Poonch is a district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Located in the Pir Panjal range of the western Himalayas, it borders the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan-administered Kashmir to the west and north, while the districts of Rajouri lie to the south and Baramulla to the east. The district headquarters is the town of Poonch, situated on the banks of the Poonch (Pulasta) river.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| Union Territory | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Division | Jammu |
| Headquarters | Poonch (town) |
| Region | Pir Panjal |
| Major river | Poonch (Pulasta) |
| Borders | Line of Control (west, north); Rajouri (south); Baramulla (east) |
| Common languages | Pahari, Gojri, Urdu, Punjabi, Kashmiri |
The district lies in a bowl-shaped valley enclosed by the Pir Panjal mountains. Elevations range from the river valleys around the town of Poonch to high alpine meadows and peaks along the eastern boundary. The Haji Pir Pass, historically a major route between Poonch and the Kashmir Valley, lies along the line dividing the Indian and Pakistani administrations. Forested slopes of deodar, pine and fir are common at middle elevations, while pastures (margs) such as those around Loran and Mandi are used for seasonal grazing by Gujjar and Bakerwal communities.
For administrative purposes the district is divided into tehsils and community development blocks. Major towns and tehsil centres include Poonch (Haveli), Mendhar, Surankote, Mandi and Mankote. The district falls within the Jammu Division of the Union Territory.
Poonch has a long recorded history. References to the area appear in early Sanskrit sources, and the town is associated in tradition with the sage Pulastya, after whom the river is sometimes named. In the medieval period the region was a small principality controlled by local rajas; it later came under Mughal influence, and the Mughal road over the Pir Panjal passed nearby on its route between Lahore and Srinagar.
In the 19th century, Poonch became a jagir within the Dogra-ruled Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir, governed by a collateral branch of the Dogra family known as the Rajas of Poonch. Their seat at Poonch town included a palace and fort that remain prominent landmarks.
At the time of the Partition of India in 1947, Poonch jagir was the scene of significant unrest. The First Kashmir War (1947–1948) saw heavy fighting in and around Poonch; the town was besieged for about a year before being relieved by Indian forces. The 1949 ceasefire line, later formalised as the Line of Control after the 1972 Simla Agreement, divided the historic Poonch region: the eastern portion remained with India and the western portion came under Pakistani administration as Poonch District, Azad Kashmir.
After 1947, Indian Poonch became a district of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Following the reorganisation under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the district became part of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The population is religiously and linguistically mixed, including Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities. Pahari and Gojri are widely spoken, alongside Urdu (the official language of the former state). Gujjar and Bakerwal pastoralists form a distinctive community, practising seasonal migration between the Pir Panjal pastures and lower-altitude winter grounds.
The economy is predominantly agrarian. Maize, wheat, paddy and pulses are grown in the valley, while horticulture (apples, walnuts, almonds) and livestock rearing are important in higher areas. Forestry, small-scale trade, government employment and remittances also contribute. The region's strategic location means that the Indian Army and paramilitary forces have a significant presence, which influences local employment and infrastructure.
Poonch is connected to Jammu by road via the Mughal Road, which crosses the Pir Panjal through Pir Ki Gali and links Poonch with Shopian in the Kashmir Valley during the summer months, and via the Jammu–Akhnoor–Rajouri–Poonch highway. The Mughal Road, revived as a modern highway, has reduced travel time to Srinagar substantially when open. The nearest broad-gauge railway connectivity is at Jammu Tawi.
Poonch's significance arises from its strategic position along the Line of Control, its mixed cultural heritage shared across the Pir Panjal, and its role in the events of 1947–48. It remains both a sensitive border district and a centre of Pahari-Gojri culture in Jammu and Kashmir.