Sahiwal

Sahiwal ( Punjabi and ur, ), formerly known as Montgomery, is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st largest city of Pakistan by population and the administrative capital of both Sahiwal District and Sahiwal Division. Sahiwal is approximately 180 km from the major city Lahore and 100 km from Faisalabad and lies between Lahore and Multan.

The city lies in a densely populated region between the Sutlej and Ravi rivers. The principal crops are wheat, cotton, tobacco, legumes, potato and oil seeds. Cotton goods and lacquered woodwork are manufactured.

History

Following the Ummayad Arab conquest of Punjab cities of Uch and Multan, led by Muhammad bin Qasim. Arabs of Emirate of Multan ruled the region of Sahiwal for few centuries. Then Sahiwal remained part of Multan province of Mamluk dynasty. Sahiwal also remained associated with historic city of Depalpur.

The modern day city of Sahiwal was founded in 1865 when a train station was built at the site of a small village on the Karachi-Lahore railway line. The site was named Montgomery for Sir Robert Montgomery, then lieutenant governor of the Punjab and it replaced Gogera as the capital of the recently created Montgomery district. Two years later in 1867, it was constituted a municipality.

In 1914 construction began of the Lower Bari Doab Canal which now irrigates both the city and wider region.

During the Partition of India in 1947 the city, being part of Montgomery district, was allocated to Pakistan by the Punjab Boundary Commission. This was on the basis of being a Muslim majority area, despite claims from the Indian National Congress and Sikh groups on the basis of greater property ownership and revenues paid to the state.

Climate

The climate of Sahiwal district is extreme, reaching 52 °C in summer, and down to 2 °C in winter. The soil of the district is very fertile. The average rainfall is about 2000 mm.

Education

Notable educational institutes of the city include:

* University of Sahiwal
* COMSATS University, Sahiwal Campus
*Barani Institute of Sciences
* Sahiwal Medical College
*Quaid-e-Azam College of Engineering and Technology, Sahiwal
* Punjab College of Science
* The Superior College
* Army Public Schools & Colleges System (APSCS)
* Beaconhouse School System
* Bloomfield Hall School
* The City School
* Divisional Public School and College
* The Educators
* Government Postgraduate College Sahiwal
* Government College of Technology Sahiwal
* Royal Computer Trainning Institute Sahiwal

Twin city

Sahiwal is twinned with the town of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, North West England. Approximately eight per cent of town's population is of Asian origin, most of whom have links with Pakistan. The twinning arrangement was agreed between Rochdale and Sahiwal in 1998.

Notable people

* Mushtaq Ahmed, former test cricketer
* Majeed Amjad, Urdu poet
* Tariq Aziz, television anchor
* Dildar Pervaiz Bhatti

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