Khanewal: A Historic Timeline by 106 year old

Note: All dates, figures, and characters are real.

khanewal city junctionKhanewal and its history is not something that you normally think about. May be you all are not as jobless as I am. But then what else would you expect from a 106 year old. My great-grand children think I am just a liability, a super-old guy who used to mean something to their parents. Its not their fault. They have tried their best to feel attached to me. When they were young, they used to bring me food, used to massage me, used to walk me to the washroom. They cared for me. But you see, caring is a two way street. I never thanked them for all the stuff they have been doing for me. They could never see the affection hidden behind my cataract ridden eyes. They kept taking care of me because their elders told them to do so, and then their children continued doing the same. By now, I can hardly speak, see, hear, or even move. I keep laying down on the charpai, with the glucose drip on my arm, constantly trying to figure out why I am still alive. Why would He keep me alive for so long. I don’t owe anyone anything. Or may be i do! But i don’t have anything of my own now. Other than memories! Memories of an old guy who spent all of his 106 years in Khanewal. But do these memories carry any value? Do I owe them to the kids in my family? Do they need to know how this city was built out of a desert? Do they want to know? May be not! may be yes! May be that’s why He has kept me alive for all these years.

My name is Muhammad Yousaf and I am here to tell you the story of Khanewal.

Part 1 of the series: Khanewal during 1850-1900

Part 2 of the series: Khanewal Pakistan – Earliest Dwellers

1712

Khan (Daha) tribe moves to Khanewal;

1820

Khan family settles in Khanewal; First mosque of Khanewal (Jamia Masjid Kohna Khanewal) Built

1858

Rail track from multan to Lahore built

1860

Railway inn built in Khanewal

1865

Khanewal was just a Flag Station; Gora Qabarstan built in Khanewal

1876

First School of Khanewal (Govt. Primary School # 6) built; Second School of Khanewal (MC Primary School # 7) built; Railway Station Khanewal inaugurated; Post and telegraph office Khanewal built.

1886

First seperate Post Office Khanewal built in Kohna Khanewal

1900

Khanewal Railway Station Building completed; Jamia Masjid Kohna Khanewal rebuilt with bricks; Railway branch line from Khanewal to Laylpur opened.

1901

Khanewal was still part of Kabirwala Tehsil; Its name was Khanewalah

1903

Sham Muhammad Khan Daha (a famous politician of that era) awarded Sanad by British Government

1904

Railway Colony Khanewal built; Locoshed quarters built; Railway Rest House made bigger; Canal Rest House built; Railway Waterworks built

1906

Digging for Lower Bari Doab Canal started; William Roberts (owner of RCA) was principal of Bombay College at this time

1908

Lower Bari Doab Canal Office and quarter built;

1911

Khanewal given status of a City; Sham Muhammad Khan Daha again awarded Sanad; First extension of Canal Office started

1912

Khanewal started developing; Allotment of plots in Khanewal started; First hospital of Khanewal (Railway hospital) built; First officer of Canal Office assigned to Khanewal; William Roberts of RCA became principal of Agriculture College of Faisalabad

1913

Lower Bari Doab Canal completed and inaugurated

1916

Water Works for Khanewal Built; Waste disposal point built near Gao Shala

1917

Khanewal given status of Tehsil; Primary School # 3 started; MC Primary School # 2B built in locoshed; Second mosque of Khanewal built in locoshed; Northern Western Railway shed built; Ghalla Mandi Built; Qulli bazar was just made of dhabas at this time; Work started on Tehsil Office building; T-Chowk Water Works started; Police Stated – City Thana built; Civil Lines structured in plots

1918

Arya Samaj Mandir built; Gurdwara Singh Saba built

1919

Kulli bazar completed – Auction of shops started; Banson-wala bazar built; Building of tehsil office Khanewal complete; Tehsil police chowki built; Graves from this year can still be seen in Old Qabarstan

1920

6 Lac acre land was alloted in Khanewal; Santan Dharam Mandir built in Chowk Sanglawala, Gurdwara Block # 4 built; Santan Dharam Mandir in Block 6 built; Jamia Masjid Gharibabad built; Gudrwara Bazar Built; Changar Muhalla populated; Muhalla Gharibabad populated; Civil Club Khanewal built; First Mela Moveshian in Khanewal

1921

NAC High School for Boys built; MC Primary School 1B built inside the NAC high School; NAC High School for Girls built; Nandi Anglo Vernacular High School opened; Population of Khanewal was 5,647 only; Reley Brother Cotton and Ginning Factory built; British Cotton and Ginning Association (BCGA) Factory was given 7,221 acre of land in Khanewal; William Roberts left Agricultural College of Faisalabad to build the BCGA Factory in Khanewal

1922

Chapel House (Girga Ghar) built in Khanewal; Land for Jamia Majid Block 11 bought

1923

British Cotton and Ginning Association Factory (BCGA) started operations

1924

Railway South Cabin opened in Khanewal; Extra Assistant Commisioner Court opened in Khanewal; SCO Canal Office Court opened;

1925

First admission in the NCA middle School; Jamia Masjid Block 11 built; Sikh Sabha library built in Block 3; Quarter Bhangian built; Gol Bagh built in Khanewal; New gate of Gurdwara Block 4 built from Machi Bazar; New design on Jamia Masjid Kohna Khanewal

1926

Municipal Library built in Khanewal; First bank of Khanewal (Central Co-operative Bank) opened in Khanewal; Chaman Lal Cotton Factory built

1927

First admission in NAC high School for Boys

1928

First Electric House (Bijli ghar) built in Khanewal by Railway; 149 Pole lamps installed in Khanewal; Civil Veterinary Hospital built

1929

Khalsa High School built; Dharam Shala built in Lakar Mandi Khanewal; Hera Lal Petrol Agent started selling Petrol in Khanewal

1930

Kutiya Rehel-e-Hunood built; Cinema Radhu Palace built; NAC High School for Boys, NAC Middle School for Boys, Nandi Anglo Vernacular School moved to Government High School for Boys building; Post and Telegraph Office changed to Telephone Exchange Khanewal;

1931

Tuneja Cotton and Ginning Factory started operations in Khanewal; First map of Jamia Masjid Block 11 approved

1932

Kutiya Rehel-e-Hunood completed; Jamia Mosque Gharibabad built with solid brick

1933

Islamia High School building completed; Railway Police Station built; First printing press of Khanewal Jagdish Printing Press built

1934

William Roberts became member of Punjab Provincial Assembly

1935

Geerbat Ghat built in Khanewal; Jamia Masjid Ahlehadees built; Northern India Electric Supply came to Khanewal

1936

Work on Central Co-opeartive Bank building started; Hostel of Islamia High School built; William Roberts left Punjab Provincial Assembly

1937

Chistiya Bijli Ghar built; First petrol pump of Khanewal built (Prem Nath sub Agent Berma Shell Oil Company); Sarai Bhoja Ram built

1939

Foundation Stone of Central Co-operative bank laid

1940

First Amam Bargah of Khanewal built in Block 11; Markazi Jamia Masjid Ahlehadees foundation stone laid; Kacheri Bazar built; Sutesh Cotton Factory built; 248 students in Government High School for Boys

1941

Second map of Jamia Masjid approved

1942

Markazi Jamia Masjid building work started; Anjuman Islamia Primary School built; Nani Anglo Vernacular Primary School given status of High School

1945

Doctor Bhutta opened Homeopathic Clinic in Khanewal; Police Choki moved from NAC High School for Girls to Block 4; Municipal Committee Office moved to Government Girls High School Hostel

1946

Land for Church in Khanewal purchased; Amam Bargah Block 11 expanded

1947

Ap sub ko Azaadi Mubarik ho! Khanewal became part of Pakistan; Municipal Library moved to Gerbatt Ghat; Sodagar Chand Hotel opened in Sarai Bhoja Ram; Post Office Khanewal moved to Block 4 House 60

Detailed posts on history, culture, buildings (Mandirs, Gurdwaras), and people mentioned above be posted in future.

5 thoughts on “Khanewal History

  1. Loved it. Amazing job naukhaiz. Never knew any of this. I have to share this with elders in my family they would be so interested. Let me know when ever you post anything new on this.

  2. Again great effects…thanks to educate us…I lived and brought up in khanewal…iits my home Land..I really enjoy to read all the records..

Liked it? Hated it? or want to add more to my knowledge? Comment below :)