Wazirabad (Urdu/Punjabi: وزِيرآباد) is an industrial city located in Gujranwala District, Punjab, Pakistan. Famous for its cutlery products, it is known as the city of cutlery and is also quite famous for its foods.
Wazirabad is situated on the banks of the Chenab River nearly 100 kilometers north of Lahore on the Grand Trunk Road. It is 45 kilometers from Sialkot, 30 kilometers from the district capital – Gujranwala, and about 12 kilometers from Gujrat. The city of Wazirabad is the headquarters of Wazirabad Tehsil, an administrative subdivision of the district, the city itself is subdivided into 12 Union Councils.
History
The city was founded in 1645 AD by Wazir Hakim Illmmudiddin, an Amir of Shah Jahan. The town was taken over by Charat Singh around 1760 together with other towns in the District. Maharaja Ranjit Singh occupied the town in 1809 and Avitabile was appointed as the Nazim of the city. He built an entirely new town, with a straight broad Bazar running through it, and side streets at right angles.
Cityscape
Inside the Old City, the First Residential Complex was built called Musamman Burj. It was constructed by Ilm ul din, a confidant of jehangir and was completed in 1636 AD during Shahjehan’s Rule. Oppostite the Musamman Burj, there is the Main bazar (Market) which is absolute Wide, is about 2km long and ends in the South of the City at Lahori Gate.
Another House called Kothi Sheik Niaz Ahmed was Constructed outside the old city about 2km from the burj on the road leading to Nizamabad but silently, the city outgrew its boundaries. Kothi and Mussamman burj both are now in the centre of Wazirabad thanks to the Urban Sprawl and Rapid Industrialization of the city.
Architecture
Built in the british Colonial era, the bridge was constructed to carry the Punjab Northern State Railway over the River Chenab. The First Brick was Laid on November 1st, 1871 and Completed in 1876, Though Later in 1878 necessary alterations were made.
Dak Chowki
The Dak chowki (mail station) is an age-old monument built by sher shah suri in 1542 A.D. It has now been declared a protected momument and is planned to be restored.
Gurdwara
The Forlorn Gurdwara Known as Gurdwara Gurukotha is situated in the City built by the Orders of Ranjit singh in memory of Guru har Gobind,the sixth of the sikh gurus (1595-1640), for he stayed in wazirabad during his long travels preaching through punjab and kashmir. The spherical, segmented dome of gurukotha gurdwara rises in splendour above the skyline of the city and is balanced off by four domes at the corner.
Transportation
Highways
Wazirabad is situated alongside the N-5 National Highway Which connects it to the nearby city District of Gujrat in the north and District Capital Gujranwala and the Provincial Capital Lahore in the south. Multiple Dual Carriageway also connect the city to Gujrat, Sialkot, Daska and Gujranwala.
E3 Expressway
The E3 Expressway or Kot Sarwar–Hafizabad–Wazirabad Expressway is a controlled-access expressway which links the N-5 National Highway at Wazirabad with the M-2/M-4 junction near Kot Sarwar, in Punjab, Pakistan. E3 also Connects the City with the Tehsil’s Union councils in the nearby areas.
Rail
Wazirabad Junction railway station is located in the city which has the Karachi – Peshawer Railway Line, Khanewal – Wazirabad Branch Line and the Wazirabad- Narowal Branch Line.
Sources: Wikipedia