Sheikhupura

Sheikhupura is an industrial city in the northwest of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is also the administrative headquarter of the Sheikhupura district and is approximately 38 km from Punjab’s provincial capital, Lahore.

The town is famous for its historical monuments and also known as the city of Mughals, where emperors come for hunting. The city is also well-known for its booming industry.

The city is the birthplace of several notable politicians, sportsmen, and artists such as Punjabi Sufi poet Syed Waris Shah. This article contains every detail about the city, including Sheikhupura History.

Sheikhupura History

Sheikhupura is a historical place. Several rulers, such as Mughal emperors, Sikhs, and British, have ruled this city. Jahangir founded it along with the famous Sheikhupura Fort in 1607. Its old name was Kot Dayal Das. Historians also mention two more titles for this city; Virkgarh or Singhpuria, later renamed by Jahangir as  Sheikhupura.

The city is famous for its historical places such as Qila or fort Shaikhupura. This fort was built by the son of Mughal emperor Akbar the Great, Jahangir. The name of this fort is attributed to Jahangir’s nickname, Sheikhu.

Before Partition

Under Sikh reign, the city was renamed again as Singhpuria. Before the partition of the sub-continent in 1947, a sizeable Sikh population was living here. There are several  Sikh Gurudwaras throughout the city. After the decline of the Sikh empire, Lehna Singh captured the town in 1799.

The Singh rule lasted until 1847, when the British conquered this region. Because of Muslim majority in the city, this region was made part of Pakistan instead of being annexed with Nankana Sahib, India.

Geography

Geographical coordinates of the city are 31° 42’ 47″ N(latitude) and 73° 58’ 41″ E (longitude), and it is 774.27ft (236 m) above sea level. The city’s total area is 75 km² (29 mi²), and the metropolitan is 3,030 km² (1,170 mi²) in length.

Sheikhupura Climate

The climate of the city is similar to other cities in the province of Punjab that observes all four seasons. The summers, which last for approximately three months, are hot, humid, clear. The average temperature may rise as high as 50°C. Throughout the year, the weather may vary from 7.22°C to 43°C.

Winters are short and usually last for nearly 2.3 months, with an average temperature of 12°C. The rainy period approximately lasts for 9.5 months resulting in average annual rainfall of 139.7 mm.

Population

The city is home to 473,129  people, according to the 2017 census. It is the 16^th highest populated city in Pakistan with a population density of 6,300/km² (3914.64/mi²).

Sheikhupura Culture

Because of its proximity to Lahore, Lahori culture is dominant in the city. People enjoy and cherish events such as Mela, Cattle Show, Basant, and theater. Traditional attire, Kurta-Shalwar, Dhoti, Chadar/Dupatta, & Turban, is mostly preferred. Nankeen Lassi is their favorite drink. Shag with Roti is a much-loved food.

Education

The educational trend in the city is gradually improving. According to the Punjab government’s statistics, the literacy rate is approximately 43.6%. The number of educational institutions in the city highlight this aspect. Following are among some of the well-known institutions in the city:

• Beaconhouse School System
• Lahore Grammar School
• College of Commerce
• College for Women
• Degree College
• Postgraduate College
• Hajvery University
• Oxford International College of Commerce
• Prime College of Commerce
• Punjab College of Commerce
• Punjab College of Science
• Sheikhupura College of Commerce & Information Technology
• The City School
• The Superior College
• University of Central Punjab

Sports

People like cricket most. There is a cricket stadium in the city that has hosted two international Tests and two international  ODIs so far. Locals enthusiastically watch and play:

• Cricket
• Football
• Hokey
• Pigeon Sports

Economy

Its proximity to the provincial capital, Lahore, and a network of roads connecting it to cities such as Faisalabad, Sargodha, and Sargodha, providing Sheikhupura with better economic conditions. The city is one of the significant contributors to the overall economy and GDP of Pakistan.

Industries in the city are the primary source of revenue generation. The employment rate in the region is healthy compared to other nearby areas, and it is a significant source of income for people of the city and the people of the surrounding areas. The industrial sector is instrumental in contributing 45% of total employment and 68% to the GDP.

Industry

The industrial area of the city was established before the partition of the subcontinent. This industrial zone kept on flourishing even after 1947. The industrial site contains several small, medium, and large size industries providing employment opportunities and a handsome amount of revenue to the overall economy of Pakistan.

The industrial zone and outskirts of the city have many vegetable oil & ghee units, flour mills, solvent extraction units, and rice mills. Other industrial companies located in the region are:

• Agriculture tools manufacturing
• Automobile industry
• Cable industry
• Chemical industry
• Cycles manufacturing industry
• Engineering & services industry
• Ethanol industry
• Flour industry
• GI Pipe industry
• Leather industry
• leather shoe, jackets, and belts industry
• Motorcycle manufacturing industry
• MS pipe industry
• Paper and Board industry
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Poultry and animal feed industry
• Power generation unit
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cable industry
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe industry
• Rayon producing industry
• Rice Processing industry
• Soap industry
• Stainless steel industry
• Steel Rerolling industry
• Stone and marble grinding industry
• Textile manufacturing industry
• Tractor manufacturing industry

Agriculture

The soil is conducive for growing crops such as rice, wheat, sugarcane, guava, and various vegetables and fruits.

Tourism

• Hiran Minar Tomb (17^th-century Mughal era complex)
• Qila Sheikhupura (built-in 1607)
• Khanpur Canal
• Shrine of Syed Waris Ali Shah
• Sheikhupura Fort (built by Emperor Jahangir in 1619 AD)
• Sheikhupura Stadium
• Sacha Sodha
• Tomb of Mian Muhammad Sharaqpuri

Sheikhupura Languages

People can communicate through:

• Punjabi
• Urdu
• English

Travel

The city is linked with Faisalabad through Faisalabad-Lahore road. Motorway M-2 and M-3 are connecting the city with other cities. A network of several roads is available for by-road travelers such as:

• T Road Faisalabad.
• T. Road Gujranwala
• T Road Lahore
• T. Road Sargodha

The railway station at the city connects the city with the outside world through a network of railroads. The railway station serves as a railway junction for trains traveling to other cities such as Faisalabad, Lahore, and Shorkot. Airports near the city includes

• Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE), 63 km
• Faisalabad International Airport, Faisalabad (LYP), 114 km
• Sialkot Airport, Sialkot (SKT), 140 km

Sheikhupura Postal Code

Postal Code: 39350

Area Code:  056