In 1853, after the occupation of Punjab, the British moved in to occupy all the important cities and routes, About 63 km from Rawalpindi one of the British Army officers Major James Abbott came upon a majestic and beautiful valley in the province of Hazara {now in North West Frontier Province of Pakistan}, Majorsaab founded a city with an Army cantonment and later it became one of the Brigade headquarters of the Northern Army of British India, He became its first deputy Commissioner, the city was named after him and became Abbottabad, today it is one of the most beautiful and well kept cities of Pakistan, it is still called by its original name. To understand the importance of Abbottabad we can call it Pakistan's Dehradun. When he was leaving for England, out of his love for the place, Sir James Abbott wrote a poem titled "Abbottabad".......

I remember the day when I first came here
And smelt the sweet Abbottabad air
The trees and ground covered with snow
Gave us indeed a brilliant white glow
To me place seemed like a dream
And far ran a lonesome stream
The wind hissed as if welcoming us
The pine swayed creating a lot of fuss
And the tiny cuckoo sang it away
A song very melodious and gay
I adored the place from the first sight
And was happy that my coming here was right
And eight good years here passed very soon
And we leave our perhaps on a sunny day
Oh! Abbottabad we are leaving you now
To your natural beauty do I bow
Perhaps your wind's sound will never reach my ear
My gift for you is a tear
I bid you farewell with a heavy heart
Never from my mind will your memories thwart.


Abbott---is his name
abad---place of living.



Note: Major James Abbott's House is still there in Abbottabad, it has been kept really well by its occupant.