Qadirabad

Qadirabad قادرآباد
Town and union council
Country	Pakistan
Region	Punjab
District	Mandi Bahauddin
Tehsil	Phalia
Government
• Type	Provincial
Population
• Total	30,000 Almost
	Approximately
Time zone	PST

Qadirabad (Urdu: قادرآباد‎) is a city located near river Chenab in tehsil Phalia in Mandi Bahauddin District in province Punjab in Pakistan.^[1]

History

In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin, In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul in 1005, and followed it by the conquests of Punjab region. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Punjab region.

The name 'Qadirabad' comes from the name of Mirza Qadir Khan, whose grave and that of his brother's grave are in Qadirabad. A wall was built enclosing the city between 1556-1605 with three gateways.

After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh Empire invaded and occupied Mandi Bahauddin District. The Muslims faced restrictions during the Sikh rule. During the period of British rule, Bahawalnagar increased in population and importance.

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 Muslims refugees from India settled down in the Mandi Bahauddin District.

Demographics

The population of Qadirabad was calculated to be 102,555 in 2014 (10,186 in 1998).^[2]

Geography

The Chenab River is less than five kilometres to the south of Qadirabad. The nearest cities are Phalia, about 20 kilometres away, Mandi Bahauddin, about 40 kilometres away, and Gujrat, about 70 kilometres away. Sialkot International Airport is about 115 km from Qadirabad. Sargodha from Qadirabad through Bhalwal is ~ 98 kilometres and through Sial More is about 105 km. Faisalabad through motorway M-3 is ~ 165 km . Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore from Qadirabad is ~210 km through motorway and is ~180 km through Gujranwala. Old Ravi bridge Lahore from Qadirabad is ~ 150 km through Gujranwala and is 185 km through Motorway. Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad/Rawalpindi is ~ 255 km through Motorway, ~ 200 km through Mandi Bahauddin (at night not safe to travel this road) and ~ 230 km through Gujrat (relatively safe to travel at night). Hafizabad is about 65 km through Qadirabad headworks. Aerial distance of Hafizabad from Qadirabad through Vanike Tarar is about 30 km but there is no bridge on the river Chenab in between. If the Chinab river is dry then Hafizabad is about 6 to 7 hours walking distance from Qadirabad. That is reason to give big benefit to the people of Tehsil Phalia/Qadirabad and the people of District Hafizabad, a bridge in between Qadirabad and Vanike Tarar on the River Chenab is recommended to connect the people of two districts more closer. It will also make easier to the people of Tehsil Phalia to travel to Lahore through Motorway.

Transport

The nearest railway station is located at Mandi Bahauddin. The nearest international airports are located at Lahore, Sialkot and Islamabad, which are each about three to four hours drive away. The main roads lead from Qadirabad to Malakwal; Mandi Bahauddin via Phalia; Mandi Bahauddin via Kathalan Sheikhan; Gujrat via Phalia; and Gujrat via Jokalian.

References

1. Website of District Mandi Bahauddin Archived August 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
2. "Qadirabad". World Gazetteer. Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2007-10-28.

• Qadirabad