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Gujranwala city, northeastern Punjab province, Pakistan. The city is
connected by rail and the Grand Trunk Road with Peshawar and Lahore.
Gujranwala has a relatively glorious history. City's oral evidence
from a resident and also cites inflection of the word Gujar to support
his conclusion " we , the inhabitant of Gujranwala " have two sounds
of the letter GAF- the soft letter and the hard letter. We pronounced
Gujranwala with the soft one .The word Gujar " milkman " is pronounced
with the hard Gaf and Gujar Jaat with the soft Gaf therefore it is not
unreasonable to accept the view that it is from Gujars(milkman) that
the city got its name.
Gujranwala, on the Grand Trunk Road from Rawalpindi to Lahore, now the
third largest city in the Punjab, is of little centrality, even in the
provincial context, due to its proximity to Lahore; like a number of
secondary cities, it has been benefitting from the spill overs of the
capital of Punjab.
Situated on both the sides of the G.T. Road, the longest Road of
Pakistan, Gujranwala is about 67 kms to the north of Lahore. It takes
1 hour to be at the city by any Local Train from Lahore. The District
comprises an area of 3198 sq. m. In 1901 the population was 756,797,
showing an increase of 29% in the decade. The district is divided
between a low alluvial tract along the rivers Chenab and Degh and the
upland between them, which forms the central portion of the Rechna
Doab, intermediate between the fertile submontane plains of Sialkot
and the desert expanses of Jhang. Part of the upland tract has been
brought under cultivation by the Chenab canal. The new Railway Station
was being opened on 15 May 1996 by the Commissioner of Gujranwala
Division, It is a Busy Railway Station with 2 stops for Lahore and
Peshawar daily. Punjabi is the daily life language, however Urdu and
English is extensively used in all official and commercial circles.
The Gujranwala District includes many small villages like Kamonke,
Eminabad, Ferozwala, Rahwali, Talwandi Ghakhar. City is known as the "City of Wrestlers". It has produced famous wrestlers of the
subcontinent, who have proved their skill and strength. This city is
proud to attain fame in subcontinent in this behalf with grand titles
ever won by any city of the world. People are fond of food. The
Hotels, Restaurants with their "Tikkas" "Chanps" "Kababs" are the
favorite places of the people. In order to meet their appetite the
Gujranwala fisher department has made Artificial Fish Ponds near
Eminabad, which serves as hatchery for fishes for selling them in
market. Where they are being Fried or being served with Rice.
Christian minority is living in FrancisAbad Gujranwala, with complete
independence of their religion. A number of churches are there. Also a
minority of Sikhs are living in Eminabad where they celebrate their annual "Bisaki" Festival.
City has an Interntional Level Cricket Stadium, Jinnah Stadium
formerly known as Municipal Stadium. Many National and International
Cricket matches had been held there. Jinnah stadium has a space of
20,000 spectators.
Gujranwala is playing a major roll to support the economy of Pakistan.
Different industries are working in various fields. Cotton, woolen
textile, rice mills, vegetable oil mils, industrial machinery, fan
manufacturing, motor industry, washing machine industry of wooden
work, electric goods,
poultry feed, soap, ball point rubber tire and tube, metal utensils,
melamine utensils, cutlery, kitchen ware, ceramics tiles, sanitary
wares, sanitary fittings and steel pipe industry are included.
Utensils of Gujranwala are famous all over Country. The major exports
of the city are Rice, textiles, carpets, transformers, garments, goods
of glass, electric fans, sanitary fittings, surgical equipment,
hosiery, leather products, metal utensils, auto parts sanitary wares
and fittings.
Gujranwala Development Authority was created in 1989 under the Punjab
Development of Cities Act, 1976 to establish a comprehensive system of
Planning & Development in order to improve the quality of life in
Gujranwala. Gujranwala Development Authority is headed by the Director
General, GDA.The authority has two wings i.e. Urban Development and WASA.
The WASA is headed by Managing Director. Important functions of GDA
are:
* Preparation of Development Plans for Gujranwala.
* Preparation of Planning Controls and Building Plans Regulations.
* Preparation of Annual Development Plans and their execution.
* Causing Studies, Surveys and Technical Researches.
* Supply of Potable Water and Provision of adequateSanitation.
The GCCI (Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industries) promotes,
aid, develop, stimulate and protect the economic interest of Pakistan
general and of those engaged in industry, agriculture, commerce,
trade, banking and insurance, in particular. The GCCI communicates
with the chambers of commerce & industry or public bodies within or outside
Pakistan concerts and promotes measures for the protection of trade,
commerce and manufacturers and the labor engaged therein and to remove
mutual hardships. GCCI collects and circulates statistics and other
information relating to the commercial, industrial, agricultural and
financial interest of the businessman and industrialists.
In spite of being an industrial region and potential agricultural
trade base of Pakistan, Gujranwala has always been discriminated
against other cities in terms of development and enhancement of
Internet Services in the city. The Internet Service Providers in the
city are quite relaxed and cold in their attitude as compared to the
services they are providing in other cities.
Punjab tanneries are mostly scattered in four main clusters: Sialkot,
Multan, Gujranwala and Lahore-Sheikhupura-Muridke, (treated as one
cluster). Major tannery agglomerations in Gujranwala referred as "Gujranwala Tannery Cluster", are located in two different
geographical areas. These include 'Hide market, Ferozwala road' and 'Naroki
Village Tannery Estate', at Gujranwala-Sheikhupura road. One
individual tannery unit is located in 'Butranwali' at
Sialkot-Gujranwala road. Out of total 32 tanneries of Gujranwala, 29
units have been ranked as small tanneries where as rest of three
tanneries fall under the category of medium units. Except one, all the
tanneries of Gujranwala process hides by old tanning method, i.e.,
vegetable tanning. Sole leather is the major end product of the
tanneries of Gujranwala, which is generally supplied to local market.
The GEPCO (Gujranwala Electric Power Company) supplies the electrical
power to commercial and residential sectors.
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