceasefire was effected, the Poonch district was split across the two countries. The former capital city, [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]], came under the [[Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir|Indian Poonch district]]. A new capital at [[Rawalakot]] was established by Pakistan in the [[Poonch Division|Pakistani Poonch district]]. The district itself was eventually converted into a 'Poonch Division' and divided into four separate districts: [[Poonch District, Pakistan|Poonch]], [[Sudhanoti District|Sudhanoti]], [[Bagh District|Bagh]] and [[Haveli District|Haveli]].
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| {{clear}}
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist|30em}}
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| ==Bibliography==
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| * {{citation |last=Bamzai |first=P. N. K. |author-link=Prithivi Nath Kaul Bamzai |title=Culture and Political History of Kashmir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1eMfzTBcXcYC&pg=PA13 |date=1994 |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. |isbn=978-81-85880-31-0 |ref={{sfnref|Bamzai, Culture and Political History of Kashmir|1994}}}}
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| * {{citation |first=Navnita Chadha |last=Behera |title=Demystifying Kashmir |publisher=Pearson Education India |year=2007 |isbn=978-8131708460 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qM6kW9ZRMRkC |ref={{sfnref|Behera, Demystifying Kashmir|2007}}}}
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| * {{citation |last=Huttenback |first=Robert A. |title=Gulab Singh and the Creation of the Dogra State of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |volume=20 |number=4 |year=1961 |pages=477–488 |doi=10.2307/2049956 |jstor=2049956 |url=http://pahar.in/mountains/Books%20and%20Articles/Indian%20Subcontinent/1961%20Gulab%20Singh%20and%20Creation%20of%20Dogra%20State%20of%20Jammu%20Kashmir%20and%20Ladakh%20by%20Huttenback%20from%20J%20Asian%20Studies%20v20%20s.pdf |ref={{sfnref|Huttenback, Gulab Singh and the Creation of the Dogra State|1961}} |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815210807/http://pahar.in/mountains/Books%20and%20Articles/Indian%20Subcontinent/1961%20Gulab%20Singh%20and%20Creation%20of%20Dogra%20State%20of%20Jammu%20Kashmir%20and%20Ladakh%20by%20Huttenback%20from%20J%20Asian%20Studies%20v20%20s.pdf |archive-date=2016-08-15 }}
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| * {{cite book |first=K. M. |last=Panikkar |author-link=K. M. Panikkar |title=Gulab Singh |publisher=Martin Hopkinson Ltd |year=1930 |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/gulabsingh179218031570mbp |ref={{sfnref|Panikkar, Gulab Singh|1930}}}}
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| * {{citation |title=Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir |first=Mridu |last=Rai |author-link=Mridu Rai | publisher=C. Hurst & Co |year=2004 |isbn=1850656614 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qTHTI-Eus8kC |ref={{sfnref|Mridu Rai, Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects|2004}}}}
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| * {{citation |first=Victoria |last=Schofield |author-link=Victoria Schofield |title=Kashmir in Conflict |publisher=I. B. Taurus & Co |location=London and New York |year=2003 |orig-year=First published in 2000 |isbn=1860648983 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rkTetMfI6QkC |ref={{sfnref|Schofield, Kashmir in Conflict|2003}}}}
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| * {{citation |last=Singh |first=Bawa Satinder |title=Raja Gulab Singh's Role in the First Anglo-Sikh War |journal=Modern Asian Studies |volume=5 |number=1 |year=1971 |pages=35–59 |jstor=311654 |ref={{sfnref|Satinder Singh, Raja Gulab Singh's Role|1971}} |doi=10.1017/s0026749x00002845}}
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| * {{citation |first=Christopher |last=Snedden |author-link=Christopher Snedden |title=Kashmir: The Unwritten History |publisher=HarperCollins India |year=2013 |isbn=978-9350298985 |orig-year=first published as ''The Untold Story of the People of Azad Kashmir'', 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0cPjAAAAQBAJ |ref={{sfnref|Snedden, Kashmir: The Unwritten History|2013}}}}
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| * {{citation |last=Snedden |first=Christopher |title=Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s5KMCwAAQBAJ |year=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-1-84904-342-7 |ref={{sfnref|Snedden, Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris|2015}}}}
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| ==External links==
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| * Present day districts on OpenStreetMap: [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/8192015#map=8/33.644/74.581 Bagh], [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/8199078#map=8/33.644/74.581 Haveli], [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/8191016#map=8/33.644/74.581 Poonch (Pakistan)], [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/8198049#map=8/33.644/74.581 Sudhanoti], [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1944922#map=8/33.644/74.581 Poonch (India)]
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| [[Category:History of Kashmir|Poonch District]]
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| [[Category:History of Indian districts|Poonch District]]
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| [[Category:Poonch district, India]]
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| [[Category:Poonch District, Pakistan]]
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| [[Category:History of Azad Kashmir|Poonch District]]
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| [[hi:पुंछ जिला]]
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| [[nl:Poonch (district in India)]]
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| [[pnb:ضلع پونچھ (ھندستان)]]
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