Total population
1,829,811
Dera Ismail Khan District
Dera Ismail Khan is the southernmost district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is bounded on the north by Tank and Lakki Marwat districts, on the east by Mianwali and Bhakkar districts (Punjab), on the south by Dera Ghazi Khan district (Punjab), and on the west by Zhob district of Balochistan. The word “Dera” means “abode or place of residence”; thus Dera Ismail Khan means the abode of Ismail Khan. It is the administrative headquarters of the division and a major agro-industrial and education hub, home to Gomal University and the University of Agriculture, D.I. Khan.
Basic information
Total area
9,334 km²
Administrative units
6 tehsils · 150 village councils · 36 neighborhood councils
Administrative scale
Key indicators
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total population | 1,829,811 |
| Tehsils | 6 |
| Village councils | 150 |
| Literacy rate | 46.58% |
| Total area | 9,334 km² |
Educational institutions
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Schools | 1,600 |
| Colleges | 18 |
Health facilities
| Facility type | Count |
|---|---|
| Government hospitals | 12 |
| Private hospitals | 16 |
| RHC | 3 |
| BHU | 41 |
| Dispensaries | 42 |
| MCH centres | 7 |
Police stations
| Station | Count |
|---|---|
| Police stations (district total) | 19 |
| Total | 19 |
Civil courts
| Tehsil | Courts | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Dera Ismail Khan Tehsil (HQ) | 15–20+ | Multiple Senior Civil Judges + several Civil Judges at district headquarters |
| Kulachi Tehsil | 1 | Civil Judge/JM, with some touring to HQ |
| Paharpur Tehsil | 2 | Additional District & Sessions Judge + Civil Judge/JM |
| Paroa Tehsil | 1 | Civil Judge/JM |
| Daraban Tehsil | 1 | Civil Judge/JM |
| Total civil courts | 27 | District-wide, per recent performance reports; includes civil/family courts under Senior Civil Judges/Civil Judges |
National Assembly constituencies
| Member | Constituency | Name (Party) |
|---|---|---|
 |
NA-43 Tank-cum-Dera Ismail Khan | Mr. Dawar Khan Kundi (IND) |
 |
NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan-I | Mr. Faisal Amin Khan (SIC) |
 |
NA-45 Dera Ismail Khan-II | Mr. Fateh Ullah Khan (PPPP) |
Provincial Assembly constituencies
| Member | Constituency | Name (Party) |
|---|---|---|
 |
PK-111 Dera Ismail Khan-I | Makhdoom Zada Muhammad Aftab Haider |
 |
PK-112 Dera Ismail Khan-II | Ahmad Kundi |
 |
PK-113 Dera Ismail Khan-III | Ali Amin Gandapur |
 |
PK-114 Dera Ismail Khan-IV | Lutf ur Rahman |
 |
PK-115 Dera Ismail Khan-V | Ehsan Ullah Khan |
Priority issues & challenges
1. Road Infrastructure
Nearly 1.2 million (73.4%) residents live in rural areas where inadequate road connectivity continues to restrict access to education, healthcare, agricultural markets, and economic opportunities.
2. Water Crisis
Only 10.2% of households have access to piped drinking water, while groundwater quality studies have identified contamination risks from heavy metals in parts of the district.
3. Healthcare
Healthcare facilities serve a large population, with infrastructure under pressure due to rapid population growth, rural dispersion, and repeated climate-related disasters.
4. Employment Challenges
With 73.4% of the population living in rural areas and limited industrial development, the district faces persistent employment challenges and a shortage of quality jobs for its growing youth population.
5. Environmental Challenges
Recurring floods, deteriorating sewerage infrastructure, and drinking water quality issues remain major environmental challenges, prompting a Rs1.5 billion sewerage rehabilitation programme in Dera city.