Bahawalpur
بہاول پور | |
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![]() Clockwise from top: Noor Mahal Palace, Gulzar Mahal, Sadiq Dane High School, Darbar Mahal Palace, Sadiq Mosque, Fareed Gate | |
Nickname: City of Palaces | |
Coordinates: 29°23′44″N 71°41′1″E / 29.39556°N 71.68361°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Province | Punjab |
Division | Bahawalpur |
District | Bahawalpur |
Union councils | 21 |
Government | |
• Type | Metropolitan Corporation |
• Mayor | None (Vacant)[1] |
• Commissioner | Ehtisham Anwar[2] |
Area | |
• City | 246 km2 (95 sq mi) |
• Metro | 24,830 km2 (9,590 sq mi) |
Elevation | 118 m (387 ft) |
Population | |
• City | 762,111 |
• Density | 3,100/km2 (8,000/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+5 (PKT) |
Postal code type | 63100 |
Area code | 062 |
Website | Bahawalpur / Punjab Portal |
Bahawalpur (Punjabi and Urdu: بہاول پور, romanised: Bahāwalpūr, pronounced [bəɦɑːʋəlpuːɾ]) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is one of the ten largest cities of Pakistan and 6th most populous city of Punjab.[6] Bahawalpur is the capital of Bahawalpur Division.
Founded in 1748 by the Daudpotra family of Sindh, Bahawalpur was the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur,[7] ruled by the Nawabs of Bahawalpur until 1955. The Nawabs left a rich architectural legacy, and Bahawalpur is known for its monuments dating from that period.[8] The city lies at the edge of the Cholistan Desert, and serves as the gateway to the nearby Lal Suhanra National Park.
Formerly, it was the capital of the Bahāwalpūr state, which was founded by the Dāʾūdpota family of Sind. The town itself was founded by the second ruler of the dynasty, Muḥammad Bahāwal Ḵh̲ān, in 1748.