Homeland Region
The traditional Sudhan homeland sits in a mountainous belt that includes Poonch, Sudhanoti, Bagh, and adjacent districts. This terrain is characterized by ridges, valleys, terraced fields, and a mix of forest and cultivated land. Historically, such geography made centralized control difficult and favored communities with strong local organization and martial skills.
Although this static site cannot provide live, interactive maps, readers can imagine the Sudhan homeland as part of the broader western Himalayan and Pir Panjal environment, connected by passes and trade routes to Kashmir, Punjab, and what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Major Settlements
Key Sudhan–majority or Sudhan–influenced areas include:
- Parts of the historic Poonch principality.
- Sudhanoti district, whose very name reflects the prominence of the Sudhans.
- Localities in Bagh and Kotli districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
- Urban and peri–urban neighborhoods in Rawalpindi and Islamabad regions.
Beyond these, smaller Sudhan clusters can be found scattered across other regions, often as a result of military service, civil employment, or economic migration.
Population & Diaspora
Precise population figures for Sudhans are difficult to establish, since most censuses do not track biradari or tribal affiliation. Estimates are typically based on local knowledge, electoral rolls, and field work rather than on official ethnic categories.
The Sudhan diaspora has grown significantly since the mid–twentieth century. Many individuals have migrated for work to larger Pakistani cities, the Gulf states, and the United Kingdom in particular. Overseas, Sudhan identity may be expressed through family networks, community associations, and support for politics back in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.