History
Residential construction started in 1974. The inhabitants of KTS are affectees of Tarbela Dam, and about 82,000 acres (330 km2) land was acquired for its construction. The large reservoir of the dam submerged 135 villages, which resulted in displacement of a population of about 96,000 people from the richest green valley of the area. Effectees of Tarbella Dam reside in Khalabat Township, MTG 11 Colony (in Haripur on Hattar Road), Punjab and Sindh provinces.
The town was named after the village Khalabat, which had submerged in the Tarbela lake. The majority of the people in Khalabat village were Pathans. It was famous for citrus fruit gardens. A village by the same name inhabited by the same people also existed in Swabi District. The name "Khalabat" is a combination of two words, "Khala" (meaning "upright") and "Bat" (meaning "stone"). The upright stone was a 10-foot-high (3.0 m) stone column erected in the ground of Khalabat. Other famous villages that got submerged were: Tarbela, Dheeri, Khalabat, Jahar, Luqmania, Jathoo, Dari, Anorra, Laloo Gali, Thapla, Kundreala, Kiya, Khabal, Mumaiya, Pakkah Panialah, Darband, Amb, Ashra, Dokani, etc.
The affectees were adjusted in present KTS and MTG 11 Colony Haripur and District Swabi. Some people were alloted land in southern Punjab and Sindh; however, only the influentials were able to take possessions and the entitlement. The main issue which is the allotment of the land is still exists. Also, the reality fund of the Tarbela power dam has not been awarded to the affectees of the project.
Read more about this topic: Khalabat Township
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“There is no history of how bad became better.”
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