Welcome to Sialkot
The Sialkot Cricket Team are known as the Sialkot Stallions. They are National Champions and have won The Quaid – I - Azam Trophy during the 2008-2009 season and were also national champions in 2005-2006 when thy won The Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Golden League. Sialkot was runners-up in 2006-2007 and also won The ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup in 2005-2006 and 2006–2007 and RBS Twenty-20 Cup 2007-2008 and then 2008-2009 to complete a title hat-trick. The team's home ground is Jinnah Stadium.
Sialkot, the capital of Sialkot District, is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in Pakistan at the feet of the snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab River. Formerly, Sialkot has been the winter-capital of the State of Kashmir. The city is about 125 km (78 mi) north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Jammu in India. The recorded history of Sialkot, a district of modern-day Pakistan, covers thousands of years. It has since its creation changed hands from Aryan, Persian, Greek, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh and British rule to the present-day federation of Pakistan.
Pakistan Movement
The city played an important role during the Pakistan Movement. The national poet of Pakistan who spearheaded the movement for an independent country, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal was born in Sialkot in 1877. In May 1944, the historic Sialkot Convention was held here. This convention is widely regarded as the landmark event which catapulted the All India Muslim League into prominence in the British-Indian Punjab. This convention was host to such Muslim League luminaries as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan, Chaudhry Naseer Ahmad Malhi, (Inayat Ullah Choudhary) Khawaja Nazim-ud-Din, Sardar Abd-ur-Rab Nishtar, Mumtaz Ahmad Khan Daultana, Nawab Iftikhar Hussain Khan of Mamdot and Maulvi Tamiz-ud-Din.
Modern era
After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, thousands of Muslims from Pathankot and Gurdaspur and from other parts of East Punjab came to Sialkot as refugees and settled here. Earlier, the Muslim residents of Gurdaspur had believed that the entire district, with a slight Muslim majority, was to be allocated to Pakistan. However, at the time of partition of India, the British, in a highly controversial decision, allocated the district to India, allegedly to grant it access to the land route to the Princely State of Kashmir. Most of these refugees have since settled and inter-married into the local population. The large Hindu and Sikh populations of Sialkot and the adjoining Shakargarh (then called Shankargarh) tehsil of Gurdaspur district, which was allocated to Pakistan and later merged with Sialkot, migrated to East Punjab. Ever since, Sialkot has gradually become one of the major industrial centres of Pakistan and is well known for its manufacture and export of surgical instruments, musical instruments, sports goods, leather goods, textile products and other light manufactures.
During the Second Kashmir War in 1965, the Lahore-Sialkot region was attacked by the Indian Army which, despite overwhelming numerical superiority managed only to capture some outlying areas in the sector. The people of Sialkot came out in full force to support the troops of the Pakistan Army to repel the invasion by India.[2] In fact, the armoured battles in the Sialkot sector (especially, the Battle of Chawinda), in 1965, were the most intense since the Second World War.[3] In 1966, the Government of Pakistan awarded theHilal-i-Istaqlal to the citizens of Sialkot, Lahore and Sargodha for their courage and bravery during the 1965 war between Pakistan and India.
Again, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the region witnessed bitter battles, most importantly, the Battle of Basantar in the Sialkot-Shakar Garh area. The major Indian counter-offensive came in this area where, two large Pakistani tank regiments, equipped with the then modern Patton tanks, was routed by the Indian First Armored Corps, which was equipped with the obsolete British Centurion tanks.
During the Second Kashmir War in 1965, the Lahore-Sialkot region was attacked by the Indian Army which, despite overwhelming numerical superiority managed only to capture some outlying areas in the sector. The people of Sialkot came out in full force to support the troops of the Pakistan Army to repel the invasion by India.[2] In fact, the armoured battles in the Sialkot sector (especially, the Battle of Chawinda), in 1965, were the most intense since the Second World War.[3] In 1966, the Government of Pakistan awarded theHilal-i-Istaqlal to the citizens of Sialkot, Lahore and Sargodha for their courage and bravery during the 1965 war between Pakistan and India.
Again, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the region witnessed bitter battles, most importantly, the Battle of Basantar in the Sialkot-Shakar Garh area. The major Indian counter-offensive came in this area where, two large Pakistani tank regiments, equipped with the then modern Patton tanks, was routed by the Indian First Armored Corps, which was equipped with the obsolete British Centurion tanks.
Economy and Industry
The Per Capita Income of Sialkot in 2012 is $2800, which was $2400 in 2010 and $2100 in 2008. Sialkot is the fourth largest economic hub in Punjab after Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. It is commercially linked with the Lahore Stock Exchange through its Sialkot branch, known as the Sialkot Trading Floor (STF). The State Bank of Pakistan and the Export Promotion Bureau of Pakistan has branch offices in Sialkot. After Karachi,
Sialkot is Pakistan's second largest source of foreign exchange earnings through its exports and remittances from the overseas manpower. For the past several decades, the manufacturers and exporters of the city have been awarded the annual National Exports Award by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Sialkot has an Industrial Estate and an Export Processing Zone. Another Export Processing Zone is planned along the Sialkot Lahore Motorway. The per capita income of Sialkot is ranked among the highest in Pakistan.
The history of industrialization of Sialkot is very old. The Damascene craftsmen of Sialkot (koftgars or koftars) were famous during the Mughal era for their fine swords and daggers. Papermaking in Sialkot dates back to the time of the Mughal Emperor Akbar which was famous all over the world. Brick making was another historic skill of the people of the Sialkot and those bricks were known as the "Sialkoti Bricks" throughout South Asia. Most of the states in the South Asian region relied on the slender but strong Sialkoti bricks lanateer for the erection of forts, castles, monuments, public buildings, infrastructure construction, etc. Sialkot is the world's largest producer of hand-sewed footballs, with local factories manufacturing 40~60 million footballs a year, amounting to roughly 70% of world production. There is a well-applied child labour ban, the Atlanta Agreement, in the industry since a 1997 outcry.
Sialkot is Pakistan's second largest source of foreign exchange earnings through its exports and remittances from the overseas manpower. For the past several decades, the manufacturers and exporters of the city have been awarded the annual National Exports Award by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Sialkot has an Industrial Estate and an Export Processing Zone. Another Export Processing Zone is planned along the Sialkot Lahore Motorway. The per capita income of Sialkot is ranked among the highest in Pakistan.
The history of industrialization of Sialkot is very old. The Damascene craftsmen of Sialkot (koftgars or koftars) were famous during the Mughal era for their fine swords and daggers. Papermaking in Sialkot dates back to the time of the Mughal Emperor Akbar which was famous all over the world. Brick making was another historic skill of the people of the Sialkot and those bricks were known as the "Sialkoti Bricks" throughout South Asia. Most of the states in the South Asian region relied on the slender but strong Sialkoti bricks lanateer for the erection of forts, castles, monuments, public buildings, infrastructure construction, etc. Sialkot is the world's largest producer of hand-sewed footballs, with local factories manufacturing 40~60 million footballs a year, amounting to roughly 70% of world production. There is a well-applied child labour ban, the Atlanta Agreement, in the industry since a 1997 outcry.
During the colonial era British India's first bagpipe works opened in the city, today there are 20 pipe bands in the city.[8] Sialkot is Also providing Dental Instruments, Surgical Instruments, Beauty Instruments and other all sorts of Hospital Equipments. Other important industries in Sialkot include Leather Tanneries, Leather Garments, Musical Instruments, Surgical and Dental Instruments, Sportswear including Martial Arts wear, Gloves, Badges, Seat and Walking Sticks, Cutlery, Hunting Knives, Air Guns and Shotguns. These are all export-oriented businesses and earn billions of dollars every year in foreign exchange. There are several other allied industries which are working day and night as vendors for the automobile industry of Pakistan. Sialkot has also a rich tradition of producing wooden and steel furniture, rubber products, cooking utensils, bicycles, their types and tubes and shoes.
Notable residents
Sialkot is the birthplace of the prominent scholar, philosopher and poet, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, as well as the scholar and poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz.Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan was one of the leading Founding Fathers of modern Pakistan, politician, statesman, diplomat, international jurist, known for drafting the Pakistan Resolution, first foreign minister of Pakistan, for his representation of Pakistan at the United Nations,serving as a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague and the first Muslim UN General assembly President and only Pakistani to ever do so.Shiv Kumar Batalvi was born in a Saraswat Brahmin family on 23 July 1936 (though a few documents related to him state October 7, 1937 as his date of birth), in village Bara Pind Lohtian, Shakargarh Tehsil, Sialkot District (now in Punjab province, Pakistan).
Amjad Islam Amjad the famous writer, lyricist and poet was born at Sialkot. Professor Rajinder Singh Bedi, a well-known writer, was also born at Sialkot. Narendra Kohli, a prominent writer, belongs to Sialkot as well. Famed music director duo [Sonik Omi] also belonged to Sialkot. From defence forces, Brigadier(Retd) Faiz ul Karim Khan Burki Sitara-e-Imtiaz(military) is among the notable personalities of Sialkot. Zulfikar Ghose, a well-known writer, was born at Sialkot.
The Indian journalist, Kuldip Nayyar, was also born at Sialkot. Prominent journalists, Khalid Hasan, Hamid Mir.Jawed Iqbal, Muhammad Farooq and Mumtaz Hamid Rao are other famous personalities from Sialkot. The Indian politician and twice Prime Minister of India, Gulzari Lal Nanda, was from Sialkot. The orator of Pakistan Syed Faiz-ul Hassan Shah was from Sialkot.
The Indian journalist, Kuldip Nayyar, was also born at Sialkot. Prominent journalists, Khalid Hasan, Hamid Mir.Jawed Iqbal, Muhammad Farooq and Mumtaz Hamid Rao are other famous personalities from Sialkot. The Indian politician and twice Prime Minister of India, Gulzari Lal Nanda, was from Sialkot. The orator of Pakistan Syed Faiz-ul Hassan Shah was from Sialkot.
Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi was born at Sialkot. Khawaja Muhammad Safdar a former acting president of Pakistan and chairman of the Majlis-e-Shoora hails from Sialkot. Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the former Speaker of the National Assembly, and Mian Masood Ahmed Advocate was the Acting Politician of Pakistan peoples party and Ex MNA from NA 105 in 1978 Election in Zulifkar Ali Bhutto Cabnitacting president, Chaudhry Amir Hussain, the interior minister Rehman Malik, ministerFirdous Ashiq Awan and Rana Shamim Ahmed Khan(EX Advisor to CM)(MNA) from Sialkot The Pakistani (Lollywood) actor Waheed Murad, Indian (Bollywood) actors Rajendra Kumar and A. K. Hangal were born at Sialkot while Dev Anand was born in Tehsil Shakargarh now in Sialkot District. Ghulam Ali, the Ghazal singer and Ustad Allah Rakha, the famous Sarangi Nawaz, are from Sialkot.
Sialkot is the home city of many players of the Pakistan National Cricket Team. Ijaz Butt (Former Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board), Zaheer Abbas, Ijaz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Mansoor Amjad, Zahid Fazal, Abdur RehmanRaza Hasan and Jawaid Iqbal (Hong Kong national cricket player) were all born at Sialkot.
The captains and players of the Pakistani National Hockey team including Shahnaz Sheikh, Manzoor Hussain Jr., Nasir Ali, Asif Bajwa (secretary of Pakistan Hockey Federation), Tariq Sheikh, Zahid Sheikh, Muhammad Waqas Sharif, Mahmood Hussain,Maqsood Hussain, Munir Bhatti and Kamran Ashraf hail from this city.
Sialkot is the home city of many players of the Pakistan National Cricket Team. Ijaz Butt (Former Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board), Zaheer Abbas, Ijaz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Mansoor Amjad, Zahid Fazal, Abdur RehmanRaza Hasan and Jawaid Iqbal (Hong Kong national cricket player) were all born at Sialkot.
The captains and players of the Pakistani National Hockey team including Shahnaz Sheikh, Manzoor Hussain Jr., Nasir Ali, Asif Bajwa (secretary of Pakistan Hockey Federation), Tariq Sheikh, Zahid Sheikh, Muhammad Waqas Sharif, Mahmood Hussain,Maqsood Hussain, Munir Bhatti and Kamran Ashraf hail from this city.
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