Sangla Hill Tehsil

Sangla Hill
Sangla Hill
Tehsil
	Tehsil Sangla Hill
	Hill Of Sangla
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
Towns	15
Government
• MNA	Ch. Muhammad Barjis Tahir (PML (N))
• MPA	Ch. Muhammad Tariq Bajwa
Elevation	297 m (974 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	Up to 200,000
	Combined population of towns & villages
Area code	0563

Sangla Hill (Urdu: سانگلہ ہِل), is a tehsil in the Nankana Sahib District of the Punjab Province of Pakistan.It lies 103 km [64 miles] from the provincial capital of Lahore. The area has a population of more than 2,00,000 Muslim Community, with around 10,000 of the population being Christian and Ahmadi Muslims. A historical place where Alexander had his stay during his march towards central India, and has left the city with his souvenir: a well which still exits and is looked after by the government. The city still has very old building such as a temple which is visible when coming into the city from Faisalabad Road. Sangla Hill city is surrounded by many villages whose residents are mostly Aarein, Jutt, Malik, Butt, Mughal, Ansari, Awaan etc. and a little more minorities. These all people belong to any cast and religion are grace of Sangla city to enhance the brotherhood and mankind behaviour between them to form an exemplary nation. Most of these are the farmers from Sialkot. They migrated from district Sialkot in 1865 and after migration they took initiatives in eradication of jungles and made the land fit for agriculture. The city is surrounded by almost 109 villages. The city is the major market and economic hub of the area.

Geography

The city of Sangla Hill is 20 km south-west of Shahkot and 35 km north-west of Sheikhupura, at 313 metres (1,027 ft) above sea level.^{[citation needed]} On the east side is Safdarabad Road, and on the north side the road to Hafizabad. To the west, the Main Faisalabad Road links to Faisalabad, and on the southern side is Shahkot Road. Sangla Hill has some very old buildings which belonged to Hindu people, who left them in place during the partition of 1947. A Hindu temple is still visible at the side of the Salarwala–Sangla Hill road, just outside the main city. Another such Hindu Temple is at the left side of hussain trust hospital.Land of temple is encroached and temple though intact is hidden behind a high rise building. One more Hindu temple is in the building behind the national bank at Sangla Faisalabad road. Land of this temple is encroached as well and it is barely visible nowadays. Presence of these temples show how much religious tolerance once Sangla Hill enjoyed. These temples are a sign of richness and diversity of the culture of this ancient town. Restoration of these temples can give Sangla Hill its lost historical significance . The main feature of the town is the hill, whose peak is visible from five miles away.

There are two police stations, Sadr and City. The town also has two colleges, one for males and one for females. There are two English-language schools: St. Anthony High School, an international school, and Fauji Foundation Higher Secondary school. The schools have been operating for the past 22 years. A new middle/primary school, Evergreen Grammar School, opened in 2011.

Sangla Hill is built around the Main bazaar and the Committee bazaar, which lie at the heart of the city and form its economic centre. All the city's shops and markets are situated here.

There are several stories of Alexander the Great visiting the hill, spending almost a year at the peak and liking it. At that time the hill was massive. Over time, the hills have almost vanished. For almost 100 km, the land is a perfect plain, with no hills.

Sangla Hill is located in Sandal Bar, an area known for the production of guava, rice, wheat, sugar cane and vegetables. The land is highly fertile and produces high-yield cash crops.

There are 165 villages related to^{[clarification needed]} Sangla Hill. One of them is Marh Baluchan, the homeland of the Bloch tribe. Bhulair Chak 119 is a village which is now included in the city of Sangla Hill along with chack 45 RB, which is on the other side. Longowall is situated on the north-east side. Kotla Kalan Chak 43 is a village on Shahkot Road with a population of about 5000. Hameed Nizami Polytechnic College and a school for Special Children^{[clarification needed]} are only a few hundred metres away from the village. Chahoor Sikhan Chak No. 118 village, situated at right bank of RB (Rakh Branch), is also included in the city now. This village had a Sikh population who left the area. Arains who migrated from East Punjab settled in this village. It has two secondary schools, one for boys and one for girls. Rangal Nangal (Tahir abad) and Moman are large villages situated near the Sangla Hill and most of the inhabitants of Rangal Nangal belongs to Chohan family and remaining are mostly Jutt. Chak Chahoor Mughlian 117 is also near the city. The village has a population of around 5000. Chak Chahoor Muslim 118 is near it too, and also has a population of about 5000.mostly sal jutt family live in iqbal pura migrated from gurdas pur India during partition.

Economy

Agriculture is one of the main sources of employment, the town has been a popular grain market for last 80 years as the town is located in a highly fertile area. The Rakh Branch canal passes near one side of the town and is an irrigation source, the canal passes areas of Salarwala Chak Jhumra and ends at Samundri. Many people commute to work in cities such as Faisalabad or Lahore daily. The HUDA Sugar Mill has been operating since 1980 and provides jobs to three thousand people. Many people make hand woven carpets. However the primary source of income comes from overseas Pakistanis, almost 50% houses in Sangla Hill have at least one person who has gone abroad.

Sports

As elsewhere in Pakistan, Cricket is the game of choice for the majority. Hockey, Basketball, Volleyball and indoor games like Snooker and Billiards are also played. Chess, Badminton and Football are played seasonally. Sangla Hill has produced some gems in sports like… In Hockey: Mr Naeem Tahir Olympian is from Sangla Hill. In Cricket: Naeem Ullah, Shahjahan, Saeed(Late), Raju, Shaban, Adnan, Sufian(Sir G), Dana, DC are master players from Sangla.

Hill Park

The British government had built a railway to carry off the stone from the hill of the city. This tradition continued even after partition. The hill got smaller and smaller and got reduced to the size of a 5 story building. Due to the conservation demands of some locals, government was forced to stop stone cutting from the hill. In 1990-1991, local MNA Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir secured funding from the Punjab government for a recreational park. The park was built around the hill with plantation and rides for children. The park was inaugurated by Member Parliament Barjees Tahir, and further grant was also announced for the park.Recently a contract was completed by the local government in which stairs were built to the top but for hikers there is still the back side of the hill which is very difficult to climb. There is a Mizaar at the hill known as Baba Malkoo ka Mizaar here each year a carnival is held in November in which people from all over the area gather the carnival was held first time in 2001.Children have many playing facilities. The hill top offers a panoramic view of all around green fields and flowing water of Canal Rakh Branch[edit] PoliticsMufti Zafar Ali Nomani (Ex Senator). First Parliamentarian from the town. Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir is very famous politician and was elected four times (three times in a row) as MNA since 1990 from Sangla Hill. Recently, he also won fourth time as Member National Assembly (MNA) in 2008 general election. He belongs to PML(N). In the 2002 elections Mr Shamim Haidar was elected Who was later on designated as Minister of Railway and then as Minister of sports. He belongs to Shahkot: a neighbouring sub-district. In 2008 General election he lost again to Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir.Mr. Munir Ahmed Malik has been elected twice as a Member provincial assembly from PP-139 — Sheikhupura and he belongs to Sangla hill. There are other people who have played an active role in the politics and bringing social balance to Sangla hill. These people include:Ali Imran Ch Ex Tehsil Naib Nazim and his brother Kahlid Mahmood Ch Ex counselor wrd no 6 also played a vital role in politics Ch. Muhammad Jamil (late) Ejaz Hussain Bhatti(Ex- Chairman Sangla hill Baldia) Munir Ahmed Malik (Ex-MPA)[2] Haji Nazir Ahmed(Quid-e-Ghariban), Ex-MPA PP- 139 — Sheikhupura, Punjab Assembly[3] Shiekh Asif Jilani (Ex- MPA PP-139) — Sheikhupura- Punjab Assembly[4] Syed Abdul Latif Ahmad Shah (Ex- MPA PP-139 — Sheikhupura- Punjab Assembly (late))[5] Tariq Mehmood Bajwa, sitting MPA PP-139, — Sheikhupura -Punjab Assembly[6] Zulfiqar Ahmad Awan (Ex- MPA PP-139 — Sheikhupura- Punjab Assembly (late)

Transport

Airport

The closest airport is Faisalabad International Airport, which is approximately 65 km from Sangla Hill through Faisalabad 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), and several private airlines.

Road transport

There are few well-maintained roads in Sangla Hill to connect it with other cities, but it has good links with main roads. There is a link road through Sahianwala Interchange giving access to other cities of the country through the M3 motorway. There is no public bus network in the city, but there are many privately operated rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and tangas.

Rail network

The central railway station is Sangla Hill's main railway station. It was built during the British reign in the 19th century. There are trains to Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar and many more cities and towns in Pakistan. A large amount of cargo is exported and imported into Sangla Hill, with many deliveries each day from all parts of Pakistan.

Education

Government High School No 1 and Government High School No 2 operate under government control, and there are many private schools in the city, including Islamic Public High School, Ever Green Grammar School, Fauji Foundation Higher Secondary School,Allied School,The Educators,Oxford School and many more. Government High School No 1 was started in the city in 1935 and played an important role in the 1947 Independence movement. Fauji Foundation is the leading school of Sangla hill and as well as Lahore board at Matric level. In 2012 its student got 4th position in Lahore board and in 2013 Nashqa Zulfiqar is the student who has got 1021/1050 marks in matriculation. She got 1st position in Lahore board. She belongs to Sangla hill.

Congestion and population pressure

Like rest of the towns of Punjab, Sangla Hill too is facing population pressure. Many families from surrounding villages have migrated here in search of employment and better living conditions . So there is shortage of housing and playing grounds. Streets are narrow and poorly paved . Despite huge explosion in population Government have opened up no new schools colleges and hospitals. There is even a dearth of burying place. A grave yard from pre partition days exists. However it is much congested and much of its land have been encroached by Hussain Trust Hospital and huge bungalows associated with it . Opened on precious government land this trust hospital charges a patient as much as other private clinics do.

Many people however say that this all encroached land 18.5 acres belongs to Guru Nanak.

A school for the deaf and dumb was opened at precious government lands at front of hill park. This school now is doing private educational business. This trust hospital and this deaf and dumb school seems to be nothing more than schemes to engulf government owned public service lands . It is sad irony that Municipal Committee Sangla Hill can not provide playing grounds to minors which you will often find playing in streets . While public service government land remains in the service of few rich and influential people of this town.