Faisalabad (;

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

/ ur, , ; ), formerly known as Lyallpur (

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' the founder of the city, but was renamed in 1977 in honour of late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. It is the 3rd largest city of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

after

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

and

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second List of cities in Pakistan by population, most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th List of largest cities, most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is th ...

respectively, and the 2nd largest city of

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...

after

. Faisalabad is one of Pakistan's wealthiest cities, the largest industrial hub and 2nd largest city of wider

Punjab region Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...

. Historically one of the first planned cities within

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

, it has long since developed into a cosmopolitan metropolis. Faisalabad was restructured into

city district A City district is a designated administrative division that is generally managed by a local government. It is used to divide a city into several administrative units. City districts are used in Russia ( raion), Pakistan and Croatia ( hr, gra ...

status; a devolution promulgated by the 2001 local government ordinance (LGO). The total area of Faisalabad District is while the area controlled by the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) is . Faisalabad has grown to become a major industrial and distribution centre because of its central location in the region and connecting roads, rails, and air transportation. It has been referred to as the Manchester of Pakistan". , GDP ( PPP) of Faisalabad was estimated as $43 billion and projected to rise to $87 billion in 2025 at a growth rate of 5.7%. Faisalabad contributes over 10 percent to the Punjab's GDP and has an average annual GDP (nominal) of $20.5 billion. Agriculture and industry remain its hallmark.

History

Toponymy

The settlement was established in 1892 during the colonisation of the lower Chenab Valley. This city was settled down by Rai Bahadur Bhavanidas Sikka, because of this work British Government granted jagirs to him. After Partition his descendants settled in India. Now His fourth generations are settled in Mumbai. This city was named in honour of Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, Sir James Lyall, for his role in establishing the canal colonisation project.Douie, J. (1914). THE PUNJAB CANAL COLONIES. Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, 62(3210), 611-623. Retrieved March 5, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41341616 The surname '' Lyall'' was joined with the noun '' pur'', meaning 'city' in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

. On 1 September 1977, the

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...

changed the name of the city from Lyallpur to Faisalabad ''('City of Faisal')'' in honour of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, who made several financial contributions to Pakistan.

Early settlements

The region encompassing modern day Faisalabad district was originally inhabited by a number of forest-dwelling tribes. It is believed these early settlements belonged to the ancient districts of

Jhang Jhang ( Punjabi, ur, ), ) is the capital city of Jhang District, in the central portion of the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Situated on the east bank of the Chenab river, it is the 18th largest city of Pakistan by population. The histori ...

and

Sandalbar The Sandal Bar ( pa, ) is a region between the rivers Chenab and Ravi in Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the southern part of Rechna Doab. It spreads over almost in width (west to east) and in length (north to south). "Bar", in the local l ...

, and included the area between Shahdara to Shorekot and

Sangla Hill Sangla Hill is a tehsil in the Nankana Sahib District of the Punjab Province of Pakistan. It lies 103 km from the provincial capital of Lahore and 47 km from Faisalabad. Until 2005, it was part of Sheikhupura District. Education Colleges * ...

Toba Tek Singh Toba Tek Singh ( pnb, , ur, ) is a city and capital of Toba Tek Singh District in the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is surrounded by cities of Gojra, Kamalia, Rajana, Pir Mahal and Shorkot. History The city and district is named a ...

. The shrine of Baba Noor Shah Wali was erected in the area in the 1600s.

Development

At the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, the entire

became administered as Punjab province, firstly by the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Sou ...

and after 1858 as part of the

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was him ...

. Quote: "When the formal rule of the Company was replaced by the direct rule of the British Crown in 1858, ...." Quote: "... Company rule in India lasted effectively from the Battle of Plassey in 1757 until 1858, when following the 1857 Indian Rebellion, the British Crown assumed direct colonial rule of India in the new British Raj." In the 1880s the Punjab government began an irrigation scheme to cultivate large tracts of western Punjab through the creation of canal colonies. The Chenab colony was the largest of these colonisation projects, and covered the entirety of present day Faisalabad district. Popham Young, the Colonisation Officer managing the project identified the site of the current city to establish headquarters for the colony. Young designed the settlement's centre to replicate the design in the Union Jack with eight roads extending from a large clock tower at its epicentre; a design geometrically symbolic of the Cross of Saint Andrew counterchanged with the Cross of Saint Patrick, and

Saint George's Cross In heraldry, Saint George's Cross, the Cross of Saint George, is a red cross on a white background, which from the Late Middle Ages became associated with Saint George, the military saint, often depicted as a crusader. Associated with the cr ...

over all. The eight roads developed into eight separate bazaars (markets) leading to different regions of the Punjab. In 1892, the newly constructed town with its growing agricultural surplus was added to the British rail network. Construction of the rail link between Wazirabad and Lyallpur was completed in 1895. In 1896, Gujranwala, Jhang and Sahiwal comprising the

Tehsils A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administ ...

of Lyallpur were under the administrative control of the Jhang District. The town became one of the first planned settlements within

. In 1904, the new district of Lyallpur was created to include the tehsils of Samundri and Toba Tek Singh with a sub-tehsil at

Jaranwala Jaranwala ( Punjabi and ur, ) is a city and capital of Jaranwala Tehsil located in the Faisalabad District of Punjab, Pakistan.

, which later became a full tehsil in itself. The University of Agriculture, originally the Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute, Lyallpur, was established in 1906. The Town Committee was upgraded to a Municipal Committee in 1909. Lyallpur grew into an established agricultural tool and grain centre. By 1911 the city had a population of 19,578. The 1930s brought industrial growth and market expansion to the textile industry as well as to food processing, grain crushing and chemicals.

Independence

In August 1947, following three decades of nationalist struggles,

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

and

achieved independence. The British agreed to partition British India into two sovereign states – Pakistan with a

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

majority, and India with a

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

majority; however, more Muslims remained in India than what governing authorities believed would assimilate into Pakistan. The partitioning led to a mass migration of an estimated 10 million people which made it the largest mass migration in human history. The Punjab province was divided into Punjab, West Pakistan and

Punjab, India Punjab (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Himachal ...

. There were also respective divisions of the

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which cou ...

, the Indian Civil Service, various administrative services, the central treasury, and the railways. Riots and local fighting followed the expeditious withdrawal of the British, resulting in an estimated one million civilians deaths, particularly in the western region of Punjab. Lyallpur, which was located in the region of the Punjab Province that became West Pakistan, was populated by a number of Hindus and Sikhs who migrated to India, while Muslim refugees from India settled in the district. In 1977, Pakistani authorities changed the name of the city to "Faisalabad" to honour the close relationship of Faisal of Saudi Arabia with Pakistan. During the eighties, the city realised an increase in foreign investment. More Faisalabadis began working abroad as bilateral ties improved within the new dominion. This led to more monetary funds returning to the city that aided the development of the region. In 1985, the city was upgraded as a division with the districts of Faisalabad, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh.

Geography

Location

Faisalabad lies in the rolling flat plains of northeast Punjab, at above sea level. The city proper comprises approximately while the district encompasses more than . The Chenab River flows about , and the Ravi River meanders to the southeast. The lower Chenab canal provides water to 80% of cultivated lands making it the main source of irrigation. Faisalabad is bound on the north by Chiniot and Sheikhupura, on the east by Sheikhupura and Sahiwal, on the south by Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh and on the west by Jhang.

Geology

The district of Faisalabad is part of the alluvial plains between the

Himalayan foothills The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

and the central core of the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...

. The alluvial deposits are typically over a thousand feet thick. The interfluves are believed to have been formed during the Late Pleistocene and feature river terraces. These were later identified as old and young floodplains of the

Ravi River The Ravi River () is a transboundary river crossing northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of five rivers associated with the Punjab region. Under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, the waters of the Ravi and two other rivers were ...

on the Kamalia and Chenab Plains. The old floodplains consist of

Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togeth ...

deposits from the Ravi and Chenab rivers. The soil consists of young stratified silt loam or very fine sand loam which makes the subsoil weak in structure with common kankers at only five feet. The course of the rivers within Faisalabad are winding and often subject to frequent alternations. In the rainy season, the currents are very strong. This leads to high floods in certain areas which do last for a number of days. The Rakh and

Gogera Gogera ( ur, ), is a town and union council of Okara District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located at 30°58'4N 73°18'24E with an altitude of 166 metres (547 feet) and lies to the north-west and away from the district capital - ...

canals have encouraged the water levels in the district however the belt on the Ravi River has remained narrow. The river bed does include the river channels which have shifted the sand bars and low sandy levees leading to river erosion. Faisalabad is situated at the centre of the lower

Rechna Doab Rachna Doab ( pa, ) can be classified as one of the main regions of Punjab, Pakistan. Punjab historically has been divided into regions based on its various rivers, since the name Punjab is based on its five main rivers. Rachna doab includes a ...

, the area is located between the Chenab and Ravi rivers. There is a mild slope from the northeast to the southwest with an average fall of . The city is situated at an elevation of about . The topography is marked by valleys, local depression and high ground.

Climate

The weather in the city is monitored by the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The Pakistan Meteorological Department regularly provides forecasts, public warnings and rainfall information to farmers with the assistance of the National Agromet Centre. Average annual rainfall is approximately . It is at its peak in July and August during monsoon season though western disturbances during winter months also bring considerable rainfall associated with hail. Monsoon season which starts in July and ends in September brings heavy rain to the city causing flash flooding. If the monsoon currents interact with the western disturbance, then cloudburst can also occur. July is the wettest month of the year during which flooding is reported number of times. Monsoon ends in September and then the dry period begins. October and November are the driest months with very little rainfall. During winter the weather usually remains cloudy associated with frequent fog. Record-breaking rainfall of was recorded on 5 September 1961 by the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The temperature of the city has reached a summer maximum record temperature of 48.0 °C (118.4 °F), which was observed on 9 June 1947 and again on 26 May 2010. An extreme minimum temperature of −4.0 °C (24.8 °F) was recorded on 15 January 1978. The highest wind gust ever recorded in Faisalabad occurred during a severe dust-thunderstorm on 2 June 2000, when the maximum wind speed reached 151 kilometers per hour (94 mph). Apart from temperature and rainfall records, the winds in Faisalabad are generally light. The city lies in an area with low wind speeds. Westerly breeze dominates the afternoons, while the nights are calm. Southeast / easterly winds are common here during the monsoon season. Faisalabad, being in the plains, can experience severe thunderstorms and high wind gusts that can be damaging to its crops.

Culture

Faisalabad, the third most populated

metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...

in Pakistan after

and

is an epicentre for trade that has gained popularity for its colonial heritage sites. In 1982, the Government of Punjab established the Faisalabad Arts Council, a division of the Punjab Arts Council which is overseen administratively by the Information, Culture and Youth Affairs Department. The Faisalabad Arts Council building, designed by architect Nayyer Ali Dada, was completed in 2006. The auditorium was named after the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a Pakistani musician and singer.

Festivals

The Punjabi people celebrate a variety of cultural and religious festivals throughout the

, such as arts and craft, music, local events, and religious celebrations. The city of Faisalabad customarily celebrates its independence day on 14 August every year by raising the

Pakistan flag The flag of Pakistan ( ur, ) traces its current form back to a meeting of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 11 August 1947, three days before the Partition of British India, when it was adopted by the All-India Muslim League as the offi ...

at the clock tower in the Commissioner Office compound. Bazaars are colourfully decorated for the celebration, government and private buildings are brightly lit, and there are similar flag–raising ceremonies that are typically held in the district and its tehsils. The arrival of spring brings the annual "Rang-e-Bahar" festival where the Parks & Horticulture Authority of the city district government organise a flower show and exhibition at Jinnah Gardens. The University of Agriculture organises a similar event at their main campus which is known as the "Kissan Mela". The festival of Basant which involves kite flying is an annual tradition in the city despite the ban. The provincial government introduced the "Canal Mela" which involves five days of festivities including the main canal in the city being decorated with national floats and lights ending with a musical concert to conclude the festival. Being a Muslim majority the city religious observances include Ramadan and

Muharram Muḥarram ( ar, ٱلْمُحَرَّم) (fully known as Muharram ul Haram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden. It is held to be the second holiest month after ...

. The festivals of Chaand Raat, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are celebrated and are national holidays. The celebration of the Prophet Muhammad birthday is observed in the city which is often referred to as "Eid Milād-un-Nabī". There are a number of darbar and shrines which attract a number of devotees during the annual Urs. There are a number of Christian churches in the city where Easter and Christmas services take place each year.

Attire

Traditional attire in Faisalabad is

Punjabi clothing the ancient Punjabi region, people wore cotton clothing. Both men and women wore knee-length tops. A scarf was worn over the tops which would be draped over the left shoulder and under the right. A large sheet would be further draped over one s ...

such as the Kurta and

Sherwani Sherwani is a long-sleeved outer coat worn by men in South Asia. Like the Western frock coat it is fitted, with some waist suppression; it falls to below the knees and is buttoned down the front. It can be collarless, have a shirt-style collar, ...

s. Faisalabadi men wear white shalwar kameez as do women but also with a dupatta (scarf). The more religious women wear

burqas A burqa or a burka, or , and ur, , it is also transliterated as burkha, bourkha, burqua or burqu' or borgha' and is pronounced natively . It is generally pronounced in the local variety of Arabic or variety of Persian, which varies. Examp ...

that may or may not cover the face. Combinations of Pakistani and Western attire are worn by women, such as an embroidered kurta worn with jeans or trousers, and half sleeve or sleeveless shirts with Capri pants. Men and women have adopted some of the modern Western styles for both casual and formal business dress such as dress pants, trousers, T-shirts and jeans. Faisalabad Institute of Textile and Fashion Design at the Government College University teaches Fashion Design as part of their

Fine Arts In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwor ...

program. Some of the more conservative establishments and universities follow strict dress codes, such as the National Textile University in Faisalabad where a notice was issued on 27 April 2016 by university professor Muhammad Ashfaq. The intent of the notice was to "promote a positive image of the NTU and to maintain good moral, religious and cultural values among the faculty, staff and students." The

dress code A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regard to what clothing groups of people must wear. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circumstances, and occasions. Different societies a ...

bans certain styles of Western attire including shorts, sleeveless shirts and shawls for men. Women are prohibited from wearing jeans, tights or

leggings Leggings are several types of leg attire that have varied through the years. Modern usage from the 1960s onwards has come to refer to elastic close-fitting high-rise garments worn over the legs typically by women, such as leg warmers or tights ...

, sleeveless or half-sleeved shirts for women. Women are also prohibited from wearing heavy make-up and expensive jewellery.

Cuisine

Faisalabadi cuisine is a mixture Punjabi cuisine as well as Mughlai cuisine and

Anglo-Indian cuisine Anglo-Indian cuisine is the cuisine that developed during the British Raj in India. It was brought to England in the 1930s by the Veeraswamy restaurant, followed by a few others, but not by typical Indian restaurants. The cuisine introduced dish ...

. Famous dishes include rice or

roti Roti (also known as chapati) is a round flatbread native to the Indian subcontinent. It is popular in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, Trin ...

(flatbread) served with a vegetable or non-vegetable

curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in trad ...

, a salad consisting of spiced tomatoes and onions, and yogurt. This is usually accompanied by a variety of South Asian sweets such as gud, gajar ka halwa, gulab jamun, and

jalebi ''Jalebi'' (, , , Urdu: جلیبی‎, , , si, පැණි වළලු, ), is a popular sweet snack in south and west Asia, Africa, and Mauritius. It goes by many names, including ''jilapi'', ''zelepi'','' jilebi'', '' jilipi'', ''zulbia'', ...

. Tandoori barbecue specialties consist of a variety of naan bread served with

tandoori chicken Tandoori chicken is a South Asian dish of chicken marinated in yogurt and spices and roasted in a ''tandoor'', a cylindrical clay oven. The dish is now popular world-wide. The modern form of the dish was popularized by the Moti Mahal restaur ...

, chicken tikka or lamb shishkebab served with a mint chutney. Street foods are a key element to Faisalabadi cuisine. Samosas (deep fried pastry filled with vegetables or meat) topped with an onion salad and two types of

chutney A chutney is a spread in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion or mint dipping sauce ...

. There is even a square dedicated to them in the old city. Other street foods include, dahi bhale (deep fried vadas in creamy yoghurt), gol gappay (fried round puri filled with vegetables and topped with tamarind chutney) and vegetable or chicken pakoras. Biryani and murgh pilao rice are a speciality in Faisalabad. A typical breakfast in Faislabadi is

halwa poori Chole bhature () is a food dish popular in the Northern areas of the Indian subcontinent. It is a combination of chana masala (spicy white chickpeas) and bhatura/puri, a deep-fried bread made from maida. Although it is known as a typical Punja ...

, consisting of a deep fried flatbread served with a spicy chickpea curry and sweet orange coloured halwa. It is customarily accompanied by a sweet or salty yoghurt based drink called lassi. During winter, a common breakfast is roghni naan served with paya. Certain drinks are available seasonally, such as, such as rabri doodh, a drink commonly made with full-fat milk, almonds, pistachios and basil seeds, dhood patti (milky tea), and Kashmiri chai, a pink coloured milky tea containing almonds and pistachios, which is had in the winters. During summer, drinks such as sugar cane juice, nimbu pani (iced lemon water), skanjvi (iced orange and black pepper) and lassi are consumed. There are American fast food franchises that cater to the local community, such as

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with ...

, and

Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and desse ...

Literacy

According to a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the 2015 literacy rate for Pakistan ranked 160th which is among the lowest literacy rates in the world. In 1981, Faisalabad was among four districts in Punjab, which included Gujranwala, Jhelum and Gujrat, that were experiencing low literacy rates, due primarily to either a lack of resources or family pressure; the latter of which may also be attributable to illiteracy. In 1998, Faisalabad progressed to a higher literacy rate with the most improvement realised at the primary school level. In 2008, Faisalabad District ranked 51.9% which placed the district 9th in literacy out of the 34 Punjab districts. In 2014, the city held its first literary festival which brought a number of writers to the city to encourage the community to follow the arts. Two literary groups were established, the Faisalabad Union of Column Writers and Faisalabad Union of Journalists, to bring together printed media personalities for the purpose of providing training to budding writers from the city.

Notable people

Many famous and notable people were either born or lived in Faisalabad, some of them are; * Freedom fighters

Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal ( pa, ; – 21 September 1857), widely known as Nawab of Jhamra, was a Punjabi Muslim chieftain of the Kharal tribe. He led rebellion in the Bar region of Punjab against the British East India Company in the War of Indepe ...

and Bhagat Singh * Master Sunder Singh Lyallpuri, Indian independence movement leader, educationist and journalist *

Grahanandan Singh Grahanandan Singh (18 February 1926 in Lyallpur, British India – 7 December 2014 in New Delhi, India) was an Indian field hockey player who won two gold medals, at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, ...

, field hockey player *

Shahbaz Ahmed Shahbaz Ahmad ( Urdu: شہباز احمد) (born September 1, 1968) is a former field hockey player from Pakistan who is also known by his nickname as "Shahbaz Ahmed Senior". He was born in to Arain family. Career He is considered to be amo ...

, field hockey player * Cricketers Rameez Raja, Aqeel Ahmed,

Saeed Ajmal Saeed Ajmal SI (Punjabi, ; born 14 October 1977) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer, who played all forms of the game. He is a right-arm off-spin bowler who bats right handed. At domestic level in Pakistan he represented Fais ...

, Moeen Akhtar, Naeem Akhtar, Shahid Nazir,

Wasim Haider Wasim Haider (born 6 June 1967, in Faisalabad) is a former Pakistani right arm fast medium bowler in cricket who played three One Day International matches during the 1992 Cricket World Cup and for PIA and Faisalabad Faisalabad (; Pun ...

, Mohammad Talha,

Misbah-ul-Haq ; born 28 May 1974) is a former Pakistani cricket coach and former international cricketer. Misbah captained Pakistan in all formats and is former head coach and former chief selector of the Pakistan national team. A late bloomer, Misbah was a mid ...

and Asif Ali * Snooker player Muhammad Asif * Scientist

Nitya Anand Nitya Anand (born 1 January 1925 in Layallpur, British India) is a medicinal chemist who was the director of Central Drug Research Institute in Lucknow from 1974 to 1984. In 2005, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) appointed him chairman of ...

* Iqrar Ahmad Khan, agricultural scientist * Famous playback singer

Mala Mala may refer to: Comics * Mala (Amazon), an Amazon from Wonder Woman's side of the DC Universe * Mala (Kryptonian), a villain from Superman's corner of the DC Universe Films and television * ''Mala'' (1941 film), a Bollywood drama film * , ...

* Fateh Ali Khan, famous Qawwali singer * Famous Qawali singers Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan * Famous singer, politician and philanthropist Abrar-ul-Haq * Famous singer Karnail Gil * Jassi Lailpuria, a

singer of

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...

and

bhangra music Bhangra () is a type of non-traditional music of Punjab originating in the Southall area of United Kingdom. It is a type of upbeat popular music associated with the Punjabi diaspora in Britain. The style has its origins in the folk music o ...

* Famous singer Amanat Ali * Swarn Noora, Punjabi Sufi singer * Lal Chand Yamla Jatt, famous Punjabi folk singer * Naqsh Lyallpuri, pen name of Jaswant Rai Sharma, Indian ghazal and Bollywood film lyricist * Well-known

Punjabi language Punjabi (; ; , ), sometimes spelled Panjabi, is an Indo-Aryan language of the Punjab region of Pakistan and India. It has approximately 113 million native speakers. Punjabi is the most widely-spoken first language in Pakistan, with 80.5 ...

writer and poet,

Hari Singh Dilbar Hari Singh Dilbar (c. 1929 – 3 May 2017) was a well-known Indian Punjabi language writer and poet. Born around 1929 in Layallpur, British Punjab (present-day Faisalabad, Pakistan) Dilbar has been writing and reciting poems since 1943. Ear ...

* Ifti Nasim, poet * Naz Khialvi, lyricist, poet and radio broadcaster *

Gurcharan Das Gurcharan Das (born 3 October 1943) is an Indian author, who wrote a trilogy based on the classical Indian goals of the ideal life. ''India Unbound'' was the first volume (2002), on artha, 'material well-being', which narrated the story of I ...

author, spokesperson, columnist, writer, CEO of Pundit & Intellectual *

Khalid Maqbool Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool Vohra, (Punjabi and ur, ) (born 1948) is Pakistani military officer who served as Governor of Punjab between October 2001 and May 2008. He is the longest serving Governor of Punjab in Pakistani history. ...

, lieutenant general and politician *

Arjan Singh Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC (15 April 1919 – 16 September 2017) was a senior air officer of the Indian Air Force. He served as the 3rd Chief of the Air Staff from 1964 to 1969, leading the Air Force through the Indo-Pa ...

marshal and only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to five-star rank, recipient of Padma Bhushan and

Padma Shri Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...

* Arfa Karim, famous computer

prodigy Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to: * Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer ** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess Arts, entertainment, and ...

* Social activist Teji Bachchan * The legendary actor Prithviraj Kapoor * Zia Mohyeddin, artist, actor *

Resham Resham is a Pakistani film and television actress and model. She made her film debut with ''Jeeva'' in 1995, and was a leading actress of Lollywood during the 1990s. Her notable film credits include ''Jeeva'' (1995), ''Ghunghat'' (1996), ''D ...

, famous film actress *

Tariq Teddy Tariq Teddy (12 August 1976 – 19 November 2022) was a Pakistani theatre comedian in Punjab, known for his quick, sharp replies. Teddy performed in Punjabi stage dramas and acted in the film '' Salakhein''. He was from Faisalabad. His comed ...

, television actor and stand-up comedian * Nabeel Zafar, television actor and producer *

Sakhawat Naz Sakhawat Naz ( pa, ) is a Pakistani stand-up comedian and actor from Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. He is best known for his work in Pakistan theatre. Naz's television work includes appearances in '' Khabarnaak'' and ''Mazaaq Raat''. He is often ...

, television actor and stand-up comedian * Barkat Ali Ludhianwi, a sufi and founder of the non-political, non-profit, religious organisation, ''Dar-ul-Ehsan'' *

Rufin Anthony Rufin Anthony (12 February 1940 – 17 October 2016) was a Pakistani Roman Catholic bishop. Early life Anthony was born in Khushpur, Lyallpur District, British India (now in Faisalabad District, Pakistan). He completed his primary and secondar ...

, Roman Catholic priest and bishop * John Joseph, Roman Catholic priest and bishop

Demographics

The language of Faisalabad is Punjabi predominantly 96% ,urdu and pashto are spoken by 2% population each. Faisalabad is world's 2nd largest punjabi speaking city. Faisalabad was established as one of the first planned towns of British India, covering an area of . It was initially designed to accommodate 20,000 people. The city's population increased from 69,930 in 1941 to 179,000 in 1951 (152.2% increase). Much of the increase is attributed to the settlement of Muslim refugees from East Punjab and

Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ...

, India. In 1961, the population rose to 425,248, an increase of 137.4%. Faisalabad set a record in the demographic history of Pakistan by registering an overall population increase of 508.1% between 1941 and 1961. The industrial revolution of the 1960s contributed to population growth. In 1961, the population was 425,248. A 1972 census ranked Faisalabad as the 3rd largest city of Pakistan with a population of 864,000. In a 1981 census, the population was 1,092,000; however, the Faisalabad Development Authority estimated the number to be 1,232,000. In the 2017 consensus, the total population of the city was 3,203,846

Religion and ethnic groups

The province of Punjab, in which Faisalabad is the second largest city, has prevalent sociocultural distinctions. Population sizes vary by district but some distinguishing factors include a young age structure, high age dependency ratio, a higher percentage of males, a higher proportion of married population, and heterogeneity in

tribes The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confli ...

and languages. Islam is the most common religion, with a 97.22% Muslim majority according to the 1998 Pakistan census report and 2001 population data sheet. People live in tight-knit joint families, although a nuclear family system is emerging due to changing socio-economic conditions. Ancient culture prevails in most marriage practices in the region, as do certain restrictions related to ethnicity and tribes. However, the influences of more modern societies have effected some change, particularly in the area of the dowry system. In the following ancient culture, marriages are customarily arranged by the parents or matchmakers. In some instances, the husband must buy his wife from her parents. Studies conducted in 2007 and 2013, the latter in an outlying rural village in Faisalabad District, acknowledged the existence of gender bias and discrimination against females, stating that "Gender discrimination is not a new phenomenon", and that it still exists in the modern world. Social change in the region has been a slow process but there are indications that change has occurred as more villages are exposed to various forms of media and modernized urban communities. In early 2014, there was a march known as the "White Ribbon Campaign" which took place in front of the Faisalabad Press Club. Protestors appealed to the government to adopt new laws "to protect women who are discriminated against in the family and workplace." Prevalent minorities, particularly Hindu and Christian, feel a sense of vulnerability because of their religious beliefs. Labourers and farmhands form the countless Christian villages throughout Punjab; many are descendants of people who converted from Hinduism to Christianity under the British Raj, and considered low caste by virtue of their birth. A small population of wealthy, well-educated Christians have settled in Karachi; however, as a result of increasing Islamization, religious intolerance in Pakistani society, blasphemy laws and Islamist militancy, most have left Pakistan to settle in other countries where there is more religious tolerance, such as Canada and Australia.

Economy

GDP ( PPP) of Faisalabad was estimated as $43 billion and projected to rise to $87 billion in 2025 at a growth rate of 5.7%. Faisalabad contributes over 5% toward Pakistan's annual GDP; therefore, it is often referred to as the "

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...

of Pakistan". Faisalabad's average annual GDP (nominal) is $20.55 billion (USD), of which 21% comes from agriculture. The surrounding countryside, irrigated by the lower Chenab River, produces agricultural commodities such as cotton, rice, sugarcane, wheat, fruit and vegetables. The city has carved a niche as an industrial centre with its highways, railways, railway repair yards, processing mills, and engineering works. It is a producer of industrial goods and textile manufacturing including cotton and silk textiles, super phosphates, hosiery, dyes, industrial chemicals, clothing, pulp and paper, printing, agricultural equipment, ghee (clarified butter), and beverages. Lyallpurgalleria

The Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry monitors industrial activity in the city and reports their findings to the

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Since its inception in 1950, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) has advocated and voiced the collective opinion, concern and aspiration of the private sector and offered helpful advice and solid assistance to the Gove ...

and provincial government. The city has a major dry port and an international airport. Faisalabad is recognised as the centre of the textile industry in Pakistan, contributing to half of Pakistans total textile shipments. At the end of June 2012, textile mills employed 20% of the nation's workforce, and generated 1.3 trillion rupees ($13.8 billion) in textile products, most of which were exported to the US and Europe. While Punjab's economy is driven primarily by agriculture, the textile industry along with leather products and light engineering goods play an important role, with more than 48,000 industrial units spread across Punjab. In an effort to boost bilateral trade,

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

and

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

have honorary-consulates in Faisalabad which enable trade links with the city. The Faisalabad clock tower and its eight bazaars (markets) remain a major trading zone in the city. Each of the eight bazaars has a special name and is known for selling certain goods as follows: * Katchery Bazaar, named for the court (Katchery) is known for its mobile phone and accessory market. * Rail Bazar is a gold and cloth market. * Bhawana Bazaar supplies electrical and electronic goods. * Jhang Bazaar supplies fish, meat, vegetables and fruits. * Aminpur Bazaar supplies stationery and interior décor. * Kharkhana Bazaar is known for herbal medicines. * Gol Bazaar contains dry fruit, as well as wholesale soap, oil, and ghee shops. * Chiniot Bazaar is known for allopathic and homoeopathic medicinal stores, cloth, blankets, sofa cloth, and curtains. It also has poultry feed wholesale shops. * Montgomery Bazaar (also known as Sutar Mandi) is known for yarn and raw cloth trading. Faisalabad has received substantial funding from the government of Punjab and the city district government to improve infrastructure and roads to rural areas. In an effort to deal with the energy crisis, the FCCI has been working with private companies to develop renewable energy resources such as solar energy and the construction of dams within the district. CAE, a German-based renewable energy company, has disclosed plans to establish the first solar panel manufacturing facility in Faisalabad, second of its kind in Asia, with intentions of investing upwards of €100 million (Rs 12.9 billion) for its development. FIEDMC was established by Federal Government to boost manufacturing in Faisalabad. Main features are suitable land, affordable cost, state-of-art infrastructure, provision of utilities at the doorstep of each industry and full set of dedicated business support services. It has three main projects of national importance # Value Addition City (VAC) # M-3 Industrial City (M-3-IC) # Allama Iqbal City (AllC) The M-3 Industrial City comprises 4356 acres of land while the ALLC comprises more than 3300 acres. accommodating Textile, Pharmaceuticals, Information Technology, Chemicals Automotive, service complex, etc.

Education

In 2013, Faisalabad's literacy rate of 46% for females was noticeably lower than the 69% for males; rural literacy was 49% compared to 74% in urban areas. Faisalabad has several research and educational institutions, both public and private, such as the

Divisional Public School Faisalabad Divisional Public Schools and Colleges (DPS or DPSC), established in 1963, is a series of mega-schools at the division level in Punjab, Pakistan. The series consists of one of the largest institutions providing education at school level in Pakis ...

, University of Agriculture, Government College University, National Textile University, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology, University of Faisalabad, Government College for Women University and the University of Engineering & Technology of Lahore. In 2014, the University of Agriculture ranked 1st in agriculture and 4th overall for universities in Pakistan according to the

Higher Education Commission of Pakistan The Higher Education Commission (colloquially known as HEC) is a statutory body formed by the Government of Pakistan which was established in 2002 under the Chairmanship of Atta-ur-Rahman. Its main functions are funding, overseeing, regulatin ...

(HEC), and was ranked 142nd in the 2013 Top 200 World Universities for agriculture and forestry by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

Education system

The education system is monitored by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the District Education Authority of Faisalabad. The city government reports its findings to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and the Minister for Education. Funding is provided by the government of Pakistan, City District Government and the fees collected from schools. There are four levels of the education system in the city: Primary, Elementary, High and Higher Secondary Level. Primary level education is only compulsory. There are a number of schools for the assistance of children with

special needs In clinical diagnostic and functional development, special needs (or additional needs) refers to individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. Guidelines for clinical diagnosis are given in b ...

Government and public services

Civic administration

Faisalabad was restructured into

status; a devolution promulgated by the 2001 local government ordinance (LGO). It is governed by the city district's seven departments: Agriculture, Community Development, Education, Finance and Planning, Health, Municipal Services, and Works and Services. The district coordination officer of Faisalabad (DCO) is head of the city district government and responsible for co-ordinating and supervising the administrative units. Each of the seven departments has its own Executive District Officer who is charged with co-ordinating and overseeing the activities of their respective departments. The aim of the city district government is to empower politics by improving governance which basically involved decentralising administrative authority with the establishment of different departments and respective department heads, all working under one platform. The stated vision and mission of the city district government of Faisalabad is to "establish an efficient, effective and accountable city district government, which is committed to respecting and upholding women, men and children's basic human rights, responsive towards people's needs, committed to poverty reduction and capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Our actions will be driven by the concerns of local people."

Tehsil municipal administration

In 2005, Faisalabad was reorganised as a city district composed of eight Tehsil municipal administrations (TMAs) or towns as follows: Lyallpur, Madina, Jinnah, Iqbal, Chak Jhumra, Jaranwala, Samundari, and Tandlianwala. The functions of the TMA include preparation of the spatial and land use plans, management of these development plans and exercise of control over land use, land sub-division, land development and zoning by public and private sectors, enforcement of municipal laws, rules and by-laws, provision and management of water, drainage waste and sanitation along with allied municipal services. There are 118 union councils in Faisalabad. Their role is to collect and maintain statistical information for socio-economic surveys. They consolidate ward neighbourhood development needs and prioritise these into union-wide development proposals. The council identifies any deficiencies in the delivery of these services and makes recommendations for improvement to the TMA.

Faisalabad Development Authority

The Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) was validly established in October 1976 under The Punjab Development of Cities Act (1976) to regulate, supervise and implement development activities in its jurisdiction area. The FDA acts as a policy-making body for the development of the city and is in charge of arranging and supervising major developments within the city. It is responsible for the administration of building regulations, management of parks and gardens and subsoil water management. The FDA works with the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to control and maintain the water supply, sewerage and drainage. The FDA works to improve conditions in the slums.

Healthcare

Healthcare services are provided to the citizens by both public and private sector hospitals. The government–run hospitals are Allied Hospital, District HQ Hospital, Institute of Child Care, PINUM Cancer Hospital, Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology (FIC) and General Hospitals in Ghulam Muhammadabad and Samanabad. There are a number of private hospitals, clinics and laboratories in the city.

Law enforcement

Law enforcement in Faisalabad is carried out by the city police, under the command of the city police officer (CPO), an appointment by the provincial government. The office of the CPO is located in the District Courts, Faisalabad. Various police formations include district police, elite police, traffic police, Punjab highway patrolling, investigation branch, and special branch.

Taxation

Regional Tax Office, Tax House, Faisalabad, a field formation of Federal Board of Revenue, is situated at Jail Road, Faisalabad. It is responsible for monitioring and collection of federal taxes (Income Tax, Sales Tax and Federal Excise Duty) in the vicinity of Faisalabad Division. This office actively engages mass media as well as other instituions to spread awareness about taxation and facilitate voluntary tax compliances. Sanitation The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) is a subsidiary of Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA), established on 23 April 1978 under the Development of Cities Act 1976. Estimates in indicate that the WASA provides about 72% of the city's sewerage services and about 60% of their water services. The existing production capacity of the WASA is , almost all of which is drawn from wells located in the old beds of the Chenab River. From the wells, water is pumped to a terminal reservoir located on Sargodha Road. Water is normally supplied for a total of about 8 hours per day to the majority of the city. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided financial and hardware equipment to help improve the water and sanitation conditions in the city.

Media

Television and radio

The

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) ( ur, ) is an independent and constitutionally established federal institution responsible for regulating and issuing channel licenses for establishment of the mass media culture, print a ...

(PEMRA) is responsible for the regulation and monitoring of electronic media entertainment in the country.

Pakistan Television Corporation Pakistan Television Corporation ( ur, ; reporting name: PTV) is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster. Pakistan entered the television broadcasting age in 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore. Background Historical c ...

, is the state-owned regulated television broadcasting network. The government began licensing private broadcasters in 2002. The government of Pakistan installed the first radio transmitters in the city on 15 September 1982. " Radio Pakistan" broadcasts three government regulated FM stations: "Radio Pakistan FM101, Radio Pakistan FM93 and Radio Pakistan Sautul Qur'an Channel FM93.4. FM101 became operational in 2002, FM93 went live in 2010 and FM93.4 Sautul Qur'an Channel went live in 2016; PBC all three stations are standard power KW 2.5.

Telecommunications

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is a government-owned organisation that is responsible for the establishment, operation and maintenance of telecommunications in the city. The organisation monitors and prevents illegal exchanges in the city. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited is the main provider of fixed line, mobile and broadband services. Regional headquarters is located at the Central Telecom House in Chinot Bazaar. With the deregulation of the telecommunication sector by the Ministry of Information Technology, a range of companies now offer mobile and

broadband In telecommunications, broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple signals at a wide range of frequencies and Internet traffic types, that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections. ...

services in the city.

Film and theatre

In 2008, the Government of Pakistan lifted a forty-year ban on

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" ...

films which allowed Indian films to be played in cinemas. The cinema industry has since seen the introduction of new cinemas such as Cinepax by Hotel One, and Cine Nagina. The Government College University in Faisalabad encourages students from the University of Agriculture to hold workshops and explore themes of peace and tolerance which can be used in an engaging and entertaining way to communicate complex issues to different audiences.

Recreation

Parks and open spaces

Faisalabad is home to a number of parks, most of which are maintained by the Parks and Horticulture Authority, Faisalabad. The oldest park in the city is Jinnah Garden, the city's central park, commonly known as "Company Bagh" and where the monument of Sir James Broadwood Lyall is situated. Other parks include Canal Park, a family park located on the west bank of the Rakh Branch Canal. The

Gatwala Wildlife Park Gatwala Wildlife Park is a wildlife park, botanical garden and breeding center located in the town of Gatwala in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. It is situated near Khurrianwala and away from Lahore Zoo. It is the largest park of Faisalabad. Gatwa ...

is a botanical natural reserve located at Gatwala that was renovated by the city district government. The Pahari Grounds near D Ground is another renovated park that has a Pakistan Air Force F-86 Sabre on display.

Sports

Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

is a popular sport in Faisalabad. Regional and international cricket matches are held in Iqbal Stadium, named after Pakistani poet Sir

Allama Muhammad Iqbal Sir Muhammad Iqbal ( ur, ; 9 November 187721 April 1938), was a South Asian Muslim writer, philosopher, Quote: "In Persian, ... he published six volumes of mainly long poems between 1915 and 1936, ... more or less complete works on philos ...

. The stadium is home to Faisalabad's local team, the Faisalabad Wolves. Iqbal Stadium hosted the 1987 Cricket World Cup, and the 1996 Cricket World Cup. The

Faisalabad Hockey Stadium The Faisalabad Hockey Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Faisalabad, Pakistan. It is currently used mostly for field hockey matches. It is the third-largest hockey stadium in Pakistan (after Lahore and Karachi) having a capacity of 25,000. It is ...

, located on Susan Road, was constructed in 2002, and can accommodate 25,000 spectators. On 16 April 2003, the stadium was inaugurated by

, governor of Punjab. It is the third-largest

field hockey Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ...

stadium in the country. The stadium has hosted

matches for both national and international competition but by the beginning of 2016 was reported to be in "pathetic condition as its astroturf has completed its life span about eight years ago." Commissioner Naseem Nawaz advised that efforts were under way to maintain the stadium. In October 2002, the Government College University established a Directorate of Sports to promote university and national level sports for male and female players. Infrastructure and facilities are available for university players in

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

, hockey, tennis, basketball, table tennis, badminton and

cricket pitch In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets. It is long (1 chain) and wide. The surface is flat and is normally covered with extremely short grass, but can be completely d ...

Public libraries and museums

There are two libraries that are open to the public: Allama Iqbal Library and Municipal Corporation Public Library. They are funded and regulated by the government of Punjab under the service sector. * Allama Iqbal Library is located on University Road, opposite the District Courts. The library is housed in the 1911-built colonial building originally named "Coronation Library" during the rule of the British Empire. In 2012, the building came under control of the Lyallpur Heritage Foundation and the Punjab Archives and Libraries Department. *

Lyallpur Museum Lyallpur Museum is a heritage museum in Faisalabad, Pakistan ( the old and original name for the city of Faisalabad is Lyallpur). It has 10 galleries which show the ancient and modern history and culture of Lyallpur/Faisalabad. It was established i ...

is located adjacent to the Allama Iqbal Library on University Road. It is a heritage museum and art gallery open to the public. The museum is primarily focused on regional history with a collection of artwork, artefacts and photographs. * Municipal Library is located in Iqbal Park on Narwala Road, opposite the historical grounds of Dhobi Ghat. The library has a large collection of books, a photo gallery and a conference centre. In 2011, the library underwent a renovation costing 40 million rupees. * The Forest Library at the Punjab Forestry Research Institute (PFRI) is one of two specialist libraries, the other being in Lahore. Opened in 1986, the research library is based at the Wildlife Research Center in Gatwala.

Sister cities

Faisalabad's

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

is: * Qingdao, China

Transportation

Faisalabad is well-connected by rail, road and air. Public transportation in Faisalabad includes auto-rickshaws, buses and railways. Faisalabad International Airport is located on the outskirts of the city, and operates flights to the Middle East.

Road

The majority of roads are under the control of the

National Highway Authority The National Highway Authority (NHA; ur, ) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Communications (MoCom) of Pakistan. History In 1978, the Government of Pakistan federalised five important inter-provincial roads and named them ''National ...

, linking Faisalabad with other cities in the country. National highways and motorways passing through Faisalabad Faisalabad is connected to various parts of the country by several National Highways and Motorways: * The Grand Trunk Road, otherwise known as GT Road, is the original highway that links Faisalabad to most parts of Pakistan as well as neighbouring countries. GT Road was the main highway that ran through the district before the completion of the motorways. * The

M-4 motorway (Pakistan) The M4 ( ur, ) is a north–south motorway in Pakistan that connects the cities of Faisalabad and Multan. The 309 km motorway also connects to the M2, M3 and M5 motorways.

or M4 is an access-controlled motorway connecting M-2 motorway (Pakistan) from Pindi Bhatian Interchange via Faisalabad to

Multan Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab. Multan is one of the ol ...

. The M2 was the first motorway connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad to Lahore. The M4 further joined the M5 which connects to the southern city of Sukkur. The district government has worked with the National Highway Authority to connect Multan and Faisalabad. The M4 was designed to reduce congestion, boost trade, and reduce travel times and transportation costs from Faisalabad, a major textile hub to the major trade centre of

Buses

Bus transportation is provided by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Faisalabad. Faisalabad's bus network started as a series of several numbered feeder routes, but only three of these routes remain following the discontinuation of most others. These operational routes are designated as B-10, B-11, and W-20. Due to demand not met by the public transportation services, the private wagon and rickshaw operators make up a larger proportion of the transportation network than bus routes. Previously, Faisalabad Urban Transport System Service (FUTS) provided service. It was launched in 1994, and operated a number of large CNG buses and smaller Toyota HiAce vans connecting the majority of the city. There is another public-private run bus operator, Brothers Metro, which is a consortium between the government of Punjab and a private firm who operates a fleet of air-conditioned CNG buses.

Rail

The Faisalabad railway station is the central railway station in the city. The railway line forms part of the Khanewal–Wazirabad railway line. Rail services are operated by

Pakistan Railways Pakistan Railways ( ur, ) is the national, state-owned railway company of Pakistan. Founded in 1861 and headquartered in Lahore, it owns of track across Pakistan, stretching from Torkham to Karachi, offering both freight and passenger se ...

, owned and operated by the

Ministry of Railways A Ministry of Railways is a Cabinet department that exists or has existed in many Commonwealth states as well as others. It generally occurs in countries where railroad transportation is a particularly important part of the national infrastructure ...

. Cargo Express services are operated by Pakistan Railways which runs from Karachi to Faisalabad via Multan. Twenty-seven bogies compose the goods train, and are handled respectively by private contractors at the station. The station has a special cargo facility operated by the Ministry of Railways (Pakistan) for handling various goods from the city to other regions of the country. An express parcel service runs from Karachi to Lahore via Faisalabad.

Air traffic

Faisalabad International Airport is approximately from the city centre and is a major airport for domestic and international travel. The airport includes a cargo facility. As of January 2016, passenger flights are run by the national flag carrier,

Pakistan International Airlines Pakistan International Airlines ( ur, ; abbreviated PIA, ur, ) is an international airline that serves as the national flag carrier of Pakistan under the administrative control of the Aviation Secretary of Pakistan, Secretary to the Governme ...

, and a number of middle eastern carriers. FlyDubai became the first international carrier to launch operations from the city followed by Qatar Airways,

Air Arabia Air Arabia ( ar, العربية للطيران ''al-ʿArabiyya Lit-Ṭayarān'') is an Emirati low-cost airline with its head office in the A1 Building Sharjah Freight Center, Sharjah International Airport, UAE. The airline operates scheduled se ...

and Gulf Air. In 2015, significant upgrades and renovations to the airport were initiated by the

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) ( ur, ) is a state-owned autonomous body under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation, which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Paki ...

, including updates to aviation technology, construction of additional areas and services for travellers, and the expansion of air traffic capabilities to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777.

References

External links

Faisalabad City District

Punjab Government website
* * {{Authority control Cities and towns in Faisalabad District Metropolitan areas of Pakistan Planned cities in Pakistan Populated places in Punjab, Pakistan Cities in Punjab (Pakistan) Populated places established in 1892