A visit to SAHIWAL’’ Montgomery the city of historical places….

A visit to SAHIWAL’’ Montgomery the city of historical places…

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Sahiwal is a growing city in southeastern Punjab province of Pakistan and the administrative centre of Sahiwal District. Founded in 1865, the town was formerly known as Montgomery.
Sahiwal Division (Urdu: دوسوں ساہیوال) is one of the nine Divisions of Punjab province of Pakistan. As of 1998, current regions of Sahiwal had a population of 6,271,247 people, with an annual growth-rate of 1.92%.Since 2008, Sahiwal District along with Okara District and Pakpattan District has comprised the Sahiwal Division. The city of Sahiwal is the capital of both the district and the division. About 18 miles south-west of Sahiwal is Harappa, an ancient city of the world, oldest urban center of Harappan or Indus civilization in South Asia. About 28 miles (45 km) west of Sahiwal, at Kamalia, is the site of Malli city captured by Alexander the Great in 325 bc. Alexander stayed in this region of Punjab for two years and fought almost 12 wars during his stay.The Sahiwal (ساہِيوال‎) is a city is approximately 180 km from the major city Lahore and lies between Lahore and Multan. With a population of 207,388 it is the 14th largest city in the Punjab and the 22nd largest city in Pakistan. The Sahiwal (ساہِيوال‎) a small village on the Karachi-Lahore railway line during 1865 was named Montgomery after Sir Robert Montgomery, then Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab. Later, it was made the capital of the Montgomery District. Its name was reinstated as Sahiwal in 1967 after the Sahi clan of Kharal Rajpootswho are the native inhabitants of this area.The city is in the densely populated region between the Sutlej and Ravi rivers. The principal crops are wheat, cotton, tobacco, legumes, potato and oilseeds. Cotton goods and lacquered woodwork are manufactured.

The Sahiwal District has been settled from the pre-historical era.Harappa is an archaeological site, about 35 km (22 mi) west of Sahiwal that was built approximately 2600 BCE. The area was part of South Asian empires and in crossroads of migrations and invasions from Central Asia. The pastoral tribes of this barren expanse did not appear to have paid more than a nominal allegiance to the Muslim rulers; the population for the most part remained in a chronic state of rebellion. Sahiwal is located close to Pakpattan, a famous medieval town and Muslim Sufi pilgrimage site. Pakpattan owes its sanctity and modern name, ‘the holy ferry’, to the shrine of the great Muslim Sufi Fariduddin Ganjshakar Shaikh-ul-Islam, Farid-ul-Hakkwa-ud-Din, Shakar Ganj (1173–1265) which was visited by old great traveler and historian Ibn Batuta in 1334. The native population converted to Islam by Sufi missionaries. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh took control of Sahiwal. The inhabitants were treated benevolently during Sikh rule. The district came under direct British rule in 1849, when the district was officially formed with its headquarters at Pakpattan. The district was expanded to include the trans-Ravi portion in 1852, and the district headquarters were moved to Gogera. In 1865, when the railway was opened, a village on the railway side, was named “Montgomery” and became the capital of the district

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, there was a general uprising of the Muslim population of Sahiwal, and the district formed the scene of the only uprising which took place north of Sutlej. Before the end of May 1857, emissaries from Delhi crossed the river from Sirsa and Hisar, where open rebellion was already ripe, and met with a ready reception from the Kharals and various other Muslim tribes. The district authorities, however, kept down the threatened uprising till August 26, 1857 when the prisoners in jail made a desperate attempt to break loose. At the same time Ahmad Khan, a famous Kharal leader, who had been detained at Gogera, broke his arrest, and though apprehended, was released on security, together with several other suspected chieftains. On September 16, they fled to their homes, and the whole country rose in open rebellion. Kot Kamalia was sacked; and Major Chamberlain, moving up with a small force from Multan, was besieged for some days at Chichawatni on the Ravi. The situation at the civil station remained critical till Colonel Paton arrived with substantial reinforcements from Lahore. An attack which took place immediately after their arrival was repulsed. Several minor actions followed in the open field, until finally the rebels, driven from the plain into the jungles of the interior, were utterly defeated and dispersed. The British troops then inflicted severe punishment on the insurgent clans, destroying their villages, and seizing large numbers of herds. The climate of Sahiwal district is extreme, reaching 45 °C in summer and down to −2 ° C in winter. The soil of the district is very fertile. The average rainfall is about 200 mm.