|
|
History
| Economy | Government |
Demographics | Culture |
Education |
Transportation | Notable- People
from Multan
 Multan
(Punjabi/Urdu: مُلتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and
capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the
province. Multan District has a population of over 3.8 million—according to
1998 census—and the city itself is the sixth largest within the boundaries
of Pakistan. It is situated on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or
less in the geographic centre of the country and about 562 km (349 mi) from
Islamabad,356 km (221 mi) from Lahore. & 966 km (600 mi) from Karachi.
Multan is known as the City of Sufis due to the large number of shrines and
Sufi saints from the city. The city is full of bazaars, mosques, shrines and
ornate tombs. It is located in a bend created by five rivers of the Punjab
province. The Sutlej River separates it from Bahawalpur and the Chenab River
from Muzaffar Garh. The city has grown to become an influential political
and economical center for the country, with a dry port and excellent
transport links. Multan is famous for its crops: wheat, cotton and sugar
cane as well as mangoes, citrus, guavas and pomegranates.
Search Multan On Satellite Map
Places of Interest
| Hotels |
Eating & Dining
| Parks & Gardens |
Educational Institutes |
Hospitals |
Sport- Centers |
Banks |
ATM |
Fuel Stations |
CNG Stations |
Police Stations |
Shopping /Trade
History
 Multan
is one of the oldest cities in the Asian subcontinent.[citation needed] It
was the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom at the time of the Mahabharata war,
ruled by the Katoch Dynasty. Multan has had various names over the years,
originally Kashtpur (Kashyapapura)after the great Hindu sage Kashyapa, which
is also the Gotra used by the Katoch dynasty. Other names were Hanspur (Hamsapura),
Bagpur (Vegapura), Sanb or Sanahpur (Sambapura). Its current name is derived
from the Sanskrit name मूलस्थान Mulasthana (also मित्रस्थन Mitrasthana)
named after a sun temple. Multan has frequently been a site of conflict due
to its location on a major invasion route between South Asia and Central
Asia. It is believed to have been visited by Alexander the Great's army. In
the mid-5th century, the city was attacked by a group of Huna Hephthalite
nomads led by Toramana.
In the 7th century during Amir Muavia's period, his one commander Mohlab in
664 captured Multan but it was not permanent. In the 8th century, Multan was
conquered along with Sindh by the Umayyad Caliphate's army of Muhammad bin
Qasim, from the local ruler Chach of Alor. Following bin Qasim's conquest,
the city was securely under Muslim rule, although it was in effect an
independent state and most of the subjects were non-Muslim.
In 1005 CE (396 AH), the ruler of Multan, Abool Futteh Dawood, rebelled
against the rule of Mahmud of Ghazni. When Abool heard of the approach of
Mahmud from Ghazni, he solicited the aid of his ally Anandpal, the successor
of Jaipal; who—true to his alliance—detached the greater part of his army to
oppose Mahmud in Peshawar. Multan's location at the entrance to the
sub-continent resulted in it being invaded by a long series of conquerors on
their way to Delhi. Timur, Babur and many others passed through the city,
leaving much destruction in their wake.
Following annexation to Mughal empire in 1557 CE, at the beginning of
emperor Akbars rule; Multan enjoyed 200 years of peace, and became known as
Dar al-Aman (Abode of Peace). Akbar was known as a wise ruler, setting
reasonable taxes, creating effective government and being tolerant of
religious differences.
Multan witnessed difficult times as Mughal rule declined in early 1700s,
starting after death of emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. Persia was united under
Nader Shah, ruling from 1736 as Shah of Iran. After his assassination in
1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani—who was originally born in Multan—rose to power.
This counts as beginning of Durrani Empire. However, after death of Ahmad
Shah Durrani in 1772, the influence of Durrani empire declined sharply in
mere fifty years. Starting at late in 1700s, Multan was ruled locally by the
Pashtun Sadozai and Khakwani chieftains.
In 1817, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a body of troops to Multan under the
command of Diwan Bhiwani Das to receive from Nawab Muzaffar Khan the tribute
he owed to the Sikh Darbar. Bhiwani Das laid siege to the city, but failed
to capture Multan. Maharaja Ranjit Singh planned a fresh expedition and sent
a strong force under his son Kharak Singh's charge.
 In
1818, Kharak Singh's armies lay around Multan without making much initial
headway. Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a large cannon named Zamzama along with
Akali Phula Singh's Nihang regiment. The Zamzama was fired with effect and
the gates of the city were blown in. Akali Phula Singh made a sudden rush
and took the garrison by surprise. The Nawab stood in his way resolved to
fight to death. Prince Kharak Singh left Jodh Singh Khalsa with 600 men to
guard the fort of Multan. The Sikhs thereafter ruled Punjab until 1849,
losing it to the British in the Second Anglo-Sikh War.
However, Sikh rule would not last long, as the British were eventually
provoked into checking the Sikh strength in Punjab. After a long and bloody
battle, Multan was made part of the British Raj. During this time, Sardar
Karan Narain's son became an icon during the British Raj and was awarded
titles 'Rai Bahadur' and Knighted 'Sir' by Her Majesty. The British built
some rail routes to the city, but its industrial capacity was never
developed.
Upon Pakistan's independence in 1947, Multan became part of the Punjab
province. It initially lacked industry, hospitals and universities. Since
then, there has been some industrial growth, and the city's population is
continually growing. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated
state, and many monuments wear the effects of the warfare that has visited
the city
Find more about
History of Pakistan
Go To Top
Economy
 Multan
is a commercial and industrial centre, as it is connected with the rest of
the country through rail and air including the other industrial hubs such as
Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Faisalabad. Industries include fertilizer,
cosmetics, glass manufacturing, cotton production and processing, large
textile units, flour mills, sugar and oil mills and large-scale power
generation projects. It is famous for its handicrafts (carpets & ceramics)
and cottage industries. Roughly 1900 acres of the city is still forested in
the district. Trees grown in the area are Kikar, Shisham and Mulbury.
Large, irregular suburbs have grown outside the old walled town, and two
satellite towns have been set up. The mangoes of Multan district are
well-known. Multani khussa (traditional shoes), embroidery on dresses for
women and men, furniture and other wooden products, earthenware pottery,
painted pottery, camel-skin ware, surgical instruments and carpets are a few
of the city's major exports, with a great demand within the country as well.
Multan is an important agricultural, industrial and tourist centre. Wheat,
cotton and sugarcane are the main crops grown in the district. Moreover,
rice, maize, tobacco, bajra, moong (lentils), mash (lentils), masoor
(lentils), oil seed such as rape, mustard and sunflower are also grown in
minor quantities in the district. Mangoes, citrus, guavas and pomegranate
are the main fruits grown in the Multan district. Additionally, dates, jaman,
pears, phalsa and bananas are grown in minor quantities in the district.
 The
city is also rich in minerals. These include argillaceous clay, coal,
dolomite, fire clay, gypsum, limestone, silica and rock salt. Most of these
are excavated for commercial activities and transported to other cities
within the country. Many industrial factories are being inaugurated to
handle the separation and quality control of these minerals. The minerals in
the city are used in dolomite processing, fire bricks/refractories, hollow
glassware, insulators/capacitors and ceramics.
Since Multan is agriculture-based, there is also plenty of livestock still
growing at a positive rate, which has led to milk processing/dairy products
units, ice cream manufacturing, animal and poultry feed, dairy farms,
cattle/sheep/goat fattening plants, meat/poultry processing units, leather
garments manufacturing, leather footwear, cosmetics, tinned goods and
pharmaceuticals
Find more about
Worldwide
Business & Economy
Go To Top
Government
Since the introduction of the local government system in 2001 the city has
been governed by a Nazim (Mayor). Multan is spread over an area of 3,721
square kilometers, comprising four tehsils: Multan Cantonment, Multan Sadar,
Shujabad and Jalalpur Pirwala. In 2005 Multan was reorganised as a City
District composed of six autonomous towns:
- Boson Town
- Shah Rukan e Alam Town
- Mumtazabad Town
- Shershah Town
- Shujabad Town
- Jalalpur Town
- A. Multan Cantonment
Go To Top
Demographics
 The
majority of Multan's residents speak Saraiki, while Haryanvi is the second
most spoken language. A good portion of the people are conversant in Urdu.
English is understood by the educated. The majority of the people are
Muslims. However, the city does have significant Sikh and Hindu communities
within the district. There are still many temples and Gurdwaras within the
city.
Multan has traditionally been a melting pot of several distinct ethnic
groups due to its location at the intersection of all four of Pakistan's
main provinces and due to its historical significance as a centre of
learning and culture. As a result, Multan today consists of Saraiki,
Haryanvi, Punjabi, Baloch, Pashtun, Sindhi, and Urdu-speaking Muhajirs who
arrived at the time of independence in 1947
.
 As
per the 1998 census of Pakistan, the following are the demographics of the
district, by spoken language:
Saraiki: 66.58% (54.23% in the city)
Haryanvi: 14.59% (11.01% in the city)
Punjabi: 11.14% (09.13% in the city)
Urdu: 5.86% (6.64% in the city)
Pashto: 0.62%
Balochi: 0.10%
Sindhi: 0.07%
Other: 1.04%
Go To Top
Culture
 Multan
is locally known as the 'City of Saints, Sufis and Beggars'. It is one of
the main cities in the Southern Punjab province of Pakistan. The city has
been a focal point for many religions, in particular becoming a central
abode for Sufism, the mystical side of Islam. The city has attracted Sufi
saints from far places of the globe. Today, Multan is known as the 'City of
Sufis'. It is one of the oldest cities in South Asia, with many tombs,
shrines, temples, cathedrals and mausoleums, as well as a historical fort.
Today Multan is a combination of old and the new Pakistan culture. There is
a big hustle bustle in the old city and comfort of a five star hotel and
fine dining in the new. The old city has a various bazaars selling mystical
artifacts, perfumes to arts and crafts. There are also elaborately decorated
shrines of the Sufi saints, tombs of various travellers and important people
within the old city of Multan.
The prime attractions of Multan are its mausoleums of Sufi saints. The
Mausoleum of Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya, as well as the Mausoleum of Shah
Rukn-e-Alam are the prime attractions of the city. Their lofty domes of are
visible, from miles and dominate the skyline of Multan. Another popular
shrine is the Mausoleum of Shams-ud-Din, commonly known as Shah Shamsuddin
Sabzwari is located about half a mile to the east of the Multan Fort, on the
high bank of the old bed of the Ravi River.
Another famous and beautiful mausoleum of a warrior sufi saint and poet
Hazrat Hafiz Muhammad Jamal Multani (1747-1811 AD) is situated near Aam Khas
garden outside Daulat Gate, Multan.
 There
are also a number of other mausoleums located within the city which gather a
great deal of attention. The Nuagaza tombs are shrines to martyrs and
warriors who fought in wars centuries ago some dating back 1,300 years ago.
The Multan Museum located within the city has a vast collection of coins,
medals, postage stamps of the former State of Bahawalpur, manuscripts,
documented inscriptions, wood carvings, camel-skin paintings, historical
models and stone carvings of the Islamic and Pre-Islamic periods.
Multan also has a number of old mosques which were once considered as the
jewels of the city. Some have been dated back to a few thousand years and
have been recognised as some of the oldest mosques within South East Asia.
The legend goes that the first mosque ever built in Multan was the Jamia
Mosque which was constructed on the orders of General Mohammed Qasim, who
conquered Multan in 712AD. Ruins of this mosque were visible till 1954 at
Qasim Bella however due to repeated floods, the structure was lost. Sawi
Mosque is supposed to be the oldest mosque which still exists today though
in deteriorating state, there are glazed blue tiles from the era in which it
was built which dates the mosque to several centuries ago. The second oldest
mosque within Multan is Mohammad Khan Wali Mosque. It is an excellent
condition, situated in the busiest Chowck Bazar of the city. It was built by
Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani, in 1757 when he was the governor of Multan
in the time of Alamgir II. The mosque is provided with a reservoir for the
ablutions, baths, and a large hall for prayers.
Multan is another Pakistani city that loves cricket. The city government
inaugurated a new multi-purpose stadium replacing Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium
which was the lone stadium used for football and cricket matches. The
inauguration of the new stadium has allowed the city to offer Test day/night
matches as well as other national sports such as hockey, badminton and
football. The stadium is home to the Multan Cricket Association. Other
sports grounds include Divisional Sports Ground and the Pakistan Cricket
Board owned Government College Cricket Ground.
Find more about
Culture of Pakistan ,
People, Art & Culture
Go To Top
Education
Satellite View of Educational Institutes
In 1950, then-Governor Abdur Rub Nishtar founded Nishter Medical College.
Doctor graduates of this institution have spread across the world, and many
have become established names in the field of medicine. Bahauddin Zakariya
University (formerly known as Multan University) and University of the
Punjab are the main sources of higher education for this region. Multan
Public School and College (MPS&C) is a leading residential institution of
Southern Punjab, where Montessori classes to O Levels, FSc. and F.A. are
offered. Jinnah High School and Bloomfield Hall School are among the top
institutions preparing students for O and A Level exams.
Go To Top
Transportation
 Multan
has connections with other cities by a variety of means of transportation.
The district has concrete road reaching up to 983.69 km. The district is
linked with Khanewal, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh districts through concrete
roads. Buses to Bahawalpur leave frequently, since it is located closely to
the city. There are a variety of buses travelling farther from the city.
Many of them are now air-conditioned with a fairly good safety record. The
N-5 National Highway connects the city to connect to all parts of Pakistan.
The road otherwise, known as GT Road, allows connections to Rawalpindi,
Islamabad, Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore as well as Bahawalpur. Coach services
such as Daewoo Express, Faisal Movers Express, Niazi Express,Khan brothers
transport, Nadir flying coach, Punjab Tourism Department, Skyways and New
Khan Bus Service are some of the most reliable coach companies operating out
of Multan.
Multan is connected by rail with all parts of the country and lies on the
main track between Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta. The main
Peshawar-Karachi railway line passes through Multan district. The district
then links trains to nearby districts of Khanewal, Lodhran and Muzafargarh
districts through the railway network.
Multan
International Airport is an airport situated 10 km away from the city centre
of Multan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it
operates to cater mainly to the population of Multan, Vehari, Khanewal,
Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Sahiwal, and Pakpattan to mainly to other points
within Pakistan as well as the Middle East. Flight are currently operated by
the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. However, since
the growth of air travel within the region, there has been speculated
interest from other private carriers. The rise in air-travel has also led to
the expansion of the current airport with a new runway and terminal.
Go To Top
Notable people from Multan
Ahmad Shah Durrani, Pashtun founder of Afghanistan
Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistani cricketer
Javed Hashmi of PML-N, first MNA, elected eight times successfully
Javed Siddiqui, Ex-MPA PP-197
Jinnahbhai Poonja, father of Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, born in
Multan
Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig, former Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council
Naveed Akram, Pakistani footballer
Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani
Razi-ud-Din-Razi, poet and writer
Sadiq Hussain Qureshi of Pakistan Peoples Party, former Governor and Chief
Minister of Punjab
Sahibzada Farooq Ali, former Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Foreign Minister of Pakistan
Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed, Central Vice President of the Pakistan Muslim
League
Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, orator and Islamic scholar
Yousaf Raza Gillani, 26th Prime Minister of Pakistan
Go To Top
|
