Rawalpindi

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Rawalpindi
راولپنڈی
Image:PakistanRawalpindiMap.png
General Information
Country Pakistan
Province Punjab
Coordinates 33°36′00″N 73°02′00″E / 33.6, 73.033333Coordinates: 33°36′00″N 73°02′00″E / 33.6, 73.033333
Elevation 500 m (1,640 ft) AMSL
Area 5,286 km² (2,041 sq mi)
Calling code 051
Time zone PST (UTC+5)
No. of Towns 8
Population 2,300,000 (1998)
Estimate 3,039,550 (2006)
Government
Nazim (Mayor) Raja Javed Akhlas
No. of Union Councils 170
Location
Image:Location of Rawalpindi.png
Location within Pakistan
Website
Rawalpindi Government Website
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Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)

Rawalpindi (help·info) (Urdu: راولپنڈی) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. It is the military headquarters of the Pakistan Armed Forces and also served as the nation's capital while Islamabad was being constructed in the 1960s. The city is home to many industries and factories. Islamabad International Airport is actually in Rawalpindi, and it serves the city along with the capital. Rawalpindi is located in the Punjab province, 275 km (171 miles) to the north-west of Lahore. It is the administrative seat of the Rawalpindi District. The population of Rawalpindi is approximately 3,039,550.

Contents

[edit] History

Rawalpindi, also known as Pindi, has a long history spread over several millennia. Archaeologists believe that a distinct culture flourished on this plateau as far back as 3000 years. The material remains found at the site prove the existence of a Buddhist establishment contemporary to Taxila and of a Vedic civilisation (Hindu culture). The nearby town of Taxila has another significance; according to the Guinness Book of World Records it has the worlds oldest university - Takshashila University.[citation needed]

Sir Alexander Cunningham identified certain ruins on the site of the cantonment with the ancient city of Gajipur or Gajnipur, the capital of the Bhatti tribe in the ages preceding the Christian era. Graeco-Bactrian coins, together with ancient bricks, occur over an area of 2 square miles. Known within historical times as Fatehpur Baori, Rawalpindi fell into decay during one of the Mongol invasions in the fourteenth century.[1]

It appears that the ancient city went into oblivion as a result of the White Hun devastation. The first Muslim invader, Mahmud of Ghazni 979-1030), gave the ruined city to a Gakhar Chief, Kai Gohar. The town, however, being on an invasion route, could not prosper and remained deserted until Jhanda Khan, another Gakhar Chief, restored it and named it Rawalpindi after the village Rawal in 1493. Rawalpindi remained under the rule of the Gakkhars until Muqarrab Khan, the last Gakkhar ruler, was defeated by the Sikhs under Sardar Milka Singh in 1765. Singh invited traders from the neighbouring commercial centres of Jhelum and Shahpur to settle in the territory.[1]

Early in the nineteenth century Rawalpindi became for a time the refuge of Shah Shuja, the exiled king of Kabul, and of his brother Shah Zaman. The present native infantry lines mark the site of a battle fought by the Gakhars under their famous chief Sultan Mukarrab Khan in the middle of the eighteenth century. It was at Rawalpindi that, on March 14, 1849, the Sikh army under Chattar Singh and Sher Singh finally laid down their arms after the battle of Gujrat.[1]

[edit] British rule

Following the British conquest of the Sikhs and their occupation of Rawalpindi in 1849, the city became a permanent garrison of the British army in 1851. In the 1880s a railway line to Rawalpindi was laid, and train service was inaugurated on January 1, 1886. The need for having a railway link arose after Lord Dalhousie made Rawalpindi the headquarters of the Northern Command and Rawalpindi became the largest British military garrison in British India.

On the introduction of British rule, Rawalpindi became the site of a cantonment, and shortly afterwards the head-quarters of a Division; while its connexion with the main railway system by the extension of the North-Western Railway to Peshawar immensely developed both its size and commercial importance. The municipality was created in 1867. The income and expenditure during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged 2-1 lakhs. In 1903-4 the income and expenditure were 1-8 lakhs and 2-1 lakhs respectively. The chief item of income was octroi (1-6 lakhs) ; and the expenditure included administration (Rs. 35,000), conservancy (RS. 27,000), hospitals and dispensaries (Rs. 25,000), public works (Rs. 9,000), and public safety (Rs. 17,000). The cantonment, with a population in 1901 of 40,611, was the most important in India. It contained one battery of horse and one of field artillery, one mountain battery, one company of garrison artillery, and one ammunition column of field artillery; one regiment of British and one of Native cavalry; two of British and two of Native infantry; and two companies of sappers and miners, with a balloon section. It was the winter head-quarters of the Northern Command, and of the Rawalpindi military division. An arsenal was established here in 1883.[1]

[edit] After independence

In 1951, Rawalpindi saw the assassination of the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan, in Liaquat Bagh Park (also called Liaquat Garden.) On 27 December 2007, Liaquat Bagh Park's rear gate in Rawalpindi was the site of the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.[2] Her father, former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in Rawalpindi in 1979.

Today Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani Army and Air Force.

The famous Murree Road has been a hot spot for various political and social events. Nala Lai, famous for its floods, runs in the middle of the city, dividing it into city area and Cantonment area. History describes Nala Lai water as pure enough for drinking but now it has become polluted with the waste water from all sources including factories and houses.

[edit] Environment and people

Rawalpindi is chaotic but relatively dust-free. The literacy rate is 70.5% (January 2006). The population is ethnically and linguistically heterogeneous, comprising Pothoharis, Punjabis, Muhajirs, and Pakhtuns. The weather is highly unpredictable. The average annual rainfall is 36 inches (910 mm). In summer, the maximum temperature can sometimes soar up to 52 °C (126 °F), while it may drop to a minimum of −5 °C (23 °F) in the winter.

[edit] Attractions in Rawalpindi

Panorama of the The Lake View of Rawal Dam in Rawalpindi
Panorama of the Rawal Dam in Rawalpindi
Image:Murree road rawalp galleryfull.jpeg
The Murree Road
Image:Rawalpindi cricket.jpg
The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Image:100 1453.jpg
The Saddar Bazaar

Rapidly developing into a large city, Rawalpindi has many good hotels, restaurants, clubs, museums and parks, of which the largest is the Ayub National Park. Rawalpindi forms the base camp for the tourists visiting the holiday resorts and hill stations of the Galiyat area, such as Murree, Nathia Gali, Ayubia, Abbottabad, Swat, Kaghan, Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu and Chitral.

The best way to see Rawalpindi is by wandering through its bazaars, but you should orient yourself before setting out. The city has two main roads: the Grand Trunk Road runs roughly from east to west and is known as The Mall as it passes through the cantonment. Murree Road originates towards north from The Mall, crosses the railway lines and brushes the east end of the old city on its way to Islamabad. The two main bazaar areas are Raja Bazaar in the old city and Saddar Bazaar, which developed as the cantonment bazaar between the old city and the Mall.

The crowded alleys of the old city are home to many attractions, including Hindu and Sikh temples and Muslim shrines.

Rawalpindi has been know as military city since colonial times and therefore still remained Army head-quarter after independence in 1947. Due to this, also present in Rawalpindi is the Pakistan Army Museum, providing an interesting information about colonial and present day armies, armoury of historical significance and war heroes.

Ayub National Park is located beyond the old Presidency on Jhelum Road. It covers an area of about 2,300 acres (9.3 km²) and has a play-land, lake with boating facility, an aquarium and a garden-restaurant. Rawalpindi Public Park is located on Murree Road near Shamsabad. The Park was opened for public in 1991. It has a playland for children, grassy lawns, fountains and flower beds.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, built in 1992, has a grass pitch, floodlights, and a capacity of 15,000. The home team is the Rawalpindi Cricket Association. Also located in the city is Rawalpindi Hockey stadium. This small but well built facility plays host to the national side throughout the year.

Rawat Fort is located 17 km (11 mi) east of Rawalpindi, on the Grand Trunk (G.T.) Road leading to Lahore. Gakhars, a fiercely independent tribe of the Pothohar Plateau built the fort, in early 16th century. The grave of a Gakhar Chief, Sultan Sarang Khan is located inside the fort. He died in 1546 fighting against the forces of Sher Shah Suri. If one dares to climb the broken steps inside the tomb, one may get a panoramic view of the plateau and the Mankiala Stupa. Besides Rawat, about an hours drive from Rawalpindi on the grand trunk road towards the city of Peshawar is Attock Fort. This impressive fort is easily visible and located near the Shrine 'Hazrat Jee Sahib', the tradition burial grounds for the 'Bati' Family of the Paracha clan from the near by (deserted) village of 'Malahi Tola'. The Akbari fort is not open to the public as it is in active military use.

Pharwala Fort is about 40 km (25 mi) from Rawalpindi beyond Lehtrar road. It is a Gakhar fort built it in 15th century on the ruins of a 10th century Hindi Shahi Fort. Emperor Babur conquered the fort in 1519. Later, in 1825, Sikhs expelled Gakhars from this fort. Though the fort is in a crumbling state, it is still an attraction for castle lovers. The fort, being situated in prohibited area, is only open for Pakistani visitors.

[edit] Education

[edit] Schools and colleges

  • Govt. Viqar un Nisa College for Women
  • Rawalpindi International School, Saidpur Rd
  • Rawal College of Commerce, Main Peshawar Road
  • Govt. Gordon College, Rawalpindi The oldest college in the city, founded 1891
  • Govt. Post Graduate College Asghar Mall Rawalpindi
  • St Mary's Academy and St Mary's Cambridge School the oldest and most renowned Missionary Schools for boys
  • Govt. College for Women, Satellite Town
  • F.G Sir Syed College for Boys, The Mall
  • F.G (C.B) College for Women
  • Government College of Commerce, Satellite Town
  • Fauji Foundation College for Boys
  • F.G. Sir Syed College, The Mall
  • Fauji Foundation Model School, Harley Street
  • Bahria Foundation College Peshawar Rd
  • F.G. Quaid-e-Azam College, Chaklala III
  • Presentation Convent High School
  • Govt Muslim Higher Secondary School # 1, Said Pur Road (Building stone laid in 1894)
  • Army Public School and College (APSAC), Ordinance Road, Lalazar
  • Beacon-House Schools System
  • PAF Intermediate College, Chaklala
  • The City School (Murree Road)
  • Petroman Institute of Computer Science
  • Government Islamia High School No. 4, Liaquat Road
  • Sir Syed Public School, Tipu Road
  • Sir Syed Science College, Tipu Road

[edit] Universities

[edit] Towns in Rawalpindi

Image:Rawalpindi District Sub Div.svg
Administrative subdivisions of Rawalpindi District.

The City-District of Rawalpindi comprises seven autonomous tehsils, besides Rawalpindi itself:

[edit] Parks in Rawalpindi

[edit] Transportation

There are many ways to get in and around Rawalpindi.

[edit] Airport

Islamabad International Airport is actually located in Rawalpindi and is used by over 25 airlines, both national and international. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the principal carrier in Pakistan, has numerous routes, with many domestic and international flights every day. Construction on the new Rawalpindi/Islamabad international airport has now been started near the town of Fateh Jang approx 25 kilometres (20 mi) from both cities.

[edit] Highways

The main route running through Rawalpindi is the Murree Road. This road runs West-East through the city and continues to the hill station of Murree, which is a major summer attraction for Rawalpindi residents. Murree Rd is one of the busiest roads in the Punjab Province of Pakistan.

Rawalpindi is on the ancient Grand Trunk Road (also known as G.T. Road or, more recently, N-5) which links Rawalpindi to nearly every major city in northern Pakistan, from Lahore in the Punjab to Peshawar in the NWFP.

The city is also served by two nearby six-lane Motorways, M2 (Lahore-Islamabad) and M1 (Islamabad-Peshawar), which were completed in the 1990s. Somewhat further away is the famous Karakoram Highway, the world's highest international road, which connects Pakistan to China.

[edit] Public transportation

Public transport for travel within Rawalpindi is diverse, ranging from yellow taxis, auto-rickshaws, mini-buses and even tongas (horse-drawn carriages). Due to lack of planning of roads, mess of traffic is found even on small roads. For inter-city travel, air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses and coaches are regularly available to many destinations in Pakistan.

There is also an Islamabad/Rawalpindi central railway station that allows travel to every major city in Pakistan. In addition to freight, Pakistan Railways provides passenger rail service throughout the day, with train coaches that have air-conditioning in first-class.

[edit] See also

Rawalpindi Tehsil

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Rawalpindi Town - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 21, p. 272.
  2. ^ Benazir Bhutto killed in attack. BBC (2007-12-27). Retrieved on 2007-12-31.

[edit] External links

Pakistan Portal
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