Sahiwal

Sahiwal ( province of Pakistan and the administrative centre of Sahiwal District . Founded in 1865 , the town was formerly known as Montgomery after Sir Robert Montgomery , then Lieutenant-Governor of India. It took its current name in 1966 . Sahiwal lies approximately 180 km from the major city of Lahore . The population is 207,388 ( 1998 census). Sahiwal District is included in the former Multan Division and lies between 30-40 north Latitude and 73-10 Longitude . Its approximate height above the sea level is about 500 feet. It roughly forms pernllclogram lying in the general direction North East to South-West between the River Ravi . It is approximately 100 K.M from East to West and 45 K.M from North Western Boundary of the district of Sahiwal, Faisalabad , Toba Tak Sing whereas. The dead River Khushak Bias separates it from District Pakpattan. On the eastern side, Okara District is situated. While on the District the boundaries of Khanewal and Vehari District and on the southern side District Pakpattan Sharif exists where is shrine of one of the famous sufi Hazrat Baba Fareed Shaker Gunj .

Sahiwal District now consists of Five Thirty one Villages in two sub-divisions. Sahiwal District is spread over an area of 3201 square kilometres and comprises two tehsils namely Sahiwal and Chichawatni . Sahiwal District also contain many subtowns like Qadirabad, Yousafwala, Iqbalnagar, Kassowal, Noorshah, Harappa and Ghaziabad. There are transport connections via road and rail to Lahore, and a regional airport. Agriculture is important to the local economy, particularly the growing of Cotton and Grain . Cattle are also kept and Sahiwal is famous for its Water Buffalo milk and one of the ancient civilization on archeological evidence dated 3000 to 5000 B.C. 15 miles southwest from downtown in suburb of Harapa which was the northern city of Indus Valley Civilization . {Link without Title}

HARAPPA , THE TYPE-SITE OF THE INDUS CIVILIZATION, IN SAHIWAL DISTRICT

Harrapa is today a large village in the Sahiwal District of Punjab, 15 miles southwest of the district town. Archaeologists think that ancient Harappa was the urban center dominating the upper Indus region, much like Mohenjo-daro dominated the lower Indus Valley and Ganweriwala might have been the urban center for what is now Rajasthan.The site at Harappa was first briefly excavated by Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1872-73; two decades after brick robbers carried off the visible remains of the city. He found an Indus seal of unknown origin. The first extensive excavations at Harappa were started by Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni in 1920. His work and contemporaneous excavations at Mohenjo-daro first brought to the world's attention the existence of the forgotten Indus Valley civilization as the earliest urban culture in the Indian subcontinent. His work was followed later in the decade by that of Madho Sarup Vats, also of the Archaeological Survey of India. Excavations by other archaeologists continued in the 1930's, and in1946 Sir Mortimer Wheeler excavated the so-called fortification walls and found the first pre-Indus Valley civilization (Kot Dijian) deposits. After independence in 1947 and coming in District Sahiwal of Province of Punjab, Pakistan, Harappa was excavated by Mohammed Rafique Mughal of the Archaeological Survey of Pakistan in 1966. In 1986, the first systematic, multi-disciplinary excavations of an Indus Valley city were begun by the Harappa Archaeological Project (HARP), under the direction of George F. Dales and J. Mark Kenoyer.The main features of the plan, the citadel on the west and the mounds of the ‘lower city’ towards the east and southeast have already been indicated. To the north a slightly hollowed belt containing notably green crops marks an old bed of the River Ravi. Today the river flows 6 miles further north. Between the citadel and the riverbed, Mound F has been found to contain a remarkable and significant piece of town planning; to the south of the citadel lie the outlying hills, the Harappan cemetery and the post Harappan cemetery. To the southeast, sporadic digging has been carried out in Area G, but the ragged Mound E and its surroundings are virtually unexplored.There is an enormous amount still to be learned about the site, most of which remains unexcavated. The earliest deposits on the site go back to 5300 B.P. and the area seems to have been continuously inhabited ever since. Archaeological evidence is the key to understanding Harappa’s past. Although Harappa continues to be the center of historical debate, further archaeological explanations may some day reveal the validity or inaccuracy in the historical accounts of Harappa. Regardless of its impact on written history, archaeology will continue to reveal the way of life for Harappa's inhabitants.

THE SAHIWAL BUFFALO BREED

It originated in the dry Punjab Region which lies along the Indian-Pakistani Border. They Were Once Kept In Large Herd By Professional Herdsmen Called "Junglies". However With The Introduction Of Irrigation To The Region They Began To Be Kept In Smaller Numbers By The Farmers Of The Region, Who Used Them As Draft And [[dairy animals.The Sahiwal has one of the best dairy breeds in India and Pakistan . It is Tick -resistant, Heat -tolerant and noted for its high resistance to Parasites , both internal and external. Cows average 2270 kg of milk during a lactation while suckling a calf and much higher milk yields have been recorded. Due to their heat tolerance and high milk production they have been exported to other Asian Countries as well as Africa and the Caribbean . As oxen they are generally docile and lethargic, making them more useful for slow work. Their color can range from reddish brown through to the more predominant red, with varying amounts of white on the neck, and the underline.In males the color darkens towards the extremities, such as the head, legs and tails. Sahiwal breed arrived in Australia via New Guinea in the early 1950’s. In Australia, the Sahiwal breed was initially selected as a dual-purpose breed. It played a valuable role in the development of the two Australian tropical dairy breeds, the Australian Milking Zebu and the Australian Fresian Sahiwal. Sahiwal breeds are now predominately used in Australia for beef production, as crossing high grade Sahiwal sires with Bos taurus animals produced a carcass of lean quality with desirable fat cover.

The Sahiwal Buffalo breed is the heaviest milker of all Zebu breeds and display a well developed udder.It demonstrates the ability to sire small, fast-growing calves and are noted for its hardiness under unfavorable climatic conditions.
(Reference: 1-Handbook of Australian Livestock, Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation,1989, 3rd Edition
2-Genus Bos: Cattle Breeds of the World, 1985, MSO-AGVET (Merck & Co., Inc.), Rahway, N.J.
3-Mason, I.L. 1996. A World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types and Varieties. Fourth Edition. C.A.B International. 273 pp. {Link without Title} )

WEATHER

The Climate of Sahiwal district is extreme hot to the extent of 47ºC in summer and cold in Winter up to 2ºC. The soil of the district is very fertile. The average rainfall is about 177 mm. {Link without Title}

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

It is famous for its cotton ginning & pressing, Tannery , textile spinning, textile weaving, leather products, Garmets, pharmaceuticals, flour mills, food fndustry, oil mills, tobacco, vegetable Ghee / cooking oil, biscuit plants, chip board, confectionery, and woollen textile spinning / weaving etc. Especially its garments are famous all over the world due to unique eastern designes (e.g., City Fasion Point in Alfah Market and City Cloth Palace in Baroon Sori Gali). Its main crops are wheat, cotton, sugarcane, maize and rice and main fruits are citrus, mangoes and guava. Sahiwal is a green and fertile town with 11,522 acres under naturally grown forests.

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Sahiwal