Wikipedia
Islamgarh is a Municipal Committee of Mirpur District near Mangla Dam of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located on the southern part of the Pir Panjal Range, about 28 Kilometer in North-East of Mirpur Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan is situated.
Before the construction of Mangla Dam, Islamgarh was 5 kilometer away from the old Mirpur. The people of Islamgarh could easily approach that city on foot. But after the construction of Mangla Dam, the 5 kilometer distance became 30 kilometer (six times longer). The road connecting Mirpur with Dadyal and Kotli passes through this town. On both sides of this road are fertile lands. Major crops of this region are wheat, maize and millet.
On the Northern side of this town are mountain stretches of Pirgali and on Northern-Western side lie patches of fertile land connected to Mangla dam. After Mangla Dam start the boundaries of New Mirpur city.
After the construction of Mangla dam, a large portion of fertile land submerged. Now due to Mangla Dam raising project, the people of adjoining villages ( Chak Haryam, Andrah Klan, Bajar, Bandor, Lakhora, part of Kalyal Bainsi and Jammuie villages have sacrifice their homes and land.
Rapid progress and fast growing population gave Islamgarh the status of town committee in 1979 and after attaching the union council Andrah Klan and village Kalyal Bainsi to Islamgarh, its status was raised to Municipal Committee in 1998. Total population of Municipal Committee, according to the 1998 census, was 15493.If the annual population growth rate is considered 2.9%, it means the population of Municipal committee must be 21000 in 2011. Total area of the municipal committee is 14,728 acres or 57 square kilometers. It means the density of population is 333 people per square kilometer. The population of area will increase if proposed bridge is constructed between Rathoa Muhammad Ali and Chak Haryam. In that case distance would be reduce to 5-7 Kilometers and it would become part of Mirpur.
In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin, In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul in 1005, and followed it by the conquests of Punjab region. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Kashmir.
After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Dogra invaded and occupied Mirpur District. The Muslims faced severe restrictions during the Dogra rule. During the period of British rule, Mirpur District increased in population and importance.
The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslims refugees from India settled down in the Mirpur District.
Many residents of Islamgarh have emigrated to the United Kingdom during the 1950-60s.
Islamgarh has highest population of Bainse Rajput clan members living anywhere in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.