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.

Mosques of Pakistan-Shah Jehan Mosque Thatta

The Shah Jehan Mosque was built in the 17^th century (1647 to be precise) on the orders of Moghul Emperor Shah Jehan. It is said that the city of Thatta welcomed Shah Jehan with open arms after he was exiled from Delhi by his father Emperor Jahangir. To express his gratitude, Shah Jehan ordered a mosque to be built in this city.

Shah Jehani Mosque is beautiful, unique and quite unlike other Moghul mosques. First of all marble; the favorite building material of the Moghuls has not been used in the construction, secondly there are no minarets in the mosque and thirdly instead of the typical three dome structure, the Shah Jehani Mosque features a single dome. Other Moghul mosques usually have an ablution tank right in the centre of a large courtyard but in case of the Shah Jehani Mosque, the tank lies in the eastern side.

The Shah Jehani Mosque is a prime example of clever engineering. It has 93 domes and 33 arches and together they constitute the amazing acoustics; anything uttered in one end of this large mosque is echoed on the other side. The building is made of Redstone and the domes and arches are decorated with blue tiles. Different shapes and sizes of tiles are joined together to form decorative panels. Blue color is extensively used along with yellow, white and purple.

The Shah Jehani Mosque is known for its unique architecture and beautiful tile work.

Mosque of Pakistan-The Mohabbat Khan Mosque

The Mahabbat Khan Masjid was constructed in the 17^th century in the city pf Peshawar by Nawab Mohabat Khan the governor of Peshawar during the rule of Moghul Emperors Shah Jehan and his son Aurangzeb.

The Mahabbat Khan Mosque is located in the old part of Peshawar popularly known as the Andar Sheher (Inner City). The architecture is rather conventional with large domes, tall minarets, spacious courtyard featuring an ablution pond in the centre and small rooms on the sides. The beauty of the main prayer hall will take your breath away. It is tastefully adorned with colorful geometric and floral patterns. The main prayer hall lies beneath three fluted domes. The interior of the mosque is replete with murals, floral designs, motifs and Quranic inscriptions in various colors.

The mosque was almost destroyed by a fire which broke out in 1895 but the incessant efforts and spirit of the faithfuls saved the structure. The mosque is a must see place if you are visiting Peshawar.

Mosque of Pakistan-Pokh Jumaat: The Stone Mosque Nowshera

If you happen to go the Nowshera District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan, do visit the Pokh Jumaat (stone mosque) in Akbarpura. Construction wise this mosque is pretty simple but still people call it amazing; the reason being that the mosque is sinking steadily by a centimeter each year.

The mosque has been named by a revered saint Maulana Syed Abdul Wahab alias Akhund Panju Baba, the saint taught in the mosque and many non Muslims embraced Islam on his hands. The mosque was built more than 400 years ago during the Moghul era, most probably during Akbar’s reign. Since then the prayer hall of the mosque has been going down by a one centimeter every year. It has sunk more than four feet and now you have to go down four or five steps to enter the prayer hall. The strange thing is that though the mosque is going down steadily, the building has shown no signs of decay. No other building in that area has sunk so far.

Mosque of Pakistan – Jamia Masjid Wah

Wah Cant is a beautiful town located west to the federal capital Islamabad. It is an extremely beautiful place with tall trees, lush green meadows, hills and waterfalls. It is claimed that the place got its name because the Moghul Emperor Akbar was so impressed by the beauty of this place that he exclaimed “Wah”; Wah means “wow”.

The Moghuls had built a beautiful garden here as well as a mosque. The mosque is said to be built in the 17^th century. Like other buildings of the Moghul era, this mosque is an outstanding specimen of grandeur and beauty. The mosque has three domes and four minarets. Inside the entire mosque is decorated with in colorful geometric and floral patterns. The exterior of the mosque has inscriptions from the Quran. The inscriptions and patterns speak eloquently of the skill of the artists and the fine taste of the Moghuls.

The locals especially the influential Khan family of Wah has contributed a lot in the restoration and preservation of the mosque.

Mosque of Pakistan – Kot Fateh Mosque

Kot Fateh Mosque is located in village Kot Fateh Khan in Fateh Jang Tehsil. The main highlight of this village is the Kot Fateh Mosque.

The Kot Fateh Mosque was built in 1890 by Sardar Fateh Khan a prominent personality of the area. This mosque is a masterpiece of architecture and is known for its beautiful masonry. Attock was the pinnacle of arts and crafts of that time and Sardar Fateh Khan especially engaged masons from Attock who excelled in making impressive buildings. The mosque was built along the lines of Jamia Masjid in Wah. The Kot Fateh Mosque is rectangular in shape and has three domes and two minarets. A unique feature of the mosque is a small jharoka at the main gate. The interior of the mosque is decorated with paintings while stuccowork adorns the exterior.

The whole mosque is tastefully decorated with arches, paintings, rosettes, floral and geometric patterns and exquisite glasswork.

Mosque of Pakistan – Jamia Masjid Qassaban

The Qassaban Mosque was constructed in the late 18^th century in Saddar, Karachi. At that time too Karachi showed signs of being a cosmopolitan city. Followers of different religions lived peacefully and Temples, Cathedrals, Synagogues, Parsi Dar-e-Meher and Mosques formed the architecture of the place.  Saddar area was mainly inhabited by non-Muslims but when the Muslim community grew, the Jamia Masjid Qassaban was constructed. As the name Qassaban suggests, the Muslims living there were mainly butchers.

The architecture of the mosque is heavily inspired by Italian Renaissance and the small dome which looks more like a cupola was the only sign that it was a Muslim place of worship. Minarets were added to the structure later. People are aware of the historic importance of the mosque and are doing their utmost to preserve what is left of the original structure. The exterior of the mosque has retained most of the original work while the interior has undergone many changes.

Jamia Masjid Qassaban is not a masterpiece of architecture, it is a beautiful building which reminds you of the good old times when Karachi was a peaceful city.

Mosque of Pakistan – Giri Mosque Taxila

Taxila is known the world over for the centuries old Buddhist ruins. However besides Buddhist monasteries, a mosque also existed in this area and according to Dr. Ahmed Hasan Dani the leading archeologist and historian of Pakistan, it could be the first ever Muslim place of worship in South East Asia.

The mosque is located in the village of Giri near Taxila and is called the Giri Mosque. It is a single room structure with a large dome and is said to be constructed by Shahabuddin Ghauri in 13AD when he was passing through Taxila and stayed at the Giri village along with his troops. The architecture of the mosque closely resembles the architecture of the city of Bukhara which was the seat of culture and civilization at that time. The mosque has been plastered and white washed by the inhabitants of Giri and know one really knows what it originally looked like.

Unconfirmed sources have also claimed that the mosque was actually a Hindu Temple and was later converted to a mosque. The mosque at Giri may not be exceedingly beautiful but it is historic. It is surrounded by Buddhist ruins and is certainly worth visiting.

Mosques of Pakistan-The Wazir Khan Mosque

The Wazir Khan Mosque is a masterpiece of Moghul architecture. It was built over a period of seven years during the reign of Shah Jehan by the governor of Lahore Shaikh Ilum uddin Ansari commonly known as Wazir Khan. The mosque is known for its outstanding tile work and for its beauty and magnificence is referred to as the “Mole on the Cheek of Lahore”.

This square shaped mosque is situated in the old part of the city of Lahore. The exterior as well as the interior of the mosque is extensively covered with colorful mosaic with intricate patterns. Square tiles have not been used but each piece as been molded to fit the desired shape. Inscriptions from the Quran can also be seen throughout the mosque. The minarets at the corner of the mosque are 100 feet high and seem to stretch out towards the sky.

There is a marble fountain in the middle of a large courtyard. On the northern, eastern and southern sides of the courtyard are 32 hujras (meditation rooms).

Masjid Wazir Khan is a fine blend of the Islamic and Moghul architecture. To truly appreciate its beauty, one has to see it as words often fail to do justice.

Mosque of Pakistan-Sunehri Mosque

Situated in the old part of the city of Lahore in the province of Punjab, Pakistan  is the 18^th century Sunehri Masjid (The Golden Mosque). It was built by Nawab Syed Bhikari Khan the governor of Lahore during Moghul Emperor Mohammed Shah’s reign.

Located in the centre of the old bazaar, the mosque is built on a raised platform and features a grand entrance, a big courtyard, three gilded domes (a large one in the centre flanked by a smaller dome on each side) and four tall minarets which stand proudly in ach corner of the rectangular structure. The mosque is known for its three gilded domes and the gilded tops of the minarets which sparkle in the sunlight. The Sunehri Mosque is also famous for the frescos adorning its walls. To enter the mosque, you have to climb a flight of stairs. The mosque also features a spacious outdoor courtyard for prayers.

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