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Demographics | Flora and Fauna
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 Faisalabad (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. The larger Faisalabad district had a population of
about 5.4 million in 1998.
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
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Places of Interest
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Eating &
Dining | Parks &
Gardens |
Educational Institutes |
Hospitals |
Sport- Centers |
Banks |
ATM |
Fuel Stations
| CNG Stations |
Police Stations |
Shopping /Trade
History
 Faisalabad was once part of ancient district of Jhang and Sandalbar, a 50
square kilometres (19 sq mi) part mainly consisted of thick forests and wild
tribes. The tract from Shahdara to Shorekot, Sangla Hill to Toba Tek Singh,
was traditionally called Sandalbar.
In 1880, a colonial officer called Captain Poham Young proposed a new town,
with a design based on the Union Jack, with eight roads radiating from a
large clock tower in the centre. The eight roads developed into eight
separate bazaars. The construction of artificial canals allowed the
surrounding areas to be irrigated. The town grew rapidly as people were
invited with promises of land.
In 1895 the rail link between Wazirabad and Lyallpur was completed. In 1896,
Lyallpur was given the status of a tehsil of the Jhang District, and its
administration was carried on in tents on the old Theh (Mound) of Pucca Mari
near Tariqabad. The majestic Clock Tower was constructed out of the funds
raised by the Sikh landowners, who collected it at a rate of Rs. 18 per
square of land. The fund thus raised was handed over to the Town Committee,
which undertook to complete the project.
 By 1902 the population of the town exceeded 4,000, including the new
sialkoti jutts particularly Bajwas, Kalloos, Cheemas & Chattas came to
establish the agriculture land of chenaab (Called Chena bar). Houses and
shops had been constructed to cater to the ordinary needs of the population.
In 1903 it was decided to establish an agricultural college. In 1904 the new
district of Lyallpur was constituted, composed of the tehsils of Lyallpur,
Samundri and Toba Tek Singh, with a subtehsil at Jaranwala which later
became a full tehsil. By 1906, the district headquarters began to function
in Lyallpur and all the bazaars and settlements within the bounds of a ring
road were nearing completion. The city began to spread outside the circular
road. The Town Committee was upgraded to a Municipal Committee in 1909 and
the Deputy Commissioner was appointed as its first chairman. In 1916, the
grain market saw its shops surging with customers. In the same year the
civil hospital was expanded. With the advent of World War II, there was an
increase in political awareness across the city. Revolutionary meetings were
held, fiery speeches made, and slogans written on walls.
This is the Birth place of famous freedom fighter Bhagath singh, that time
it was popular by the name Lyallpur.
In 1943, Mohammad Ali Jinnah came to Lyallpur and addressed a gathering of
over 2 million in Dhobi Ghat Grounds. On 3 March 1947, when the creation of
Pakistan was approved, the Muslims of Lyallpur held special prayers and
distributed sweets and food among the poor.
After independence, the city of Lyallpur enjoyed considerable development,
and became a major commercial and industrial center. The population grew
quickly past one million. There was an expansion of the provision of health
and education in the city. In 1977, the name of the city was changed to "Faisalabad",
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.
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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.
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%
 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.
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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%. 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.In
the 1998 census the city population was recorded as 2,009,000, growing at a
rate of 21.3% per annum. According to the World Gazetteer, the estimate of
the city is expected to have reached 2,793,721 in 2009. Punjabi is the most
widely spoken language. Urdu and Saraiki are also spoken
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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
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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 mass migration 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.
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Sports
Satellite View of Sports Centers
 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.
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Education
Satellite View of Educational Institutes
 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
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Transport
 Faisalabad International Airport is approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)
from the city centre, and is a major transit point for exporting goods to
other parts of Pakistan and abroad. Passenger flights are run by the
national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Airblue, Aero
Asia International and Shaheen Air used also to operate from the airport,
but have currently suspended operations from Faisalabad.
The National Highway Authority has rebuilt and improved the standards of
roads to meet international standards and improve logistical networks for
freight companies. There is also a public bus network as well as private
coaches within the city and many privately operated auto-rickshaws and taxis
to get around the city. Rental cars are also available
There are many highways under the control of the National Highway Authority,
linking Faisalabad with other cities of the country. The M3
access-controlled motorway connects Faisalabad with the motorway M2 near Pindi Bhattian which furthermore connects with Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Lahore
and
 Multan. There is an expressway which connects Faisalabad with Lahore,
Sheikhupura and Mananwala. The city is also connected with Sargodha by a
highway known as the Sargodha-Faisalabad road. Furthermore, motorway M4 is
also under construction which will connect Faisalabad with Multan. The newly
furnished Grand Trunk Road, otherwise known as GT Road, is a popular highway
that links most parts of Pakistan as well as neighbouring countries. There
are also several bus operators that offer quick services to the provincial
capital, Lahore, as well as Islamabad, Jhang, Multan, Peshawar, Karachi and
several smaller localities. The Daewoo Express, Ravi Express, Kohistan
Coaches, Khan Brothers, Nadir flying coach, Airport Limousines and Niazi
Coach are some of the well-known services.
The main railway station was built in the nineteenth century by the British
Empire. Today there are connections available to all parts of Pakistan
including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta, and Peshawar
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Media
Media & News in Pakistan
The Daily Express is the only national newspaper published from Faisalabad
(previously the Daily Asas used to publish from Faisalabad but it is now
published elsewhere). It is the product of Express Media Group, largely
circulating in the Faisalabad Division. The Daily Express started publishing
in Faisalabad on 17 September 2002.[citation needed] There are also other
popular Urdu Faisalabadi newspapers including: Daily Permanent News, Daily
Shelter, Daily Awam, Daily Aman, Daily Tajarti Rahber, Daily Paygaam, Daily
Business Report, Daily Report and the Daily Surrat-E-Haal
Cinemas have fallen in number in the city since the ban on most Bollywood
films. The lack of interest in English and Lollywood-related films has
caused many cinema halls to close down and many owners to invest in other
forms of entertainment. Punjabi stage dramas are still quite popular among
Faisalabadis and there are still some theatres operating quite successfully.
There are many stars in Lollywood that hail from Faisalabad, which draws in
the crowds from far and wide. Shows usually take place at night and involve
a range of day-to-day topics as well as dances to many types of music from
female artists.
The radio industry has expanded with a number of private and
government-owned FM channels being introduced. The FM radio channels that
broadcast in the city include the government-owned Radio Pakistan FM 101,
Mast FM103, FM 90 Hum Awaz, and City FM 89 Dawn Media Group. State-owned
Pakistan Television (PTV) transmits five terrestrial and cable television
channels. There also a number of private television channels that have
offices in Faisalabad including Express News, Geo TV, Apna Channel and
Punjab TV. Weekly “Lyallpur Akhbar" is one of the oldest new paper in
district of Faisalabad formally named Lyallpur. As source of Agriculture
media this news paper was established in 1933 and still serving rural and
Agriculture business communities since then. Office of the newspaper is
located in Killa Gift Fund Trust Building, Inside District Courts of
Faisalabad. Bashir Ahmad Mumtaz is publisher and editor of the newspaper
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Notable people
Charles James Lyall, founder of the city Faisalabad
Khalid Maqbool, forms governor of the Punjab
* Chaudhary Muhammad Afzal Sahi, well known politician of Faisalabad [[Ex
Speaker of Punjab Assembly]
Dr. Muhammad Taqi Sandhu, DUHS Karachi
Milkha Singh, athlete
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Qawwali singer
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Qawwali singer
Abrar ul Haq, Punjabi Bhangra singer
Resham, Pakistani film actress
Waheed Ahmed, Urdu poet and novelist
Shahbaz Ahmed, PHF player
Ahmad West Ham United uk rewast plyer.
Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan national cricket team
Shahid Nazir, Pakistan national cricket team
Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan national cricket team
Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan national cricket team
Rashid Akram Chatha, Punjab Assembly
Rameez Raja, forms Cricketer Pakistan national cricket team
Kaleem Saadat, forms the Chief of Air Staff Pakistan Air Force
Amanat Ali, Singer
Haji Muhammad Nawaz Wahl, Politician]
Gurcharan Das, Economist, Author
Bhagat Singh, Freedom Fighter
Sajid Amjad Sajid, Poet & Social Worker
Muhammad Kaleem, Social Worker
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