Shorkot

Shorkot (Urdu: شورکوٹ‎), (Punjabi: شورکوٹ), is a city in the Punjab, Pakistan. It is also a capital city of Shorkot Tehsil in Jhang district. It is located at 30°30'N 72°24'E with an altitude of 131 metres (433 ft). The city is famous for the tombs of SufisSultan Bahu, Shah Mehmood Ghazi (also known as "Ghazi Pir") and Syed Mahboob Alam Shah Gilani. The tomb of the latter is in the centre of the town. He was sent to the Shorkot by the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam, to spread Islam.

History [edit]

Alexander The Great faced bitter resistance in Shorkot when fighting the Malhi in 325 BC.Dray horses were taken as presents from Queen Victoria to Ranjit Singh from Multan to Lahore, they stopped near Shorkot and visited the shrine of Pir Syed Mahboob Alam Shah, found it to be a dusty shrine attended by an old Syed. There on the Bhirr (mound), they found some old coins with the Greek word Bazileousstamped on it and conjectured that these were the coins left behind by the Greeks. Scattered shards of pottery are still to be found for miles around the old Bhirr showing that it was an extensive settlement.

Notable places [edit]

Bhirr is the historical castle covered some acres of land, with a 200 feet high tower located near Shorkot. The original settlements were the part of the old Indus valley civilisation. The Thal town is a mound, built with the material from its southern side. This mound's surface has three layers of soot showing that it has been destroyed three times. The Chenab river was lied near it but later moved away to the west.

Darbar Maan Baap shrine is located in Shorkot, were the parents of Sultan Bahu. Darbar Maan Baap is a notable place in Shorkot where many people come from far areas to reciting Fateh on shrine. In Muharram there is great crowd of people found there. The Sarfraz Rafiqi Airbase, the third largest airbase in Pakistan, is also located here.