| Sahiwal ساہیوال |
|
|---|---|
| — City — | |
|
Sahiwal
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province | Punjab |
| District | Sahiwal |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3,201 km2 (1,235.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 152.4 m (500 ft) |
| Population (1998) | |
| • Total | 1,843,194 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Calling code | 040 |
| Website | http://www.sahiwal.gov.pk |
Sahiwal (Urdu: ساہیوال) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the administrative centre of Sahiwal District and Sahiwal Division. Sahiwal is approximately 180 km from the major city Lahore and is the city between Lahore and Multan. The population is 207,388 (1998 Pakistan Census).
A small village on the Karachi-Lahore railway line during 1865 was named Montgomery after Sir Robert Montgomery, then Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab.[1][2] was made the capital of the Montgomery District. It was renamed Sahiwal in 1967 after the Sahi clan of Kharal Jatt who were the inhabitants of this area.
The city is in the densely populated region between the Sutlej and Ravi rivers. The principal crops are wheat, cotton, tobacco,[3] legumes, potato[4]and oilseeds. Cotton goods and lacquered woodwork are manufactured.[5][1]
Sahiwal has several educational institutes including the COMSATS University, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Divisional Public School (DPS), St. Mary's Convent High School, Government Immamia College, Government Postgraduate College (GPGC) and Government College for Men and Women. The District Hospital commonly referred to as the Civil Hospital is the largest hospital of Sahiwal, Where government started a project of Medical college named Alfarid Medical College.
Sahiwal is twinned with the town of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, North West England.[6] There is a direction sign in Rochdale's town centre pointing in Sahiwal's direction with "Sahiwal 3960 miles" written on it.