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Sialkot

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Sialkot (Urdu/Punjabi: سیالکوٹ) is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in Pakistan at the feet of the snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. Formerly, Sialkot has been the winter-capital of the State of Kashmir. The city is about 125 km (78 mi) north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometres from Jammu. Its diverse district population of 3,500,000 mainly consists of Punjabis with a significant number of migrant Kashmiris and Pashtuns from the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas as well as Afghan refugees. It is one of the major industrial centres of Pakistan and is well-known for its manufacture and export of surgical instruments, musical instruments, sports goods, leather goods, textile products and other light manufactures. A Pakistan Army base (Sialkot Cantonment) is situated adjacent to the city. Considerable development has been taking place in this district and its people are well known for their entrepreneurial qualities. The Sialkot International Airport, Limited (SIAL) and the Sialkot Dry Port serve the Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat region. A University of Engineering Science and Technology Sialkot is being set up in Sialkot by the Government of Pakistan in collaboration with the Government of Sweden. A new Sialkot Lahore Motorway is also under construction.

History

There are various sources tracing the origins of the city of Sialkot but the authenticity of many of these sources varies. The less-reliable historical sources about the origins of the city have been derived from oral traditions based on ancient local beliefs which, most historians concur, are full of inaccuracies, concocted legends and erroneous facts. These are, nonetheless, stated her. More reliable and validated historical references relating to the city date back to 327 BCE in which it has been stated that the city is of Persian and/or Greek origin. Excavations throughout the area have revealed large amounts of Greek coins, ancient temples and several Buddhist stupas. The antiquities of Sialkot have also been discussed by Sir Alexander Cunningham in his Archaeological Survey Reports, II, 21, 22, and XIV, 44 to 47.

Vedic Era

Other references to Sialkot are mentioned in ancient scriptures and oral traditions, these state that Siálkot is believed to have been founded by Raja Sul or Sálá, the uncle of the Pandavas, whose heroic deeds are recorded in the epic Mahábhárta. After his death, some 5000 years ago, there is a tradition that the dynasty continued for some 1500 years. The seasonal stream, known as the Aik Nala, that still flows through the city, has been mentioned in the Upanishads.

In the late Vedic period (c. 1500 - c. 200 B.C.E.), Sákala (Siálkot) was the capital of the Madras (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad).

Sákaladvipa (island of Sákala) was the name of the doáb (land lying between two rivers) between Chandrabhága (Chenab) and Irávati (Ravi). In those early days, Sákala was studded with thick forests and inhabited by a pastoral race called Yahars or Yirs.

Persian-Greek Era

According to the Greek historical texts which bring mention of the city of Sialkot dating back to 327 BCE when the city was known as Sagala, it represented the eastern-most outpost and expansion of the Hellenic Empire created by Alexander the Great which has been cross-correlated to ancient Greek maps of the era and the several monuments found in the Sialkot district. The Greek historians state that the city was one of the most productive and the wealthiest regions of the Achaemenid Empire. The Punjab had earned a reputation as being the richest satrapy (province) of the then Persian Empire.


Sákala or Sagala was the capital, or one of the capitals, of the Indo-Greek Kingdom which broke-away from the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom during the Euthydemid Dynasty, and the residence of Menander I (Milinda) during his reign between 160 and 135 BCE. Shun and Dall were two of the most powerful tribes in Sialkot. Then the country was flooded and remained one vast uninhabited region for about 1000 years.

Scythian-Hun Era

According to Punjabi folk-lore, the early history of Sialkot is closely interwoven with the traditions of Raja Sáliváhan, his son, Raja Rasálu, and his foe, Raja Húdi. A popular belief is that the city was re-founded by Raja Sáliváhan or Sálbán when it became a part of Kashmir under King Sama Dutt. Raja Sáliváhan built a fort (Sialkot Fort)and the city and gave the place its present name. He was of Sia caste (a Jat clan of Scythian origins), and it is believed that the word "Sialkot" means the 'fort of the Sia'. Legend also says that Raja Sáliváhan had two sons: Puran and Rasalu. Puran got punished by his father, Raja Sáliváhan, due the to actions of a wicked stepmother and thrown into a well, still the resort of pilgrims near Sialkot, called "Puran di Khui", (Puran's Well). A mohalla (town) in the city is also named "Puran Nagar". The other son of Raja Sáliváhan, Rasalu, became Raja after the death of Raja Sáliváhan. Attacks from the neighbouring Raja of Jehlum ruined the city. Raja Rasalu got involved in wars with Raja Hudi, popularly stated to have been a Gakkhar chieftain. Being worsted in battle, Rasalu, as the price for peace, was forced to give his daughter in marriage to his conqueror, who gave the territory he had conquered to Rasalu's adopted son. After Rasalu’s death in 400 AD, there are no significant accounts of Sialkot for the next 300 years in the known history except that, after the invasion of the Húnas (Huns or Hephthalites) in the last quarter of the 5th century AD, it became the capital of Toramána and his son Mihirakula until he was defeated by a native Indian Prince, Yasodharman.

In 790 AD, Raja Nairut, supported by the Yousafzai Pashtun tribe, attacked and demolished the city. There is again no mention of Sialkot in the historical texts for a fairly long period after that except that it remained a part of Jammu under the rule of Raja Braham Deo.

Muslim-Mughal Era

Sialkot became a part of the Muslim Sultanate of Delhi when Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Ghauri conquered Punjab in 1185. He was unable to conquer Lahore but left a garrison in Sialkot. Later, Sultan Khusro Malik tried to capture the city but failed to do so. Sialkot then became a part of the Muslim Mughal Empire of India. The Mughal commander, Usman Ghani Raza, advanced towards Delhi by way of Sialkot which capitulated to his armies. During the era of the Mughal Emperor, Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar, the present district of Sialkot formed a part of the Rachna-Bar Sarkar of the Lahore province. Under the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Shah Jahan, Ali Mardan Khan held the charge of Sialkot.

Afghan-Pashtun Era

At the end of the Mughal dynasty, the suburbs and the outlying districts and areas of Sialkot were left to themselves. Sialkot itself was appropriated by a powerful family of Pashtuns from Kandahar, the Kakazai and another family from Kabul, and the sub-mountainous tracts were in the hands of Raja Ranjit Deo of Jammu. In 1748, the four districts of Gujrat, Sialkot, Pasrur and Daska were given to the Afghan ruler, Ahmed Shah Durrani and the area was amalgamated into the Afghan empire. After 1751, Ahmed Shah Durrani left his son, Taimur, to rule Lahore and these districts. During that time, Raja Ranjit Deo of Jammu expanded his domination over the peripheral areas, but the city of Sialkot was not included in it. Afterwards, the city was held strongly by a Pashtun family from Kandahar till the occupation of the Sikhs who ruled for a period of about 40 years followed by the British.

Sikh-British Era

During the decline of the Durrani regime, Sialkot was occupied from the Pashtuns by the Sikhs who had received considerable financial, military and economic assistance from the British in order to push the Afghan's further west. Between 1797 to 1810, Raja Ranjit Singh occupied the Sialkot district. After the death of Raja Ranjit Singh, the British officers were appointed in Sialkot. Sialkot was annexed by the British after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849. The British laid the foundation of the Sialkot Cantonment in 1849 which was completed in 1852. For establishing the Sialkot Cantonment, the British Commander-in-Chief, Sir Lord Napier, surveyed and selected the area between the seasonal streams, Bher Nala and Palkhu Nala, from the point of view of defence. The Area Command laid its foundation in 1852 under the leadership of Major General Angulas. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 it was the scene of heavy fighting, and the Sialkot Fort was used by the Europeans for protection. The native troops plundered the treasury and destroyed all the records.

Murray College, Sialkot was established in 1889. The railway branch from Wazirabad to Sialkot was extended to Jammu in 1890. The Sialkot-Narowal railway line was opened in 1915.

Pakistan Movement Era

The city played an important role during the Pakistan Movement. The national poet of Pakistan who spearheaded the movement for an independent country, Allama Iqbal was born in Sialkot. In May 1944, the historic Sialkot Convention was held here. This convention is widely regarded as the landmark event which catapulted the All India Muslim League into prominence in the British-Indian Punjab. This convention was host to such Muslim League luminaries as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan, Chaudhry Naseer Ahmad Malhi, Khawaja Nazim-ud-Din, Sardar Abd-ur-Rab Nishtar, Mumtaz Ahmad Khan Daultana, Nawab Iftikhar Hussain Khan of Mamdot and Maulvi Tamiz-ud-Din.

Modern Era

After the independence of Pakistan from British rule in 1947, thousands of Muslims from Pathankot and other parts of the Gurdaspur district and East Punjab came to Sialkot as refugees and settled here. Earlier, the Muslim residents of Gurdaspur had believed that their district, with an overwhelming Muslim majority, was to be allocated to Pakistan. However, at the time of the partition of India, the British, in a highly controversial decision, allocated the district to India, allegedly to grant it access to the land route to the princely state of Kashmir. Most of these refugees have since settled and intermarried into the local population. Ever since, Sialkot has gradually become one of the major industrial centres of Pakistan and is well-known for its manufacture and export of surgical instruments, musical instruments, sports goods, leather goods, textile products and other light manufactures. It people have built on their tradition of being hard working, entrepreneurial and progressive.

During the Second Kashmir War in 1965, the Lahore-Sialkot region was attacked by the Indian Army which, despite overwhelming numerical superiority managed only to capture some outlying areas in the sector. The people of Sialkot came out in full force to support the troops of the Pakistan Army to repel the invasion by India.[1] In fact, the armoured battles in the Sialkot sector (especially, the Battle of Chawinda), in 1965, were the most intense since the Second World War [1]. In 1966, the Government of Pakistan awarded 'Hilal-e-Istiqlal' to the citizens of Sialkot, Lahore and Sargodha for their courage and bravery during the 1965 war between Pakistan and India.

Again, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the region witnessed bitter battles, most importantly, the Battle of Basantar in the Sialkot-Shakar Garh area. The major Indian counter-offensive came in this area where, two Pakistani tank regiments, equipped with obsolete Patton tanks, confronted the Indian First Armoured Corps, which was equipped with the then more modern British Centurion tanks. Again, the Pakistan Army and the people of Sialkot earned a mark for their valor in defending against such numerical odds.

Important Personalities

The great Sufi saint of Sialkot, Imam Ali-ul-Haq, better known as Imam Sahib, lived here during the 13th century, during the reign of Feroz Shah Tughlaq (of the Tughlaq Dynasty). He is reputed to have converted a majority of the local population to Islam. Another renowned scholar of Sialkot was Mullah Abdul Hakim who is known in the Middle East as Fazil Lahori. The Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, had him weighed in gold once and in silver twice. He is buried in Sialkot near the old Power House (Bijli Ghar).

Dr. Muhammad Iqbal

Sialkot is the birthplace of the Muslim philosopher, scholar and poet, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, as well as the famous Urdu poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born at Iqbal Manzil. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, another famous poet and writer was also born at Kot Mehrath, Sialkot. Rajinder Singh Bedi famous Urdu writer was also born at Sialkot.

Another prominent figure from Sialkot was the eminent philosopher Professor William Lilly who taught at the Murray College, Sialkot and spent most of his working life there. His book on ethics remains a classic. Professor William Lilly and Dr. Muhammad Iqbal used to act as examiners in philosophy for Punjab University.The eminent orator of Pakistan Syed Faiz-ul Hassan Shah. The famous Indian journalist, Kuldip Nayyar, is the son of Dr. Gurbakhsh Singh who was from Sialkot and used to practice medicine in the city’s Trunk Bazar. The famous Indian politician and twice Prime Minister of India, Gulzari Lal Nanda, also came from Sialkot. The first foreign minister of Pakistan and a world-famous jurist, Chaudhry Zafarullah Khan, belonged to tehsil Daska, Sialkot. Zulfikar Ghose, famous English writer was also born at Sialkot.

Dr. Qamar Tabish (1930 - 2001), a multi-dimensional personality, better known as a physician, mystic poet, scholar and painter who contributed a lot to the Urdu and the Persian poetry, religion and painting hailed from Sialkot. He is also remembered as a great devotee of Mohammad (peace be upon him) - the Prophet of Islam.

Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi was also born at Sialkot. One of the founding figures of Pakistan, Chaudhry Naseer Ahmad Malhi, also hailed from an area near this city. It was due to his association with the city that the famous Sialkot Convention of the All-India Muslim League was held here. Another well-known personality from Sialkot is Inayat Ullah Choudhary (1905-1974) who participated, actively, in the Pakistan Movement. Khawaja Muhammad Safdar was a former acting President of Pakistan and Chairman of the Majlis-e-Shoora. Former speaker of National Assembly, Chaudhry Amir Hussain is also from Sialkot.

In the Civil Service of Pakistan, a few names distinguishably surface which belonged to Sialkot. Ejaz Naik, Secretary Commerce, Niaz Naik, Secretary Foreign Affairs and Riaz Naik, Chairman CBR. Famous bollywood hero Rajendra Kumar was also born at Sialkot.

Sialkot is not only famous and internationally recognised for its sports industry, the world-famous sports legends like cricketers Zaheer Abbas, Ijaz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Zahid Fazal, Ijaz Butt, Abdur Rehman and Hockey team captains and players of Pakistan including Shahnaz Sheikh, Manzoor Hussain, Nasir Ali, Tariq Sheikh, Asif Bajwa and Kamran Ashraf also hail from this city. Chacha Cricket, a world-known cricket fan also belongs from Sialkot. In journalisam, Khalid Hasan, Professor Waris Mir and his son, Hamid Mir, are notable.

Important sites

Map of Sialkot City

The old city has a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and crowded bazaars. Down a small side street in the old part of the city is the shrine of Hazrat Imam Ali-ul-Haq Imam Sahib. The path leading to the tomb is often lined with numerous prostrating pilgrims. The mausoleum complex is a maze of narrow corridors leading to several shrines of saints. The tomb of Imam Ali-ul-Haq is to the right, through a mirrored gateway tiled with Koranic inscriptions and geometric designs. The courtyard is a fascinating place to sit and absorb the atmosphere. To the rear is a small graveyard where drumming, devotional singing and dancing takes place. The market outside is very photogenic and a large flat roof at the entrance to the shrine offers a panoramic view of the deals being struck.

On a low hill in the centre of the old city are the few remains of the Sialkot Fort. The shrine of the saint Muradia Shah is also on the hill.

Puran's Well is a famous historical site located just outside the city of Sialkot. According to Mutiny in Sialkot there were remains of Puran's tomb extant in 1857, but now there is no tomb except for a small building, a small place for worship and a running well.

File:Sialkot Fort Sketch.jpg
Sealkote Fort, 1862 sketch by A. H. Hope Wedderburn (1823-1900)

Other places of interest include the tombs of the great Muslim scholars, Mian Abdul Hakim on Khadim Ali Road and Hafiz Muhammad Alam, in Jamia Hanfia near Do Darwaza (the name of one of the gates of the once walled city).

Also of interest is the birth place of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) which has been turned into a small museum containing some of his personal belongings and a library and named as Iqbal Manzil (Iqbal House).

The Connelley Park, named after a British Deputy Commissioner of Sialkot), was converted to [Jinnah Stadium (Sialkot)] in 1979 and was formally inaugurated in 1984. Near Jinnah Stadium is located the famous Murray College which was established in 1889. Its alumni include Dr Muhammad Iqbal and Faiz Ahmad Faiz.

Sialkot has two main parks, Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Parsur Road and Sialkot Park on Kashmir Road and Jail Road. More than a century old Company Bagh is located on Ghazanvi Road in Sialkot Cantonment.

On Zafarwal Road is located a famous Sikh Gurdwara Bari Sahib. Every year, many Sikh pilgrims come to visit here. Also located in the cantonment area is the famous Holy Trinity Cathedral Church (Sialkot Cathedral) build in 1852. The most famous square of Sialkot city is Chowk Allama Iqbal, previously known as Drumman-wala Chowk. Here, the famous Shaheen monument is located to pay tributes to Dr. Muhammad Iqbal. Near the Allama Iqbal Chowk is located the biggest grand mosque, Jamia Masjid Donga Bagh. One of its three minarets is the tallest land mark in Sialkot. Some other famous city squares are the Beriwala Chowk, Rangpura Chowk, Dara-Araian, Imam Sahib Chowk, Shahab Pura Chowk, Sublime Chowk, and Anwar Khawaja Chowk. Famous bazaars are Bazar Kalan, Trunk Bazar, Tehsil Bazar, Lahai Bazar and Saddar Bazar. In Saddar Bazar is located the famous Clock Tower. The Sialkot Railway Station, Sialkot Junction, is situated on the Railway Road near the Allama Iqbal Chowk.

Paris Road used to be a fashionable area of Sialkot where rich and fashionable Hindus lived before partition. The most wonderful residence on Paris Road belonged to the famous Hindu barrister, C. Roy, which was converted to the official residence of the sessions judge in Sialkot after the formation of Pakistan. At the farthest end of the Paris Road, near the seasonal stream, Bher Nala, there were two enormous homes, both owned by Hindus, which were taken over by the government and turned into the official residences of the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent Police after the partition of British India. Also located on the Paris Road is the Memorial Christian Hospital Sialkot which was established in 1880. Because of the location of offices of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Paris Road is now called Saharah-i-Aiwan-i-Sanat-o-Tijarat.

Industry

File:Football sialkot.jpg
Football Industry

Papermaking in Sialkot dates back to the time of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and it was Raja Man Singh who, as the Governor of Kabul, initiated the industry. Sialkoti paper, also known as Man Singhi paper, was famous all over the world.

As with industrial clusters elsewhere in the world, the birth of Sialkot’s surgical industry can partly be explained by what Paul Krugman [U.S. economist] calls an "historic accident". The Damascene craftsmen of Sialkot (koftgars or koftars) were famous during the Mughal period for their fine swords and daggers, but the introduction of rifle in 1857, put them out of work. The opportunity for alternative work arose in 1905, when some broken equipment at the American Mission Hospital in Sialkot afforded a chance to adopt their skills. Encouraged by the hospital staff, they gradually started manufacturing replicas of originals. Before long, orders were received from other mission hospitals in British India. By 1920, Sialkot was exporting to all parts of the British empire including Afghanistan and Egypt and was later selected for supplying surgical instruments for the Allied forces in World War II. The Metal Industries Development Centre (MIDC) was established in 1942 to act as a supply and inspection agency for the Allied forces. Although the surgical instruments manufacturing factories were mostly owned by Hindus, the craftsmen were mostly Muslim and the industry was not affected by the partition of British India. At present, the surgical instruments manufacturing industry in Sialkot is one of the world's largest surgical instruments manufacturing industrial clusters second only to Tuttlingen, Germany. However, the quality of workmanship and raw materials are the issues that have been hindering the progress of this niche industry which is also likely to face increasing pressures from the rapid advances in the field of surgery (e.g., minimally-invasive endoscopic surgery).

According to a myth, the sport goods industry started in Sialkot because an English man broke his tennis racket and, since an immediate replacement was not possible, he asked a local to repair it. The man did a perfect job and the sports goods manufacturing industry took root in Sialkot. Recorded history of the industry goes back to 1895 when the city started becoming famous for its tennis racquets. By 1903, cricket bats were being crafted from imported English willow and exported to different parts of South Asia and beyond. In 1922, a local manufacturer was awarded the British Empire Export Award for supplying footballs to the British Army. Over the years the industry grew to include a variety of wood and leather-based sports equipment, and diversified into related industries such as sports apparel and riding equipment and even the Scottish bagpipes. International collaborations with the well-known sports brands like Adidas (Germany), Puma (Germany), Nike (USA), Dita (UK), Slazenger (UK - owned by Puma now) do exist but the issue of 'child labour' in this, predominantly, manual labour-oriented industry remains a controversial factor which has, sometimes, led to a lost of market share to the new entrants in the sports goods industry in Thailand, Korea and China. Other important industries includes Leather Tanneries, Leather Garments, Musical Instruments, Sportswear, Gloves, Badges and Cutlery. These are all export oriented and fetch billions of dollars every year as foreign exchange.

SIALKOT MEGA PROJECTS

Marala Headworks

Marala Headworks is located on the Chenab river about 20 km from Sialkot. Two major water canals originate at the Marala Headworks - the Marala-Ravi Link Canal and the Upper Chenab Canal. Planning of the Mangla Marala Link Canal is in the pipeline. Headworks Marala is also a picnic spot.

Sialkot Lahore Motorway

A 6-lane motorway from Sialkot to Lahore, the two important industrial centers of Punjab, has been planned which will give impetus to economic activities in the province. The proposed motorway will pass through Gujranwala and will be linked with Wazirabad, Muridke and other industrial centers through highways. Gujrat will be linked with the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway by constructing a bridge on the Chenab river near Shahbazpur. This motorway will be called "Shahrah-e-Sanat". It will reduce the distance between Sialkot and Lahore to just 45 minutes. The purpose of the mega project is to facilitate export of products grown or produced in Punjab which will have a positive impact on the country’s economy. The project will be completed by the end of 2010.

Sialkot International Airport

The Sialkot International Airport is located near Sambrial. It has the longest runway in Pakistan. It is managed by a private limited company SIAL. It has started functioning in 2007 and will be fully operationl in 2008. Direct international flights will be available from Dubai, Manchester, Qatar and Kuwait from mid of 2008.

Sialkot Dry Port

The Sialkot Dry Port has the honor to be the first-ever private-sector dry port in Asia. It was established in 1986 near Sambrial, about 20 km from the Sialkot city under the control of the Sialkot Dry Port Trust. It is located at the junction of the major industrial cities of Pakistan, e.g., Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Daska and Wazirabad. It is the busiest dry port of Pakistan. It is mainly an export-oriented port.

University of Engineering Science and Technology Sialkot

The University of Engineering Science and Technology (UEST) at Sialkot will be established in collaboration with Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology. It will be established on under construction Sialkot-Lahore Motorway and will also have a technology park. The Government of Pakistan, through the Higher Education Commission (HEC), will finance and build the campus while the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Sweden will be responsible for the provision of technical support which includes course contents specification, university management, human resource development and education quality control. The campus and laboratories will be built according to the Swedish institute’s specifications. The land has been acquired for the university in Sialkot.

Fatima Jinnah Women University Sialkot Campus

A sub campus of Fatima Jinnah Women University is being established at Sialkot starting from 2008. The sub campus of the FJWU at Sialkot will be established on a 200 acre land with a cost of Rs 300 million.

Sialkot Medical College

Sialkot Medical College was established in 2002 with a sanction of Rs.750 million. 30 seats were allocated for the year 2003 in Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore to be shifted to Sialkot Medical College in 2004. However, because of local politics, the project was shelved. In April 2007, President of Pakistan again announced immediate construction of a Medical College in Sialkot but the project is still in the pipeline. Temporary project office has been established at the Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital Sialkot which will also be the attached teaching hospital.

Sports

File:Sialkot Stallions.gif
Sialkot Stallions Logo

Sialkot cricket team is called Sialkot Stallions. It was national champion in 2005-2006 and won Quaid-i-Azam TrophyGolden League . It was runnerup in 2006-2007. Sialkot Stallions also won ABN-AMRO Pakistan (Twenty20 Cup) in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. Its home ground is Jinnah Stadium (Sialkot). According to latest Twenty 20 international ranking, Sialkot Stallions are at 2nd position, only one point behind Victorian Bushrangers, (Victoria, Australia).

Sialkot also annually hosts Allam Iqbal Open Golf Championship at the Sialkot Golf Club. An international-level Sialkot Hockey Stadium is also under construction at Pasrur Road adjacent to Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park Sialkot.

Sialkot is not only famous and internationally recognized for its sports industry, but the world-famous sports legends like the crickters Zaheer Abbas, Ijaz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik (Pakistan Cricket Captain), Zahid Fazal, Ijaz Butt, Abdur Rehman and the players and captains of the national hockey team of Pakistan including Shahnaz Sheikh, Manzoor Hussain Junior, Nasir Ali, Tariq Sheikh, Asif Bajwa and Kamran Ashraf also hail from this city. Mazhar Farid Qurashi (Ex Captain) of Pakistan National Vollyball team is also from Sialkot. Pakistan National Vollyball team always has 2-3 players from Sialkot. Famous football clubs are Cresent FC and Capital FC. CTI High School Sialkot was one of the pioneers of Basketball in Pakistan. CTI produced some of Pakistan’s finest basketball players, including Wallace Badruddin. Bodybuilding and Weightlifting are also among popular sports in Sialkot.

Brief Description

Sialkot district is spread over an area of 3,016 square kilometres and comprises the following four administrative units (tehsils).

  1. Sialkot
  2. Daska
  3. Sambrial
  4. Pasrur
  • Gujrat (district) and Jammu & Kashmir (former princely state of British India) lie in the north of Sialkot whereas Gujranwala (district) is situated on its west and Narowal (district) in the south.

Climate and General Soil Conditions

Sialkot District is cold during winters and hot and humid during summers. June and July are the hottest months. The temperature during winter may drop to 4C. The land is, generally, plain and fertile. The average annual rainfall is about 1000 mm (almost exactly the same as of Washington, DC). Most of the rain falls during monsoon season in summer which often results in flooding.

District at a Glance

  1. Population = 3.5 Million
  2. Area (Square Kilometers) = 3016
  3. Population Density (per square km) = 1160
  4. Tehsils = Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur.
  5. Main Towns = Daska, Pasrur, Kourpour, Goddpur, Bhopalwala, Ugoki, Chowinda, Begowala, Kotli Loharan, Sambrial, Kamanwala
  6. Main Educational Institutes = University of Engineering Science and Technology Sialkot,Murray College, Jinnah Islamia College, Allama Iqbal College, Degree college for Women Katchery, Degree college for Women Khadim Ali Road, Degree college for Women Daska Road, Government College of Commerce, F G Degree College, Army Public College, APWA College for Women, Government Polytechnic Institute, Fatima Jinnah Women University Sialkot Campus, Leadership college, Punjab college
  7. Main Schools = List of Schools in Sialkot
  8. Main Crops = Wheat and Rice.
  9. Main Fruits = Guava and Citrus
  10. Main Vegetables = Potato, Turnip, Garlic, Cauliflower, Peas, Onion.
  11. Forest Area (Acres) = 15,078
  12. Total Metalled Roads (km) = 12295
  13. Electric Power Grid Stations = 12
  14. Telephone Exchanges = 45
  15. Industrial Units = 3229
  16. Most Expensive Real Estate = Aziz Shaheed Road Commercial Patch, Cantonment
  17. Major Industries & Products = Sports Goods, Leather Tanneries, Leather Products, Leather Garments, Rubber Tyres/Tubes, Surgical Instruments, Cutlery, Locks, Hand Tools, Musical Instruments, Ready-made Textile Garments, Hosiery Products, Embroidered Badges, Silk & Gilt Cords, Flags, Banners, Pennants, Beverages & Processed Fruit Juices, Ice Cream & Dairy Products, Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Sanitary Fittings, Sanitary Ware, Earthen Ware, Flour Mills, Rice Mills, Sugar Mills, Vegetable Ghee/Cooking Oil Mills, Iron & Steel Re-Rolling Mills, Diesel Engines.
  18. Major Hospitals = Government Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital, Government Sardar Begum Memorial Hospital, American Mission Hospital, Islam Central Hospital, Sialkot Medical Complex.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ K Conboy, "Elite Forces of India and Pakistan" ISBN 1-85532-209-9, page 9

External links

Template:PakistanTopics

32°30′N 74°32′E / 32.500°N 74.533°E / 32.500; 74.533

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