Sheikhupura

Sheikhupura is a big city in Punjab. It is near a city called Lahore.

A king built a fort there long ago. He also built a tall tower. He made it for his pet deer.

Many people live in this busy city. It is a place where people make things.

Most people there speak Punjabi. It is a very large place to visit.

Sheikhupura is a busy city in Punjab, Pakistan. It sits about 38 km northwest of Lahore.

A king named Jahangir started this city in 1607. He built a fort in the center of town. He also built a tall tower called Hiran Minar. He made this tower for his pet deer, Mansiraj. The area was once a place for royal hunting.

The city has had many names over time. Long ago, it was called Virkgarh. Later, it was called Singhpuria. Now, we call it Sheikhupura. This name comes from a nickname for the king.

Today, many people live in this city. In 2017, the population was 473,129 people. It is a center for industry. This means many people work in factories there. People in the city mostly speak Punjabi.

Many schools help children learn in Sheikhupura. The city is also near several other districts. These include Sialkot and Gujranwala. It is a very important part of the Punjab region.

Sheikhupura is a busy city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It sits about 38 km northwest of the city of Lahore.

This city is a very important center for industry and trade. It also serves as the headquarters for the larger Sheikhupura District. Many other districts sit near it, such as Sialkot and Gujranwala. It also borders the districts of Nankana Sahib and Kasur. The city is the 10th largest city in the Punjab region. It is also the 15th largest city in all of Pakistan.

History tells us that the city began as a fort. The Mughal emperor Jahangir founded it in the year 1607. He built a citadel, which is a strong fort, in the center of the city.

The emperor also built a famous site called Hiran Minar nearby. He built this monument between 1607 and 1620. It was a special place for his beloved pet deer named Mansiraj. At that time, the area was a royal hunting ground for the emperor. This shows how much the land meant to the royal family.

The name of the city has changed many times over the years. Before the Mughals arrived, the area was known as Virkgarh. This name came from the Virk Jat tribe that lived there. Later, the city was briefly called Singhpuria during the time of Sikh rule. The current name, Sheikhupura, comes from a special nickname. The emperor Jahangir was called "Shekhu" by his mother. She was the wife of the great emperor Akbar. His autobiography even records the town's first name as Jehangir pura.

Life in the city has changed a lot since the days of kings. During British rule, the area was part of a large district. This district sat between the Chenab and Ravi rivers. In 1919, the area became its own district with M.M.L. Karry as the first leader. The city saw much change during the Partition of 1947. Many people moved during this time, and there was much sadness and violence. In the Sacha Sauda refugee camp, over 100,000 Sikh refugees stayed. It was a very difficult time for the people living there.

Today, Sheikhupura is a growing place with many people. The population was 473,129 in the year 2017. Experts think the population will be more than 602,000 by 2026. Most people in the city speak Punjabi, which is about 88.96% of the people. Others speak Urdu, Pashto, or languages like Sindhi. Many students go to schools like the Government Graduate College. New industrial areas like Quaid-e-Azam Business Park are also being built. This shows that the city is still moving forward.

Sheikhupura is a major industrial center and satellite town in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It serves as the administrative headquarters for the Sheikhupura District. The city is located approximately 38 km northwest of Lahore. It sits near several other important districts, including Sialkot, Gujranwala, Nankana Sahib, and Kasur. Within the larger region, it holds significant status as the 10th-largest city in Punjab. Nationally, it is ranked as the 15th-largest city in Pakistan by population.

The history of the city is deeply connected to the Mughal Empire. In 1607, the Mughal emperor Jahangir founded the city as a citadel. He established the Sheikhupura Fort in the center of the city.

Jahangir built this foundation near the older town of Jandiala Sher Khan. This area was an important provincial town during the early and middle Mughal eras. At that time, the region also functioned as a royal hunting ground for the emperor. Between 1607 and 1620, Jahangir constructed the Hiran Minar. This famous monument was built to honor his beloved pet deer, Mansiraj.

The name of the city has evolved through different eras of rule. Before the Mughal period, the area was known as Virkgarh. This name came from the Virk Jats, who were the primary rural tribe in the region. During the period of Sikh rule, the city was briefly called Singhpuria. The current name, Sheikhupura, is derived from a nickname. Jahangir's mother, who was the wife of Akbar the Great, called him "Shekhu." The emperor's own autobiography, the Tuzk-e-Jahangiri, originally recorded the town as Jehangir pura.

During the era of British colonial rule, the region underwent several administrative changes. The area was once under the rule of Raja Dhayan Singh. Initially, the large territory located between the Chenab and Ravi rivers was managed as a single district. Sheikhupura served as the headquarters for this consolidated district until 1851. Later, the area surrounding the city officially attained district status in 1919. M.M.L. Karry served as the first administrator for the district during this time.

The Partition of British India in 1947 brought significant hardship to the region. Before the partition, Sikhs made up 19% of the district's population. Because of its proximity to Nankana Sahib, a holy site for Sikhism, many Sikhs hoped the area would be awarded to India. The city experienced intense communal rioting between Sikhs and Muslims from August 16 to August 31, 1947. During this period, an estimated 10,000 people were killed. The Sacha Sauda refugee camp in the city hosted more than 100,000 Sikh refugees fleeing from areas like Gujranwala.

Today, Sheikhupura is a rapidly growing urban center. The population has seen a massive increase over recent decades. In the 1998 census, the city population was 280,263. By the 2017 census, the population had risen to 473,129. This represents a growth of 68.82% over just 19 years. Projections from the World Population Review suggest the population will exceed 602,000 by 2026. This figure includes the city and its surrounding suburban areas.

The city is also a hub for language, education, and industry. Most residents, about 88.96%, speak Punjabi. Other spoken languages include Urdu, Pashto, and others like Sindhi or Saraiki. Education is a key part of the city, with a literacy rate of 43.6%. Notable institutions include the Government Graduate College and Hajvery University. The economy is supported by industrial development. Two major areas are the Rachna Industrial Park and the Quaid-e-Azam Business Park. The latter has been declared a special economic zone by the government of Pakistan.