Gojra

Gojra گوجرہ
Gojra Location within Pakistan
Coordinates: 31°9′N 72°41′E / 31.150°N 72.683°E / 31.150; 72.683Coordinates: 31°9′N 72°41′E / 31.150°N 72.683°E / 31.150; 72.683
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab B
District	Toba Tek Singh District
Established	1896
No. of Towns	1
Government
• Union Councils	6
Area
• Total	7 sq mi (17 km2)
Elevation	1,526 ft (465 m)
Population (1998)
• Total	117,892
• Density	17,000/sq mi (6,900/km2)
• Estimate (2005)	143,369
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC+6)
Area code(s)	046 International +9246

Gojra (Punjabi, Urdu: گوجرہ‎), the administrative seat of Gojra Tehsil, is the city of Toba Tek Singh District in the Punjab in the province of Pakistan,^[1] and is located 30  miles (50 km) from Faisalabad, 125 km from Burewala, 157 km from Vehari and 20 miles (32 km) north of Toba Tek Singh.^[2] It has a history of more than hundred years, and as it was the centre of cultivated lands, the village was known for its "Mandi" (market) for cash crops. The predominantly Muslim population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslim refugees from India settled in Gojra.

History

Gojra city was established in 1896, when the colonisation of Faisalabad began. The railway line between Faisalabad and Gojra was laid in 1899. The town was given the status of notified area committee in 1904 and upgraded to a B-Class Municipality in 1925. In 1906, the population was 2,589, according to The Imperial Gazetteer of India "The business done in this rising mart on the railway, which has sprung into existence in the last six years owing to the extension of the Chenab Canal to the surrounding country, bides fair to rival in importance that of Faisalabad itself".^[2]

In 1919, following the Rowlatt Act, hartals broke out throughout Punjab, Gojra was affected by serious protests and a member of the Church Mission Society had to be escorted out of the town by loyal residents.^[3]

Municipal committee status

After independence from Britain, in view of its increasing size, it was declared a 2nd class Municipal Committee in 1960.

Tehsil status

The city was raised to the status of Tehsil town and affiliated with the newly established district Toba Tek Singh on 01.07.1982. After the introduction of the Devolution of Powers Plan, the Tehsil Municipal Administration Gojra came into being on 12.08.2001.^[4] The Canal rest house is the oldest building constructed during British government in 1898.

Motorway

Gojra was connected to motorways of Pakistan in 2015. On 16 March 2015, Governor Punjab Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan inaugurated Faisalabad to Gojra motorway M4.^[5]

Education

The city has two institutions dedicated to further education: the Government Degree College for Boys and the Government Degree College for Girls (Women). This Government Degree College has now been upgraded as Government Postgraduate College. The city also has a number of Higher Education schools, two prominent schools are Government M. C. High School and Government Islamia High School. M. C High School is one of the oldest schools and has produced some of the most prominent hockey players for the national hockey team.The non profit private school ( Allama Iqbal public school Gojra) was established in 1994. The first private college(Shiblee College Gojra) of the district T.T.Singh was established in Gojra in 1995.

Hockey

Gojra contributed a number of players to the Pakistan Hockey team, including Iqbal Bali and Muhammad Aslam .^[6] When they returned to Gojra they established their own hockey teams, and provided free training to the youth of the city and created a nursery for the Pakistan hockey team and many of the Pakistan hockey team players.

The Gojra Hockey Club (a local club, has won this year's Jat Tar Singh memorial U19 (Under 19) hockey tournament, this high profile tournament was held in India, where Gojra city team competed again best of Indian U19 hockey teams and won the championship.^[7] The Gojra team won this title by defeating Amritsar Academy 4–2 at Ludhiana hockey stadium.

The Manzoor-ul-Hassan and Rasheed-ul-Hasan brothers were the main source of inspiration for hockey and established it in their native town. They brought Gojra to be recognised in the hockey playing nations of the world. Manzoor-ul-Hassan (1972–1982) played 154  games and scored 101  goals for Pakistan. He was given the name "Wall of China" because he was so hard to beat as he was a defender (full back). Rashid-ul-Hassan played 199 matches and scored 9  goals. He was the backbone of the Pakistan Hockey team from 1979 to 1987.

Prof.Rana Mahmood Ahmad khan. A leading educationist. He served in different position as Associate and Full Professor. His last appointment was as a Principal of Govt College Samanabad Faisalabad. He promoted the cause of education.

Notable people

• Abdul Qadir Bakhsh Kahloon
• Rana Muhammad Akram Khan, Ex-Chairman Punjab Bar Council.
• Sardar Fraz Wahlah^[8] politician, writer and international lawyer^[9][10][11] who also won the technology Oscar, the 10th International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Award, for Pakistan^[12][13][14]
• Nadeem Asghar Nadeem Judge

Dr.Subha Seemi Cheema Owner of the hospital: Al-Rasheed Surgical Hospital opposite Shaheen CNG

References

Neighbourhoods of Toba Tek Singh Administrations: Toba Tek Singh District Tehsils Pir Mahal Gojra Kamalia Toba Tek Singh Cities Gojra Kamalia Pir Mahal Rajana Sandhilianwali Toba Tek Singh (capital) Towns and councils Aligarh Bilasur Budhan Khuh Janiwala Kot Ram Chand Naya Lahore Randian Villages Ali Nagar Roda Angadpura Chak 284 Chak 288 Chak 356 Gariwal Nanaksar Rashiana Saleempur Bhussi Kathian Website: Toba Tek Singh District at NRB