Sugar Industry of Pakistan

Sugar Industry is the 2^nd most important industry of Pakistan after cotton. Pakistan is self sufficient in sugar, out of which most is consumed locally and the excess is even exported. Pakistan inherited a weak base of sugar industry at the time of independence producing only 7,932 tonnes of sugar. The amount was insufficient for the local needs and so most of it had to be imported. The Government paid attention to improve this sector and set up a commission with the purpose to developing a stronger sugar industry. As a result of all the consistent efforts now we have 75 sugar mills in Pakistan which are producing 2.5 million tonnes of sugar. The industry has given employment to around 100,000 people.

Most of sugar mills are present in Punjab and Sindh with 38 and 30 respectively, and only 6 are present in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As sugarcane needs to be pressed soon after it is harvested, so the mills are located very close to the sugarcane fields so that the stalks can be transported as quickly as possible. After pressing the juice is used to make sugar while the left over named as ‘Bagasse’ is used to make chipboards, paper etc. and is also used as a source of power in the mills. Molasses is also a by product obtained during the process of sugar refining. Molasses is used in the chemical industry to make alcohol which is used in some medicines etc.

Sugar mills are facing a problem of lack of raw material as excess quantity of raw sugarcane is used for Gur making and for seeds. It should be only 25% of total sugarcane production used but around 37% of it is used. With the shortage of raw material and some bad planning of the officials Pakistan has to import sugar from neighbouring countries to fulfil its local consumption.

Farming in Pakistan

Pakistan is an agricultural country which accounts for about 23% of its GDP. It is the largest employment generating sector, employing 48% of labour force in the country. Forestry and Fishing contributes around 25% of the Pakistan’s GDP.

Despite being an agricultural country, out of its 803,940 sq km of total area, about 60% is considered unsuitable for agricultural activities or forestry. This huge area consists of mountains, deserts and urban settlements. Out of total cultivable area only three quarters is fertile due to lack of rain in most areas.

Pakistan’s 70% of the farmed area is in Punjab, followed by the Sindh that occupies 20%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contribute around only 10% and Balochistan has only 1% of the farmed land.

Due to lack of rainfall farming largely depends on irrigation. The Government of Pakistan has been taking many steps to improve water supply for the crops. Today Pakistan has one of the world’s largest irrigation networks. Due to different projects at different areas of the country, cultivated area has increased to more than one third since independence and now 80% of the farming is done with the help of intensive irrigation.

Agricultural Seasons

Pakistan generally has two main crop seasons:

• Kharif Season:

It is the summer season of the country in which the crops are planted from April to June and harvested from October to December. Kharif crops need more amount of water and heat. Main Kharif crops are cotton, rice, sugarcane, tobacco, maize and millet. They cover the 45% of cultivated land of Pakistan. They mostly include cash crops which are sold by the farmers in the market to earn profit.

• Rabi Season:

It is the winter season in which the crops are planted from October to December and harvested in April and May. In Rabi season the crops need less amount of water. Rabi Crops include wheat, Barley, oil seeds and grams. They cover about 55% of the total cultivated land of Pakistan.

Kharif Crops :

• Cotton:

Cotton is Pakistan’s one of the main cash crops and is an important export commodity. Cotton cultivation requires a long frost free time, moderate rain and lots of sunshine. The soil suitable for it is fairly heavy with moderate levels of nutrients.  A large proportion of cotton is grown in areas with less rainfall obtaining water from irrigation. The production for a given year mostly starts juts after harvesting the previous autumn crop.

During 1991, Pakistan was ranked third in the production of cotton after China and USA and was first in cotton export. In Pakistan cotton is also named as ‘silver fibre’. It is a warm climate crop and cannot tolerate the freezing temperature. Pakistan has a fertile and well drained soil. Cotton is the main export item of the country so lot of efforts are made by the Government to promote its production and facilitate the farmers.

For good cotton crop, there must be proper supply of fertilizers and five to eight sessions of irrigation during its growth time period. Cotton boll is very sensitive and can easily be damaged by the attack of insects so frequent spraying of insecticides ensures good crop. Cotton is picked either manually or mechanically. On most of the farms in Pakistan it is done manually normally by rural women. After picking, cotton bolls are sent to the ginning mills where cotton fibres (lint) are separated from the cotton seeds.  Then cotton lint is tied in bales and stored, after that they are sold out to the spinning mills to make threads.

Cotton seeds are also pressed to extract oil. This oil is used in cooking or in some industrial processes. After oil extraction remains of the seeds are used as cattle feed.  Three fourth of the cotton of Pakistan is grown in the Province of Punjab whereas the remaining is grown in Sindh.

• Rice

It is the most important staple food in a large part of the world especially in South and East Asia, Middle East and West Indies. After maize it possesses the second place in world’s highest production of grains. It is an important grain for caloric intake and nutrition of humans providing one fifth of the calories consumed. Cultivation of rice is well suited in the areas with low labour costs and high rainfall. It can be grown anywhere even on mountains. The traditional way of cultivating rice is by flooding the crops after setting the seedlings. This needs sound planning and good supply of water for damming and channelling.

Rice is an important cash as well as food crop of Pakistan. In about one-tenth of the cultivable land we grow rice. It fulfils more than 2 million tones of our food requirement and this industry has given employment to a large number of people in the country.

Rice need a large amount of water, so it has to be grown in water irrigated areas where large required quantity of water remain available all the time to the farmers. Levelled fertile land with nonporous sub soil layer is required for its cultivation. Rice likes to grow with its ‘feet in water’. Main rice cultivated areas are in Punjab and Sindh. Rice is also cultivated in Khyber Pakhtunkwa but on a very small scale on terraced fields in the northern areas of Pakistan.

After harvesting and threshing rice is send to the factories for separating the good grains and then after polishing are send to the market for local customers and a large portion is packed for export

• Sugarcane

It is a crop native to warm temperature to tropical areas of Asia. The stout, fibrous and jointed stalks measuring 2 to 6 meters long are rich in sugar. Sugarcane products are many in the world including sugar (brown and white), molasses, falernum, ethanol and bagasse etc. The main countries producing sugarcane are India, Pakistan, Brazil, Colombia, Australia, Philippines, Hawaii and Cuba.

Sugarcane is another important cash crop of Pakistan. Internationally the country has been ranked 12^th in the production of sugar. Like rice sugarcane is also a water loving plant and amount of juice in it depends highly on the ample quantity of water given to the crop. It required 16 sessions of irrigation and heavy fertilization for good growth. Sugarcane requires a large amount of water so it has to be grown in irrigated areas.

The seeds of sugarcane once sowed can give two to three successive crops after that the seeds have to be sown again. Right after cultivation sugarcane is sent to the mills otherwise it will start loosing its weight as juice start evaporating. It is scrubbed to remove dust and with the help of rollers juice is extracted which is used to make either white or brown sugar and in rural areas gur is also made. Juice of sugarcane is called ‘Molasses’. The remains of the sugarcane are called ‘Bagasse’ that is used for animal feed, to make chip boards, paper. It is also rarely used as a bio fuel to generate electricity.

It is harvested mechanically in most of the developed countries but hand harvesting accounts for more than half of the world’s production which is basically done in the developing countries like India and Pakistan. In this method the field is set on fire to burn dry leaves killing any snakes without damaging the stalks and roots. Then the cane is cut just above the ground level with the help of machetes or cane knives.

• Tobacco

It is an agricultural product which is processed from leaves in the genus Nicotiana. It is used as an organic pesticide, consumed as a form of nicotine tartrate and is also used in some medicines. It is basically consumed as a recreational drug in most of the countries. It is a valuable cash crop for countries like China, Cube and United States of America. Rates of tobacco smoking is in the declining phase in the developed countries but continue to rise in the developing countries.

It is cultivated just like any other crop. Seeds are planted in hot beds or cold frames to prevent them from insects and transplanted in the fields afterwards. It is an annual crop harvested by hand or mechanically. It is then stored for curing allowing oxidation and carotenoids degradation. This allows the crop to take on the smoothness of the smoke. It is then packed according to the forms it is consumed which is chewing, smoking , sniffing etc.

Tobacco is a cash crop growing in few areas of Pakistan. Its share in the foreign exchange of Pakistan is of 570.2 million rupees that makes 0.4% share in the total exports of the country. Province Khyber Pakhtunkwa is the main tobacco growing area where two types of tobacco are grown, i.e. Barley and Virginia. Pakistan is fulfilling the local demand of tobacco and is also exporting good amount of tobacco earning a good share of profits with its export.

• Maize

It is commonly known as ‘Corn’ and has been used by human civilization even in prehistoric times. The cultivation of the crop started in Mexico and spread throughout  America. It gained popularity in the rest of the world in 15^th and 16^th centuries. Due to its ability to grow in diverse climates it is widely cultivated throughout the world today. The most important country for its growth is United States which produces high quality maize and possess 40% of the world’s harvest.

Maize is the third important cereal crop in Pakistan after wheat and rice. It makes up 4.8% of the total farmed area with an annual production of about 1.3 million tonnes. Main producing provinces are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which contributing 68% and Punjab contributing 30% of the total crop production in the country. It needs moderate amount of water so those areas where rainfall is moderate maize can be grown even with out irrigation.

Maize is a main source of starch that is why maize flour ( corn starch) is an important ingredient in both home cooking and industrialial food items. It is also used in making cooking oil, syrups and gluten. The maize starch is also used in making of plastics, adhesives, fabrics and several other chemical products. The stigmas from its flowers are popularily used as herbal supplements.

• Millet

The Millets are small seeded species of cereal crops which is grown for food and fodder. They are small seeded grasses which grow in difficult environmental conditions like those with a risk of drought.  They have been produced in East Asia for the past ten decades and today are the major sources of food in arid and semi arid areas in making of the traditional foods all around the world. Millet is also known as jawar or bajara in Urdu. This is a coarse grain and is an important part of daily food of the people living in villages of Pakistan and India. It is used in making local staple hand rolled flat bread commonly known as ‘Jawar Roti’.

Millet is an important crop for the people living in the areas which are dry, cooler and less fertile in Pakistan. It is a tough crop and can grow in less fertile soil as well.  Out of total area under the cultivation of millet, 60.7% was in Punjab, 37.8% in Sindh, 0.1% in Balochistan and 1.4 % in Khyber Pakhtunkwa.

Rabi Crops

The main Rabi crops in Pakistan as follows:

• Wheat

It is a grass which originated from the Fertile Crescent areas of the East but today it is produced throughout the world. It is the world’s third most produced cereal after maize and rice according to the 2007 rankings with the production of 607 million tons. It has a higher level of vegetable protein content than in rice or maize. Globally, it is the main human food crop after rice.

Wheat is the most important rabi crop of Pakistan and the most important grain crop as well. It occupies the largest cultivated area throughout the country. Pakistan is ranked 10^th among wheat producing countries in terms of area and holds the 59^th position in terms of yield. The country is not only self sufficient in the production of wheat but also export the surplus crop to the neighbouring countries. Wheat contributes 3.0% of the GDP of Pakistan.

It can grow under a wider range of conditions as long as the temperature is not too hot.  In many areas of Pakistan wheat is growing with the help of rainfall, whereas in rest of the areas irrigation system is used.

Farmers sow the wheat in the months of October and November as in winter season temperature conditions are best for its growth and the months of April and May the temperature is suitable for its ripening. Then in May and June, harvesting, threshing and winnowing of the grains starts. Punjab is the main wheat producing province contributing 72% of the total production. Sindh is the next largest wheat producer region with a share of 17% of total production of the country.

• Barley

It is a cereal grain and has many uses. It is used in making many soups and stews and its bread is common in many cultures around the world. It is an important animal fodder and used in some distilled beverages as well. It is also known for having nutritional as well as medical values. Prophet Muhammad (mpbuh) prescribed Talbina (barley) for seven different diseases. It is also known for calming and soothing the bowels. It can be roasted and its tea is popular in many Asian countries. Its soup is eaten during the Holy month of Ramadan in Saudia Arabia. It has the ability to improve nutrition and boost food security.

According to the ranking done in 2007 barley is the fourth most produced cereal crop in the world with the production of 136 million tons. It is considered to be an adaptable and a tough crop. It can grow in areas with cool and dry climate. It is popular in temperate areas where it is grown in summers and in tropical it is grown in winters. The germination time is around one to three days. It has a short growing season and is relatively tolerant to drought. It can tolerate soil salinity more than wheat. It can even grow in poor soil. In Pakistan it is largely used as animal food and in some parts of country as human food as well. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the main barley producing area, whereas Punjab is also growing barley on a small scale.

• Oil Seeds

They are lipid materials derived from many plants. Though different parts of plants may give oil but it is primarily extracted from the seeds. Oils are liquids in room temperature unlike the fats but the natural oils have a melting range as they are not chemically homogeneous.

They may or may not be edible e.g. tung oil or castor oil are not meant for eating instead they can be used in making cosmetics products, paints or any other industrial puposes. Then there are oil extracted from corn, sesame, cotton seed, soybean, palm, sunflower, peanuts, grape seeds and all of them are edible and used in cooking food.

These oil seeds are full of fat that is the source of energy for humans. In Pakistan oil is extracted from the seeds of cotton, sunflower, rape, soybean, canola, maize, mustard, sesame and peanut plants. But more attention should be given on the production of oil seeds as only one third of country’s requirement s fulfilled by the locally produced seeds whereas the rest is imported from other countries.

• Pulses

Pulses are important food crop with high nutritional value. Just like the words lentil and bean, ‘Pulse’ refers to just the seeds not the whole plant. Pakistan and India are the largest producers of pulses in the world basically because they are consumed the most in these regions. United States, Australia and Canada are also significant exporters in this area. Usually grains are consumed with the pulses to form complete nutritional advantages. Pulses are also a good source of pre biotic resistant starch. Pulses have 20% to 25% protein which is double in content as compared to wheat and rice. They can be called ‘vegetarian meat’. Pulses include gram, moong, mash masoor and other daals. They are important source of protein and is the main part of Pakistan’s daily food especially now a days when meat being the best source of protein is beyond the reach of a common man in the country. Pakistan’s annual demand of pulses is approximately one million tonnes, of which 92% is being producing locally. Eastern part of Indus plain and some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are important areas for the production of pulses.

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Important Industries of Pakistan

The industrial sector of Pakistan accounts for almost 24% of the GDP. The largest industry in the country is cotton textile and apparel accounting for almost 66% of the exports and about 40% of the employed labour. The other major industries include cement, edible oil, fertilizers, steel, tobacco, chemical, sports goods, machinery and food processing.

The Government is trying to diversify the industrial base and improve our export capacity. Privatization of parastatal units is being done on a large scale and growth has accelerated in the overall industrial output.

Lets take a look at the important industries of the country.

Cotton Industry of Pakistan

Cotton industry is the leading industry of Pakistan. We are not only self sufficient in fulfilling the local demands of cotton goods but are also exporting to other countries and earn foreign exchange through this sector. Due to the perfect climate and soil 1.3 million out of 5 million farmers in Pakistan cultivate cotton. On the average around 30 to 40 percent of the cotton is consumed locally and the rest is exported in raw or finished form to many countries of the world.

In the past most of the raw cotton was exported but now more emphasis is being given on the export of finished products as value added commodities bring in much more earnings for the country. Pakistan earns 55% of its foreign exchange through exports of raw cotton, cotton yarn, cloth and garments and other cotton products, which together make up about 70% of Pakistan’s total exports per year.

Pakistan is the 5^th largest producer of cotton, 3^rd largest exporter of raw cotton, 4^th largest consumer of cotton and the largest exporter of cotton yarn.

Cotton industry has four main processes, including:

1. Ginning: Cotton lint is separated from the seeds.
2. Spinning: Cotton fibres are turned into yarn.
3. Weaving: Cotton yarn is woven into cloth.
4. Garment-manufacturing: The woven cloth is finally given shape of clothes.

 

Pakistan has shown remarkable growth in the production of cotton products. Spinning industry has shown great improvements in its production during last five years and an increase in its capacity from 5.27M.spindles and 77000 rotors in 1990 to 8.63M spindles and 132000 rotors in 1995.  Same is with the production of yarn; it also showed an increase in its production from 1055.23M.K.Gs in 1990 to 1415.20M.K.Gs in 1995.

Currently there are 493 textile units working in Pakistan, out of which 53 are composite units, 410 are the spinning mills and 30 are the waste spinning units. There are around 700 spindles, 27,000 looms in the mills sector, and 250,000 in the non mills sector, 700 knitwear units, 4000 garments units, 650 dyeing and finishing units and around 1000 ginneries. These units are mostly in the Province of Punjab. Large numbers of textile mills are also present in and around Karachi, as it is a metropolitan city and have a sea port with transportation being much simpler than other cities. Other main cities for this sector are Faisalabad and Hyderabad and both have mills close to the cotton producing areas.

Cotton industry is facing many problems that include inconsistent production of cotton crop, improper system of stabilizing the prices of cotton and yarn, lack of timely modernization of the industrial machineries, lack of skilled labour and the most prominent current problem is load shedding of electricity and natural gas. Pakistan is also facing a decline in the production of cotton in the last 4-5 years and the local consumption is increasing as compared to India whose production gained prominent increase in the same period.

It is also facing a recession phase because of its prices. It is under a fierce competition with the countries with low cost prices as Pakistani products are comparatively high in price due to high cost of electricity, instable political and financial circumstances and untimely changes in the terms and conditions of exports.

Cement Industry of Pakistan

Cement is one of the most important industries of Pakistan. Limestone and gypsum are the main raw materials for manufacturing of cement and they are present in abundance in Pakistan along with good supply of Natural gas. This great potential makes the country capable of producing cement not only for local use but also for export as well. Pakistan cement industry has exporting cement to the neighbouring countries like U.A.E, Afghanistan, India, Iraq and Russia.

At present there are 22 cement plants are operating in Pakistan with the production of approximately 9.403 million tonnes. Out of these 22 cement plants, 17 are private and 5 are publicr. 11 new plants are also in planning stage and the capacity of these plants is estimated around 12.988 million tonnes. The industry has achieved a growth of 32% with the domestic demand increasing by around 24.95% and the exports by nearly 111.86% according to the financial year end June 30, 2007 ratings. Recently the country has been able to export to some of the African countries as well.

Cement industry is divided into two main regions; the northern and the southern region. Northern region is producing 35.18 million tonnes and southern region is producing 8.89 million tonnes of cement per year.

Per capita consumption of cement is an indicator of rate with which any country is developing. Unfortunately per capita consumption of cement in Pakistan is less if we compare it with other developing countries. It is about 131 kg per person annually; whereas world average is about 270 kg. This less consumption is due to the negligence given to the construction sector. However in last few years consumption of cement showed some rise due to increased commercial activities, infrastructural development and increasing demand of constructing houses.

Local demand for the year 2007-2008 was 20 million tonnes. Pakistan has started exporting cement few years back and has earned repute as a premium quality cement producer in the global market in this short period. Pakistan exported around 7.716 million tonnes of cement in 2007-2008 and earned a foreign exchange of 459 million dollars. There is surely a great potential of growth in this industry in Pakistan.

Mirza Sahiban-Pakistani Folklore

Mirza Sahiban is another popular romance from the province of Punjab. Mirza; the son of Wanjal Khan Ruler of the Kharral tribe was a handsome young man. They lived in Danababad, a village near present day Faisalabad. The beautiful Sahiban was the daughter of Khewa Khan the chief of the Sayyal tribe.

The parents of both were distantly related making Mirza and Sahiban cousins. Much of Mirza’s childhood was spent at Sahiban’s place. As the two playmates grew up, they realized that they were actually soul mates. Sahiban was known for her dazzling looks while Mirza enjoyed the reputation of being a bold brave person, a remarkable horse rider and an accomplished archer who never missed a target. The deep love of both soon became the talk of the town and Khewa Khan quickly arranged Sahiban’s marriage with Tahir Khan; a young man of his tribe. Desperate, Sahiban sent a message to Mirza to come and rescue her. Mirza obliged and the two of them eloped on the wedding day. When Sahiban’s brothers and the bridegroom came to know about this, they chased the couple. Meanwhile Mirza thinking that he had gained sufficient lead, decided to rest under the trees for a while. Sahiban implored him not to but he was so confident of himself that he did not pay any heed to her pleas. He assured her that it will only take a couple of arrows to get rid of her brothers.  Mirza slept while Sahiban kept a watch.

Now Sahiban found herself caught between the devil and the deep sea. On one hand was the love of her life and on the other her brothers; her own flesh and blood. Thinking that even they (her brothers) cared for her and would forgive the runaways once they saw them, she took Mirza’s arrows and broke them. Mirza woke up with a start when he heard the thundering of the hooves and reached out for his arrows but couldn’t find them. Sahiban’s brother showered arrows which struck Mirza, to shield him from the arrows, Sahiban threw herself over Mirza’s body and was struck by arrows too. The two lovers died leaving behind a tale to be told for centuries to come.

Mir Shahdad Rind and Mehnaz-Pakistani Folklore

Mir Shahdad Khan Rind belonged to a prominent family from Balochistan. He was a brave warrior who had helped the Moghul King Humayun regain his throne by defeating the Suris.

Mir Shahdad Khan was very fond of his second wife Mehnaz who loved him too. The couple was leading a happy life but their happiness was short lived. Mir Shahdad’s first wife was jealous of Mehnaz and was always thinking of ways to lower her in Shahdad’s eyes. One day she succeeded in her evil plan; she disguised herself as a man and somehow convinced Mir Shahdad that Mehnaz was involved with Umer, a shepherd. Mir Shahdad was furious and hurled accusations at Mehnaz. There was nothing Mehnaz could do to prove her innocence so she went back to her family.

Now as a custom in Balochistan, anyone who wants to prove his or her innocence has to undergo an extremely tough test. Mehnaz was asked to put her hand in a pot of boiling oil and recover a ring. Mehnaz did so without hurting herself.

Mir Shahdad’s joy knew no bounds and wished to take her back with him. Mehnaz on the other hand was deeply hurt by his accusations and refused to go with him. She asked him to divorce her and with a heavy heart, Mir Shahdad Rind had to comply. Mehnaz later married the shepherd Umer leaving Shahdad to spend the rest of his life in regret and remorse.

Kot Dijji Fort

 

The Kot Dijji Fort is located in the town of Kot Dijji in Khairpur District in the Sindh province of Pakistan.  It was constructed on the orders of Mir Sohrab Khan Talpur. The fort is located at the edge of the Nara-Rajasthan desert and in a way is protected by the desert from that side.

The fort is well designed, planned and constructed. The main entrance has three levels all of which are protected by “elephant proof” gates. These gates have heavy iron spikes jutting out on them. Other tactics such as arrow slits in the walls and the bastions were also used to protect the fort against invasions making the fort practically invincible. The fort had many cannon stations to attack the enemy. The elevation and position of the fort ensured that the enemy cannons never hit the fort. The fort was however never attacked.

The fort served as a royal residence of the Ameers (rulers) of Khairpur. The fort is built on a limestone hill around 110 feet high. Kiln baked bricks were used in its construction.

The impressive structure of Kot Dijji still stands today and is a major tourist attraction of Khairpur.

Pride of Pakistan-Khawaja Saeed Mirza

 

Khawaja Saeed Mir commonly known as Saeed Mir is one of the big names of Pakistan tennis. He enjoys the distinction of being the first Pakistani player ever to feature in a grand slam tournaments; Wimbledon (three times), US Open and French Open (twice). He qualified for the main draw of Wimbledon for three consecutive years from 1954-1956. He represented Pakistan in the Davis Cup and was the captain of the team 32 times; a record yet to be equaled by any other player of the world. At home he was the Triple Crown holder of National Championship with Single’s, Men’s Doubles and Mixed Double titles to his credit. An interesting and unusual one of its kind incident associated with him is that he killed a bird with his service during the England Tennis Championship.

Saeed Mir has received international recognition for his outstanding performance and services in the field of tennis. He was awarded a gold medal by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in the annual meeting held at Lausnne, Switzerland. The French Tennis Federation celebrated the century of French Championship and built a commemorative wall displaying the names of outstanding players; Saeed Mir’s name was one of them.

Since his retirement he has served the PTF (Pakistan Tennis Federation) as the President and the Chairman of Selection Committee.

Rawat Fort

 

Rawat Fort is located on the Potohar Plateau at a distance of 17 km from the city of Rawalpindi. It is believed to be built by the Gakhars; a tribe known for its bravery in the 16^th century. A battle between the Afghan warrior Sher Shah Suri and the chief of the Gakhar clan Sultan Sarang Khan was fought at the fort. Sultan Sarang died fighting and is buried here along with his sons.

The square shaped fort has two gates with the main gate opening eastwards and a smaller second gate facing north. The fort consists of a three domed mosque, an octagonal building with a single dome; some say this structure is actually a mausoleum. There are many small identical rooms along the inner side of the four walls overlooking a courtyard. Some graves can also be seen inside the fort. If you go up the dilapidated stairs, you will get a magnificent view of the Potohar Plateau and the Mankiala Stupa.

The fort which was once a symbol of pride now stands in shambles mainly due to the negligence of the government and the irresponsible insensitive attitude of the people.

Pride of Pakistan-Samiullah Khan

 

Samiullah Khan is a legendary hockey player from Pakistan. He played as a left winger and was famous for his speed, stamina and his crosses which often resulted in goals.

Known as the “Flying Horse”, Samiullah showed incredible agility on the hockey field and could tear through the opponent’s defense with ease. Samiullah played in 151 tournaments. On top of Samiullah’s impressive record are the silver medal in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, gold medal in Bangkok Asian Games in 1978, gold medal in the Asia Cup held in Karachi and gold in the New Delhi Asian Games. The latter two were played under his captaincy.

Samiullah retired from hockey in 2005 and served as the manager of the junior team.

Samiullah’s brother Kalimullah was a right winger and both brothers formed a menacing attacking line.

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