History of Lahore, Punjab Pakistan

Lahore (/ləˈhɔːr/; Punjabi: لہور; Urdu: لاہور‎, pronounced [lɑːˈɦɔːr]) is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. Lahore is the country's second-most populous city after Karachi[2] and is one of Pakistan's wealthiest cities, with an estimated GDP of $58.14 billion (PPP) as of 2015.[6][7] Lahore is the largest city, and historic cultural centre of the Punjab region,[8][9][10][11] and one of Pakistan's most socially liberal,[12] progressive,[13] and cosmopolitancities.

Lahore's origins reach into antiquity. The city has been controlled by numerous empires throughout the course of its history, including the Hindu Shahis, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, and Delhi Sultanate by the medieval era. Lahore reached the height of its splendour under the Mughal Empire between the late 16th and early 18th century, and served as its capital city for a number of years. The city was captured by the forces of the Afsharid ruler Nader Shah in 1739, and fell into a period of decay while being contested between the Afghans and the Sikhs. Lahore eventually became capital of the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, and regained much of its lost grandeur.[15] Lahore was then annexed to the British Empire, and made capital of British Punjab.[16] Lahore was central to the independence movements of both India and Pakistan, with the city being the site of both the declaration of Indian Independence, and the resolution calling for the establishment of Pakistan. Lahore experienced some of the worst rioting during the Partition period preceding Pakistan's independence.[17]Following independence in 1947, Lahore was declared capital of Pakistan's Punjab province.

Lahore exerts a strong cultural influence over Pakistan.[8] Lahore is a major center for Pakistan's publishing industry, and remains the foremost center of Pakistan's literary scene. The city is also a major centre of education in Pakistan,[18] with some of Pakistan's leading universities based in the city.[19] Lahore is also home to Pakistan's film industry, Lollywood, and is a major centre of Qawwali music.[20] The city also hosts much of Pakistan's tourist industry,[20][21] with major attractions including the Walled City, the famous Badshahi and Wazir Khan mosques and Sikh shrines. Lahore is also home to the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[21]

Lahore consists of an old city area flanked on the southeast by newer commercial, industrial, and residential areas that are in turn ringed by suburbs. The old city was at one time surrounded by a wall and a moat, but these structures have been replaced, except in the north, by parklands. A circular road around the rampart provides access to the old city by 13 gates. Notable structures within the old city include the mosque of Wazīr Khān (1634) and Lahore Fort. A walled complex that covers some 36 acres (14.5 hectares), the fort is a splendid example of Mughal architecture; it was partially built by Akbar(reigned 1556–1605) and extended by the next three emperors. The mosque and the fort are decorated in marble and kashi, or encaustic tile work. Other historic landmarks include the Bādshāhī (Imperial) Mosque, built by Aurangzeb and still one of the largest mosques in the world; the 14-foot- (4.3-metre-) long Zamzama, or Zam-Zammah, a cannon that is immortalized (along with other details of the city) in Rudyard Kipling’s novel Kim (1901); Ranjit Singh’s buildings and mausoleum; the Shāhdara gardens, containing the tomb of the Mughal emperor Jahāngīr; and the magnificent Shālīmār Garden, laid out east of the city in 1642 by Shāh Jahān as a refuge for the royal family.

Lahore is a leading commercial, banking, and industrial centre. Textiles are the single most important industry, but there are many rubber factories, as well as iron, steel, and other mills. Railways and air services link Lahore with other major cities of Pakistan. Pop. (2005 est.) urban agglom., 6,289,000.

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August 04, 2019 Tags : History , Lahore , Old cities , Pakistan

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