09.02.2010 (833 Days Ago)
| Title | Faisalabad Press Club | ||
| Country | Pakistan | ||
| City | Faisalabad |
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Faisalabad (help·info) (Punjabi, Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has risen from 9,171 in 1901 to 179,000 in 1951 and to 2,009,000 in 1998.[2] The larger Faisalabad district had a population of about 5.4 million in 1998.[3]
It is an important industrial centre west of Lahore. The city-district of Faisalabad is bound on the north by the districts of Gujranwala and Sheikhupura, on the east by Sahiwal, on the south by Toba Tek Singh and on the west by Jhang. It is 1,135 km (705 mi) from Karachi, 128 km (80 mi) from Lahore, 350 km (220 mi) from Islamabad/Rawalpindi, 187 km (116 mi) from Burewala, and 70 km (43 mi) from Jhang.
The city is at a road and railway junction, which has played an influential role in the development of Faisalabad's 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. Produce includes super phosphates, cotton and silk textiles, hosiery, dyes, agricultural equipment, and ghee (clarified butter). Faisalabad is also the site of the prestigious University of Agriculture, founded in 1909.
| Faisalabad فیصل آباد |
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| — City District — | |
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  Faisalabad
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| Coordinates: 31°21′52″N 72°59′40″E / 31.36444°N 72.99444°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Region | Punjab |
| District | Faisalabad District |
| Autonomous towns | 8 |
| Union councils | 8 |
| Government | |
| - Nazim | Rana Zahid Tauseef |
| - Naib nazim | Mian Sajjad Ahmad |
| Area | |
| - Total | 1,280 km2 (494.2 sq mi) |
| Population (2010)[1] | |
| - Total | 2,880,675 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC+6) |
| Area code(s) | 041 |
| Website | |
Economy
A PricewaterhouseCoopers study released in 2009, surveying the 2008 GDP of the top cities in the world, calculated Faisalabad's GDP (PPP) at $14 billion. The city was third behind Karachi ($78 billion) and Lahore ($40 billion). Faisalabad's GDP is projected to rise to $37 billion in 2025 at a growth rate of 5.7%, higher than the growth rates of 5.5% and 5.6% predicted for Karachi and Lahore.[4]
Faisalabad has a strong industrial base including textiles, jewellery, home furniture, and pharmaceuticals, assisted by the expanding transport network which includes newly-built motorway and highways to Lahore, Multan, Sargodha and Islamabad/Rawalpindi. Faisalabad is one of the three planned cities of the country.[citation needed] The eight bazaars of the city each have different types of markets and goods.
Before Pakistan's independence there were only five industrial units in Faisalabad, but now there are numerous textile mills, engineering units and chemical and food processing units. Other industries include hosiery, carpets and rugs, nawar and lace, printing and publishing, and pharmaceutical products. There are also several thousand household industries, including some 60,000 power loom factories. The richest man of Pakistan and the owner of MCB also belongs to this city. Local companies include Sitara group, Manno group (Rafhan foods), Crescent group, and Ibrahim group (owner of Allied Bank). Karachi and Faisalabad have the highest population growth rate in Pakistan.
The textile industry of Faisalabad constitutes more than 70% of the textile export market of Pakistan, which itself forms 68% of total exports from Pakistan. This makes Faisalabad’s share of total exports from Pakistan more than 45%.[5]
The district is unparalleled for its agricultural productivity. The area grew in importance as the grain belt of the Punjab during the wake of colonisation. This led to the economic development of towns and villages within the district. Faisalabad's major export crops include the Kharif crops which include maize, rice, sugarcane and bajra as well as the Rabi crops which include wheat, barley, Gram (disambiguation)gram and barseen. In addition to these, there are also Zaid Kharif and Zaid Rabi crops. Zaid Kharif crops are toria, raiya, sarsoon and Zaid Rabi crop is tobacco. The use of tractors is becoming popular and is fast replacing the conventional ploughs. Improved varieties of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides have greatly increased per-acre yield and with that the prosperity of the peasant community which has toiled for three generations to transform a barren land into verdant fields. The Faisalabad district is famous for its fruit production. Important fruits are oranges, bananas, apples, sugarcanes, tangerines, fruiter, mangos, guava and Faalsa. The total area under fruit orchards is 34,517 acres (13,969 ha). Establishment of a dry port at Gatti, a few kilometers away from the main city has greatly boosted economic activities in Faisalabad by facilitating direct imports and exports of goods and cargo.
The rise of the middle class as a result of economic boom in the past decade has led to the construction of major malls and shopping plazas amid investment from the United Arab Emirates as well as many European firms. Faisalabad has been called the "Manchester of Pakistan" because it has a major impact on the economy of Pakistan. The city also generates 25% revenue for the trade and commerce activity of Pakistan.
[edit] Government
Faisalabad district formerly comprised six sub-divisions; Faisalabad City, Faisalabad Sadr, Chak Jhumra, Jaranwala, Samundri, and Tandlianwala. In 2005, Faisalabad was reorganised as a City-District composed of eight autonomous towns:[6]
- Lyallpur Town
- Madina Town
- Jinnah Town
- Iqbal Town
- Chak Jhumra Town
- Jaranwala Town
- Samundri Town
- Tandlianwala Town
[edit] Sister cities
Faisalabad has a friendship agreement with 
Manchester, England[7] and 
Kobe, Japan,[8] established in 1997 and 2000 respectively, driven by the Pakistani community in Manchester and Kobe to build and maintain cultural and community links.
[edit] Demographics
The city of Faisalabad carried out a census in March 1981 which showed the population of Faisalabad city as 1,092,000, which indicates that growth rate of Faisalabad city is only 3.37 percent per annum. In April 1981 the survey was carried out again which recorded the population to 1,232,000 which made the growth rate approximately 4.6%. Given this growth rate the population at the end of 1981 was estimated to be 1,240,000.
The emergence of Faisalabad as a major agriculture and industrial center created a great increase in the city's population. From a population of 69,930 in 1941, it rose to 179,000 in 1951, an increase of 152.2% this was mainly due to the settlement of Muslim refugees from East Punjab and Haryana who came from India and settled in Faisalabad. The population rose to a future figure of 425,248 in 1961, an increase of 137.4%. Faisalabad became a record in the demographic history for Pakistan by registering an overall population increase of 508.1% between 1941 and 1961. This record has never been matched by the largest city of Pakistan.[9] In the 1998 census the city population was recorded as 2,009,000, growing at a rate of 21.3% per annum.[10] According to the World Gazetteer, the estimate of the city is expected to have reached 2,793,721 in 2009.[11] Punjabi is the most widely spoken language. Urdu and Saraiki are also spoken.
[edit] Flora and fauna
The Ravi River flows on the eastern and the Chenab River on the western boundary of the district. No other river passes through it. Floods are caused by the overflow of the Ravi on account of heavy rains in its catchment areas during the monsoon. Floods are a recurrent feature since the rivers cannot hold the vast amount of water flowing from the northern areas to the south of the country. These floods cause extensive damage to crops and villages periodically. The provincial government is proposing dams and barrages to control the flow of water in the future. However, local settlements are not keen on this idea.
The wildlife of the district includes foxes, boars, jackals and wild cats. Among the birds there are usually partridges, pigeons, doves, tilliars, lal menas, bias, parrots, quails, pochards, mallards and teals.
[edit] Culture
Compared to its more tourist-attractive provincial capital, Lahore, Faisalabad is basically an industrial and agricultural city. It is the second largest business city in Punjab and it is a region for investment and economic prosperity. Textiles generate the best business in this city. There is a selection of sites and tourist attractions; however, even with such fast growth the country lacks historical significance since it was developed mostly in the last hundred years. The Faisalabad Clock Tower, locally called "Ghenta Ghar", was one of the first main market of Faisalabad and it is also the oldest area of the city. Here you can also find the remains of buildings which mainly belonged to the British Raj. This market has eight bazaars, forming a "Union Jack" (British flag), which can be seen from above. There are still structures from previous settlements such as Zoroastrian Temples, Buddhist Monasteries, Hindu mandirs and Sikh gurudwaras still visible, however, since the creation of Pakistan these have been converted into schools and museums. "D Ground" is the second most important market after Ghenta Ghar. The area has been continually developing into a shopping area with many brands from all over the world. It is seen at its busiest at night when local people come out for an outing. There are many local and western restaurants ranging from Namwah Chinese, Bundu Khan, KFC, Al Maida, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Olive Garden, Sardines, Yummy 36, Cube and many open-air barbecues.
The Jinnah Garden is probably the most famous park in Faisalabad. It is locally known as "Company Baagh". The tomb of H.E. Sir Charles James Lyall is situated here. He was the founder of this city and the city was first named Lyallpur in his honour. There are many food outlets, walking paths and cycling lanes, and a huge fountain structure. The park is often used by the local council for holding rallies, concerts, shows and melas. Getwala Park is a small park situated on the edge of Faisalabad. It is popular for family picnics and relaxing. Canal Park is on the west bank of the Rakh Branch Canal. It is also a good place for families.
Happy Land Water Park is an amusement park built to international standards, a complete entertainment centre for families. It has the biggest water slides in Pakistan. It is also equipped with swings for both children and adults. Getwala Swimming Pool is another water park which has a huge swimming pool, attracting many local Faisalabadis. Aqua Land Water Park, the latest water park to open in Faisalabad, stands on Canal Road and draws many expatriates and families. Sindbad is an amusement park located near the Iqbal Stadium that is used for national and international cricket matches. It has an indoor bumper cars, flume rides, train rides as well as large gaming arcade room to suit all ages.
Rex City is a huge computer shopping mall dealing with everything computer related. Here you can find a computer at low prices. There are service shops, as well as CD and mobile shops and computer software and hardware experts. There are also internet services from well known companies such as "Cyber net", "Wolnet", "dancom", "Nexlinx" and "Satcom" which provide high speed internet. Kohinoor One is a newly constructed shopping mall located on Jaranwala Road which has many retail outlets, restaurants, clothing outlets and home furniture stores. Am Tex Waterfall is to be found at Am Tex Squire, Abdullah Pur.
The majestic "Chenab Club" is a social club. It was the first such club established in Faisalabad. It still exists today and is used by the elite society of Faisalabad. It stands in the beautiful surroundings of "Jinnah Garden". The club is situated in the heart of the city, just a short walk from Railway Station and within walking distance of Clock Tower. There are also a few monuments still fully erect in many parts of Faisalabad such as Gumti Water Fountain, Qaisery Gate (Entrance to the Eight Bazaars), Ghenta Ghar and various Sikh Gurudwaras and Hindu Mandirs still visible in the older part of the city.
Faisalabadi cuisine is very much Punjabi cuisine. The samosas of Faisalabad are different from any others because here you can get the chatani variety. The very famous name Chacha Samosay Wala is also in the D Ground. Dahi Bhale is prepared by a Thele Wala at Jinnah Coloney, near Chatri Wala Ground. Gohl Gappay are basically made with flour into a ball shape and filled with black grams, onions, potatoes and other supplements. The most famous is a person who sells gole gappe on tehla in the start of the AminPur bazaar. A sour drink called "khatta" is served with them. Biryani & pulao (special cooked rice) are also very popular. Jehangir's Murgh Pulao is popular. English and continental foods are also easily available. There are also some Punjabi drinks like rabri, lassi, limo pani and sugar cane rusk.
Faisalabad Arts Council is situated near Iqbal Stadium. Arts council have a major role in promoting the cultural activities and the art in the city. It has an auditorium Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Auditorium with a seating capacity of 500 people. Arts council organize many cultural events including exhibitions and cultural shows. The current Resident Director of Arts council is Ch Muhammad Asif Pervaiz, who has played an important role in the establishment and development of Faisalabad Arts Council.
[[Kaleem Shaheed Park is another famous Park in faisalabad. It is Situated at Narrwala Road near Raza abad.
[edit] Sport
Cricket, a national sport in Pakistan, is the most popular sport in the city. It is played anywhere a city dweller will find a large piece of land. This is known as Bat aur Gendh. It is played in the narrow by-lanes of the city. Night-time cricket can be seen at weekends when people play brightly-lit night matches on less traversed city streets, disused construction sites, parks and several grounds within the district. The oldest and only venue for international cricket matches is Iqbal Stadium. The Faisalabad Wolves, Faisalabad's local team, are based at this venue and often regional matches are played throughout the spring season which draws in plenty of crowds such as Twenty-20 Cup. The ground also hosted matches for the 1987 Cricket World Cup as well as the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Other popular sports in the city are hockey, Weightlifting, association football, Kabaddi, table tennis, billiards and snooker, squash, and horse racing. Sports like badminton, volleyball and basketball have also started to gain popularity as western influences have affected the locals. Faisalabad also has its own team, called the PMC FC who take part in the Pakistan Premier League. The Punjab Medical College has its own stadium built within its campus to train and host matches for the sport.
The city also has facilities for hockey. The Faisalabad Hockey Stadium on Susan Road mostly hosts field hockey matches for most national and some international matches. The stadium also has plenty of shops and restaurants which bring a lot of life to the area. A new sports complex is being planned to host athletic and gymnastic matches as well as Olympic training for future Pakistan participation.
PMC Club Athletico Faisalabad is the city's only participant in the Pakistani Premier Football League. Athletico's city rival Panther FC plays in the 2nd Division of Pakistani Football pyramid.
[edit] Education
The people of Faisalabad have a literacy rate of approximately 40%, which has hampered the economic development of the city. There are several institutions of higher education and several research centres including:
- University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
- Institute of Cost and Management Accountants
- Institute of Chartered Accountants
- Government College University, Faisalabad
- National Textile University
- NFC University for engineering and fertilizer research
- University of engineering and technology, Faisalabad
- University of Faisalabad
- Government College of Technology
- Govt College of Commerce
- Punjab Medical College
- Virtual University
- Govt. Postgraduate College of Science
- University of Education
- Govt. College Samanabad
- Science Center
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