History
Early
history
The original name of
Muzaffarabad was Udabhanda.
Hieun tsang, the
celebrated Buddhist pilgrim who is said to have visited the valley in 633 A.D
mentions Pan-nu-tso, i.e., modern day Punch, Ho-lo-she-pu-to i.e. modern day
Rajauri. He entered India from Udabhanda, Urasa (present Muzafrabad and Uskara)
entered the valley via Baramula gorge.[4]
The term Shahi is the title of the rulers, likely
related to the Kushan form Shao[ orPersian form Shah and refers to a series of 60 rulers
probably descended from the Kushans or Turks (Turshkas).
Modern history
The capital of the
Azad Jammu & Kashmir, is situated at the confluence of the Jhelum &
Neelum rivers. It is 138 km from Rawalpindi and about 76 km from
Abbottabad. The present name of Muzaffarabad has been given to it after the
name of Sultan Muzaffar Khan, a chief of Bomba Dynasty (1652). There are two
forts, namely, Red & Black Fort, situated on the opposite sides of river
Neelum. The Neelum river streams through the town, joins river Jhelum at Domel
and plays a dominant role in the micro climate of Muzaffarabad.
On October 8, 2005,
the city was struck by an earthquake measuring a magnitude of 7.6
2005
Kashmir earthquake
The city was the site
of the epicenter of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which occurred on October 8,
2005 and had a magnitude of 7.6. The disaster destroyed 50% of
the buildings in the city (including most of the official buildings) and is
estimated to have killed up to 80,000 people in the Pakistani-controlled areas
of Kashmir.
As of 8 November 2005
the Pakistani government's official death toll was 87,350. Some estimates put
the death toll over 100,000