Peshawar City Information
Peshawar; the city of proud Pakhtoons, the capital of the NWFP, is a frontier town, the meeting place of the subcontinent and Central Asia. It is also a place where ancient traditions rub against those of today, where the bazaar in the old city has changed little in the past hundred years except to have a modern university, some first-class hotels, several international banks and one of the best museums in Pakistan. Peshawar is located around 172 km (107 miles) west of Islamabad by road and around half an hour by air lines.
No other city is quite like old Peshawar. The bazaar within the walls is like an American Wild West movie costumed as a Bible epic. Pashtun tribesmen stroll down the street with their hands hidden within their shawls, their faces half obscured by the loose ends of their turbans. With his piercing eyes and finely chiseled nose, the Pakhtoon must be the handsomest man on earth. Afghan traders, stride proudly past in their huge black and white turbans. Overlooking all are the massive Bala Hisar Fort, still a military installation and the elegant Mahabat Khan Mosque still a place of prayer.
On the other side of the railway line is the cantonment, its tree lined streets wide and straight as they pass gracious administrative buildings and spacious bungalows commanding equally spacious gardens. Further west is University Town, Peshawar's newest section and the site of Peshawar University. Even further west is the sprawling township of Hayatabad edged by the Karkhano Markets (Industrial Markets) containing smuggled goods ranging from detergent bars to Hi-Fi Stereo Systems.
History
The fortunes of Peshawar are inextricably linked to the Khyber Pass, the eastern end of which it guards. The pass seems to have been little used in prehistoric times, and even in early historic times it was generally shunned as too narrow and thus too prone to ambush. Not until the powerful Kushans invaded Gandhara and pacified the area in the first century AD did the Khyber become a popular trade route. Since then, many emperors and rulers have ruled over this place and during this time, Peshawar has had as many names as its rulers. Moghul emperor Akbar, formally gave the city the name Peshawar which means "The Place at the Frontier". Earlier it had been known as the "City of Flowers" and the "City of Grains".
Peshawar owes its founding 2,000 years ago to these same Kushans. In the second century AD, Kanishka, the greatest of the Kushan kings, moved his winter capital here from Pushkalavati, 30 kilometres (20 miles) to the north. His summer capital was north of Kabul at Kapisa, and the Kushans moved freely back and forth through the Khyber Pass between the two cities, from which they ruled their enormous and prosperous empire for the next 400 years.
After the Kushan era, Peshawar declined into an obscurity not broken until the 16th century, following the Moghul emperor Babur?s decision to rebuild the fort here in 1530. Sher Shah Suri, his successor (or, rather, the usurper of his son?s throne), turned Peshawar?s renaissance into a boom when he ran his Delhi-to-Kabul sultanate through the Khyber Pass. The Moghuls turned Peshawar into a flowers? city (one of the meanings of its name) by planting trees and gardens. In the 16th and 17th Centuries, the Moghul emperors filled Peshawar with garden mosques and monuments rivaling those in Delhi and Lahore. But the Moghuls were not able to keep control over much of the Pashtun territory beyond the Peshawar valley. Moghul emperor Aurangzeb lost the Peshawar valley to a Pashtoon Poet warrior Khushal Khan Khattak in the 1680s.
In 1818, Ranjit Singh captured Peshawar for his Sikh Empire. He burned a large part of the city and felled the trees shading its many gardens for firewood. The following 30 years of Sikh rule saw the destruction of Peshawar?s own Shalimar Gardens and of Babur?s magnificent fort, not to mention the dwindling of the city?s population by almost half. Now, little remains of the glorious pieces of architecture and the beautiful gardens.
The British caused the Sikhs and occupied Peshawar in 1849 but, as much as Sikh rule had been hated, its British replacement aroused little enthusiasm. More or less continuous warfare between the British and the Pathans necessitated a huge British garrison. When the British built a paved road through the Khyber Pass, they needed to build numerous forts and pickets to guard it.
The British made Peshawar their head quarters. Edwardes College was established in 1855 as a boarding school and Islamia College in 1913. After partition, the founding of the Peshawar University in 1950 (with Islamia College as its nucleus) kicked off the cities? growth westwards out to the Jamrud Road.
Places in Peshawar
The Old City
The best reason to visit Peshawar is the Old City. It is filled with shouts of vendors and mule drivers, choked with tongas, rickshaws, motorcycles, bullock carts, and a fascinating parade of different people. Its meandering streets branch out into tiny dark passages full of overstuffed shops. From the cantonment, the old city is reached through the Khyber Bazar. Khyber Bazaar, full of doctors, lawyers and dentists, features billboards depicting sets of false teeth of nightmarish proportions. This is also the bus terminal for the Khyber Pass and for Kohat. Kabuli Gate, one of the walled city?s 16 gates, is at the end of Khyber Bazaar. (The wall survived until the mid-1950s, and though the names remain, the gates and the wall have, for the most part, disappeared.) This gate used to lead out into the Khyber and onto Kabul.
Qisa Khawani Bazaar
Extending from west to east in the heart of the city is the romantic 'Street of Story-tellers' - the Qissa Khawani Bazzar. In olden days, this was the site of camping ground for caravans and military adventures, where professional story-tellers recited ballads and tales of war and love to throngs of traders and soldiers. Today the story-tellers are gone but the atmosphere lingers on. Bearded tribesmen bargain with city traders over endless cups of green tea. Fruit stalls look small colourful pyramids. People from everywhere throng the crowded street. Afghans, Iraqis, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Afridis, and Shinwaris move around with ease and grace in their colourful native robes and run shoulders with the Western tourists-lost in a world so different, so enchanting.
Qissa Khwani (Story-tellers) Bazaar was described in the mid-l9th century by British Commissioner in Peshawar Sir Herbert Edwardes as ?the Piccadilly of Central Asia?. Here perhaps visiting travelers or the relaxing townsmen were regaled with stories by professional story-tellers, in the evening, in the many tea-shops. Hence the name Qissa Khwani (story telling). The tea-shops still adorn the bazaar front with their large brass samovars and numerous hanging teapots and tea-cups, though the legendary story-tellers are nowhere to be seen. Towering over the street are tall, narrow buildings with intricately carved balconies and window frames enclosing wooden shutters. Here you find many of Peshawar?s cheaper hotels and, in the evening, food stalls selling excellent kebabs and fry-ups. Meat is sold by weight and then cooked while you watch.
Brass and copper shops are in the street to the left (northwest) at the end of Qissa Khwani. These sell a range of new and old wares. The Peshawar Pottery is down a side street on the left, immediately after the brass shops. The wide range of ornamental and utilitarian pottery is glazed in strong earth colors. Tinsmiths work in the street leading to the pottery, using traditional methods to coat brass pots with tin to prevent the brass from poisoning food.
Bazaar Bater-bazan
'The Street of Partridge Lovers' lies on the left hand corner of Qissa Khawani Bazaar. It derives its name from the bird-market which stood here till a few decades ago and has now been replaced by stores and shops selling exquisitely engraved brass and copper ware. However, a single bride shop still remains as a long reminder of the not too distant past.
Other Bazaars
Back on the main street and beyond the copper market are shops selling blankets and shawls from the valleys of Swat and Kaghan. Made of hand-spun wool, they are predominantly red and black, with brightly patterned borders. The lane to the right (southeast), opposite the street to the pottery, leads to the cloth bazaar. Beyond that is the basket bazaar, which is full of baskets from Dera lsmail Khan, at the southern tip of the province. Here, also, is the Banjara Bazaar, which specializes in unusual decorative items such as bells, wooden beads and hair braids. The Peepul Mundi here, the main grain wholesale market, is named after a Peepul tree which was believed to be descended from the tree under which Buddha preached.
Chowk Yadgar
The Chowk Yadgar was erected in the memory of Colonel C. Hastings in 1892 AD by his friends. The chowk is in the city which is venue of all types of meetings which are held in Peshawar. Previously, there used to b e a domed structure here and now a modern concrete structure has taken its place. The main street from Peepul Mandi leads towards Chowk Yadgaar after passing through the Bird Market; where song birds are sold as pets in small cages, as in China. To the left are more cloth shops selling all types of chader?s (multi-purpose sheets) and block prints. Chowk Yadgaar is old Peshawar?s central square. The monument in the center commemorates the heroes of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War and is the traditional place for assembling political rallies and demonstrations.
On the left (west) side of the square, money changers squat on hand-knotted carpets with their safes behind them and their pocket calculators at the ready. They will change any currency (illegally), but will accept only large notes.
Andar Shahr Bazar
From Chowk Yadgaar are two interesting walks, one to the west and the other to the east. Running off the square to the west is the Andarshahr (Inside City) Bazaar, a narrow street of gold and silversmiths selling jewelry (both tribal and modern), antique silver, old coins and military buttons and buckles. Shopkeepers will ply visitors with cups of sweet green tea brewed in huge copper samovars here.
Mohabbat Khan Mosque
Mahabat Khan Mosque is at the top of the hill to the right (north), its entrance is a narrow gateway between the jewelry shops. Built in the 1670s, this beautifully proportioned Moghul structure, named for a regional governor who served under both Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, is orthodox in design. Its open courtyard has an ablution pond in the middle and a single row of rooms around the sides. The prayer hall occupies the west side flanked by two tall minarets. According to the turn-of-the-century Gazetteer for the NWFP, the minarets were frequently used in Sikh times ?as a substitute for the gallows?. A fire that raged through the Andarshahr Bazaar in 1895 failed to destroy the mosque thanks only to the unremitting efforts of the faithful. The interior of the prayer hall is sheltered beneath three low fluted domes and is lavishly and colorfully painted with floral and geometric designs.
Mochi Lara Bazar & Ghr Khatri
In the alleys south east is the Mochi Lara, or the "Leather Bazar", and the Sabzi Mandi, "The Vegetable Bazar". Further ahead is the Meena Bazar. The Meena Bazar is a labyrinth of shops full of faceless, gliding burqa clad women. Half a km up is a great gate into a run down compound called Ghor Khatri.
East of Chowk Yadgaar is the fruit and vegetable stalls and an alley full of hardware shops. Further Beyond is the Cunningham Clock Tower. It was built in 1900 ?in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen Empress? but is named after Sir George Cunningham, who came along somewhat later: Cunningham started his Asian career as the political agent assigned to North Waziristan (in the Tribal Areas) and advanced to become governor of the NWFP in 1937-46 and again after Independence in 1947-8.
The Gor Khatri is a large Moghul caravanserai crowning the hill at the top end of Sethi Street. A huge Moghul gateway leads into a courtyard over 200 meters (650 feet) square, which was once surrounded on all four sides by rooms for travelers. In the second century AD, it was a Buddhist shrine and monastery known as the Tower of Buddha?s Bowl. With the decline of Buddhism, it became a Hindu shrine, and in Moghul times Shah Jahan?s daughter built a mosque here and surrounded it with the caravanserai. The Sikhs knocked down the mosque during their 19th-century rule and replaced it with a temple to Gorakhnath. This still stands in the southeastern corner of the courtyard, with a shrine to Nandi beside it. The Sikhs closed the caravanserai and installed their governor in the compound. Since that time it has housed a police post and other government offices.
Bala Hisar Fort
Built on a raised platform from the ground level, the Bala Hisar Fort stands at the north-western edge of the city. the original structure was raised in 1519 AD during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Babar. It was reconstructed in its present form by Sikhs who ruled over Peshawar valley between 1791 and 1849 AD.
Following the Katchery Road from Chowk Yadgaar leads to a row of shops selling holsters for guns and bandoleers for ammunition. Here, brooding over the highway to the north and the old city to the south squats the Bala Hisar Fort, which was built by the Sikhs in 1834 on the site of Babur?s earlier fort. The army still uses it, so it is closed to the public. However, visitors can obtain permits to visit it.
The Peshawar Museum
A red bricked Victorian Hall across the tracks from the old city, it has a good collection of Gandharan Art. Situated on the Grand Trunk Road in the Cantonment area, the museum houses a rich treasure of art, sculpture and historical relics, particularly of the Gandhara period (300 BC - 300 AD). The pieces on show at the museum include Graeco-Buddhist stone and stucco sculpture, gold, silver and copper coins, antique pottery, armour, old manuscripts, Buddha images, terra-coat plaques, antiques of ivory, shell and metal and a replica of the famous casket which contained the relics of Lord Buddha.
Smugglers Bazar
The place for contraband used to be Landi Kotal at the Khyber Pass, where smugglers from Afghanistan and the Tribal areas (Which have few import/customs duties) sell their western goodies, safely behind the tribal areas exempt from Pakistan Law. Now, Landi Kotal has come to Peshawar in the form of Karkhano Market, some kilometers beyond Hayatabad on Jamrud road adjacent to the boundary of the tribal areas. Don't expect turbanned merchants in tents, this is like a mini Hong Kong Bazar, with bright shops full of refrigerators, VCR's, and other electrical equipment. There is even a Marks & Spencer there. Safe enough in daylight, but at night, police can't help you out there.
In short, the variety of craft in which Peshawar excels even today is amazing and this is a part of the city's character often eclipsed by its martial tradition.
Tatara Park
Located in Phase I of Hayatabad, this park has evolved a lot from being just a simple garden lawn with man made lakes to a theme park. It is filled to the brim with different people during weekends or when the weather becomes suitable, this park is a splendind place to spend some time.
Naran Bagh
Situated close to Tatara Park, Naran Bagh is probably the largest Park in Peshawar. It houses a small zoo with rare birds and some other animals. Unlike Tatara Park, Naran bagh authorities have probably decided to keep the park more beautiful by working on splendid gardens. Now, situated close to the Naran Bagh is a sports complex which is home to cricket, hockey, football grounds and also tennis, squash, badminton courts. There is also a swimming pool here visited mostly by the city's elite.
Army Stadium
Obviously, this park is owned by the Army and the army does all the development here. Army stadium provides different forms of entertainment for both Kids and adults. Kids can play around in the theme park area whereas adults can have a stroll in the shopping arcade. Even the theme park is famous amongst the adults mainly for the "Pirate Boat". Behind the park is the stadium itself in which various activities are organised. Just recently, in 1999, this stadium was renamed to Kernel Sher Stadium in memory of Kernel Sher Shaheed who was martyred in the Kargil war with India. This stadium hosts the annual Sanati Numayish or "Industrial Exhibition" in which many goods are sold at cheap prices. Also featured here every year is a circus which has gained much popularity amongst the youth. Other National events are also held over here.
Food & Restaurants
Chapli Kebabs
Available almost everywhere, but the real flavour of these Chapli Kebabs lie in the restaurants of Landi Kotal.
Namak Mandi
Situated in the city besides the Shoba Bazar, this place has gained popularity amongst both the locals and visitors. It is full with restaurants serving what pashtuns love the most, i.e., Meat. Its Tikka and Karhayi dishes are worth eating. The whole market is filled with the aroma of barbecued Tikkas of Sheep and Lambs (Mutton). Just passing through the market is a very difficult thing to do because the very aroma is irresistable and it lures you to eat before you leave the place.
Chinese Food
The chinese food is famous here among the cities elite and there are a few restaurants situated along the Mall. Probably the most famous of them is the Hong Kong restaurant.
As one goes out of Peshawar to the South, the country is green but as it gradually goes further, it is dominated by barren hills and dry mountsains. The desolate salt range is alien and forbidding, but has its own fascination. In summers, the dry white powdery salt looks almost like wind blown snow. The landscape becomes more flat and greener towards Bannu.
No other city is quite like old Peshawar. The bazaar within the walls is like an American Wild West movie costumed as a Bible epic. Pashtun tribesmen stroll down the street with their hands hidden within their shawls, their faces half obscured by the loose ends of their turbans. With his piercing eyes and finely chiseled nose, the Pakhtoon must be the handsomest man on earth. Afghan traders, stride proudly past in their huge black and white turbans. Overlooking all are the massive Bala Hisar Fort, still a military installation and the elegant Mahabat Khan Mosque still a place of prayer.
On the other side of the railway line is the cantonment, its tree lined streets wide and straight as they pass gracious administrative buildings and spacious bungalows commanding equally spacious gardens. Further west is University Town, Peshawar's newest section and the site of Peshawar University. Even further west is the sprawling township of Hayatabad edged by the Karkhano Markets (Industrial Markets) containing smuggled goods ranging from detergent bars to Hi-Fi Stereo Systems.
History
The fortunes of Peshawar are inextricably linked to the Khyber Pass, the eastern end of which it guards. The pass seems to have been little used in prehistoric times, and even in early historic times it was generally shunned as too narrow and thus too prone to ambush. Not until the powerful Kushans invaded Gandhara and pacified the area in the first century AD did the Khyber become a popular trade route. Since then, many emperors and rulers have ruled over this place and during this time, Peshawar has had as many names as its rulers. Moghul emperor Akbar, formally gave the city the name Peshawar which means "The Place at the Frontier". Earlier it had been known as the "City of Flowers" and the "City of Grains".
Peshawar owes its founding 2,000 years ago to these same Kushans. In the second century AD, Kanishka, the greatest of the Kushan kings, moved his winter capital here from Pushkalavati, 30 kilometres (20 miles) to the north. His summer capital was north of Kabul at Kapisa, and the Kushans moved freely back and forth through the Khyber Pass between the two cities, from which they ruled their enormous and prosperous empire for the next 400 years.
After the Kushan era, Peshawar declined into an obscurity not broken until the 16th century, following the Moghul emperor Babur?s decision to rebuild the fort here in 1530. Sher Shah Suri, his successor (or, rather, the usurper of his son?s throne), turned Peshawar?s renaissance into a boom when he ran his Delhi-to-Kabul sultanate through the Khyber Pass. The Moghuls turned Peshawar into a flowers? city (one of the meanings of its name) by planting trees and gardens. In the 16th and 17th Centuries, the Moghul emperors filled Peshawar with garden mosques and monuments rivaling those in Delhi and Lahore. But the Moghuls were not able to keep control over much of the Pashtun territory beyond the Peshawar valley. Moghul emperor Aurangzeb lost the Peshawar valley to a Pashtoon Poet warrior Khushal Khan Khattak in the 1680s.
In 1818, Ranjit Singh captured Peshawar for his Sikh Empire. He burned a large part of the city and felled the trees shading its many gardens for firewood. The following 30 years of Sikh rule saw the destruction of Peshawar?s own Shalimar Gardens and of Babur?s magnificent fort, not to mention the dwindling of the city?s population by almost half. Now, little remains of the glorious pieces of architecture and the beautiful gardens.
The British caused the Sikhs and occupied Peshawar in 1849 but, as much as Sikh rule had been hated, its British replacement aroused little enthusiasm. More or less continuous warfare between the British and the Pathans necessitated a huge British garrison. When the British built a paved road through the Khyber Pass, they needed to build numerous forts and pickets to guard it.
The British made Peshawar their head quarters. Edwardes College was established in 1855 as a boarding school and Islamia College in 1913. After partition, the founding of the Peshawar University in 1950 (with Islamia College as its nucleus) kicked off the cities? growth westwards out to the Jamrud Road.
Places in Peshawar
The Old City
The best reason to visit Peshawar is the Old City. It is filled with shouts of vendors and mule drivers, choked with tongas, rickshaws, motorcycles, bullock carts, and a fascinating parade of different people. Its meandering streets branch out into tiny dark passages full of overstuffed shops. From the cantonment, the old city is reached through the Khyber Bazar. Khyber Bazaar, full of doctors, lawyers and dentists, features billboards depicting sets of false teeth of nightmarish proportions. This is also the bus terminal for the Khyber Pass and for Kohat. Kabuli Gate, one of the walled city?s 16 gates, is at the end of Khyber Bazaar. (The wall survived until the mid-1950s, and though the names remain, the gates and the wall have, for the most part, disappeared.) This gate used to lead out into the Khyber and onto Kabul.
Qisa Khawani Bazaar
Extending from west to east in the heart of the city is the romantic 'Street of Story-tellers' - the Qissa Khawani Bazzar. In olden days, this was the site of camping ground for caravans and military adventures, where professional story-tellers recited ballads and tales of war and love to throngs of traders and soldiers. Today the story-tellers are gone but the atmosphere lingers on. Bearded tribesmen bargain with city traders over endless cups of green tea. Fruit stalls look small colourful pyramids. People from everywhere throng the crowded street. Afghans, Iraqis, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Afridis, and Shinwaris move around with ease and grace in their colourful native robes and run shoulders with the Western tourists-lost in a world so different, so enchanting.
Qissa Khwani (Story-tellers) Bazaar was described in the mid-l9th century by British Commissioner in Peshawar Sir Herbert Edwardes as ?the Piccadilly of Central Asia?. Here perhaps visiting travelers or the relaxing townsmen were regaled with stories by professional story-tellers, in the evening, in the many tea-shops. Hence the name Qissa Khwani (story telling). The tea-shops still adorn the bazaar front with their large brass samovars and numerous hanging teapots and tea-cups, though the legendary story-tellers are nowhere to be seen. Towering over the street are tall, narrow buildings with intricately carved balconies and window frames enclosing wooden shutters. Here you find many of Peshawar?s cheaper hotels and, in the evening, food stalls selling excellent kebabs and fry-ups. Meat is sold by weight and then cooked while you watch.
Brass and copper shops are in the street to the left (northwest) at the end of Qissa Khwani. These sell a range of new and old wares. The Peshawar Pottery is down a side street on the left, immediately after the brass shops. The wide range of ornamental and utilitarian pottery is glazed in strong earth colors. Tinsmiths work in the street leading to the pottery, using traditional methods to coat brass pots with tin to prevent the brass from poisoning food.
Bazaar Bater-bazan
'The Street of Partridge Lovers' lies on the left hand corner of Qissa Khawani Bazaar. It derives its name from the bird-market which stood here till a few decades ago and has now been replaced by stores and shops selling exquisitely engraved brass and copper ware. However, a single bride shop still remains as a long reminder of the not too distant past.
Other Bazaars
Back on the main street and beyond the copper market are shops selling blankets and shawls from the valleys of Swat and Kaghan. Made of hand-spun wool, they are predominantly red and black, with brightly patterned borders. The lane to the right (southeast), opposite the street to the pottery, leads to the cloth bazaar. Beyond that is the basket bazaar, which is full of baskets from Dera lsmail Khan, at the southern tip of the province. Here, also, is the Banjara Bazaar, which specializes in unusual decorative items such as bells, wooden beads and hair braids. The Peepul Mundi here, the main grain wholesale market, is named after a Peepul tree which was believed to be descended from the tree under which Buddha preached.
Chowk Yadgar
The Chowk Yadgar was erected in the memory of Colonel C. Hastings in 1892 AD by his friends. The chowk is in the city which is venue of all types of meetings which are held in Peshawar. Previously, there used to b e a domed structure here and now a modern concrete structure has taken its place. The main street from Peepul Mandi leads towards Chowk Yadgaar after passing through the Bird Market; where song birds are sold as pets in small cages, as in China. To the left are more cloth shops selling all types of chader?s (multi-purpose sheets) and block prints. Chowk Yadgaar is old Peshawar?s central square. The monument in the center commemorates the heroes of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War and is the traditional place for assembling political rallies and demonstrations.
On the left (west) side of the square, money changers squat on hand-knotted carpets with their safes behind them and their pocket calculators at the ready. They will change any currency (illegally), but will accept only large notes.
Andar Shahr Bazar
From Chowk Yadgaar are two interesting walks, one to the west and the other to the east. Running off the square to the west is the Andarshahr (Inside City) Bazaar, a narrow street of gold and silversmiths selling jewelry (both tribal and modern), antique silver, old coins and military buttons and buckles. Shopkeepers will ply visitors with cups of sweet green tea brewed in huge copper samovars here.
Mohabbat Khan Mosque
Mahabat Khan Mosque is at the top of the hill to the right (north), its entrance is a narrow gateway between the jewelry shops. Built in the 1670s, this beautifully proportioned Moghul structure, named for a regional governor who served under both Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, is orthodox in design. Its open courtyard has an ablution pond in the middle and a single row of rooms around the sides. The prayer hall occupies the west side flanked by two tall minarets. According to the turn-of-the-century Gazetteer for the NWFP, the minarets were frequently used in Sikh times ?as a substitute for the gallows?. A fire that raged through the Andarshahr Bazaar in 1895 failed to destroy the mosque thanks only to the unremitting efforts of the faithful. The interior of the prayer hall is sheltered beneath three low fluted domes and is lavishly and colorfully painted with floral and geometric designs.
Mochi Lara Bazar & Ghr Khatri
In the alleys south east is the Mochi Lara, or the "Leather Bazar", and the Sabzi Mandi, "The Vegetable Bazar". Further ahead is the Meena Bazar. The Meena Bazar is a labyrinth of shops full of faceless, gliding burqa clad women. Half a km up is a great gate into a run down compound called Ghor Khatri.
East of Chowk Yadgaar is the fruit and vegetable stalls and an alley full of hardware shops. Further Beyond is the Cunningham Clock Tower. It was built in 1900 ?in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen Empress? but is named after Sir George Cunningham, who came along somewhat later: Cunningham started his Asian career as the political agent assigned to North Waziristan (in the Tribal Areas) and advanced to become governor of the NWFP in 1937-46 and again after Independence in 1947-8.
The Gor Khatri is a large Moghul caravanserai crowning the hill at the top end of Sethi Street. A huge Moghul gateway leads into a courtyard over 200 meters (650 feet) square, which was once surrounded on all four sides by rooms for travelers. In the second century AD, it was a Buddhist shrine and monastery known as the Tower of Buddha?s Bowl. With the decline of Buddhism, it became a Hindu shrine, and in Moghul times Shah Jahan?s daughter built a mosque here and surrounded it with the caravanserai. The Sikhs knocked down the mosque during their 19th-century rule and replaced it with a temple to Gorakhnath. This still stands in the southeastern corner of the courtyard, with a shrine to Nandi beside it. The Sikhs closed the caravanserai and installed their governor in the compound. Since that time it has housed a police post and other government offices.
Bala Hisar Fort
Built on a raised platform from the ground level, the Bala Hisar Fort stands at the north-western edge of the city. the original structure was raised in 1519 AD during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Babar. It was reconstructed in its present form by Sikhs who ruled over Peshawar valley between 1791 and 1849 AD.
Following the Katchery Road from Chowk Yadgaar leads to a row of shops selling holsters for guns and bandoleers for ammunition. Here, brooding over the highway to the north and the old city to the south squats the Bala Hisar Fort, which was built by the Sikhs in 1834 on the site of Babur?s earlier fort. The army still uses it, so it is closed to the public. However, visitors can obtain permits to visit it.
The Peshawar Museum
A red bricked Victorian Hall across the tracks from the old city, it has a good collection of Gandharan Art. Situated on the Grand Trunk Road in the Cantonment area, the museum houses a rich treasure of art, sculpture and historical relics, particularly of the Gandhara period (300 BC - 300 AD). The pieces on show at the museum include Graeco-Buddhist stone and stucco sculpture, gold, silver and copper coins, antique pottery, armour, old manuscripts, Buddha images, terra-coat plaques, antiques of ivory, shell and metal and a replica of the famous casket which contained the relics of Lord Buddha.
Smugglers Bazar
The place for contraband used to be Landi Kotal at the Khyber Pass, where smugglers from Afghanistan and the Tribal areas (Which have few import/customs duties) sell their western goodies, safely behind the tribal areas exempt from Pakistan Law. Now, Landi Kotal has come to Peshawar in the form of Karkhano Market, some kilometers beyond Hayatabad on Jamrud road adjacent to the boundary of the tribal areas. Don't expect turbanned merchants in tents, this is like a mini Hong Kong Bazar, with bright shops full of refrigerators, VCR's, and other electrical equipment. There is even a Marks & Spencer there. Safe enough in daylight, but at night, police can't help you out there.
In short, the variety of craft in which Peshawar excels even today is amazing and this is a part of the city's character often eclipsed by its martial tradition.
Tatara Park
Located in Phase I of Hayatabad, this park has evolved a lot from being just a simple garden lawn with man made lakes to a theme park. It is filled to the brim with different people during weekends or when the weather becomes suitable, this park is a splendind place to spend some time.
Naran Bagh
Situated close to Tatara Park, Naran Bagh is probably the largest Park in Peshawar. It houses a small zoo with rare birds and some other animals. Unlike Tatara Park, Naran bagh authorities have probably decided to keep the park more beautiful by working on splendid gardens. Now, situated close to the Naran Bagh is a sports complex which is home to cricket, hockey, football grounds and also tennis, squash, badminton courts. There is also a swimming pool here visited mostly by the city's elite.
Army Stadium
Obviously, this park is owned by the Army and the army does all the development here. Army stadium provides different forms of entertainment for both Kids and adults. Kids can play around in the theme park area whereas adults can have a stroll in the shopping arcade. Even the theme park is famous amongst the adults mainly for the "Pirate Boat". Behind the park is the stadium itself in which various activities are organised. Just recently, in 1999, this stadium was renamed to Kernel Sher Stadium in memory of Kernel Sher Shaheed who was martyred in the Kargil war with India. This stadium hosts the annual Sanati Numayish or "Industrial Exhibition" in which many goods are sold at cheap prices. Also featured here every year is a circus which has gained much popularity amongst the youth. Other National events are also held over here.
Food & Restaurants
Chapli Kebabs
Available almost everywhere, but the real flavour of these Chapli Kebabs lie in the restaurants of Landi Kotal.
Namak Mandi
Situated in the city besides the Shoba Bazar, this place has gained popularity amongst both the locals and visitors. It is full with restaurants serving what pashtuns love the most, i.e., Meat. Its Tikka and Karhayi dishes are worth eating. The whole market is filled with the aroma of barbecued Tikkas of Sheep and Lambs (Mutton). Just passing through the market is a very difficult thing to do because the very aroma is irresistable and it lures you to eat before you leave the place.
Chinese Food
The chinese food is famous here among the cities elite and there are a few restaurants situated along the Mall. Probably the most famous of them is the Hong Kong restaurant.
As one goes out of Peshawar to the South, the country is green but as it gradually goes further, it is dominated by barren hills and dry mountsains. The desolate salt range is alien and forbidding, but has its own fascination. In summers, the dry white powdery salt looks almost like wind blown snow. The landscape becomes more flat and greener towards Bannu.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2009
Islamabad City Information
HistoryIslamabad is the beautiful city and capital of Pakistan having population of 524,500 located at North East of its twin city Rawalpindi. This is the first city in Pakistan, which is properly planned. There are all the facilities of modern life. Its perfect atmosphere and geographical position makes it more attractive for the tourists. As it is properly planned and well constructed city of the country so it is also grooming in real estate industry. It is divided into sectors for the utility of public. Therefore, life here is very enjoyable. Several places are worth visiting in Islamabad like:
Faisal Mosque
Damn-e-Koh
Shakerpariyan
Pirsuhawa
Rawal Lake
Islamabad is well known for IT solutions. There are numerous software houses, which are giving significant amount of revenue to government and paying their pivotal role in the economic growth of the country. Software houses and other IT institution along with other government and private sectors departments are giving jobs to youth of country and thus minimizing joblessness in the country. Islamabad being modern city is the trendsetter in fashion and entertainment industry of the country. Some major companies include:
Small And Medium Microfinance Investment Companies: -
McDonald’s
Touchstone And Ora-Tech Technologies
Media Linkers Pvt Ltd
Askari Financing And Leasing
D. Watson Pvt Ltd
Ahmed And Co Barristers
Mobilink
Ufone
Telenor
Warid
Touchstone And Ora-Tech Technologies
Media Linkers Pvt Ltd
Askari Financing And Leasing
D. Watson Pvt Ltd
Ahmed And Co Barristers
Mobilink
Ufone
Telenor
Warid
Zong.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009
Nankana Sahib City Information
Nankana Sahib, also known as Raipur is a City in the province of Punjab. Located at 31°26'51N 73°41'50E - about 75 kilometres west of Lahore and about 55 kilometres East from Faisalabad,[1] with a population of almost 160,000 [2], it is also the capital of Nankana Sahib District. It is known as the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, and is a popular pilgrimage site.Holy places
The town has nine gurdwaras including the Gurdwara Janam Asthan which marks the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev. Each of the gurdwaras is related with important events in Guru Nanak's life. Annually, approximately 25,000 Sikh pilgrims visit the town[3], with about 15,000 gathering during the peak season around the birthday celebrations of Guru Nanak.
Administration
The area around Nankana Sahib was formerly a tehsil of Sheikhupura District. In May 2005, the provincial government decided to raise the status of Nankana Sahib to that of a district [4] as a way of promoting development in the area. Now Nankana Sahib is a District.
Development
The state government has developed plans [5] to develop Nankana Sahib with various projects including a rest house for Sikh pilgrims, a new hotel, a shopping mall, a housing scheme, a modern hospital and a roadlink to the Lahore and Faisalabad dual-Carriage way. A trans-national bus link is proposed that would operate between Nankana Sahib and Amritsar of Indian Punjab.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2009
Hyderabad City Information
HYDERABAD is 164 km north of Karachi the second largest city in Sindh and 5th largest in Pakistan. Hyderab ad was capital of Sindhh between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Founded in 1768 on the site of the ancient town of Nirun-Kot by Ghulam Shah Kalhora, Hyderabad was laid out by his son,Sarfaraz Khan, in 1782 and was the capital of the emirs of Sindh. The British East India Company occupied Hyderabad when the Sindh became a British protectorate in 1839. From 1947 to 1955 Hyderabad was the capital of Sindh Province.Hyderabad was incorporated as a municipality in 1853.Today newly developed settlements and industrial estates surround the congested old city area.In the old city, buildings are topped by badgirs ("wind-atchers") that look like chimneys on roof tops.They catch the cool breezes which blow steadily in a south-west direction for 40 days from late April each year. Hyderabad is hot for most of the year,although in autumn and winter the temperature dips down to around 24 C . In the old sections of the town, cows still roam the streets giving it a distinctly medieval atmo.FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2009
Jhang City Information
The city of Jhang was built in 1288 by Rai Sial with the advice of Hazrat Shah Jalal Bukhari (his peer). The first ruler of Jhang was Mal Khan in 1462. Sial tribe ruled this city for 360 years and the last ruler of the Sial Tribe was Ahmad Khan from 1812 to 1822 before the Sikhs took over. And from the rule of the Sikh, Jhang was taken over by the British.Jhang is more famous for its people than for its products. The Jhangvis are hardy peasants, healthy, tall, strong and of whitish complexion. The people live in the plains and therefore are plain and straight-forward, broad minded, hospitable and progressive. Jhang is the centre of a purely agricultural based society. Agriculture is the chief source of income and employment in Jhang. About 85 percent of the Jhang’s cultivable land is irrigated. Wheat and cotton are the principal crops. Other crops grown include rice, sugarcane, corn (maize), oilseeds, fruits, and vegetables. Livestock and poultry are also raised in large numbers in district Jhang.
Jhang is characterised by extreme climate - the temperature is generally hot, with marked variations between summer and winter. The monsoon reaches the area exhausted and therefore the rainfall is quite meager. There is also occasional rain during the winters. The summer may be somehow discomforting, but for the greater part of the year the climate is ideal and invigorating. The best part of the year is from the middle of February to the middle of April, which is the spring in the Jhang. It is neither cold nor hot but simply pleasant and enjoyable. The entire district-side becomes a vast stretch of greenery. The mustard fields are covered with yellow flowers, trees put on new leaves, fruits begin to blossom and there are flowers every where.
Jhang is connected by road or railway to some main cities of the country. Multan Sargodha road passes through the centre of the city. It is on this road that I used to travel from Multan to come to Mandi Bahauddin during my long stay in Multan. And, that is when I got acquainted with the place.
Every time I passed through the city, I was reminded of Heer Ranjha - the story performed in the form of an opera as well as a ballet and sung by youth and vocalists. This is a part of our literature heritage. Heer was the daughter of a feudal landlord Chuchak Sial who lived in a village in the suburbs of Jhang. Before Heer’s sacrifice for Ranjha, she proved herself to be a very courageous and daring young girl. It is said that Sardar Noora from the Sambal clan, had a really beautiful boat made and appointed a boatman called Luddan. Noora was very ruthless with his employees. Due to the ill treatment one day Luddan ran away with the boat and begged Heer for refuge. Heer gave him moral support as well as shelter. Sardar Noora was enraged at this incident. He summoned his friends and set off to catch Luddan. Heer collected an army of her friends and confronted Sardar Noora. When Heer’s brothers learnt of this incident they told her, “If a mishap had befallen you why did not you send for us?” To which Heer replied, “What was the need to send for all of you? Emperor Akbar had not attacked us.” It is the same Heer who, when she in love with Ranjha, sacrifices her life for him and says, “Rangha Rangha kardi ni mein aape Rangha hoi, menu Heer na aakhe koi (Ranjha, Ranjha all time I myself have become Ranjha. No one should call me Heer, call me Dheedho Ranjha.)
Heer Ranjha is the most famous true love story of the South Asian history. Similar to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet it tells a story of two lovers “Heer” and “Ranjah”; whose families were in conflict with one another and became separated for many years. Heer is known to have been an extremely beautiful woman with a wealthy father named “Chuchak.” Ranjha was the youngest of four brothers, all of which were married except him. In his late teens he set of to find work in a distant village where he found Chuchak who offered him a job to take care of his cattle. Having met Ranjha, Heer became mesmerised by the way he played the flute and eventually fell in love with him. They would meet each other secretly for many years until they were caught by her parents and found who Dido really was. Heer was married against her will to another man, while Ranjha was left broken hearted and left to walk the quiet villages on his own until eventually met Gorak, a Jogi (devoted believer in God). Having entering Gorak’s Tilla (Shrine), Dido could only see his departed lover and being emotionally scared he voluntarily became a Yogi. Reciting the name of the lord on his travels around the Punjab he found the village of “Kher” where he was reunited with his devoted lover. They both escaped and came back to Heer’s Village, where her parents agreed to their marriage and end the conflict between the two families. The marriage preparations went well but on the wedding day, Heer’s jealous uncle, “Kedoh” (who was a limp having been beaten by Ranjha’s brothers many years earlier) poisoned her so the wedding wouldn’t take place. Having heard the news Dido rushed to aid Heer but was too late as she died in his arms, but tragically becoming broken hearted once again, Dido also died holding Heer to his chest. Now only the poet’s poetry remains in everlasting remembrance for no one has written such a beautiful Heer as Waris Shah.
But there is no “romance” left in the sleepy and dusty district headquarters Jhang. Those who take chance through the rustic city have to muscle their way to the city through waves of Tongas, rickshaws, donkey and bullock carts and lines of vendors selling gandeerian. And that is the first taste (and smell) of the city. Jhang is so full of animal transport that its avenues are like roads of respiratory illness and fatal accidents. Over crowding, population increase, litter, power outages and water shortages have all played a part in turning small hamlet, founded by the Sials in early thirteenth century, into a teeming sprawling slum. Rai Sial would not be able to recognize the city if he comes back. A short walk in the city reveals the neglect of all concerned. First thing a city needs is a By Pass.
Lalamusa-Sargodha-Khanewal railway is a profitable rout that passes through Jhang. At present only one Peshawar-Karachi train - Chenab Express - runs on this route. It could be useful to introduce at least one more Peshawar-Karachi express train for passengers, agricultural products produced in the area. Moreover, this track is strategically important in case of any threat to Peshawar-Lahore-Karachi main railway track. In that case, Lalamusa-Sargodha-Khanewal rail route could take all the rail traffic.
Chiniot City Information
HistoryChiniot has ancient origins, with some scholars linking it to a town mentioned in Rig Veda. A town called Channiwat is also mentioned by Al-Beruni. The first Mughal Emperor Babur put a special note on this historical place in his book. We find the town's name in the writings of Chinese historians as the Chinese traders used the Chenab and Jhelum river routes for trade purposes. The town housed one of the three ancient universities of the Punjab (the other two being at Ajodhan and Taxila). The area of Chiniot and the waves of Chenab have seen ages and civilizations. The ancient mounds and ruins in the surroundings of Chiniot suggest the oldest settlements of Aryans, Buddhists, Greeks and the Hindu-Muslim periods spread over hundreds of years. Greek Age (328 BC) objects like toys, broken earthenware, domestic utensils and coins were also discovered In 1999 from the hills near Chiniot.
A pictographic-writing found carved on these hills has close resemblance with the pictographic-writings found at Harappa and Moenjodaro sites. Many a times the city was built and ruined by various invaders and warriors. The first authentic source of history dates back to 326 BC when Alexander army conquered the region of Chiniot which was taken over by Chandar Gupt Maurya two years later who ruled over the place till 30 BC. Others who ruled Chiniot were Raja Chach (712 AD), Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi (1010 AD), Mehmood Ghauri (1206 AD), Slave Dynasty (1218 AD), Zaheer-u-Din Babar (1528-1540 AD), Sher Shah Suri and Jahangir (1605 -1627 AD). Chiniot was also conquered by Gandha Singh. and eventually Ranjit Singh took over Chiniot in 1805, and thereafter in 1849 the British took control of the city.
Muhammad Bin Qasim was the first one who raised the flag of Islam in this area in 712 AD. However, the most prosperous days of Chiniot were during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, and the elegant Shahi Mosque was built during this period.
MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2009
Rawalpindi City Information
Rawalpindi city, also known as Pindi, has a history spread over several millenniums extending to the ancient times corresponding with the decaying period of Buddhism to the invasions of the Macedonians and then to the dawn of the Muslims era. The long spells of darkness overcast the history of the religion as well as the city before Muslims conquest.Archaeologists believe that a distinct culture flourished on this plateau as far back as 3000 years. The material remains found on the sight of the city of Rawalpindi prove the existence of Buddhist establishment contemporary to Taxila but less celebrated than its neighbors.
It appears that the ancient city went into oblivion as a result of the Hun devastation. the first Muslim invader, Mahmood of Ghazni (979-1030 AD), gifted the ruined city to a Gakkhar Chief, Kai Gohar. the town, however, being on invaders' route, could not prosper and remained deserted until Jhanda Khan, another Gakkhar Chief, restored it and gave the name of Rawalpindi after the village Rawal in 1493 AD.Rawalpindi remained under the rule of Gakkhars till Muqarrab Khan, the last Gakkhar ruler, was defeated by Sikhs in 1765 AD. Sikhs invited traders from other places to settle here. This brought the city into prominence. Sikhs lost the city to British in 1849 AD.
Following the British occupation in 1849, the city became permanent cantonment of the British army in 1851. It was around 1881 that the railway line to Rawalpindi was laid. The train service was formally inaugurated on January 1, 1886. The need for having railway link arose after Lord Dollhouse made Rawalpindi the headquarters of the Northern Command. And, Rawalpindi became the largest cantonment in the South Asia.Rawalpindi, after independence of 1947, has been the home of various political powers and important events that shaped the future of the country. This included the unfortunate murder of First elected prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali khan, in the Liaquat Garden, in 1951. Rawalpindi has the long time honor of having Army headquarter . Now the Airforce headquarter has also moved here.
The famous Murree road has been the hot spot for the various political and social events. In 2004 Murree road will have its first underpass to decrease the enormous traffic load it faces, every day. The sites proposed for these flyovers and underpasses are Committee chowk, Sixth road and Mareer chowk.Nala Lai, famous for its floods, runs in the middle of the city, dividing it into city area and Cantt. area. History describes Nala lai water pure enough to do washing clothes but now it has become polluted with the waste water from all sources including factories and houses.
With historical buildings and bazaars, vast parks and high hills and chilling winter and hot summers, Rawalpindi has proven its status as the MUST visit place.TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2009
Multan City Information
Multan
Multan is a city in south central Punjab province. It is built just east of the Chenab River. About 966 km from Karachi and more or less right in the center of the country lie the ancient city of Multan. Multan, the 'City of Pirs and Shrines' is a prosperous city of bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly designed tombs.
Detailed History Of Multan
Isolated remains of Homo Erectus in has been found indicating that Pakistan might have been inhabited since at least the Middle Pleistocene era. The precise date of these remains is unclear, and archaeologists put it anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000 BCE. The fossils are the earliest human remains found in South Asia. Modern humans arrived from Africa after their evolution about 70,000 to 31,000 years ago and settled in South Asia.
The original inhabitants of ancient Multan region, and rest of ancientPakistan, were the aborigine tribes speaking languages related to Munda languages. Pakistan was the site of the earliest known farming settlements between South Asia and the Iranian plateau, the earliest of which was Mehrgarh in Balochistan dated at 6500 BCE. Multan was sparsely populated by various Elamo-Dravidian and Indo-Iranian tribes for centuries following the decline of the nearby Harappa andMohenjo Daro of Indus Valley Civilization to the east. The Indo-Aryan tribes invaded from Eurasian Steppe and settled in northern Punjaband Kashmir.
200 BCE The earliest history of Multan fades away in the mists of mystery and mythology. Most of the historians, however agree that Multan beyond any doubt, is the same Maii-us-than which was conquered by Alexander the Great who faced here tremendous resistance. He was fatally wounded while fighting to capture the citadel. For the first time his sacred shield, which he had taken from the temple of Illion, Athena, and which he used always to be carried before him in all his battles, rolled in dust while he fell unconscious on the ground with blood gushing out from his wounds. But that was the scene which inspired the Macedonians and seeing their king in that state they launched a lightening attack and captured the citadel without any further harm to Alexander the great. Alexander, however, never recovered fully well after this battle and died, on his way back, at Babylon.
400-600 CE History is silent for more than six centuries that is until 454 CE when White Huns, the barbarous nomads, stormed Multan under the banner of their leader Torman. After a fierce fight they conquered but did not stay for long and Hindu rule continued once again for about two hundred years.
600-700 CE Subsequent history of Multan is well established and more than sufficient light has been thrown on the cross section by world famous travelers, writers and historians who visited Multan including the Chinese historian Hiuen Tsang in 641 CE The Chinese traveler found the circuit of the city about 30 li which is equal to five miles. He described, "the soil rich and fertile and mentioned about eight Deva temples. He also mentioned that people do not believe in Buddha rule. The city is thickly populated-the grand temple dedicated to the Sun is very magnificent and profusely decorated - The image of Sun Deva also known as "Mitra" is cast in yellow gold and ornamented with rare gems. Its divine insight mysteriously manifested and its spiritual powers made plain to all and so on".
Multan was first visited by the Muslim arms during the reign of the Khalifa Abu Bekr, in 44 Hijri (664 CE), when Mohalib, the Arab General, afterwards an eminent commander in Persia and Arabia, penetrated to the ancient capital of the Maili. He returned with many prisoners of war. The expedition, however, seems to have been directed towards exploration of the country as no attempt was apparently made to retain the conquest.
700-800 CE Mohammad Bin Qasim, the great Muslim general invaded modern Pakistan in 712 CE, and conquered Sindh and Multan. The city was conquered after a fierce and long battle which lasted for seven days. Many distinguished officers of the Muslim army sacrificed their lives in the battle, but the Hindu army was defeated and Multan became part of the Muslim caliphate.
800-900 CE In the periods, of Caliph Mansoor, and Mostasim Bilia, Multan and the surrounding areas developed as commerce and trade was carried out with the rest of Muslim world.
900-1000 CE Ibn Khurdaba described in his book, "The book of Roads and Kingdoms", "Multan being two months journey from Zarani the capital of Sijistan, by the name of Farj because Mohammad, Son of Qasim, Lieutenant of At-Hajjaj, found vast quantities of gold in the city, which was forwarded to the Caliph's treasury so it was called by the Arabs the House of Gold". Al-Masudi of Baghdad who visited the valley of the Indus in 303 A.H. (915 CE) mentioned about Multan in his book, "The Meadows of Gold", that "Multan is seventy five Sindhian Farsangs from Mansura. It is one of the strongest frontier places of the Musulmans and in its neighborhood there are a hundred and twenty thousand towns and villages". Both tstakhari of Istakhar, or Persepolis, who wrote about the middle of the tenth century 340 A.H. (951 CE) and Ibn Haukal of Baghdad who based his work on that of Istakhari, give glowing accounts of Multan which they described as a large, fortified and impregnable city, about half the size of Mansura, the ancient Muslim capital of Sindh. They also mentioned about the idol of Multan as being held in great veneration by Hindus who flocked to it from all parts of South Asia. Sultan Sabuktagin, the Afghan King conquered Multan, but after four years, that is, in 980 CE it was conquered by a Sardar of the Karamti tribe who ruled it for some time.
1000-1100 CE Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi conquered Multan for the first time in 1007 CE - and consolidated the Muslim rule in Punjab. The Multan rebelled and Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi reconquered Multan for the second time during 1010 CE.
1100-1200 CE Sultan Shahab-ud-din, who is also known as Sultan Mohammad Ghauri, finally defeated Pirthvi Raj and conquered South Asia. After consolidating his position in Delhi, led an army attack, against Multan and conquered it. As such, Multan, which had remained almost independent under the Arab rulers became a dependency of the house of Ghaznavi. Sultan Mohammad Ghauri appointed Ali Karmani as his Governor of Multan and Uch.
1200-1300 CE In 1218 CE barbaric Mongol Changez Khan, also spelled Genghis Khan, invaded Western Turkistan and for the next three centuries history of Multan is practically the history of incursions from Western and Central Asia to which the invasion of Changez gave rise. During this period Multan was nominally subject to the Delhi Empire. There were, however, two periods when Multan was practically a separate Kingdom independent of Delhi. At times the province was held by powerful governors who, though, unable to secure independence, were powerful factors in the dynastic changes of the time. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and many settled in Multan.
The Administration of Multan suffered due to preoccupation of Delhi Empire in repelling the repeated raids of Mughals from Khurasan and Central Asia. In 1 284 CE the Mughals under Taimur Khan, defeated and killed prince Muhammad, known as the Martyr Prince who then ruled Multan. In 1305 CE an invasion under Aibak Khan was repelled by the redoubtable warrior Ghazi Beg Tughlak, who is said to have 29 times defeated the invading hordes. In 1 327 CE a force under Turmsharin Khan over-ran the district and retreated on payment of bribe.
1300-1400 CE After the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, Multan became its western frontier. In the beginning it was governed by Nasir-ud-Din Qabacha, then captured by Jalal-al-Din Manakabarni and finally annexed by Shams-AI-Din Altamash. When Balban strengthened his frontier guard he posted his eldest son Sultan Muhammad Khan-i-Shahid here and made him responsible for the defense. It was under his patronage that Amir Khusrau and Hasan Dehiavi lived in Multan and composed their poems. Multan, however, continuously suffered from Mongol invasions. In order to meet these Mongol pressures Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq was appointed as a warden of the Frontier Marches. From Multan he rose to be the Sultan of Delhi - Multan remained under the Tughlaqs until it was conquered by Amir Taimur in 1 397 CE.
During this long period the prosperity of Multan grew unabated. It was during this period that the city was adorned by important monuments that established a particular school of Multani Architecture. The Tombs of Baha-AI-Din Zakariya, Shah Rukn-AI-Din, Rukn-e-Alam and Shamas Sabzwari have given to Multan a unique place in the Muslim Architecture. The presence of these tombs of the saints mentioned above have also added a religious tone to the city.
In 1397 CE, came the invasion of Taimur whose troops occupied Uch and Multan, sacked Tiamba, raided the Khokhars of Ravi and passed across Beas to Pakpattan and Delhi. 1400-1500CE For about forty years after the departure of Taimur there was no government in South Asia in reality. Khizer Khan Syed governed the Kingdom in the name of Taimur but without any sovereign title or royal honors. During the troubled reign of his grand son Syed Mohammad, an insurrection broke out in Multan among the Afghans called Langas. Finally one of the Langa chiefs proclaimed himself as the king of Multan under the title of Sultan Kutab-ud-din Langa.
During the eighty years that Multan was held by Langa Dynasty, it became the principal caravan route between South Asia and Kandahar. Commerce and agriculture flourished. All the lands along the banks of the Chenab and the Ghagra as well as some on the Indus were cultivated and prosperity flourished once again.
1500-1600 CE In 1526 CE Shah Hussain Arghun, at that time the ruler of Sindh, seized Multan on behalf of Babar, the Mughal emperor. He bestowed it on his son Mirza Askari. The Mirza, assisted by Langar Khan, one of the powerful Amirs of Sultan Mahmud Langa, held possession of Multan during the rest of the Baber's reign. After the death of Mughal emperor Babar, Humayun found himself compelled to surrender Multan, in fact the whole of Punjab, to his eldest brother, Kamran Mirza. The prince established his court at Lahore and deputed one of his Amirs to take care of Multan. During the confusion that followed the flight of Humayun to Persia the Kingdom of Multan was captured by Balochis under their chieftain Fattah Khan who surrendered it to Hebat Khan, one of the commanders of Sher Shah Suri. Pleased with his services, Sher Shah Suri bestowed the Kingdom of Multan on Hebat Khan.
1600-1700 CE When Humayun recaptured his throne in 1555 CE Multan was also amalgamated in the Mughal Empire, Abul Fazal mentions in "Ain-e-Akbari" that: "Multan was one of the largest provinces of the empire, extending to the frontiers of Persia including within its limits the modern countries of Balochistan, Sindh, Shikarpore and Thatta, besides a portion of Doabas now attached to Lahore. A royal mint for silver and copper coins was established at Multan along with the mints at Delhi, Agra and a few other places". Under the Mughal Emperors, Multan enjoyed a long period of peace and was known as Dar-ul-Aman (city of peace). For more than two hundred years that is from 1548 to 1748 there was no warfare in this part of the Punjab. As a result of these peaceful conditions, cultivation increased, particularly in the riverain areas and commerce flourished. Multan thus became an emporium for trade. The city became the headquarter of a province which covered the whole of the South Western Punjab and, at times, included Sindh also.
1700-1800 CE At the decline of the Mughal Empire Multan had, at first escaped devastation which was experienced by other parts of the South Asia. The main reason was the change in the route of the invaders from Afghanistan to South Asia as it lay through Lahore. So the armies of Nadir Shah Durrani and Ahmed Shah Abdali left Multan unscathed. After having been a part of the Delhi empire, Multan in 1752, became a province owing allegiance to the Afghan kings of Kabul. During this period the country was ruled by Pakhtun Governors and under the rule of the Saddozais of Kabul. The Saddozais governed Multan for more than sixty six years but general conditions remained turbulent.
After consolidating their position at Lahore, the Sikhs marched to the south-west for over two hundred and fifty miles. They crossed the Indus and penetrating into the Deras' under their Commanders Sardar Hari Singh Bhangi and his sons, Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh along with Hira Singh, the barbaric Sikhs destroyed everything, plundered many villages and killed the people mercilessly, set the houses of the Muslims on fire, raped Muslim women and demolished most of the mosques and tombs of Muslim saints. Ultimately, under the command of Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh, they appeared before Multan on March 9 1764 CE (21 Ramadan 11 78 A. H.) looted its suburbs but after collecting millions of rupees they returned.
1800-1900 CE By the beginning of 1818 Ranjit Singh succeeded to raise a big army consisting of 25,000 soldiers equipped with necessary provisions which he placed under Diwan Misr Chand, his most trusted General. The over all charge of the campaign was entrusted to his elder son Khark Singh and the contingent set out for Multan with great pomp and show. The famous Zamzama Gun was also transported to Multan. Nawab Muzaffar Khan Saddozai who was the Governor of Multan for the past thirty nine years fought courageously but failed to save Multan from the clutches of Sikhs. The death of Muzaffar Khan was in fact the death of the Muslim rule in Multan. After capturing the Fort the Sikh soldiers were let loose to arson, rapes and debauchery and Latif recorded as under : "The city and Fort were now given up to be plundered by the uncivilized Sikh troops. Great were the ravages committed by the Sikhs on this occasion. About 400 to 500 houses in the Fort were razed to the ground and their owners deprived of all they had. The precious stones, jewelry, shawls and other valuables belonging to the Nawab were confiscated to the state and kept carefully packed by Diwan Ram Diyal for inspection of the Maharaja. In the town the Muslim houses were set on fire and nothing was left with the inhabitants that was worth having. Thousands were killed as city was mercilessly sacked and indeed there was hardly a soul who escaped both loss and violence".
The oppressive Sikh rule continued in the Punjab and Multan unchecked. The Sikhs army in Multan was over confident and after looting all the villages and towns under their control and now looked for new places to loot. The Sikh army crossed the Sutlej River and invaded the British colonial territory. They looted and pillaged Muslim villages on December 8th, 1845 CE and they also killed thousands of people, comitted rapes and kidnappings. Thr British were outraged and the British army invaded the Sikh kingdom and defeated the Sikhs. Thereafter a treaty was signed between the British and the Sikhs. Under this new treaty a Council of Regency was established at Lahore which empowered the British to intervene into many administrative matters.
The rogue Sikh Army in Multan which was the cause of British-Sikh war then rebelled unhappy over the restrictions in the treaty. The Sikh army murdered two British officers that were in Multan to oversee the implementation of the treaty. This open rebellion infuriated the British colonial government at Lahore and they decided that Multan should be captured and amalgamated into the British territory. The British army invaded in December 1848 and bombarded Multan. A shell from a mortar blew up the magazine located within the fort, containing gun powder, the explosion destroyed the great Blue Mosque and the lofty dome of Hadrat Baha-ud-Din Zakariya's tomb. On January 2, 1849, the British army finally captured Multan from the oppressive Sikh rule. Again, to quote Latif: "Terrible had been the carnage during the siege and frightful the effect of the British ordnance. The battered town of Multan presented the appearance of a vessel wrecked and broken by a tremendous storm which had driven it to an inhospitable shore. Not a house or wall had escaped the effects of the English shells. All had been scorched and blackened by the bombardment. Finally Multan was liberated from barbaric Sikhs as well as the end of the constant rapes, loot and plunder which was the main characteristic of the Sikh rule". The persecuted Muslims of Multan hailed the British as the liberators from the oppressive Sikh rule.
1900-1947 CE Multan, however, lost its very important position as soon as the British stronghold over the South Asia grew stronger. Although peace prevailed in the region but no real progress was made in developing the infrastructure of Multan. The people of Multan were deprived and lived in poverty as the economic situation remained bleak. The Muslim population of Multan enthusiastically supported the Muslim League and the establishment of the Islamic state of Pakistan.
Independence
Modern Pakistan gained it's independence from the British on 14th August 1947. The Hindu and Sikhs fanatics massacred over one million Muslims refugees fleeing from India.
At the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947, Multan city was in a very bad state. It was lacking industry, hospitals, and even places of higher education. Since independence, there has been economic development and the city's population has increased dramatically. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many Muslim monuments wear the effects of the barbaric Sikh rule and British bombardments. Hospitals, schools, communications, industry, commerce, infrastructure, dry port and an international airport has been built in Multan. Multan has now become one of the major cities in Pakistan.
At the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947, Multan city was in a very bad state. It was lacking industry, hospitals, and even places of higher education. Since independence, there has been economic development and the city's population has increased dramatically. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many Muslim monuments wear the effects of the barbaric Sikh rule and British bombardments. Hospitals, schools, communications, industry, commerce, infrastructure, dry port and an international airport has been built in Multan. Multan has now become one of the major cities in Pakistan.
Demography and Society
Multan district is spread over an area of 3,721 square Kilometers with a population of approximately 4.1 million. The majority population speaks Seraiki, Punjabi, Balochi and Urdu. Over 99% of the population is Muslim and belong to Sunni Hanafi school of jurisprudence.
District
The Multan district has following four tehsils.
Multan Cantonment
Multan Sadar
Shujabad
Jalalpur Pirwala
Major towns are Makhdoom Rashid, Qadirpur Ran and Basti Maluk.
Education
Since independence many schools, colleges and universities have been built in Multan. Bahauddin Zikria University, Al-Khair University, Preston University and Nishtar Medical College.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009
Karachi City Information
Karachi is the capital of Sindh Province in Pakistan. The name Karachi is derived from King Kusha, the son of Hindu God Lord Rama. In 1842, the British who ruled India took possession of the city and made it a district of India. British utilized its natural harbor and developed it into a busy port city. In 1947, it was made the capital of the new nation of Pakistan. Later, the capital was shifted to Islamabad but Karachi remains the economic center of Pakistan. It is also known as the financial capital of Pakistan. It is now the financial and commercial center as well as the largest port of Pakistan.Hotels:Karachi, which is major tourist destination, has various hotels and restaurants that offer outstanding services to its customers. Marriott Karachi, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Beach Luxury Hotel, Regent Plaza Hotel, Pearl Continental Hotel, Hotel Mehran and Avari Towers include the international hotels in the city that often serve as host to majority of the tourists who visit the city.
Places of Attraction: Beaches are the main attractions of Karachi. Manora beach-a small island located in the city lures visitors to it. Clifton beach, which is frequently visited by families and tourists, is a major attraction in the city. Camel rides and horse rides along the beach mesmerizes the visitors. Hawke's Bay Beach - a rocky beach attracts people to it. Sandspit Beach, French Beach and Russian Beach are the other beaches that provide amusement parks and restaurants in the beachside. Port Fountain Jet, one of the world's tallest fountains is really a feast for the eyes. Museums like Pakistan Air Force Museum, Pakistan Maritime Museum and National Museum of Pakistan are also the center of attraction of the city. Merewether Tower, the important landmark of the city, Frere Hall, Khaliq Deena Hall, Jehangir Kothari Parade, Governor's House, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Hindu Gymkhana constitute the other major interesting spots of the city.
Places of Attraction: Beaches are the main attractions of Karachi. Manora beach-a small island located in the city lures visitors to it. Clifton beach, which is frequently visited by families and tourists, is a major attraction in the city. Camel rides and horse rides along the beach mesmerizes the visitors. Hawke's Bay Beach - a rocky beach attracts people to it. Sandspit Beach, French Beach and Russian Beach are the other beaches that provide amusement parks and restaurants in the beachside. Port Fountain Jet, one of the world's tallest fountains is really a feast for the eyes. Museums like Pakistan Air Force Museum, Pakistan Maritime Museum and National Museum of Pakistan are also the center of attraction of the city. Merewether Tower, the important landmark of the city, Frere Hall, Khaliq Deena Hall, Jehangir Kothari Parade, Governor's House, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Hindu Gymkhana constitute the other major interesting spots of the city.
Area & Location: Lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea, Karachi is situated in the southeastern Pakistan and in the northwest of the Indus Delta. It covers a total area of 3,527 sq. km. Malir River and Lyari River pass through the city. The city is home to 11.5 million of its residents making it the second largest city in the world.
Tourist Attractions: The magnificent beaches and waterfront persuade the tourists to visit the city.
Transportation: Jinnah International Airport, the modern international airport in the city brings the world closer to Karachi. Karachi is also served by various shipping ports like Port of Karachi and Port Qasim. Pakistan Railways link the city with rest of the country. The government is in the plan to construct a light-rail based mass transit system in the city to provide easy and fast commutation to its passengers.
Tourist Attractions: The magnificent beaches and waterfront persuade the tourists to visit the city.
Transportation: Jinnah International Airport, the modern international airport in the city brings the world closer to Karachi. Karachi is also served by various shipping ports like Port of Karachi and Port Qasim. Pakistan Railways link the city with rest of the country. The government is in the plan to construct a light-rail based mass transit system in the city to provide easy and fast commutation to its passengers.
Geography and climate: Karachi is located in the south of Sindh, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The city covers an area of approximately 3,530 square kilometres (1,363 sq mi), comprised largely of flat or rolling plains, with hills on the western and Manora Island and the Oyster Rocks. The Arabian Sea beach lines the southern coastline of Karachi. Dense mangroves and creeks of the Indus delta can be found towards the south east side of the city. Towards the west and the north is Cape Monze, locally known as Raas Muari, an area marked with projecting sea cliffs and rocky sandstone promontories. Some excellent beaches can also be found in this area.
Climate: Located on the coast, Karachi tends to have a relatively mild climate with low levels of average precipitation (approximately 250 mm per annum), the bulk of which occurs during the July-August monsoon season. Winters are mild and the summers are hot, however the proximity to the sea maintains humidity levels at a near-constant high and cool sea breezes relieve the heat of the summer months. Due to high temperatures during the summer (ranging from 30 to 44 degrees Celsius from April to August), the winter months (November to February) are generally considered the best times to visit Karachi. July, December and January have pleasing and cloudy weather when most of the social events and tourism, ranging from weddings to charity fundraisers, frequently take place.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2009
Lahore City Information
LAHORE is a Municipal city, has been the capital of Punjab for nearly a thousand years, and the administrative head-quarters of a Division and District of the same name. It is situated one mile to the south of the river Ravi , and some 23 miles from the eastern border of the district. The city is built in the form of a parallelogram, the area within the walls, exclusive of the citadel, being about 461 acres. It stands on the alluvial plain traversed by the river Ravi . The city is slightly elevated above the plain, and has a high ridge within it, running east and west on its northern side. The whole of this elevated ground is composed of the accumulated debris of many centuries. The river, which makes a very circuitous bend from the East, passes in a semi-circle to the North of Lahore. Lahore has a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. It is a fine place to watch the world rush by. The improbable mix of painted trucks, cars, bullock carts, buses, handcarts, scooters with whole families. A classical city, according to the words of Noor Jahan .History
Lahore is undoubtedly ancient. Legend had it that it was founded by Loh , son of Rama , the hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Some others think that the name means Loh-awar , meaning a "Fort as strong as Iron". It waxed and waned in importance during the Sultanate. But, Muslim rule began here when Qutub-ud-din Aibak was crowned in Lahore in 1206 and thus became the first Muslim Sultan of the subcontinent.
It reached its full glory under Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. It was Akbar's capital for the 14 years from 1584 to 1598. He built the massive Lahore Fort on the foundations of a previous fort and enclosed the city within a red brick wall boasting 12 gates. Jahangir and Shah Jahan (who was born in Lahore) extended the fort, built palaces and tombs, and laid out gardens. Jahangir loved the town and he and his wife Noor Jahan are buried at Shahdara . Shah Jahan was born in Lahore and added buildings. The last of the great Mughals , Aurangzeb (1658-1707), gave Lahore its most famous monument, the great Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri gateway to the fort. During the eighteenth century, as Moghul power dwindled, there were constant invasions. Lahore was a suba - a province of the Empire. There were subadars , provincial rulers with their own court. These Governors managed as best they could though for much of the time it must have been a rather thankless task to even attempt. The 1740s were years of chaos, and between 1745 and 1756 there were nine changes of Governor. Invasions and chaos in local government allowed bands of warring Sikhs to gain control in some areas. Lahore ended up being ruled by a triumvirate of Sikhs of loose character and the population of the city invited Ranjit Singh to invade. He took the city in 1799. Holding the capital gave him some legitimacy; he became Emperor. The Sikh period was bad news for the protection of ancient buildings. Some survived, misused and knocked about a bit and a few new ones were added. Nevertheless, descriptions of Lahore during the early 19th century refer to it as a "melancholy picture of fallen splendor."
The British added a great many buildings, plenty of " Moghul Gothic", as well as some shady bungalows and gardens. Early on, the British tended to build workaday structures in sites like the Fort, though later they did start to make an effort to preserve some ancient buildings. The Lahore Cantonment, the British residential district of wide, tree-lined streets and white bungalows set in large, shaded gardens, is the prettiest cantonment in Pakistan. Since Independence in 1947, Lahore has expanded rapidly as the capital of Pakistani Punjab. It is the second-largest city in the country and an important industrial center.
Shalimar GardenThe word "Shalimar" means, the purest of human pleasures. It was completed between 1639 and 1641 in the reign of Emperor Shah Jehan . Its triple-terraced gardens decorated with marble pavilions, ornamental pools, water falls and fountains, make it one of the world's finest Persian gardens.
Badshahi Mosque 
World's largest existing "Historical Mosque" built in 1674. It was constructed using a blend of white marble and red stone, decorated with beautifully engraved "QURANIC" verses, and fresco.
Lahore Fort 
Although founded some where in the B.C. era yet built into its present shape between 1566 and 1673 A.D. A grandeur of Moghal Architecture best preserved archaeologically are "SHISH MAHAL" (The Palace of Mirrors), "MOTI MASJID" (Pearl Mosque), " "DIWAN-E-AAM" (Court for the Commons) and "HATHI PER" (Elephant Steps). it also has Moghal & Sikh period museums.
Jahangir's Tomb
Here lies most romantic prince Salim , turned to Emperor Jehangir , descendant of " Akbar the Great", built in 1637 A.D. by his beloved Queen " Noor-Jehan ". It is surrounded by a beautiful garden. It is an alcove for the romantic souls, even today.
Noor Jehan's Tomb
"Light of the World." Noor-Jehan was the title given by the Emperor Jehangir to his beloved last wife. She died in 1645 and rests in peace with her daughter " Ladli Begum".
Old City The history of old city may be as old as the Lahore Fort but it is still living within its walled area which is accessible through 12 gates. Its a multiple bazaar and jostling adventure of the oriental culture and has its won flair and aroma.
Lahore Museum 
Established during the British Raj in 1864. Displays a complete cross-section of the Culture and History of the region with rare and best collection of the Buddhist art from the Gandhara Period, Islamic artifacts, Calligraphy, Old Manuscripts, Arms, Costumes and Jewelry.
Established during the British Raj in 1864. Displays a complete cross-section of the Culture and History of the region with rare and best collection of the Buddhist art from the Gandhara Period, Islamic artifacts, Calligraphy, Old Manuscripts, Arms, Costumes and Jewelry.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2009
Faisalabad City Information
Introduction and Location
The district lies from 30 - 35 to 31 - 47'C North latitude and 72 - 01 to 73 - 40°C East longitude. It is bounded in the North by Gujranwala and Sheikhupura Districts, in the East by Sheikhupura and Sahiwal districts, in the south by Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh districts and in the West by Jhang district.
Area and Population
Faisalabad district has an area of 5,856 sq km and a population of 35,47,446 souls. This district consists of six sub-division, the area and population of each sub-division is as under:
Faisalabad (City)
Faisalabad (Sadar)
Chak Jhumra
Jaranwala
Samundri
Tandlianwala
Faisalabad district has been endowed by nature with a rich soil. Aided by an efficient irrigation system, it has earned a name for agricultural productivity. Out of total area of 14,43,703 acres of this district, 11,50,042 acres of land is irrigated through canals.
Population
3.54 Million approx.
Area
5,856 sq. km
No. of Sub-Divisions
6
Agricultural Land Area
11,50,042 Acres
Rest of the area is either Barani or cultivated through tube-wells.The area irrigated during Kharif 1988 and Rabi 1988-89 was 8,48,349 and 8,11,231 acres respectively.
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