मिंवाली

Mianwali (Urdu: میانوالی) is the capital city of Mianwali District and situated in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is located at 32°34'60 N and 71° 32'60E with an altitude of 211 metres (695 feet).[1] on the eastern bank of Indus River. Thal canal traverses the city and makes the surroundings a picturesque place.

According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the Mianwali city had a population of 85,000 inhabitants.

In November 1901, present day towns of Mianwali, Bhakkar, Isa Khel, Kalabagh, and Kundian were separated from Bannu District and hence a new district named as Mianwali District was created with the headquarters in Mianwali city. The municipal committee was founded in December 1903 and remained operational since then.
Contents
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* 1 Infrastructure
* 2 History
* 3 Languages
* 4 Saints
* 5 Noteable personalities
* 6 Further reading
* 7 See also
* 8 References
* 9 External links

[edit] Infrastructure

Mianwali city is the economic and commercial hub of the Mianwali district. The city has its own FM Radio Station, municipal library, sports complex, hockey stadium and a couple of parks for recreation. There are several educational institutions from elementary to post-graduate level.

The city has an airport built near the old World War II aerodrome and known as PAF Base Mianwali. It is one of the major operational bases of the country. The No.1 Fighter Conversion Unit of the PAF is stationed here.

There is also a railway connecting the city with Kundian and Multan to the south and Attock and Rawalpindi to the north. The railways were a part of the now obsolete "North Western Railways" (NWR), which was operational during British colonial rule in the subcontinent. After the partition of India in 1947 it was renamed "Pakistan Western Railways" and was again renamed after December 1971 as Pakistan Railways.

The main highways connecting the city to the other parts of the country include the Sargodha-Lahore road [N-60], MM Road ( Mianwali-Muzaffargarh road ), Talagang-Rawalpindi road, and the Kalabagh- Bannu road [N-60]. The Balkassar interchange connects Mianwali to the M2 motorway.
[edit] History

Early history of the city is unknown. The city is famous for the shrine of Mian Sultan Zakria (RA) whose father Mian Ali founded Mianwali village in the 16th century. The son is said to have exhibited supernatural powers from an early age and many miraculous deeds are ascribed to him. His name is frequently taken as an oath and his shrine is not uncommonly the scene of settlement of civil disputes.

Before the British rule, the area formed an integral portion of the Graeco-Bactrian Empire of Kabul and the Punjab.[2] During British rule, the Indian empire was subdivided into provinces, divisions and districts, after the independence of Pakistan divisions remained the third tier of government until 2000. The British had made the town of Mianwali as tehsil headquarters of Bannu District then part of Dera Ismail Khan Division of Punjab province. The population of Mianwali according to the 1901 census of India was 3,591.[3]

In November 1901, the North-West Frontier Province was carved out of Punjab and the towns of Mianwali, Isa Khel, Kalabagh, and Kundian were separated from Bannu District (Bannu became part of NWFP) and hence a new district was made with the headquarters in Mianwali city and placed in Punjab. The district became a part of Multan Division. There were four tehsils namely Mianwali, Isa Khel, Bhakkar, and Layyah. Layyah was included in the Muzaffargarh District in 1909. The district became a part of Sargodha Division in 1961. Bhakkar Tehsil was carved out of Mianwali District and was made a separate district inside Sargodha Division w.e.f. 01-07-1982.
[edit] Languages

Saraiki language is widely spoken by the people of Mianwali while Urdu and Pashto languages are also spoken by Muhajir and Pushtun communities respectively.
[edit] Saints

* Khawja Mohammad Akbar Ali Chishti(RA)
* Hazrat Mian Sultan Zakarea(RA)
* Hazrat Khaki Shah(RA)

[edit] Noteable personalities

* Imran Khan
* Amir Abdullah Khan Rokhri
* Dr. Sher Afgan Khan Niazi
* Gul Hameed Khan Rokhri
* Ghulam Rasool Khan Shadi Khel
* Abaidullah Khan Shadi Khel
* Maulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi
* Mansoor Afaq
* Muhammad Ashfaq Chughtai
* Syed naseer Shah
* Asad Mustafa
* Khawar Naqvi
* Gulzar Bokhari

[edit] Further reading

1. "Gazetteer of the Mianwali district 1915" by Sang-e-Meel Publications, Lahore, Pakistan
2. "Tareekh-e-Niazi Qabail"
3. "Wichara Watan" By Harish Chander Nakra, New Delhi, India
4. Henry George Raverty, Notes on Afghanistan and Baluchistan" (Indus Publications, Karachi)

[edit] See also

* Mianwali District
* List of Cities of Punjab, Pakistan by Area

[edit] References

1. ^ Location of http://www.fallingrain.com/world/PK/4/Mianwali2.html - Falling Rain Genomics
2. ^ Miānwāli District - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 17, p. 318
3. ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 17, p. 326.

^ A Glossary of the tribes & castes of Punjab by H. A Rose
[edit] External links

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