| Sialkot سیالکوٹ |
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|---|---|
| City | |
| Nickname(s): The City of Iqbal | |
 Sialkot
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| Coordinates: 32°29′50″N 74°32′10″E / 32.49722°N 74.53611°ECoordinates: 32°29′50″N 74°32′10″E / 32.49722°N 74.53611°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Government | |
| • D.C.O | Nadeem Sarwar |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3,016 km2 (1,164 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 256 m (840 ft) |
| Population (1998)[1] | |
| • Total | 421,502 |
| • Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Postal code | 51310 |
| Calling code | 052 |
| Number of Union councils | 152 |
| Sialkot Government Website | |
Sialkot (Punjabi, Urdu: سيالكوٹ) is a city in, and the administrative headquarters for, Sialkot District, located in the northeast of the Punjab, Pakistan. Sialkot is Pakistan's twelfth most populous city.[1]
Contents
History of Sialkot[edit]
Medieval Sialkot[edit]
Sialkot became a part of the Muslim Sultanate of Delhi when the Afghan noble Sultan Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Ghauri conquered Punjab in 1185. He was unable to conquer Lahore but left a garrison in Sialkot. Later Sultan Khusro Malik tried to capture the city but failed to do so. Sialkot then became a part of the Muslim Mughal Empire. The Mughal commander Usman Ghani Raza, advanced towards Delhi by way of Sialkot which capitulated to his armies.
Zaheer-ud-Din Muhammad Babur records:
| “ | 29th December: We dismounted at Sialkot. If one enters Hindustan the Jats and Gujjars always pour down in countless hordes from hill and plain for loot of bullocks and buffalo. These ill-omened peoples are senseless oppressors. Previously, their deeds did not concern us because the territory was an enemy's. But they did the same senseless deeds after we had captured it. When we reached Sialkot, they swooped on the poor and needy folk who were coming out of the town to our camp and stripped them bare. I had the witless brigands apprehended, and ordered a few of them to be cut to pieces.[2] | ” |
At the end of the Mughal dynasty the suburbs and the outlying districts and areas of Sialkot were left to themselves. Sialkot itself was appropriated by powerful families of Pashtuns from Multan, Afghanistan and Swat, the Kakayzai and Sherwani, and another family from Quetta. In 1748 the four districts of Sialkot, Sambrial, Pasrur and Daska were given to the Afghan Pashtun ruler Ahmed Shah Durrani and the area was amalgamated into the Afghan empire. After 1751 Ahmed Shah Durrani left his son Taimur to rule Lahore and the surrounding districts. During that time Raja Ranjit Deo of Jammu expanded his dominion over the peripheral areas but not the city of Sialkot. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh invaded and occupied Sialkot[3] for about 40 years, though it was held by a Pashtun clan for some time during the decline of the Durrani regime.
Modern Sialkot[edit]
The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and the Pakistan Movement. After independence in 1947 the Hindu and Sikh minorities migrated to India, while Muslim refugees from India settled in the Sialkot district and married into the local population. Sialkot has become one of the major industrial centres of Pakistan.
During the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, when Pakistani troops arrived in Kashmir, the Indian Army counterattacked in the Sialkot Sector. The Pakistan Army successfully defended the city and the people of Sialkot came out in full force to support the troops.[4] In 1966 the Government of Pakistan awarded the Hilal-i-Istaqlal to the citizens of Sialkot, Lahore and Sargodha for their courage and bravery. The armoured battles in the Sialkot sector like the Battle of Chawinda were the most intense since the Second World War.[5]
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 the region again witnessed bitter battles, most importantly, the Battle of Basantar. A major Indian counter-offensive came in this area and two Pakistani tank regiments, equipped with US Patton tanks, lost part of the region despite outnumbering the Indian First Armoured Corps, which was equipped with British Centurion tanks. Pakistani gains were made in Chamb sector, now called Iftikharabad after the commander, Major General Iftikhar Janjua, who later was the most senior officer to die fighting on the front line. Both the forces returned to international borders after the Simla Accord, except Chamb sector, which was located on the Line of Actual Control in the disputed territory of Kashmir.
Geography and climate[edit]
Sialkot features a humid subtropical climate (Cwa) under the Köppen climate classification, with four seasons.
The post-monsoon season from mid-September to mid-November remains hot during the daytime but nights cool down substantially and the low humidity makes the heat more bearable. In the winter from mid-November to March, days are pleasantly mild to warm and occasionally heavy rainfalls occur from the passage of frontal cloudbands. The temperature during winter may drop to 0 °C or 32 °F, but maxima are very rarely less than 15 °C or 59 °F.
| Climate data for Sialkot, Pakistan | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 26.1 (79) |
30.0 (86) |
35.0 (95) |
42.2 (108) |
47.3 (117.1) |
48.9 (120) |
44.4 (111.9) |
41.1 (106) |
39.0 (102.2) |
37.2 (99) |
33.3 (91.9) |
27.2 (81) |
48.9 (120) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 18.5 (65.3) |
21.0 (69.8) |
25.7 (78.3) |
32.8 (91) |
38.0 (100.4) |
39.9 (103.8) |
34.9 (94.8) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.6 (92.5) |
31.7 (89.1) |
26.1 (79) |
20.1 (68.2) |
29.7 (85.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.6 (52.9) |
13.8 (56.8) |
18.6 (65.5) |
25.0 (77) |
30.0 (86) |
32.2 (90) |
29.8 (85.6) |
29.0 (84.2) |
27.9 (82.2) |
23.7 (74.7) |
17.8 (64) |
12.8 (55) |
22.6 (72.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 5.0 (41) |
7.1 (44.8) |
11.8 (53.2) |
17.3 (63.1) |
22.0 (71.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.8 (76.6) |
22.3 (72.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
9.6 (49.3) |
5.6 (42.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −1.1 (30) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
3.0 (37.4) |
9.0 (48.2) |
13.4 (56.1) |
18.0 (64.4) |
19.5 (67.1) |
18.7 (65.7) |
13.3 (55.9) |
8.5 (47.3) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−1.1 (30) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 41.1 (1.618) |
43.8 (1.724) |
53.7 (2.114) |
30.1 (1.185) |
28.0 (1.102) |
65.6 (2.583) |
288.4 (11.354) |
259.1 (10.201) |
94.1 (3.705) |
14.5 (0.571) |
9.1 (0.358) |
30.4 (1.197) |
957.9 (37.712) |
| Source: NOAA (1971–1990)[6] | |||||||||||||
Economy and industry[edit]
Sialkot is the world's largest producer of hand-sewed footballs, with local factories manufacturing 40~60 million footballs a year, amounting to roughly 70% of world production. There is a well-applied child labour ban, the Atlanta Agreement, in the industry since a 1997 outcry.[7]
During the colonial era British India's first bagpipe works opened in the city, today there are 20 pipe bands in the city.[8]
The 2014 FIFA World Cup's soccer balls were made by a Sialkot company.[9] Sialkot is also producer of surgical instruments and leather products.
Educational institutions[edit]
Sialkot has a fairly well-developed educational infrastructure that comprises a sub campus of University of Management and Technology, Lahore, a sub campus of University of Gujrat, a sub-campus of the Fatima Jinnah Women University, a sub-campus of the Virtual University of Pakistan, eight Degree Colleges for Women, five Degree Colleges for Men, two Cadet Colleges, six Commerce Colleges, one Law College, one Medical College, one Homeopathic Medical College, one Nursing School, one Para-Medical School, one Poly-Technic Institute, with numerous Inter Colleges, Higher Secondary Schools and over 250 High Schools.
The Convent of Jesus and Mary, Sialkot was established in 1856. It was the first Catholic mission school in Punjab and the second of its kind in British India. Other eminent private-sector schools include the American School, the City School, the Beaconhouse School and Zaka Public School and College GulBahar.
The Murray College, Sialkot was established in 1889 as the Scotch Mission College by the Scottish missionaries belonging to the Church of Scotland Mission. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Pakistan offering education up to the post-graduate level.
The Sialkot Medical College was established in 2002 with a sanction of Rs. 750 million. 30 seats were allocated for the year 2003 at the Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore to be shifted to the Sialkot Medical College in 2004. However, because of local politics, the project was shelved. In April 2007, the President of Pakistan again announced an immediate construction of the Medical College building in Sialkot.Its new name is Khawaja Muhammad Safdar Medical College after the name of Khawaja Muhammad Asif's father.
The University of Management & Technology Sialkot Campus is a sub campus of University of Management and Technology, Lahore.
Transport[edit]
Road and Bus Services[edit]
Sialkot has connections with other cities by a variety of means of transportation. The district is linked with Gujrat, Narowal and Gujranwala districts through concrete roads. Buses to Lahore leave frequently, since it is the second largest city of Pakistan. There are a variety of buses travelling to and fro the city. Many of them are now air-conditioned with a fairly good safety record. The N-5 National Highway connects the city to connect to all parts of Pakistan. The road otherwise, known as GT Road, allows connections to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Wazirabad. Coach services such as Daewoo Express, Faisal Movers Express, Niazi Express, Khan brothers transport, Nadir flying coach, Punjab Tourism Department, Skyways and New Khan Bus Service are some of the most reliable coach companies operating out of Sialkot.
Railways[edit]
Gujranwala is connected by rail with all parts of the country and lies on the main track between Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta. The main Peshawar-Karachi railway line passes near Sialkot district. The district then links trains to nearby districts of Gujranwala, Lahore, Sheikhupura and Gujrat districts through the railway network.[10] Sialkot Railway Station is the main railway station of Sialkot.
Airport[edit]
Sialkot International Airport is an airport situated 14 km away from the city centre of Gujranwala. It operates to cater mainly to the population of Sialkot, Gujranwala, Daska, Gujrat, Wazirabad, Ghakhar Mandi, and Pasrur to mainly to other points within Pakistan as well as the Middle East. Flights are currently operated by the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, Qatar Airways Emirates Airlines, Gulf Air, Airblue, Shaheen Air, Air Arabia and many other airlines. Since the growth of air travel within the region, there has been speculated interest from other private carriers as well. The rise in air-travel has also led to the expansion of the current airport with a new runway and a large new terminal.
The second nearest commercial airport is Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore located 130 km away from city.
List of people from Sialkot[edit]
Among the many famous people from Sialkot, the following are the best in their field:
- Faiz Ahmad Faiz, poet
- Ghulam Ali, ghazal singer
- Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Defence and also for Water & Power
- Rajendra Kumar, film actor
- Shoaib Malik, former captain of Pakistan Cricket team
Photo gallery[edit]
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Seerat Study Center
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Sialkot Fort (Ruins) established by Raja Sálbán 200 AD
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A busy street in Sialkot
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Pakistan-India Working boundary near Sialkot
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Control Tower at the Sialkot International Airport
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Control Tower at the Sialkot International Airport
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A PIA Boeing 737 at the Sialkot International Airport
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Sialkot Junction City Railway Station
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A view of Chenab River near Sialkot
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Marala Headworks, A famous picnic spot near Sialkot
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Crescent Hockey Club playing a match in Sialkot
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A View of Marala Headworks
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Sialkot International Airport
See also[edit]
- List of twin towns and sister cities in Pakistan
- List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by area
- Sialkot Stallions
References[edit]
- ^ a b http://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//tables/POPULATION%20SIZE%20AND%20GROWTH%20OF%20MAJOR%20CITIES.pdf
- ^ Babur Nama page 250 published by Penguin
- ^ Zutshi, Chitralekha (2003), Language of belonging: Islam, regional identity, and the making of Kashmir, Oxford University Press/Permanent Black. Pp. 359, ISBN 978-0-19-521939-5
- ^ K Conboy, "Elite Forces of India and Pakistan" ISBN 1-85532-209-9, page 9
- ^ The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965, Synopsis. Retrieved 26 May 2008 at the Internet Archive
- ^ "Sialkot Climate Normals 1971–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
- ^ Hasnain Kazim (16 March 2010). "The Football Stitchers of Sialkot". Spiegel International. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
- ^ "Punjab pays tartan homage to Caledonia | World news | The Observer". Guardian. 25 April 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-150235-Brazilian-ambassador-unveils-Pak-made-FIFA-soccer-ball
- ^ Transport in Multan Lonely Planet Travel Information. Accessed 15 August 2009.
External links[edit]
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