Khari Sharif

Khari Sharif is a a sub-district of Mirpur District, Azad Kashmir. It is located 8km from Mirpur city and is known for housing the Shrine of Sufi Saints known as Baba Pir-e-Shah Ghazi (Damriyan Wali Sarkar). The place acts as a great seat of learning for students of Islam. Darvishs (disciples) of the Saint can be seen today wandering not just in Pakistani Kashmir but throughout Pakistan. Also at Khari Sharif is the Shrine of the Mian Muhammad Bakhsh who wrote the famous tale Sayful Mulūk. This tells of a Prince who fell in love with a fairy called Badi Jamal who he saw in a dream. The story chronicles his travels in search of the fairy and the spiritual lessons he learns on the way. Sayful Muluk is read throughout Azad Kashmir and Pakistan, and even has its own council. This council is headed by the well known Choudhry Karamat Khari, from the village of Pindi Subarwal, about a kilometer from the famous shrines.

The famous political family in the Khari Sharif and all over Azad Kashmir & Pakistan is Choudhry Noor Hussain s/o Late Ch. Neak Alam of Chechiyan. Currently head of this family is former Prime Minster of the Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and MLA of Mirpur city Br. Sultan Mehmood Choudhry.

Another politician to rise from Khari Sharif, more specifically the suburban village of Pothi, which is situated on the outskirts of the constituency is Ch. Muhammad Azam who became an MLA for the Khari Sharif constituency in 1990. After becoming an MLA he was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Ch. Muhammad Azam made history in 1990 by becoming the first person from the Mirpur region to become Deputy Speaker of Azad Kashmir.

In 1991 Ch. Muhammad Azam was appointed as Chairman of the Mirpur Development Authority (MDA). He served as Chairman of the MDA for 5 years until 1996. During this time his most notable achievement was to construct the Quad-e-Azam Cricket Stadium situated in the heart of Mirpur city.

The newly elected MLA of Khari Sharif is Choudhry Rukhsar, who has been the MLA of the area since 2006, and is currently a Minster of the government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. He lives in a small village called Chabrian Gujjran near Afzalpur.

Afzalpur is a beautiful and well known place in Azad Kashmir because of its beautiful location and Government Teachers Training College, Degree College's for the Boys & Girls, High Schools for Boys & Girls, Office of the Union Council, Police Station and much more.

Also close to Khari Sharif is a local trading town called Jatlaan which is situated 3 miles from Khari Sharif and this place is well known for it riches and deals. There is also a religious shrine called Peer-moliya which is located not far from this town, this shrine is dedicated to Islam and it is told that who so ever goes to this shrine with true heart and asks for something their desires will be fulfilled.

Another famous shrine is the one in the village of Samwaal Sharif. Many people visit this shrine in the hope of finding spiritual guidance in troubled times.