Description
Dera Ghazi Khan (ڈیرہ غازی خان), abbreviated as D.G. Khan, is a city in the southwestern part of Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 19th populous city of Pakistan. Lying west of the Indus River, it is the headquarters of Dera Ghazi Khan District and Dera Ghazi Khan Division. Dera Ghazi Khan is situated on the western bank of the Indus River. It was founded in the end of 15th century and was named after Ghazi Khan Mirrani, son of Haji Khan Mirrani who was a powerful Baloch chieftain. 15 generations of Mirranis ruled the area. In those days, games abounded near Dera Ghazi Khan and the fields were green. It was known as "Dera Phoolan Da Sehra" back then due to plenty of gardens and Kastori Canal supplied by the Indus River. In 1909-10, Mirrani Civilization was inundated by the Indus Civilization. The present town was built 16-18 km from the old town.
The city is one of the oldest districts in South Asia. Dera Ghazi Khan did not develop like other cities in Punjab. It is considered one of the twenty poorest districts of Pakistan with about 51% of its population living below the poverty line. The overall climate of the city is dry with little rainfall. The winter is mild and dry, but it is very hot in summer. The average high during summer is about 107 °F (42 °C), while during winter the average low is 40 °F (4 °C).