{{Short description|Pakistani alluvial plain}} {{Use Pakistani English|date=October 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Chhachh | settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)--> | official_name = | other_name = Chach | native_name = چھچھ <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English --> | nickname = | motto = <!-- images and maps -----------> | image_skyline = Beauty nurtures the nature.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = A village of Chhach near Attock | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Punjab Pakistan#Pakistan <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map --> | pushpin_relief = yes | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Punjab, Pakistan | pushpin_mapsize = 300 <!-- Location ------------------>| subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Pakistan}} | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Punjab | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Attock District | subdivision_type3 = Tehsil | subdivision_name3 = Hazro Tehsil | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = <!-- General information ---------------> | population_demonym = Chhachhi | timezone = PST | utc_offset = +5 | timezone_DST = +6 | utc_offset_DST = | coordinates = {{coord|33|53|00|N|72|22|00|E|region:PK|display=inline}} | elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags--> }} {{Punjabis}} '''Chhachh''' or '''Chach{{efn|Urdu: {{nq|چچ}}, Punjabi: {{nq|چھچھ}}}}''' is an alluvial plain located in the northern Punjab, Pakistan. Triangular in shape, Chhachh is bounded by the left bank of Indus to the northwest, Gandghar range to the east and the highlands along the Grand Trunk Road to the south,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Conference |first=British Dam Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0AU5Ics8LL8C&pg=PA64 |title=Reservoirs in a Changing World: Proceedings of the 12th Conference of the BDS Held at Trinity College, Dublin, 4-8 September 2002 |date=2002 |publisher=Thomas Telford |isbn=978-0-7277-3139-5 |pages=64 |language=en}}</ref> covering an area of some {{Convert|200|mi2|km2|abbr=on}}. Administratively a part of Hazro Tehsil of Attock District, Chhachh is reputed to be the most fertile in Punjab.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sadeed Arif; Amjad Pervaiz; Badshah Sardar |date=2018 |title=Two Colonial Period Hindu Temples at Hazro, District Attock, Punjab, Pakistan |url=https://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/archaeological/PDF/6_V6_18.pdf |journal=Ancient Punjab |volume=5 |pages=96–105}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Peach |first1=Ceri |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iiq_DAAAQBAJ&q=chhachh+region&pg=PA126 |title=Islam in Europe: The Politics of Religion and Community |last2=Vertovec |first2=Steven |date=27 July 2016 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781349256976 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Holland |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L2XOEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA51 |title=Imperial Heartland: Immigration, Working-class Culture and Everyday Tolerance, 1917–1947 |date=2023 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-009-21622-7 |pages=50–51 |language=en}}</ref>
==Etymology== Chhachh has been identified as the Chukhsa country of Gandhara in the Taxila copper plate inscription. The area is mentioned in various epigraphic material, such as the Taxila copper plate inscription, where it is described as a territory of the Scythian ruler Liaka Kusulaka.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title=Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 10, page 115 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?volume=10&objectid=DS405.1.I34_V10_121.gif|url-status=live|access-date=|website=dsal.uchicago.edu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613084535/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?volume=10&objectid=DS405.1.I34_V10_121.gif |archive-date=13 June 2010 }}</ref>
== History == {{See also|Attock#History}}[[File:Gandhara, Alfred Foucher 1905.jpg|thumb|300px|Chach Valley in south Gandhara.]] [[File:Liaka Kusulaka.jpg|thumb|Coin of Liaka Kusulaka, an imitation of coins of Eucratides.]] [[Image:TaxilaCopperPlate.JPG|thumb|Liaka Kusulaka is mentioned in the Taxila copper plate (British Museum).]] Chach has been identified as the Chukhsa country of the Taxila copper plate inscription.<ref name="auto"/> The Chhachh region is located at the historical region of Gandhara Civilization, the ancient Indo-Aryan civilization. Later the region was ruled by Kabul Shahis, followed by Hindu Shahis.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 10, page 115 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?volume=10&objectid=DS405.1.I34_V10_121.gif|access-date=|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref> Many rulers such as Alexander the Great, Mahmud of Ghazni, Timur, Nader Shah and Babur and their armies crossed the Indus River at or about this region in their respective invasions of India.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Attock|volume=2|page=886}}</ref>
A silver jug found at Taxila indicates that Zeionises was the "satrap of Chuksa, son of Manigula, brother of the great king", but who this king was remains uncertain.<ref name="Konow">{{cite book |last=Konow |first=Sten |author-link=Sten Konow |date=1929 |title=Kharoshṭhī Inscriptions: with the Exception of Those of Aśoka |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32007 |location=Kolkata |publisher=Government of India Central Publication Branch |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32007/page/n247/mode/2up 82], [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32007/page/n249/mode/2up PLATE XVI]}}</ref> thumb|center|Indo-Scythian Zeionises. Circa 45–35 to 5 BCE. Uncertain mint in Chukhsa (Chach)
[[File:Indo-Scythian Zeionises. Circa 45-35 to 5 BCE Uncertain mint in Chukhsa (Chach).jpg|thumb|Coin of '''Zeionises''' (c. 10 BCE – 10 CE).<br/>'''Obv:''' King on horseback holding whip, with bow behind. Corrupted Greek legend MANNOLOU UIOU SATRAPY ZEIONISOU "Satrap Zeionises, son of Manigula". Buddhist Triratna symbol.<br/>'''Rev:''' King on the left, receiving a crown from a city goddess holding a cornucopia. Kharoshthi legend MANIGULASA CHATRAPASA PUTRASA CHATRAPASA JIHUNIASA "Satrap Zeionises, son of Satrap Manigul". South Chach mint.]]The Battle of Chach was fought in 1008 AD between the Ghaznavid army of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni and the Hindu Shahi army of Anandapala, resulting in the latter's defeat. The Gakhars became vital in the hills to the east, but their dominion never extended beyond the Margalla Pass. Ghakhars were defeated by the Kashmiri ruler Sultan Shihabu’d-din near Ohind and continued under Kashmiri rule until the conquest of Babur.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hasan |first=Mohibbul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EUlwmXjE9DQC |title=Kashmir Under the Sultans |date=2005 |publisher=Aakar Books |isbn=978-81-87879-49-7 |language=en}}</ref>
The Battle of Attock (also known as Battle of Chuch) took place on 13 July 1813 between the Sikh Empire and the Durrani Empire.<ref>{{harvnb|Cunningham|1918|pp=152–153}}</ref> The battle was the first significant Sikh victory over the Durranis.<ref name=Jaques81>{{harvnb|Jaques|2006|page=81}}</ref>
During British Rule the region became part of Attock Tehsil; the municipality of Attock which was created in 1867 and the North-Western Railway connected the town to Lawrencepur. The town is surrounded by rich cultivation, and from 20th century had a flourishing trade, chiefly in tobacco and sugar.<ref name=":1" />
==Geography== Chhachh is {{convert|7|km|0|abbr=on}} off the Pindi-Peshawar GT road. Chach is on the edge of Punjab's border with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is 20.4 km from Attock city and 22.9 km from Topi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is bounded on the north and west by the Indus River and is about {{convert|19|mi|km}} long (from east to west) and {{convert|9|mi|km}} broad.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0AU5Ics8LL8C&q=chhachh+region&pg=PA64|title=Reservoirs in a Changing World: Proceedings of the 12th Conference of the BDS Held at Trinity College, Dublin, 4-8 September 2002|last=Conference|first=British Dam Society|date=2002|publisher=Thomas Telford|isbn=9780727731395|language=en}}</ref>
Chhachh is a plain which rolls from the Hazara-Punjab hills south to Kamra, and from east of the River Indus to the broken lands near Lawrencepur.
== Notes == <references group="lower-alpha" responsive="1"></references>
==References== {{reflist}} <!--added above categories/infobox footers by script-assisted edit-->
== Sources == {{Refbegin}} *{{cite book |title=A history of the Sikhs: from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej |last=Cunningham |first=Joseph Davey |year=1918 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=London, New york |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.164105 }} *{{cite book |title= Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A-E |last= Jaques |first= Tony |year= 2006 |publisher= Greenwood Press |isbn= 978-0-313-33537-2 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=3amnMPTPP5MC&q=attock }} {{Refend}}
{{coord|24.733|N|68.500|E|region:PK_source:enwiki-uniquenames|display=title}}
{{Attock District}} {{PunjabGeography}}
Category:Regions of Punjab, Pakistan Category:Landforms of Punjab (Pakistan)