Faisalabad is a major Pakistani city in the province of Punjab, situated at 128 km from Lahore. Originally founded in 1890, it is today often referred to as “Little Manchester” because of its textile mills and rapid industrial growth.
In 1880, Captain Poham Young, a colonial officer, proposed a new town, with a design based on the British flag: a rectangle with a cross and two diagonals, with a Clock Tower standing at the crossroads. Each of the eight sections radiating from the centre has its own bazaar. The construction of artificial canals allowed the surrounding areas to be irrigated. The town grew rapidly and was named Lyallpur, after Sir Charles James Lyall, governor of the Punjab from 1887 to 1892.
The first colonisation officer Raja Aurangzeb made sure that no individual in this district owned more than a few acres of land. The merit or method of allotting the land was to check each individual’s hand who was applying for some land, and if the hands showed that individual had worked hard in the past, only then was land given to him. This has led to a district where there aren’t any big land owners, as the land has been equally distributed amongst hard working men.
In 1943, Mohammad Ali Jinnah came to Lyallpur and addressed a gathering of over two million. After Independence, the town enjoyed considerable development, and became a major commercial and industrial centre. As the population grew quickly past one million, the provision of health and education were expanded. In 1977, the name of the city was changed to “Faisalabad” (City of Faisal), in honour of the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, who was held in high regard in Pakistan. In 1985, the district was upgraded to a division with the new districts of Faisalabad, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh.
Faisalabad is today Pakistan’s third-largest city after Karachi and Lahore. The town is at a road and railway junction, which has played an influential role in the development of its trade and economy. The surrounding countryside, irrigated by the Lower Chenab River, has seen expanded production of cotton, wheat, vegetables and fruits, which form 25% of Pakistan’s exports. The city is also an industrial centre with major railway repair yards, engineering works, and mills that process sugar, flour and oil seed. A textile hub which mainly produces cotton and silk, the town is home to other industries such as jewellery, home furniture and pharmaceuticals. Notable people who were born in Faisalabad include actor Prithviraj Kapoor, freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, Teji Bachchan and Qawwali singers Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
Compared to its more tourist-attractive provincial capital, Lahore, Faisalabad is basically an industrial and agricultural city. Nevertheless, there are some sites that you should not miss…
The majestic Faisalabad Clock Tower, locally called “Ghenta Ghar” (Hour House), is one of the oldest monuments still standing in its original state from the period of the British Raj. It was built by the British and constructed out of the funds raised by the Sikh landowners, who collected it at a rate of Rs. 18 per square meter of land. It is located in the older part of the city, at the center of the eight markets forming a “Union Jack” as mentioned above. Structures from previous settlements such as Zoroastrian temples, Buddhist monasteries, Hindu Mandirs and Sikh Gurudwaras are still visible in the older part of the city as well.
The Jinnah Garden, locally known as “Company Baagh”, is probably the most famous park in Faisalabad. It is composed of many food outlets, walking paths, cycling lanes as well as the tomb of Sir Charles James Lyall.
Standing in the beautiful surroundings of Jinnah Garden is the majestic “Chenab Club”, the first social club which was established in the city in 1910. Originally built to serve as a place of gathering and relaxing for British officers, it is today used by the elite society of Faisalabad.
The city is also famous for its large Agricultural University, founded in 1909. Other interesting places worth stopping by include Qaisery Gate (entrance to the eight bazaars), the Railway Station (built during the British Raj) which takes people to all parts of Pakistan, as well as the shrines of Sufi saints Hazrat Noor Shah Wali and Hazrat Lasoori Shah.
Faisalabad features an arid climate, with extreme temperatures in summer and winter. The summer season starts from April and continues till October, with May, June and July being the hottest months. The winter season starts from November and continues till March, with December, January and February being the coldest months.
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