Kotli

Kotli or Cotly, as known in Britain, is the chief town of Kotli District, in the Azad Kashmir. Kotli is linked with Mirpur by two metalled roads, one via Rajdhani, (90 km) and the other via Charhoi. It is also directly linked with Rawalakot via Trarkhal (82 km) and a double road which links Kotli with the rest of Pakistan via Sehnsa, another major town in Azad Kashmir. Kotli is roughly a three hours drive from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, at a distance of 117 km via Sehnsa.HistoryAs stated in History of the Punjab Hill States by J.Hutchinson and J.P. Vogel: "Kotli was founded about the fifteenth century by a branch of the royal family of Raja Mangar Pal. Kotli and Poonch remained independent until subdued by Ranjit Singh in 1815 and 1819 respectively."The royal family of Hutchinson and Vogel are referring to is the family of Raja Mangar Pal. Before its name was Kohtali mean (under mountain) after that people changed its name to Kotli. Kotli is the largest district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.Modern KotliNotatable places in Kotli to visit are Sarda Point, Tinda Rest-House, near river Gori Park, Roli Hills, Butt Fire and Peer Lasura . Today kotli is shaping itself in almost every field of life. Some notable places are Gulhar Colony, Khuiratta, Chowki Tinda, Kurti, Roli, Brali, Dhamol, Qumrooti, Khad Gujran and OLakar village of the late Nambardar Allah Ditta, Sarhota and Samror. The town has become a vision of three-storey mansions that have taken over the once-barren roads between the outer ring villages and the ever-expanding city sitting on the brim of the Poonch River. The most famous and notable buildings are the three Khan-Wali fortresses, Jame Masjid Ghosia Balyah and Tehsil Guest House .