Muzaffargarh

For the district, see Muzaffargarh District. For other uses, see Muzaffargarh (disambiguation).

City in Punjab, Pakistan

Muzaffargarh

* مظفر ڳڑھ (Saraiki)
* مظفر گڑھ (Urdu)

City

Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station

Muzaffargarh

Location

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Muzaffargarh

Muzaffargarh (Pakistan)

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Coordinates: 30°4′10″N 71°11′39″E﻿ / ﻿30.06944°N 71.19417°E﻿ / 30.06944; 71.19417
Country|  Pakistan
Province|  Punjab
Division| Dera Ghazi Khan
District| Muzaffargarh
Number of Tehsils| 3[1]
Union councils| 78
Founded by| Nawab Muzaffar Khan Khaishgi
Area

[2]

• Metro

| 8,435 km2 (3,257 sq mi)
Elevation

| 123 m (404 ft)
Population

(2023 census)[3]

• City| 235,541
• Rank| 39th, Pakistan
Time zone| UTC+5 (PST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+6 (PDT)
Area code| 066

Muzaffargarh (Saraiki: مظفر ڳڑھ and Urdu: مظفر گڑھ, lit. 'Fort of Muzaffar') is a city in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Located on the bank of the Chenab River, it is the capital of the eponymous district. It is the 39th most populous city of Pakistan.

## History

[edit]

The Muzaffargarh region was an agricultural and forested area during the Indus Valley civilization. Then came the Vedic period, which was characterized by the introduction of Indo-Aryan culture into the Punjab province. Over time, several other civilizations came to power in the ancient town and surrounding district: the Kambojas, the Daradas, the Kekayas, the Madras, the Pauravas, the Yaudheyas, the Malavas and the Kurus.

After the fall of the Achaemenid Empire in 331 BCE, Alexander the Great marched into the present-day Punjab province with an army of 50,000 men. The Muzaffargarh region was, during different time periods, also ruled by the Maurya Empire, the Indo-Greek kingdom, the Kushan Empire, the Gupta Empire, the White Huns, the Kushano-Hephthalites, and the Turk and Hindu Shahi kingdoms.

In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi took over the Ghaznavid Empire, and, in 1005, conquered the Shahis in Kabul, which granted him power over the Punjab region. The Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal Empire also ruled the region. The location of the present-day town became predominantly Muslim during this time because of the arrival of missionary Sufis whose dargahs still persist in the area.

After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikhs conquered the Muzaffargarh District. Later, in 1848, the British Raj assumed control of the area.

Foundation as a town

In 1794, the town of Muzaffargarh was founded by governor of Multan, Nawab Muzaffar Khan, who was also the Governor of Multan at the time.[5] The meaning of the word is "Fort of Muzaffar" because the "historic district" lies within the walls of a fort built by the governor. In 1864, it became the capital of the Muzaffargarh District.[6]

The place was also referred to as Kala Pani (Black Water), as it is located between two rivers: the Indus and the Chenab. It was linked to the surrounding lands by bridges during the British era.

Independence 1947

During the independence movement of Pakistan, the Muslim population supported the Muslim League and the Pakistani Movement. In 1947, after Pakistan gained independence, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while the Muslim refugees from India settled in Muzaffargarh.

## Geography and climate

[edit]

Muzaffargarh

Climate chart (explanation)

|
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7.2

9.5

9.8

1.7

2.3

6.9

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: World Meteorological Organization
| Imperial conversion

J| F| M| A| M| J| J| A| S| O| N| D

0.3

0.4

0.8

0.5

0.4

105

0.5

108

2.4

103

1.3

100

0.4

0.1

0.1

0.3

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Muzaffargarh spreads over an area of 8,249 km2 (3,185 sq mi) and forms a strip between the Chenab River to the east and Indus River to the west. Muzaffargarh is 123 metres (404 ft) above sea level.[7] Muzaffargarh was hit especially hard by the 2010 Pakistan floods, given its position between the Chenab and Indus rivers.[8] Muzaffargarh is located at almost the exact geographical center of Pakistan.[citation needed] The closest major city is Multan. The area around the city is a flat alluvial plain and is ideal for agriculture, with many citrus and mango farms.[citation needed] There are also canals that cut across the Muzaffargarh District, providing water to farms.[citation needed] During the monsoon season, the land close to the Chenab is usually flooded.[citation needed]

Climate

Muzaffargarh features an arid climate with very hot summers and mild winters. The city has experienced some of the most extreme weather in Pakistan. The highest recorded temperature was approximately 54 °C (129 °F), and the lowest recorded temperature was approximately −1 °C (30 °F). The average rainfall is roughly 127 millimetres (5.0 in). Dust storms are a common occurrence within the city.

## Cultural heritage sites

[edit]

Main article: List of cultural heritage sites in Muzaffargarh

* Tomb of Tahir Khan Nahar
* Tomb of Sheikh Sadan Shaheed

## Transportation

[edit]

Muzaffargarh has connections with other cities by several means of transportation.

### Road

[edit]

Main article: List of roads in Muzaffargarh

The town is linked to the rest of the district by paved roads that stretch for 983.69 km (611.24 mi). Buses to Multan leave frequently, because of their close proximity to each other.[citation needed] There are also buses that travel to more distant destinations. The N-70 National Highway connects the city to other parts of Pakistan. This highway allows for direct travel to, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Bahawalpur.

### Railways

[edit]

Main article: List of railway stations in Muzaffargarh

Muzaffargarh is connected by rail with all parts of Pakistan, as it lies on the branch track between Multan, Mianwali, and Attock. The main Peshawar-Karachi railway line passes through Multan District.

### Canals

[edit]

There are two irrigation canals in Muzaffargarh named Muzaffargarh Canal and Ganesh Wah Canal.

## Power plants

[edit]

### Muzaffargarh Nuclear Power Complex

[edit]

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) plans to install three nuclear reactors at Muzaffargarh.[9] The Muzaffargarh Nuclear Power Complex will have a production capacity of 1100 megawatts.[10]

### Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Plant

[edit]

Muzaffargarh has three units of electricity producing 1350 Mega Watt. The plant operates on fuel but The Russian company has signed an agreement to provide imported coal to run thermal units. At first, the upgradation of the thermal power plant was included in CPEC projects but in 2017, China excluded it from the agreement due to unclear reasons. The location is almost 11 km (6.8 mi) from the main city of Muzaffargarh.

## Notable places

[edit]

Main article: List of places in Muzaffargarh

### Fayyaz Park

[edit]

Fayyaz Park Muzaffargarh, situated in the center of the city, is the only park in the city. The park was named after ex-Deputy Commissioner Muzaffargarh Fayyaz Bashir. Recently the park has been upgraded and made ready for families to walk and spend their time with families. Fayyaz Park is located near Katchehry Chowk beside the National Bank Main City branch. The site of the park was previously the residence of the Deputy Commissioner.[11]

## Notable people

[edit]

Main article: List of people from Muzaffargarh

* Nawab Muzaffar Khan, founder of Muzaffargarh
* Sardar Kaure Khan Jatoi, leading personality for his social services
* Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani, former governor of West Pakistan
* Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, A prominent political figure in Pakistan
* Hina Rabbani Khar, former Foreign Minister and the first female foreign minister
* Ghulam Mustafa Khar, former Governor of Punjab and former Chief Minister of Punjab
* Ghulam Noor Rabbani Khar, politician
* Sultan Mehmood, politician
* Jamshed Dasti, politician
* Azhar Hussain, wrestler

## References

[edit]

1. ^ tahsils, muzaffargarh. "tahsils of district muzaffargarh". District muzaffargarh. Government of pakistan. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
2. ^ "Area". Archived from the original on 2006-04-14.
3. ^ "Punjab (Pakistan): Province and Major Cities, Municipalities & Towns". Punjab (Pakistan): Province and Major Cities, Municipalities & Towns. Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
4. ^ "Description of the District". Archived from the original on 2006-04-14. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
5. ^ Cotton, James Sutherland; Burn, Sir Richard; Meyer, Sir William Stevenson (1908). Imperial Gazetteer of India ... Clarendon Press.
6. ^ District Profile: Southern Punjab- Muzaffargarh
7. ^ "Punjab eGazetteer | Muzaffargarh". gazetteers.punjab.gov.pk. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
8. ^ "Muzaffargarh, Pakistan: Caught between two rivers – Oxfam International Blogs".
9. ^ Shah, Saeed (20 January 2014). "Pakistan in Talks to Acquire 3 Nuclear Plants From China" - via Wall Street Journal.
10. ^ "Asia News Network". Archived from the original on 2014-03-28.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
11. ^ "Fayyaz Park". Archived from the original on 2018-12-03.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Muzaffargarh (city).

* Website of Muzaffargarh

* v
* t
* e

Muzaffargarh topics

History|

* History of Muzaffargarh
* Nawab Muzaffar Khan
* Sardar Kaure Khan Jatoi

Attractions|

* Fayyaz Park
* Jamia Sakeena-Tu-Sughra
* Yadgar Club

Sports|

* Faisal Stadium

Transport|

| Road|

* N-70 National Highway
* List of roads in Muzaffargarh

|

Railway Stations|

* Chenab West Bank
* Muzaffargarh
* Thermal Power Station
* Kotla Leghari (Closed)
* Budh
* Mahmud Kot
* Gurmani
* Sanawan
* Kot Addu Junction
* Dera Dinpanah
* Ashanpur
* Hamdaniwala Halt
* Lal Mir Halt
* Lal Pir

Lists|

* Cultural heritage sites
* People
* Places
* Politics
* Roads

Related topics|

* Government College
* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Hospital

Category • Commons

* v
* t
* e

Administrative divisions of Muzaffargarh District

Administrations: Muzaffargarh District and Dera Ghazi Khan Division

Capital|

* Muzaffargarh

Tehsils|

* Alipur Tehsil
* Chowk Sarwar Shaheed Tehsil
* Jatoi Tehsil
* Kot Addu Tehsil
* Muzaffargarh Tehsil

Villages and locallities|

* Allama Iqbal Town
* Faqirwala
* Gamoon wala
* Jalalabad
* Jatoi
* Khangarh
* Khar
* Kot Addu
* Meerwala
* Mehmood Kot
* Qasba Gujrat
* Rohilanwali
* Sanawan
* Seet pur

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany

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