| Shorkot | |
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Shorkot
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Elevation | 131 m (430 ft) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
Shorkot is a city in the Jhang District of Punjab, Pakistan. It is located at 30°50'0N 72°4'0E with an altitude of 131 metres (433) and lies in the centre of the district,[1] serving as the headquarters of Shorkot Tehsil.[2] The Sarfraz Rafiqi Airbase, the third largest in Pakistan, is located here. The city is also the location of the tombs of the famous Sufis Hazrat Sultan Bahu and Hazrat Shah Mehmood Ghazi (Ghazi Pir)and Hazrat Pir Syed Mahboob Alam Shah Gilani. The tomb of Pir Syed Mahboob Alam Shah is in the centre of the Town. He was sent to Shorkot to spread Islam by the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam.
Alexander The Great faced bitter resistance in Shorkot when fighting the Malhi in 325 BC. It is said that Alexander ultimately died of wounds received in this battle, and because of the fierce resistance he revised his plans to conquer the remainder of India.
Shorkot was conquered by the Ummayad general Muhammad Bin Qasim between 710-715 CE.
Bhirr the historical castle situated in many acres of land & towers 200 feet high. The original settlement s part of the old Indus valley civilisation and thels town was built on an arificial mound whose Southern side was used to get the material for building the mound. This mound has at least three layers of soot showing that it was destroyed three times. The visit of Alexander has been confirmed by Alexander Burs F.R.S. who published an account in his book in 1834. They were taking Dray horses as presents from Queen Victoria to Ranjit Singh. From Multan going up North to Lahore they stopped near Shorkot and went to visit the shrine of Pir Syed Mahboob Alam Shah finding it to be a dusty shrine attended by an old Syed. There on the Bhirr (mound) they found some old coins with the Greek word "Bazileous" stamped on it and conjectured that these were the coins left behind by the Greeks. Scattered shards of pottery are still to be found for miles around the old Bhirr showing that is was an extensive settlement. As the river Chenab moved away to the West it lost its importance as river port whilst the nearby town of Pir Mahal known as the Las Vegas of those days also lost its customers and fell into decline.
Darbar Maan Baap present in Shorkot is shrine of parents of Hazrat Sultan Bahu. Darbar maan baap is very popular place where many people come from far areas for fateh on shrine. In Muharram there is great rush of people.
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