Vehari

Vehari is a district of the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The area of the district contains 4,364 square kilometers. Vehari City is the capital and headquarters of the district. The district is bordered by the districts of Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar in the south, Pakpattan in the east, Khanewal in the northwest, Lodhran in the west, and Khanewal in the north.

Vehari is situated at a distance of 100 kilometers from Multan. The region has fertile land and is famous for maize production and has produced 1.11 million tonnes of maize in 2019. This article contains all the information about the city, including Vehari History.

Vehari History

Alexander the Great

The district’s early history goes back to Alexander the Great, who came to the region in 331 BC and occupied the region of Punjab. The Verdict period rulers, including Malavas, Kambojas, Kaikayas, Yaudheyas, Daradas, Pauravas, Kurus, and Madras.

Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi

Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi took hold of the district by conquering his father’s empire and defeated Shahis in 1005. The Sultanate of Delhi and Mughal rulers ruled the area for many years. Sikhs invaded the region and occupied Vehari after the decline of the Mughal Empire. Muslims faced severe restriction during Sikh Rule.

Mughal Empire

East India Company came to the region and invited British Troops to occupy the region who took hold of the district in 1857 after imprisoning Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last ruler of the Mughal Empire. In 1925, the Institution of Nili Bar colony Project and the construction of the Pakpattan canal resulted in the formation of district Vehari.

Post Independence

In ancient times, the people of this city were restricted to the Sutlej River and cultivation while the district got its importance in British Era. After Pakistan’s independence, a large number of Muslim refugees came to the region and settled here. The region contained a Hindu and Sikh population who migrated to India in 1947.

Administration

The district comprises three tehsils, which are given below.

• Vehari
• Mailsi
• Burewala

Three Sub-tehsils of the district are:

• Jallah Jeem
• Karampur
• Gaggo

Vehari Population

According to the 2017 census of Pakistan, the district had a population of 2,897,446 inhabitants.

Language

Punjabi is considered to be the most widely spoken language of the region and is spoken by 83 percent of the entire population. The second most spoken language of the district is Saraiki, spoken by 11 percent of the population. Urdu is also spoken by 5 percent of the population.

Vehari Climate

The climate of the region is hot and dry in the season of the summer while the average temperature varies from 28 to 42 degrees centigrade. The highest record of the temperature of the district is 45 degrees centigrade. The season of winter is cold and dry.

The average temperature varies from 7 to 21 degrees centigrade, while the lowest recorded temperature is 5 degrees centigrade.

Religion

The region contains 97 percent population of Muslims, while 3 percent of the population is Hindus and Sikhs who left the region in 1947. All of the religious communities are living in harmony.

Vehari Postal and Area Codes

Postal Code: 61100

Area Code: 067

Transportation

The district has many minor roads and a National Highway, which connect the people of the region with other cities of Pakistan such as Lahore, Multan, and Khanewal. The region also contains a railway facility that links the district with the other main cities, such as Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Multan. Minor roads also link the people of the villages of Vehari.

Agriculture

The district has fertile land and is famous for its cotton production. The people call it the “The City of Cotton.” There are many cotton industries in the city of Vehari. Cottonseed oil is also produced in the region, and the region contains a lot of cottonseed oil industries.

Fruits such as Mangoes are grown in the season of summer while other fruits such as citrus and guava are produced in the winter season.

Education

The district has many famous educational institutions, but unfortunately, the literacy rate of the region is below 43 percent, among which half are not able to read and write. There are many educational elementary institutions, equal in numbers for girls and boys.

Some of the famous educational institutions of the nearby regions of the district are given below.

• COMSATS University
• University of Education
• (UAF) University of Agriculture Faisalabad
• Allama Iqbal Open University, Vehari Campus.

Rural Crafts

There are many crafts made in the rural areas containing Naqqashi, cotton textile, and basketry, while the cloth-work includes Khaddar, which is very famous among the people of the region.

Tourism

Wildlife Park

Wildlife Park is situated near Vehari Zoo and is famous for its Wild Animals containing lions, Leopards, Monkeys, Giraffes, and many others. The people love to visit the park and watch the beautiful view of Wildlife.

Imam Bargah

Imam Bargah is another famous historical place that is used for religious activities by the people of the region.

V-Chowk

V Chowk is another famous and beautiful cultural landmark located in this City. Other famous mosques of the district include Bagh Wali Mosque and Masjid Farooq Azam.

Famous restaurants of the district include:

• Crispy Cottage
• Sky View Hotel
• Awami Hotel

Sports

Many sports are played in the region, such as cricket, football, and volleyball, but hockey is the most famous game in the region and has produced many players. Some of them are given below.

• Saleem Sherwani
• Waseem Ahmad
• Afzal
• Sajjad Anwar
• Malik Kashif
• Waqas Akbar

Notable People

Some of the famous personalities of the district are given below.

• Saleem Sherwani
• Mohammad Waseem
• Waqar Younas
• Mian Mohammad Saqib Khurshid
• Tehmina Daultana