Gujrat

Gujrat is a district of Punjab Province in Pakistan. It is an ancient district located in between two
famous rivers, the Jhelum and Chenab. Because of its proximity with the rivers the land is good for cultivation with rice and sugar cane as main crops. It is bounded on the northeast by Mirpur, on the northwest by the River Jhelum which separates it from Jhelum District, on the east and southeast by the Chenab River, separating it from the districts of Gujranwala and Sialkot, and on the West by Mandi Bahauddin. District Gujrat is spread over an area of 3,192 square kilometres, and is divided into three tehsils, Gujrat, Kharian, and Sarai Alamgir. There are many historic villages and towns in the district such as Chakdina, Kunjah, Dinga.

Gujrat is situated on the bank of Chenab River, situated about 120 KM north of Lahore.Prominent nearby locations include Jhelum, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot and Bhimber-Azad Kashmir. The city is surrounded by many villages which supply a significant Labor to the local market.        

GUJRAT Town itself is a place of some antiquity, and the District bounds in ancient sites.The district formed part of the kingdom of Porus, who was defeated by Alexander, probably in the Karri plain beyond the Jammu border, in July, 326 B.C. ; but four years later was conquered by Chandragupta Maurya in the national rising which took place on the death of Alexander. It remained under the Mauryas until shortly after the death of Asoka in 231, and about forty years later came under the sway of Demetrius the Graeco-Bactrian. The overthrow of the Bactrians by the Parthians in the latter half of the second century brought another change of  rulers, and the coins of the Indo-Parthian  Maues (c. 120 B. c.), who is known to local tradition as Raja Moga, have been found at Mong. At the end of the first  century A. D., ie whole of the Punjab was conquered by the Yueh-chi. For several hundred years nothing is known of the history of the District, except that between 455 and 540 it must have been exposed to the ravages of the White
Huns. Dr. Stein holds that the District formed part of the kingdom of Gurjara, which, according to the Rajatarangini, was invaded between 883 and 902 by Sankara Varman of Kashmir, who defeated its king Alakhana. This may be the Ali Khan to whom tradition ascribed the refounding of GUJRAT.

Authentic history commences only in the Lodi period, when Bahlolpur, 23 miles (37 km) north-east of Gujrat, was founded in the reign of Bahlol (1451-89). Khwas Khan, governor of the Rohtas under Sher Shah Suri, founded Khwaspur near Gujrat. The settlement of the tract was completed by Akbar, who built a fort and compelled the Gujars to settle in it. The tract was then named Gujrat and formed into a separate district. Revenue records have been preserved in the families of the hereditary registrars (kanungos), and these exhibit Gujrat the capital of a district containing 2,592 villages, paying a revenue of 16 lakhs. In 1605 the famous Saiyid Abdul Kasim received Gujrat as a tuyul or fief from Akbar. On the decay of the Mughal power, Nadir Shah ravaged the District and destroyed Gujrat. The country also suffered at the same time from the ravages of Ahmad Shah Durrani, whose armies frequently crossed and recrossed it.

In 1846 Gujrat came under the supervision of British officials, when a settlement of land revenue was effected under order from the provisional government at Lahore. Two years later, the District was the scene of some of the battles which decided the even of the second Sikh War. While the siege of MULTAN still dragged slowly on, Sher Singh established himself at Ramnagar on the Gujrawala side of the Chenab,22 miles (35 km) below Gujrat, leaving the main body of his army on the northern bank. Here he awaited the attack of the British, who attempted unsuccessfully to drive him across the river, on November 22, 1848. Lord Gough withdrew from the assault with heavy loss ; but sending round a strong detachment under Sir Joseph Thackwell by the Wazirabad ferry, he turned the flank of the enemy, and won the battle of Sadullapur. Sher Singh retired northward, and took up a strong position between the Jhelum and the Pabb Hills. The bloody battle of Chilianwala followed (January 13, 1849) a victory as costly as a defeat. On February 6 Sher Singh again eluded Lord Gough's vigilance, and marched southwards to make a dash upon Lahore; but the British pressed him close in the rear and, on February 22, he turned to offer battle at Gujrat. The decisive engagement which ensued broke irretrievably the power of the Sikh. The Punjab lay at the feet of the conquerors, and passed by annexation under British rule.

Gujrat is an ancient city of Pakistan located between two famous rivers, Jhelum River and Chenab River. Because of its proximity with the rivers, the land is good for cultivation of rice and sugarcane as main crops. It is bounded on the northeast by Jammu and Kashmir, on the northwest by the Jhelum River, on the east and southeast by the Chenab River, separating it from the districts of Gujranwala and Sialkot;and  on the west by Mandi Bahauddin District.                                       

Gujrat is also known for its clay with which the locals have, for long, produced quality pottery. The city also produces fine furniture. Over the last few decades, Gujrat has also attained a name in the manufacture and export of Electric Fans. Gujrat is also home to one of the two largest shoe manufacturing companies in Pakistan, namely Service Industries, which runs a large shoe factory in the city. There are about  1,059 cottage level and small to large scale industrial units operating in the district. Rice production and export is another major product of  Gujrat. There are many other factories engaged in manufacturing of electrical goods, electric motors and rice cleaning mills. Most are cottage industries, providing employment to a large number of people and accounting, in aggregate, for more than 90 percent of the domestic market.

A university UOG was established in 2003, just near the Govt College for Girls. The main campus of the University is called Hafiz Hayat Campus. Hafiz Hayat is an ancient legend for the Gujrat city. At the same time there are two more Govt Colleges in the city but to complete the lack of hunger for knowledge there are so many private colleges. These colleges cover some special subjects for each. As the population of  the city was increasing day by day so there was great need for Elementary, Middle and High Schools too.As the Govt had not a lot of resources to cover this whole need, so private schools started to born. Buthaving Govt and Private institutions in the same city dosen't mean that the standard of education is low.But a competition can be seen between them which encourages the students as well as the teachers to go beyond the limits of theoratical studies. So students can learn more not just by understanding the material but also by practicing it.

 Gujrat produces low temperature pottery ceramic goods, Hukkas , artistic handicrafts, flower pots, "Changairian" (made from the leaves of  palm and date trees), cotton mates and woollen shawls. Sohni Mahiwal is a famous folk tale of the Punjab region. The heroine of the story,

named "Sohni" (a Punjabi word, meaning "beautiful"), came from the Gujrat region. She used to meet her lover "Mahinwal" by crossing the Chenab river, sitting on a pitcher. The tale is still told to this day, and is an essential part of Punjabi culture. The anniversary of Kanwan-Wali Sarkar near Karuan wala Gujrat is celebrated with a fair in August every year. He is known as the one of the greatest saints that ever lived. A famous miracle was when water in a well actually turned to milk for a period of time. The well is still there. The locals have a myth that it rains heavily at the time of fair (but actually the rain falls because of monsoon)and "Wengi Wali Sarkar" anniversary in 5 january every year at village Haji Wala near Karianwala Tehsil and District Gujrat.                                                                                                

Attock

The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.

Attock District is bordered by the Haripur and Swabi districts of North-West Frontier Province to the north, the district of Rawalpindi to the east, the district of Chakwal to the southeast, the district of Mianwali to the southwest, and North-West Frontier Province districts of Kohat and Nowshera to the west and northwest. The river Indus forms the western boundary of the district.

Attock District original name was Attock it changes Campbellpur after the Briton Sir Campbell who founded the city of CampbelAttock District original name was Attock it changes Campbellpur after the Briton Sir Campbell who founded the city of Campbellpore. The name of the district was changed to Attock as of 1978 again. Attock city is the district headquarterslpore. The name of the district was changed to Attock as of 1978 again. Attock city is the district headquarters.

The history of the District is practically the same as that of Rawalpindi district. Hassan Abdal, the chief relic of the Buddhist period, was one of the towns subordinate to the capital of Taxila, and under the Gakhars, Mughals, and Sikhs the District followed the fortunes of Rawalpindi. The chief historical events recorded are the defeat of Anand Pal near Ohind by Mahmud of Ghazni, the foundation of ATTOCK by Akbar, and its vicissitudes in the Sikh Wars. The District was constituted in 1904, the tahsils of Attock, Pindi Gheb, and Fatahjang being transferred from Rawalpindi District, and that of Talagang from Jhelum. 

Attock fort was completed in 1583 under the supervision of Khawaja Shamsuddin Khawafi, a minister of Emperor Akbar. The Mughal caravan sarai outside the fort, which is almost on the Grand Trunk (GT) Road, was also built during this period.

In the educational sector, Attock has two universities. One is COMSATS and the second is University of Education. There are several government and private colleges; the Govt Postgraduate College is one of the oldest institutions in the country with a degree college status dating from 1942. PAF Shaheen College Kamra is also one of best institutions in the Region. There is a famous Cadet College at Hassan Abdal.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad (Pahari: مُظفٌر آباد) is the capital of Azad Kashmir. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers. The district is bounded by North-West Frontier Province in the west, by the Kupwara and Baramulla districts of on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the east, and the Neelum District of Azad Kashmir in the north. The population of the district, according to the 1998 Census, was 725,000, and according to a 1999 projection, the population had risen to almost 741,000. The district comprises three tehsils, and the city of Muzaffarabad serves as the capital of Azad Kashmir.

 Muzaffarabad is situated at the confluence of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers. The city is 138 kilometres from Rawalpindi and Islamabad and about 76 kilometres from Abbottabad. Cradled by lofty mountains, Muzaffarabad reflects a blend of various cultures and languages. The main language is a form of Hindko. The Neelum river plays a dominant role in the microclimate of Muzaffarabad which joins Jehlum river near Domail.

 The name "Muzaffarabad" (meaning Muzaffar's Town) comes from the name of Sultan Raja Muzaffar Khan (popular muslim ruler of khandan-e-Bomba ) After the 1948-49 war, Muzaffarabad was made the capital of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir.                                                                

   On October 8, 2005, the city was struck by an earthquake measuring a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter Scale.                                                          

   Situated at the confluence of the Jhelum and the Neelum rivers Muzaffarabad the capital of the State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is at a distance of 138 km from Rawalpindi and 79 km from Abbottabad. Surrounded by mountains, it looks like a walled town. It is the administrative capital of Azad Kashmir. Behind the Secretariat to the east is a road climbing above the town from where one can walk upto Pir Chinasi at 2,900 meters with good views of the Jhelum Valley and the higher mountains above the Neelum to the north. From the cool on the Abbottabad Road, you can walk along the ridge looking over the Jhelum and Kunhar rivers.                                                        

  The upper Jhelum valley makes another interesting scenic excursion from Muzaffarabad. Follow the Jhelum upstream, taking the road beneath the Domel bridge. This was the old route to Srinagar. The valley is broad with raised terraces above the river. Rice and maize are widely grown. Some 10 kms out of Muzaffarabad, the river widens to from a small lake. This was created by a landslide some years ago. There is a small Angler's Hut here, which makes a pleasant picnic spot. It is possible to take boats out on the river. Book through the Tourism Department in Muzaffarabad.

The city is now a combination of old and new buildings and a blend of different cultures and languages. It has besides official buildings, farms, parks and the historic forts standing on the banks of the Neelum, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Rawlakot and Kotli are connected with Pakistan by the Micro-weave system of telephone.                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Karachi

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the financial capital of Pakistan, and the capital of the province of Sindh. With a city population of 15.5 million, Karachi is one of the world's largest cities,13th largest urban agglomeration and the 20th largest metropolitan area in the world. It is Pakistan's premier centre of banking, industry, and trade. Karachi is home to Pakistan's largest corporations, including those that are involved in textiles, shipping, automotive industry, entertainment, the arts, fashion, advertising, publishing, software development and medical research. The city is a major hub of higher education in South Asia and the wider Islamic world. Karachi is ranked as a Beta world city.

Karachi enjoys its prominent position because of its geographical location on a bay, making it the financial capital of the country. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It was the original capital of Pakistan until the construction of Islamabad and is the location of the Port of Karachi and Port Bin Qasim , one of the region's largest and busiest ports. After the partition of India and the independence of Pakistan, the city's population increased dramatically when hundreds of thousands of migrants from India, East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) and other parts of South Asia came to settle in the city.    

 Karachi city is spread over 3,530 km2 (1,360 sq mi) in area, almost five times bigger than Singapore. It is locally known as the "City of Lights" (روشنیوں  کا  شهر) and "The bride of the cities" (عروس  البلاد) for its liveliness, and the "City of the Quaid " (شهرِ  قائد), having been the birth and burial place of Quaid-e-Azam (Muhammad Ali Jinnah), the founder of Pakistan, who made the city his home after Pakistan's independence.

The area of Karachi was known to the ancient Greeks by many names: Krokola, the place where Alexander the Great camped to prepare a fleet for Babylonia after his campaign in the Indus Valley; 'Morontobara' (probably Manora island near Karachi harbour), from whence Alexander's admiral Nearchus set sail; and Barbarikon, a port of the Indo-Greek Bactrian kingdom. It was later known to the Arabs as Debal, the starting point for Muhammad bin Qasim and his army in 712 AD.                                                   

ocated on the coast, Karachi tends to have a relatively mild, arid climate with low average precipitation levels (approximately 250 mm per annum), the bulk of which occurs during the July-August monsoon season. Winters are mild and the summers are hot; the proximity to the sea maintains humidity levels at a near-constant high and cool sea breezes relieve the heat of the summer months. Because of 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. December and January have pleasant and cloudy weather.                                                     

                                                                                  

Quetta

Quetta is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It is known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan", due to its diversity in plant and animals wildlife.

The city has been a major stronghold along the western frontier of the country. It is situated at an average elevation of 1,654 metres (5,429 feet) metres above sea level.The city is also home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, a national park containing some of the rarest species of wildlife in the world. The city is also home to the research institute, Geological Survey of Pakistan.

Quetta sits near the Durand Line border with Afganistan which makes the city an important marketing and communications centre for Pakistan with the neighbouring country.

Quetta is also spelled Kuwatah which is a variation of Kuatta, a Pashto word meaning "fort".It is believed the city received its name due to imposing hills on all sides of the city. The hills which act as a natural fort are called Chiltan, Takatu, Mehrdar.

Multan

Tradition has it that when Adam was turned out of the garden of Eden, Multan is the place where satan landed. But, for millions of Pakistanis it is a city of saints and mystics. Whatever the truth Multan is probably the oldest living city in South Asia.

 It is claimed that Rig Veda was written in Multan, its architects devised the perfect arch in buildings and wrote the first book on architecture. Alexander the Great in 326 B.C destroyed the stronghold of Malavas or Mali and it is presumed that this stronghold was at Multan or near it.                  

  Multan remained culturally more under the Arabs and central Asian influence than that of the Indians. Handicrafts famous from Multan are: hand painted pottery, fine handloom materials, gold & silver jewelry, exquisite embroidery-work, fine “chicken-kari”, gota.                       

Peshawar

There are very few ancient cities in the subcontinent which inspite of  the great stresses and strains have retained their old complexion, and Peshawar is one of them. A walk through the old city's blind alleys will help you appreciate how Peshawar has retained its centuries old grandeur and complexion. The ramparts though in dilapidated state and the various Darwazas(gates) still exist to tell a story of the good old days.

A town set in the rugged splendour of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, it is undoubtedly a true metropolis of the Orient.

 It has till today preserved its traditional flavour and retained the air of Arabian Nights without remaining indifferent to the demands of modern development.