HISTORY OF SHEIKHUPUARA

Sheikhupura formerly Kot Dayal Das is an industrial city in the province of Punjab slightly northwest to Lahore in Pakistan. It is known for its historical places, and is commonly known locally as Qila Shaikhupura, because of the fort in the city, constructed by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Sheikhupura is the headquarters of Sheikhupura District. It is approximately 35 km from Lahore.
History
The history of Sheikhupura goes back to 100 BCE. Historical research has established the fact that Sangla or Sakala was the capital of Punjab once, and it was here that Alexander the Great of Macedonia (known locally as Sikandar e Azam) fought one of his most serious battles of his career. Its name is spoken of, firstly in the pages of Tuzk-e-Jahangiri as Jahangirpura, after the name of Prince Salim Nur u Din Muhammad Jahangir.
Mughal Emperor Nor-u-Din Muhammad Jahangir laid the foundation of historical Sheikhupura. In 1607, Sheikhupura was constructed following an order of Jahangir. The father of Jahangir, Emperor Jalal-uddin Mohammad Akbar use to call him Sheikhu (a nick name). During Sikh rule the new city was named Singhpuria, previously was known as Jahangirabad.
During the reign of Emperor Jahangir (1605 to 1627), Sheikhupura had the status of royal hunting ground. In Tuzke-Jahangiri, Jahangir wrote during the events in 1607:
Mughal Emperor Jahangir granted the estate of Sheikhupura to Syed Usman, the father of Shah Bilal, a religious preceptor of the line of Qadiriyyah.
Over the whole district, the period between the decline of the Mughal Empire after the death of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the rise of Sikh confederacies was one of utter confusion and anarchy. The successive shocks of invasion from the northwest, and the devastation caused again and again by the invading armies of Nadir Shah.
Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali (1724-1773) almost completely ruined the prosperity of the tract. After the death of Aurangazeb, Muslim power was broken by the Sikhs who ruled through various misls or small to medium sized groups. Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali led raids that further weakened local Muslim rule. Several raids were made by the Bhangi Sardars, a Sikh community. Finally around 1780, Ranjit Singh, a Sikh ruler defeated the grandson of Ahmad Shah Abdali and later captured this district. The Sikhs were defeated by the British around 1850 and it stayed under British rule until independence in 1947.
In 1851, Sheikhupura Tehsil became part of Gujranwala District. The Artimapal Secretary Chief Commissioner Lahore wrote a letter to the Department of Wealth in 1855 to combine the Sheikhupura Tehsil with the District of Lahore but it was never done. As soon as it became a District Zillah, a lot of lawyers came to practice. Under Sir Ganga Ram, district courts and hospitals were constructed in the city.
Population
With the modest figure of 22,300 in 1951, the population of Sheikhupura has increased more than tenfold to more than) 300,000 in half a century. In recent decades, the rate of growth has increased due to growing agricultural and industrial activities. The current population has been growing steadily and is projected to exceed to 700,000 by 2019.
Economy
As a satellite town of Lahore, Sheikhupura has developed an industrial base. According to the Census of Manufacturing Industries of 1987-1988, the value-added generated in large-scale industries was higher in Sheikhupura than in Lahore. The GRP of the city for the year 1993 has been estimated as Rs. 6,260 million, that constitutes about 32% of the district's GRP. The industrial sector contributes with 68% to the GRP and 45% to the total employment. The total number of establishments in the city has been estimated to be between 11,500 and 12,000 for 1993.
Tourist area
Sheikhupura has a number of historical places in the city which attracts visitors to the city:
" Hiran Minar
" Sheikhupura Fort (Qila Sheikhupura)
" Company Bagh
" Shrine of Shah Jamal
" Muqadssa-e-Mariam
" Sacha Sodha
" Tomb of Mian Sher Muhammad Sharaqpuri
Sheikhupura Stadium
Sheikhupura Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Sheikhupura, Pakistan. It is currently used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 15,000 spectators and hosted its first test match in 1996.Famous Cricketer Wasim Akram scored his best score at this venue.There is also a small hockey stadium, a public park, a gymnasium,electronic scoreboard, and stadium shopping centre in the neighbouring spots. The Hockey Stadium was named after a great Hockey Player Saeed Anwar Malik, who played 3 Olympics for Pakistan. He was the son of a very famous Politician and Lawyer Malik Muhammad Anwar. Former deputy commissioner Sheikhupra Mr Shafqat Naghmi started this complex and with his all efforts it was recognized by govt.Stadium shopping centre around the stadium has been built since 1995,and a lot of big shops are doing good businesses in the area.it is second fortress stadium in punjab,and has been built by adaptation of Sydney cricket stadium Australia's map.in the evening people from all over the city come to stadium shopping centre for a small walk and evening snacks.
Famous People
Dr Muhammad Asghar Malik was born in Sheikhupura. He is son of Malik Muhammad Anwar, a very famous lawyer and Politician. He got his high school education in Sheikhupura. He obtained MBBS degree from King Edward Medical College Lahore, and then worked in England UK for five years and obtained his post graduate degrees from Liverpool University. In 1970, he decided to come back to his native town Sheikhupura, and started serving people from all walks of life in Sheikhupura.
Mr Anwar Aleemi is a famous poet, writer, lawyer and the founder of Human Right International. He published "SHOLA-E-AFKAR"-"FLAMES OF THOUGHTS" in 1998. He has international repute as human right activist and politician. He was also one of the founder members of Pakistan Peoples Party, when he was student of law. As a staunch worker of PPP he was jailed on making speeches against one of the military dictators GEN. YAHYA KHAN. Dr. Shahid Zia is a prominent social worker who headed leading national NGOs and is currently working with Oxfam as Global Advisor. Dr. Zia is the editor of Kisan Dharti, a monthly magzine, and Dehqan Times, the only farmers newspaper in the country. Dr. Shahid Zia is also the National Coordinator of Pakistan Dehqan Assembly
Politicians
" Syed Jarrar Hussain Zaidi Shaheed was a very famous lawyer, politician and a social worker. He served the people of Sheikhupura from 1964 to 1997 as a representative of Sheikhupura City Council. He belonged to a very respectable Syed family and was a very learned scholar. He was a great leader of Shia community of Sheikhupura District and President of Injuman-e-Hussainia, Darbar e Hussain, Jinnah Park Sheikhupura. He was also a very senior worker of Pakistan Muslim League. Due to his increasing popularity among masses, some of the Shia enemy groups were always afraid of him and they assassinated him in February 1997. He got the status of "Shaheed", (May Allah rest his soul in Peace Ameen). (contributed by Mohammad Mehdi Zaidi, USA)
" Malik Muhammed Anwar was a very prominent political figure of Sheikhupura. He established Muslim League in Sheikhupura district under the instructions of the founder of Pakistan Quied-e-Azam. He was the first elected President of Muslim League of district Sheihupura. Ch. Muhammad Hussain Chatta was first general secretary of Muslim League. When first Pakistani Governor of Punjab Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar was appointed, he appointed Malik Muhammad Anwar as his Chief Advisor. Malik Muhammad Anwar was a very prominent Lawyer of Sheikhupura and Lahore High Court. Later on he was awarded Gold Medal as a prominent Tehrek Pakistan Movement worker. He belonged to a respectable Rajpoot family. He was father of Saeed Anwar Malik, a very prominent Hockey Player who played 3 Olympics for Pakistan. Dr Muhammed Asghar Malik a famous doctor is also son of Malik Muhammad Anwar.
Ch. Muhammad Hussain Chatta A prominent politician at the time of partisan and work under the founder of Pakistan Quied-e-Azam. He was also MP. His son Ch. Naeem Hussain Chaatta was also elected as MNA in 1990, 1997 from PML(N) platform. Currently he is a senator from PML(Q).
" Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir a very close ally of the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan (MNA), also lives in the city. The only individual who has brought great services to the town such telephone exchanges, Gas utility, roads, and helping farmers in their efforts to produce better crops. He is also famous for his courageous stand in politics, his simple life style together with his strong ethics.
" Chaudhary Muhammad Islam was the most notable political activist in Sheikhupura's history. He belongs to a famous Rajput family. He was the most powerful After Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in his Tenure. He was in founder personalities of PPP. He demised in 1977 and after his death his wife Mrs Saghira islam became member of provincial assembly 3 times in general elections on ladies reserved seats.
" Munawar Hussain Munj A PPP former MNA, who was arrested on charges of drugs in 1995-96 and was given death sentence. He was later released in the year 2002 when his son became MNA (member national assembly) and changed his political affiliation from PPP to PML (Q).
Famous athletes
" Saeed Anwar Malik was born in Sheikhupura. He was a very prominent Hockey Player.He played 3 Olympics for Pakistan. The Hockey Stadium in Sheikhupura was named after Saeed Anwar Malik. He was coach of National Pakistan Hockey Team. His son Anjum Saeed also played 1 Olympic for Pakistan.
" Asad Malik was born in Sheikhupura. He was a very prominent Hockey Player.He played 3 Olympics for Pakistan. In 1968 Olympics, he scored the final goal to win the Gold Medal for Pakistan.He was the nephew of Malik Muhammad Anwar, a famous Lawyer and Politician]]
" Anjum Saeed son of Late Saeed Anwar Malik has played Hockey Olympics and is an Olympian
" Naeem Amjad Malik grand nephew of Malik Muhammad Anwar is an Olympian. He played Hockey in Olympics representing Pakistan with Anjum Saeed Malik.
" Aaqib Javed was born in Sheikhupura. He is a Former Pakistani cricketer and coach. He was a right-handed medium-fast pace bowler with the ability to swing the ball both ways. He played 22 Tests and 163 One-day Internationals for Pakistan between 1988 and 1998.
" Mohammad Asif was born in December 20, 1982 in Sheikhupura is a Pakistani cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. He was born in Maacheekay a small village near Ghang.
" Rana Naved-ul-Hasan was born in Sheikhupura. He is a cricketer who plays for the Pakistani Test and one-day international teams and for Sussex County Cricket Club in England.
" Kashif Raza was born in December 26, 1979 in Sheikhupura is a Pakistani cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler.