SHANGLA
Shangla is a district in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan that contains two Tehsil Alpuri and Puran. Alpuari Town is the headquarter of the district, and two main tehsils/Sub divisions viz: Tehsil Puran and Tehsil Alpuari. There are three sub tehsils i.e. tehsil Besham, tehsil Chakesar, tehsil Martung. Shangla has the lowest Human Development Index in the province and second lowest in the country.[1][2] Shangla, previously a subdivision of Swat district, was upgraded to the status of a district on July 1, 1995[3] by the then Chief Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao.
Shangla hill (Shangla top), separates the district from Swat, and the Shangla Pass and Bunier Sar Qala are the ways of communication between the two districts.
The district is bounded on the east by PATA district of Batagram and Kala Dhaka (Black Mountain of Hazara) along which the Indus River flows for about 75 kilometres, on the west by district Swat, on the south by district Buner and tribal area of Kala Dhaka and on the north by district Kohistan.
The total area of the district is 1,586 square kilometres.[3]Shangla district, consists of small valleys, is situated between the hillocks and surrounded by high mountains full of forests comprising Pindrow Fir, Morinda Spruce, Blue Pine (Kail), Chir Pine and Deodar Cedar trees. The average elevation of the district is 2000 to 3000 meters above sea level.[3] The highest point (3,440 m) is near Kuz Ganrshal in the north of the district.[3]There are beautiful isolated valleys most suitable for seed production of highly demanded cross pollinated vegetable crops. Moreover Shangla has got pretty enough potential for hydel power generation, one such project underway is at Khan Khwar.[5]

(Faizullah Khan)
Puran Shangla