Faisalabad

For other uses, see Faisalabad (disambiguation).

Faisalabad فیصل آباد
City District
Clock-wise from top: Faisalabad Clock Tower, Iqbal Stadium, Am-Tex Water Fountain, University of Agriculture, D-Ground Commercial Zone Peoples Colony Sector D, State Life and District Court. Clock-wise from top: Faisalabad Clock Tower, Iqbal Stadium, Am-Tex Water Fountain, University of Agriculture, D-Ground Commercial Zone Peoples Colony Sector D, State Life and District Court.
Country	Pakistan
Region	Punjab
District	Faisalabad District
Autonomous towns	8
Union councils	289
Government
• Type	City District
• District Coordination Officer	Muhammad Amin Chaudhry
Area
• City District	1,280 km2 (490 sq mi)
• Metro	5,856 km2 (2,261 sq mi)
Population  (2010)
• City District	4,177,246
Time zone	UTC+5 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+6 (PDT)
Area code	041
Website	www.faisalabad.gov.pk

Faisalabad, (Urdu: فيصل آباد) formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan.

Also known as Manchester of Asia, Faisalabad remains an important industrial city west of Lahore. The city-district of Faisalabad is bound on the north by the districts of Hafizabad and Chiniot, on the east by Nankana Sahib, on the south by Sahiwal, and Toba Tek Singh and on the west by Jhang.

The city is at a road and railway junction, which has played an influential role in the development of Faisalabad's trade and economy. The surrounding countryside, irrigated by the Lower Chenab River, has seen expanded production of cotton, wheat, sugarcane, vegetables, and fruits, which form 55% of Pakistan's exports. The city is an industrial centre with major railway repair yards, engineering works, and mills that process sugar, flour, and oil seed. Produce includes superphosphates, cotton and silk textiles, hosiery, dyes, industrial chemicals, beverages, apparels, pulp and paper, printing, agricultural equipment, and ghee (clarified butter). Faisalabad is the site of the prestigious University of Agriculture, founded in 1909.

Geography and climate

Main article: Climate of Faisalabad

Faisalabad
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     12     19 4     20     22 7     26     27 12     17     34 18     16     38 23     28     41 27     115     37 27     90     36 27     29     36 24     3.8     33 17     3     27 10     8.6     21 5 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm Source: [http://www.worldweather.org/047/c00898.htmp World Meteorological Organization
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.5     67 39     0.8     71 45     1     80 54     0.7     92 64     0.6     101 73     1.1     105 80     4.5     99 81     3.5     97 80     1.1     96 75     0.1     91 63     0.1     81 50     0.3     71 41 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches

Faisalabad stands in the rolling flat plains of northeast Punjab, between longitude 73°74 East, latitude 30°31.5 North, with an elevation of 184 metres (604 ft) above sea level. The city proper covers an area of approximately 1,230 square kilometres (470 sq mi), while the district covers more than 16,000 square kilometres (6,200 sq mi).

There are no natural boundaries between Faisalabad and adjoining districts. The Chenab River flows about 30 km (19 mi) to the north-west while the River Ravi meanders about 40 km (25 mi) south-east of the city. The lower Chenab canal is the main source of irrigation water, which meets the requirements of 80% of cultivated land. The soil of Faisalabad comprises alluvial deposits mixed with loess having calcareous characteristics, making it very fertile.

Due to its high evapotranspiration, Faisalabad features an arid climate. The climate of the district can see extremes, with a summer maximum temperature 50 °C (122 °F) and a winter temperature of −2 °C (28 °F). The mean maximum and minimum temperature in summer are 39 °C (102 °F) and 27 °C (81 °F) respectively. In winter it peaks at around 17 °C (63 °F) and 6 °C (43 °F) respectively. The summer season starts from April and continues until October. May, June and July are the hottest months. The winter season starts from November and continues until March. December, January and February are the coldest months. The average yearly rainfall lies only at about 300 mm (12 in) and is highly seasonal with approximately half of the yearly rainfall in the two months July and August.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Faisalabad

A PricewaterhouseCoopers study released in 2009, surveying the 2008 GDP of the top cities in the world, calculated Faisalabad's GDP (PPP) at $14 billion. The city was third behind Karachi ($78 billion) and Lahore ($40 billion). Faisalabad's GDP is projected to rise to $87 billion in 2025 at a growth rate of 5.7%, higher than the growth rates of 5.5% and 5.6% predicted for Karachi and Lahore.

The textile industry of Faisalabad constitutes more than 65% of the textile export market of Pakistan, which itself forms 58% of total exports from Pakistan. This makes Faisalabad’s share of total exports from Pakistan more than 40%.

Government

In 2005, Faisalabad was reorganised as a City-District composed of eight autonomous towns:

1. Lyallpur Town
2. Madina Town
3. Jinnah Town
4. Iqbal Town
5. Chak Jhumra Town
6. Jaranwala Town
7. Samundri Town
8. Tandlianwala Town

City of Faisalabad is governed by the City District Government, chaired by the district coordination officer Naseem Sadiq. Since 2009 the government of Punjab has revived the colonial draconian system of commissionaire and enacted a commissionaire for Faisalabad. This has reduced the City District Government power, severely hindering the process of transfer of power to grass-root level.

Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Pakistan

Faisalabad is famous for its Export Quality Textile Products

City	Region	Country	Year
Manchester	England	United Kingdom	1997
Kobe	Hyōgo Prefecture	Japan	2000
Los Angeles	California	United States	2009
Wuhan	Hubei	China	1986
Saint Petersburg	Saint Petersburg1	Russia	1962
Córdoba	Andalusia	Spain	1986
Kanpur	Uttar Pradesh	India	1970

^1 Federal City of Russia

Language

File:Map on Dialects Of Punjabi Language.jpg

Dialects of Punjabi

Further information: Punjabi dialects

As per the 1998 census of Pakistan, Punjabi language is spoken by 95%. City being second biggest and in centre of Punjab province has great variety of Punjabi dialects spoken by different district's people living in the city.

• Majhi or Standard (Majority)
• Pothohari (Rawalpindi and Jehlum's Districts people)
• Pahari (Tehsil Muree, Kotli sattian & AJK's people)
• Dhani (Chakwal district's people)
• Shah puri (Sargodha division's people)
• Jhangochi (Khanewal and Jhang District's people)
• Jangli/Rachnavi (Sahiwal Distrct's people)
• Chenavari(Tehsil Athara Tehsil Jhang's people)
• Thalochi (Bhakkar,Layyah and Muzzaffargarh District's people)
• Hindko (Hazara Division's people)
• Chhachi (Attock Tehsil's people)
• Jandali (Jand Tehsil and Mianwali district's people)
• Multani/Saraiki (Multan and Lodhran districts people)
• Derawali (Rajanpur,Dera Ghazi Khan districts people)
• Riasti (Bahawalpur Lodhran and Rahim Yar Khan districts people)
• Ghebi (Pindi Gheb Tehsil's people)
• Dogri/Darhab (Jammu and Narowal district's people)

Other Languages include:

• Urdu being national language is spoken and understood.
• English is also understood and spoken by the sizable educated people.

Demographics

Sunni Rizvi Masjid, Faisalabad

The city of Faisalabad carried out a census in March 1981 which showed the population of Faisalabad city as 1,092,000, which indicates that growth rate of Faisalabad city is only 3.37 percent per annum. In April 1981 the survey was carried out again which recorded the population to 1,232,000 which made the growth rate approximately 4.6%. Given this growth rate, the population at the end of 1981 was estimated to be 1,240,000.

The emergence of Faisalabad as a major agriculture and industrial center created a great increase in the city's population. From a population of 69,930 in 1941, it rose to 179,000 in 1951, an increase of 152.2% this was mainly due to the settlement of Muslim refugees from East Punjab and Haryana who came from India and settled in Faisalabad. The population rose to a future figure of 425,248 in 1961, an increase of 137.4%. Faisalabad became a record in the demographic history for Pakistan by registering an overall population increase of 508.1% between 1941 and 1961. This record has never been matched by the largest city of Pakistan. In the 1998 census the city population was recorded as 2,009,000, growing at a rate of 21.3% per annum. According to the World Gazetteer, the estimate of the city is expected to have reached 5,000,000 in 2010.

The religion of a majority of Faisalabadites is Islam with small minorities of Sikhs, Christians and Ahmadis. Majority of Muslims belong to Sunni Hanafi school of thought with a significant minority of Shiites.

Culture

Main article: List of places in Faisalabad

The culture of Faisalabad is quite diverse because it is an industrial city and people from all over Pakistan come to the metropolitan area to work in factories.

British built Gumti Water Fountain and the Qaisery Gate, the entrance to the Eight Bazaars

File:Mall Construction Faisalabad.jpg

A new mall currently in development on Sitiana Road

The McDonald's branch near D Ground

Sport

Main article: List of sports venues in Faisalabad

File:Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.jpeg

A test match taking place at Faisalabad's Iqbal Stadium

Cricket, a national sport in Pakistan, is the most popular sport in the city. It is played anywhere a city dweller will find a large piece of land. This is known as Bat aur Gendh. It is played in the narrow by-lanes of the city. Night-time cricket can be seen at weekends when people play brightly lit matches on less-traversed city streets, disused construction sites, parks and several grounds in the district. The oldest and only venue for international cricket matches is Iqbal Stadium. The Faisalabad Wolves, Faisalabad's local team, are based at this venue and often regional matches are played throughout the spring season which draws in plenty of crowds such as Faysal Bank T20 Cup. The ground hosted matches for the 1987 Cricket World Cup as well as the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

Other popular sports in the city are hockey, Weightlifting, association football, Kabaddi, table tennis, billiards and snooker, squash, and horse racing. Sports like badminton, volleyball and basketball have started to gain popularity as western influences have affected the locals. Faisalabad has its own team, called the PMC FC who take part in the Pakistan Premier League. The Punjab Medical College has its own stadium built on its campus to train and host matches for the sport.

The city has facilities for hockey. The Faisalabad Hockey Stadium on Susan Road mostly hosts field hockey matches for most national and some international matches. The stadium has plenty of shops and restaurants which bring a lot of life to the area. A new sports complex is being planned to host athletic and gymnastic matches as well as Olympic training for future Pakistan participation.

PMC Club Athletico Faisalabad is the city's only participant in the Pakistani Premier Football League. Athletico's city rival Panther FC plays in the 2nd Division of Pakistani Football pyramid.

Education

Main article: List of educational institutions in Faisalabad District

File:Agriculture Uni FSD.JPG

University of Agriculture, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities of Pakistan

Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad Campus

The population of Faisalabad has a literacy rate of approximately 58%, with a split of 60% for males and 56% for females (all figures are higher than the national average).

Transport

The State Life Building – Faisalabad Zone

File:Faisalabad M3 Motorway Interchange.jpg

The M3 Motorway has allowed greater logistical networking for the city and transportation of goods

Faisalabad International Airport is approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the city centre and is a major transit point for exporting goods to other parts of Pakistan and abroad. Passenger flights are run by the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Airblue, Aero Asia International and Shaheen Air used to operate from the airport but have suspended operations from Faisalabad. Flights for some domestic and some international destinations are available from the airport. Major flying within Pakistan is towards Karachi, whereas major international destinations are Dubai, Jeddah and Glasgow.

The National Highway Authority has rebuilt and improved the standards of roads to meet international standards and improve logistical networks for freight companies. There is a public bus network as well as private coaches within the city and many privately operated auto-rickshaws and taxis to get around the city. Rental cars are also available.

There are many highways under the control of the National Highway Authority, linking Faisalabad with other cities of the country. The M3 access-controlled motorway connects Faisalabad with the motorway M2 near Pindi Bhattian which furthermore connects with Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Lahore and Multan. There is an expressway which connects Faisalabad with Lahore, Sheikhupura and Mananwala. The city is connected with Sargodha by a highway known as the Sargodha-Faisalabad road. Furthermore, motorway M4 is also under construction which will connect Faisalabad with Multan. The newly furnished Grand Trunk Road, otherwise known as GT Road, is a popular highway that links most parts of Pakistan as well as neighbouring countries. There are several bus operators that offer quick services to the provincial capital, Lahore, as well as Islamabad, Jhang, Multan, Peshawar, Karachi and several smaller localities.

The main railway station was built in the 19th century by the British Empire. Today there are connections available to all parts of Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta, and Peshawar.

Media

File:Hassan Shopping Mall FSD.jpg

Shopping malls are springing up in the city to meet the needs of a trendier generation

The Daily Express, and Daily Dunya are the national newspaper published from Faisalabad. (The Daily Asas used to publish from Faisalabad; it is now published elsewhere.) It is the product of Express Media Group, largely circulating in the Faisalabad Division. The Daily Express started publishing in Faisalabad on 17 September 2002. There are other popular Urdu Faisalabadi newspapers including Daily Permanent News, Daily Shelter, Daily Awam, Daily Aman, Daily Tajarti Rahber, Daily Paygaam, Daily Business Report, Daily Report and the Daily Surrat-E-Haal.

Cinemas have fallen in number in the city since the ban on most Bollywood films. The lack of interest in English and Lollywood-related films has caused many cinema halls to close down and many owners to invest in other forms of entertainment. Punjabi stage dramas are still quite popular among Faisalabadis, and there are still some theatres operating quite successfully. There are many stars in Lollywood that hail from Faisalabad, which draws in the crowds from far and wide. Shows usually take place at night and involve a range of day-to-day topics as well as dances to many types of music from female artists.The DAWN Media Group. State-owned Pakistan Television (PTV) transmits five terrestrial and cable television channels. There also a number of private television channels that have offices in Faisalabad including Express News, Geo TV, Apna Channel and Punjab TV.

Weekly Lyallpur Akhbar is one of the oldest newspapers in district of Faisalabad. As a source of agriculture media this newspaper was established in 1933 and still serving rural and agriculture business communities. Their office is in Killa Gift Fund Trust Building, Inside District Courts of Faisalabad. Bashir Ahmad Mumtaz is publisher and editor of the newspaper.

The radio industry has expanded with a number of private and government-owned FM channels being introduced. The FM radio channels that broadcast in the city include the government-owned Radio Pakistan.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Faisalabad

External links

• Faisalabad Government website
• Punjab Government website
• Faisalabad travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Faisalabad at Curlie