Jhelum

Jhelum may refer to two related subjects in the South Asian region: the Jhelum River and the city of Jhelum in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The river is a major watercourse in the Indus River system, rising from Verinag Spring in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It flows through the Kashmir Valley, then enters Pakistan and traverses the Punjab region before contributing to the Indus basin. The Jhelum is approximately 724 kilometers long. In classical sources it is known as Hydaspes, the site of Alexander the Great’s 326 BCE encounter with King Porus.

The lower reaches of the river have been harnessed for irrigation and hydroelectric power. A key infrastructure project is the Mangla Dam, located on the Jhelum in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which creates Mangla Lake and serves water storage and electricity generation. The river’s waters support agriculture and urban water supply in multiple districts along its course and play a significant role in regional water management within the Indus system.

Jhelum is also the name of a city and the administrative center of Jhelum District in Punjab, Pakistan. The city lies on the banks of the Jhelum River and functions as a local commercial and transportation hub, connected by road and rail to other major Pakistani cities. The surrounding district is predominantly agricultural, with urban centers and historical sites that reflect the region’s long history.