Major Cities of Pakistan

Lahore

Lahore is the Capital of the province of Punjab and the second largest city of Pakistan. Lahore is Pakistan's cultural, educational and artistic capital. Lahore is an ancient city and its history dates back to 630 AD. It was at its most glorious during the Mughal rule and has some of the best examples of Mughal architecture in South Asia. Also seen in Lahore are some fine colonial buildings of the British Era. Most of the Mughal monuments are located in and around the old city of Lahore which had twelve gates and a wall around it. Although most of the wall is gone, some gates are still there. The old city is still very alive and vibrant with a maze of narrow roads, lanes and bustling bazaars. Lahore has expanded immensely over the last 50 years and is still growing

Karachi

is the biggest City of Pakistan with a population of more than 140 million.Karachi is Pakistan�s bustling center of commerce and industry, the largest metropolis offers a variety of pleasant attractions: wide sunny beaches, deep-sea fishing, yachting, golf and horse racing all year. There are posh and inexpensive hotels and a variety of eating places, from Pakistani food to Western and European cuisine. Its markets and bazaars offer an endless variety of exciting shopping including indigenous handicrafts, particularly rugs and carpets of rare design and beauty. Karachi also has a number of tourist attractions and landmarks. Most of the international airlines operate their direct flights to many destinations in the world from the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport.

Islamabad

The decision to build Islamabad was taken in 1958 under President Ayub Khan . Karachi, the capital since Independence in 1947, and Pakistan's largest city and only port, proved unsatisfactory because of its distance from many parts of the country and because of its debilitating climate. Islamabad on the other hand, offered a healthy climate, plenty of water and a central position on the Grand Trunk Road, close to Punjab and North-West Frontier Province. That nearby Rawalpindi was the headquarters of the Pakistan army was another consideration. Finally the site had historical connections because of its proximity to nearby Taxila, for many centuries the regions main city.

Faisalabad
is the third largest city of Pakistan which is located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Estimated population of the city is 2.6 million. The entire district had a population of about 5.4 million in 1998[1]. It is an important industrial centre located in the Punjab province, 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.

Multan,

in the lower Punjab, is claimed to be the oldest surviving city on the subcontinent, dating back some 4000 years. Once an important centre of Islam, it has since attracted more mystics, holy men and saints than you can shake a shalwar qamiz at. Today, Multan is dominated by their tombs and shrines, a fort that affords superlative views over the city, and one of the best bazaars in Pakistan - those not converted by Anita Roddick might like to snap up the skin potion, made from

lizards, which is said to be an excellent revitaliser.

It's a 570km (353mi) trek down to Multan from Islamabad. Buses and minbuses descend on Multan from a variety of destinations including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Hyderabad, dropping passengers off at the chaotic general bus station. Trains (a more comfortable way to travel) shuffle between Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi.

About 966 km from Karachi and more or less right in the centre of the country lies the ancient city of Multan. Multan, the 'City of Pirs and Shrines' is a prosperous city of bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly designed tombs. It is also a city of dust, summer heat and beggars. It has a long history. Alexander the Great added it to his list of Indus conquests.

Peshawar:

capital of, North-West Frontier province, Pakistan. The city lies just west of the Bara River, a tributary of the Kabul River, near the Khyber Pass.
The Shahji-ki Dheri mounds, situated to the east, cover ruins of the largest Buddhist stupa in the subcontinent (2nd century AD), which attest the lengthy association of the town with Buddha and the religion founded about him.

The city was known variously as Parasawara and Purusapura (town, or abode, of Purusa). Also called Begram, the present name, Peshawar (pesh awar, "frontier town"), is ascribed to Akbar, the Mughal emperor of India (1556-1605).
A great historic centre of transit-caravan trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, Peshawar is today connected by the Grand Trunk Road and rail with Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, and Karachi and by air with Rawalpindi, Chitral, and Kabul, Afghanistan.
Peshawar's historic buildings include Bala Hissar, a fort built by the Sikhs on the ruins of the state residence of the Durranis, which was destroyed by them after the battle of Nowshera; Gor Khatri, once a Buddhist monastery and later a sacred Hindu temple, which stands on an eminence in the east and affords a panoramic view of the entire city; the pure white mosque of Mahabat Khan (1630), a remarkable monument of Mughal architecture; Victoria memorial hall; and Government House. Pop. (1981) town, 566,248; metropolitan area, 1,084,347.

Sargodha

is a rail junction and trade centre for an area producing grains, cotton, citrus fruits, and oil-seed. include engineering plants, a steel mill, and cotton, rice, flour, and oil-seed mills. As the headquarters of a colony that grew up around a branch of the Lower Jhelum Canal, the city developed quickly in the early 20th century.

Sargodha is one of three "planned cities"in Pakistan(other two are *Faisalabad and (Capital of Pakistan) *Islamabad) Just over a century back, there was a well owned by a hindu named "Goodha",well was known as "Gool Khuuh"(round well), and travellers used it as a resting place. When the wheel of time turned the well was eventually out of use and a market evolved around it There is a market at the place where "Gool Khuuh" used to exist and a grand mosque above the market and it is known as "Goal Chowk", which is the center of downtown Sargodha today. Sargodha was a small town in early British Raj but due to its geophysical location British Royal Air Force set up an airport here which took greater importance after partition for the Pakistan Air Force. Shahpur which is now a tehsil of district sargodha was the district at that time. Most part of the tehsil Sillanwali and Kirana Pahari region were part of district Jhang and were included later during British Raj in district Sargodha.

Divisional Headquarter
Sargodha is a divisional headquarter of the Sargodha Division. Sargodha division has following districts: