Lahore

Lahore is the capital and largest city of the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is the second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and 27th largest in the world, with a population of over 14 million. Lahore is one of Pakistan's major industrial, educational and economic hubs. It has been the historic capital and cultural centre of the wider Punjab region, and is one of Pakistan's most socially liberal, progressive, and cosmopolitan cities. Lahore's origin dates back to antiquity. The city has been inhabited for around two millennia, although it rose to prominence in the late 10th century with the establishment of the Walled City, its fortified interior. Lahore served as the capital of several empires during the medieval era, including the Hindu Shahis, Ghaznavid Empire and Delhi Sultanate. It reached the height of its splendour under the Mughal Empire between the late 16th and early 18th centuries, being its capital city for many years. During this period, it was one of the largest cities in the world. The city was captured by the forces of the Afsharid ruler Nader Shah in 1739. Although the Mughal authority was re-established, it fell into a period of decay while being contested among the Afghans and the Sikhs between 1748 and 1798, eventually becoming capital of the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century. Lahore was annexed to the British Raj in 1849 and became the capital of British Punjab. Lahore was central to the independence movements of British India, with the city being the site of both the Declaration of Indian Independence and the resolution calling for the establishment of Pakistan. It experienced some of the worst rioting during the partition of British India preceding Pakistan's establishment. Following the success of the Pakistan Movement and the subsequent partition in 1947, Lahore was declared the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province. Located in central-eastern Punjab, along the River Ravi, it is the largest Punjabi-speaking city in the world. Lahore exerts a strong cultural and political influence over Pakistan. A UNESCO City of Literature and major centre for Pakistan's publishing industry, Lahore remains the foremost centre of Pakistan's literary scene. The city is also a major centre of education, with some of Pakistan's leading universities based in the city. Lahore is home to Pakistan's Punjabi film industry, and is a major centre of Qawwali music. The city also hosts much of Pakistan's tourism industry, with major attractions including the Walled City, the famous Badshahi and Wazir Khan mosques, as well as several Sikh and Sufi shrines. Lahore is also home to the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Infobox

Country

Pakistan

Province

Punjab

Division

Lahore

District

Lahore

Founded

Between 1st and 7th centuries CE

City status

1040; 985 years ago (1040)

Capital status[a]

25 June 1206; 819 years ago (25 June 1206)27 May 1586; 439 years ago (27 May 1586)12 April 1801; 224 years ago (12 April 1801)

Metropolitan status

3 February 1890; 135 years ago (3 February 1890)

Metropolitan seat

Lahore Town Hall

Zones

10 RaviShalimarAziz BhattiData Gunj BukshGulbergSamanabadIqbalNishtarWagahCantonment

• Type

Metropolitan corporation

• Body

Lahore Metropolitan Corporation

• Mayor

None

• Deputy Mayors

9 Zonal Mayors

• Deputy Commissioner

Syed Musa Raza (BPS-19 PAS)

• Capital City Police Officer

Bilal Siddiqui Kamyana (BPS-21 PSP)

• Punjab Assembly

mw- 30 members Sami Ullah Khan (PML-N; PP-145) Ghazali Saleem Butt (PML-N; PP-146) Muhammad Riaz Malik (PML-N; PP-147) Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman (PML-N; PP-148) Muhammad Shoaib Siddiqui (IPP; PP-149) Khawaja Imran Nazir (PML-N; PP-150) Sohail Shaukat Butt (PML-N; PP-151) Malik Muhammad Waheed (PML-N; PP-152) Khawaja Salman Rafique (PML-N; PP-153) Ghulam Habib Awan (PML-N; PP-154) Imtiaz Mehmood (SIC; PP-155) Ali Imtiaz Warraich (SIC; PP-156) Hafiz Farhat Abbas (SIC; PP-157) Muhammad Nawaz Ladhar (PML-N; PP-158) Maryam Nawaz Sharif (PML-N; PP-159) Asad Ali Khokhar (PML-N; PP-160) Farrukh Javaid (SIC; PP-161) Shahbaz Ali Khokhar (PML-N; PP-162) Imran Javed (PML-N; PP-163) Rana Rashid Minhas (PML-N; PP-164) Ahmer Rasheed Bhatti (SIC; PP-165) Muhammad Anas Mehmood (PML-N; PP-166) Irfan Shafi Khokhar (PML-N; PP-167) Faisal Ayub Khokhar (PML-N; PP-168) Khalid Pervaz Khokhar (PML-N; PP-169) Muhammad Haroon Akbar (SIC; PP-170) Muhammad Aslam Iqbal (SIC; PP-171) Misbah Wajid (SIC; PP-172) Mian Marghoob Ahmad (PML-N; PP-173) Bilal Yasin (PML-N; PP-174)

• Metro

1,772 km2 (684 sq mi)

• Rank

1st in Punjab2nd in Pakistan26th in world

Highest elevation[b]

231 m (758 ft)

Lowest elevation

196 m (643 ft)

• Megacity

13,004,135

• Metro density

7,339/km2 (19,010/sq mi)

• Language(s)

Urdu and English (official)Punjabi (native)

Demonym(s)

General: Lahori[c]English: Lahorite

• Religion

List 94.7% Islam 5.14% Christianity 0.12% Ahmadiyya 0.02% Hinduism 0.01% Sikhism 0.01% other

Time zone

UTC 5 (PKT)

Postal code

53XXX – 55XXX

Dialling code

042

Vehicle registration

List LHLHALHBLHCLHDLHELHFLHGLHHLHJLHKLHLLHP

GDP (PPP)

$84 billion (2019)

International airport

Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE)

Rapid Transit

Lahore Metrobus

Police

Capital City Police Lahore

Development Authority

Lahore Development Authority

HDI (2018)

0.877 (very high) · 3rd

Growth

8.06%

Literacy (2023)

81%

Constituencies in the National Assembly

14 / 336

Sex ratio (2017)

912 ♀/1000 ♂

Climate

BSh

Abbreviation

LHR/ایل ایچ آر

Patron saint

Ali al-Hujwiri

Website

lahore.punjab.gov.pk

Official name

Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore

Criteria

Cultural: (i)(ii)(iii)

Reference

171-002

Inscription

1981 (5th Session)

Extensions

2009

Area

36 ha (89 acres)