Location

Faisalabad is the city of Pakistan’s greatest musician 'Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan'. It was once called the biggest village of Asia because of its rural culture, but day by day it is becoming more urbanized. It is now the third largest city of Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore.

It is situated in the North Eastern Part of Pakistan in the province of Punjab 120 km west of Lahore. It is situated 360 km south of the capital Islamabad. The district lies from 30-35 to 31-47 north Latitudes and 72-73 to 73-40 east longitudes and covers an area of 5,856 Square kilometers.

Gujranwala And Sheikhupura districts bound it in the north. In the East by Sheikhupura district. In the south by the river Ravi, across which lies Okara and Sahiwal, and Toba Tek Singh districts and Jhang by the west.

The city is an important road and railway junction and linked to m-2 motorway (Islamabad-Lahore motorway) with m-3 motorway section (Pindi-Bhattian-Faisalabad motorway).

Population

Faisalabad is now the third largest city of Pakistan regarding its population. Being an industrial city, the population of Faisalabad is increasing very much. People are rapidly moving to urban area for good. Presently the area of Faisalabad is 207 square kilometers and the population of city is 1,986,000. According to census held in 1998, out of this population 46% of population are aged under 15, 52% are aged between 15 and 64 and only 2% are aged above 65. Population per square kilometers in Faisalabad is 9594.

In 1961, the population of the city was 0.43 million which was increased to 0.83 million in 1972. By 1981, it went up to 1.1 million. Now demographically, Faisalabad is the third biggest city of Pakistan after Karachi & Lahore. Because of this in 1972 Municipal Committee was upgraded to Municipal Corporation. In July 1982 Faisalabad was upgraded as the Capital of Division. Along with these changes the name of the city was changed to Faisalabad after the name of Saudi King Shah Faisal.

History

The city of Faisalabad is not more than a century old. Just hundred years back this region was the center of keeping livestock. This city was irrigated in 1892 when Jhang & Gogera branches were supplied water. The foundation of first ever-residential area was laid in 1895. Its main purpose was the construction of a market. During those days, the area across the river Chenab was called Sandal Bar. Before the establishment of Lyallpur City the ancient residential area was called Pakka Marri now known as Pakki Marri. It became headquarters of the Lower Chenab Colony and in 1898 was incorporated as a municipality.

The caravans used to stay at this place while traveling from Jhang to Lahore. The English travelers of those times wanted to convert this area into a city. In the beginning the small establishment was called Chenab Canal Colony which was later named Lyallpur after the name of Governor of Punjab Lt. General Sir James B Lyall.

Its most distinguished feature (now indescribably filthy) is the town center which was laid out patriotically by Sir James Lyall in the shape of the British flag----a rectangle containing a cross and two diagonals. At the center is a clock tower where eight roads meet. These eight segments form the town's main bazaars. It is also called the city of eight bazars, which emerge from clock tower and laid out in the shape of the Union Jack (British Flag)

In 1910, the famous and oldest Chenab Club was constructed. There, British rulers used to spend their evenings to entertain themselves with drinks & music. In 1908, Punjab Agricultural College and Khalsa School were opened. Later Khalsa School was upgraded as Khalsa College, which is now called Municipal Degree College. The first railway started in 1910. The first residential area was Douglas Pura established in 1920. Industrialization was started in 1930. The project of Lyallpur Cotton Mills was completed in 1934. With the establishment of Pakistan as the population increased the city also expanded. When Pakistan came into being the area of this city was 3 sq. miles. Now it is more than 10 sq. miles. New residential areas were established like Peoples Colony, Ghulam Muhammadabad, Lahore colony, Afghanabad, Jail road etc.

Education

Faisalabad has the distinction of being a seat of world famous Agricultural University and equally renowned Agricultural Ayub Research Institute. University of Agriculture was founded in 1909 as Punjab Agricultural College. Faisalabad is some times also called the city of scientists, as there are more PhD’s here than any other city of Pakistan. The University of Agriculture alone has more than 200 PhD scientists. Similarly hundreds of scientists are working in Ayub Agricultural research Institute, Nuclear Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Nuclear Institute of Biology & Genetic Engineering. Other than famous Agricultural University it has Textile University, G.C. University, Hamdard University and the University of Faisalabad, Punjab Medical College, Commerce College, Textile College, Superior Science College, Poly Technical College etc.

Industry

It is a commercial centre for a large area where major crops of cotton, wheat, vegetables, and fruit are produced. Apart from textile unit there are Flour, Oil, Artificial Fertilizers, Art Silk, Agricultural Equipment & Wood industries in this city. It offers a huge agricultural market bearing the oldest agricultural university of Pakistan. Other Industries may include chemical fertilizers, synthetic fibers, drugs and pharmaceuticals, canned products, ghee (clarified butter), oil, soap, textiles, textile machinery, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, soap and chemical manufacture, railway repair, dyes, agricultural equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemical fertilizer, bicycles, grains, cloth, and flour. It offers a lucrative wholesale Market for cloth and grain. Amongst the chief crops are; wheat, cotton, sugarcane.

It is believed that Faisalabad is the second biggest revenue-generating city of Pakistan. Asia’s biggest and the only Agricultural University is in this city. It also has a Textile College, which is the only one of its kind in the Country.

Dry Port

Faisalabad has established a dry port, which Presently handles over 60 metric tons of cargo per day. The port has its own road and railroad links with Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi. The export Cargo at Faisalabad dry port is increasing every year. According to the Faisalabad dry port trust (FDPT), it Handled l7,468 export cargo containers, worth rs. 28,500 Million ouring the first 10 month of the current Calendar year (pfy-1999). FDPT provided lucrative Incentives to the exporters of Faisalabad and offered certain concessions in FDPT tariff to the importers. It Handled 1,847 import cargo containers during the same Period, worth Rs. 1,500 million Faisalabad.

The Clock Tower

The foundation of Lyallpur was laid in 1896. Its famous clock tower was built on a well. The decision of its construction was taken by the then Jhang deputy commissioner, Capt Beke. Sir James Lyall laid its foundation stone on Nov 14, 1903.

The well, which formerly existed at the exact location of the Clock Tower, was filled with earth brought from the farms of Chak Ram Dewali on the Sargodha Road. The stone used in its construction was brought from the Sangla Hills, about 50 kilometres from here.

The Clock Tower stood in two years at a cost of Rs.40,000 after which a function was arranged to celebrate its completion. The then Punjab financial commissioner, Mr Louis, was the guest of honour.

The construction of this clock tower was completed in 1906 under the supervision of Gulab Khan who belonged to the family who built Taj Mahal in Agra. The clock was brought from Bombay. It is believed that the clock tower was built in the memory of Queen Victoria who had died 80 years earlier. By the time this tower was built the eight bazaars were already operational.

The map of Faisalabad is just the copy of British flag Union jack designed by an architect Desmond Yong. However, the real design on which this city is planned was of Sir Ganga Ram, who was a famous town planner of his time. The total area of 110 sq. acres was used to build eight bazaars & clock tower in a round shape. All these eight bazaars are connected with each other through another bazaar, which is called Goal Bazaar.

Although the Clock Tower is in good shape and does not require repairs from outside even at the age of 100 due to fine quality of material used in its construction, its interior needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned.

At the time of its construction, fountains had been installed in front of four bazaars - Aminpur Bazaar, Katchery Bazaar, Karkhana Bazaar and Jhang Bazaar - which were visible from all the eight bazaars. However, two of the fountains have now disappeared.

However, the plaster of the Clock Tower has started decaying and cracks have appeared on stairs inside and outer pillars. The railing has been broken and roofs have become a shelter for birds. Pedestals inside the tower are in bad shape. Moreover, visitors to the tower are shocked to see its fading stones, crumbling base-pad and dust all around.