Mian Channu
| Mian Channu | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| Mian Channu | |
  Mian Channu | |
| Coordinates: 30°16′N 72°13′E / 30.27°N 72.22°E | |
| Country |
 Pakistan |
| Province | Punjab |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
Mian Channu (Punjabi,Urdu: مِياں چنُّوں), (alternate spelling Mian Chunnun) is a city and capital of Mian Channu Tehsil in Khanewal District, Punjab province of Pakistan.
History
In the year 1919, it was declared as a notified area Committee and in 1938 as a Town Committee. Its limits were last extended in the year 1950. Since then no extension has been made and the development in the Town from 1947 to 1961 remained slow. It was assigned of Municipal Committee in 1975, as it had grown into small urban centre by that time. After that the Town started developing and major growth has been taking place from 1972 to 1984. But the trend of growth in this period has largely been along G.T Road and in the northern direction. It has been the headquarters of the Mian Channu Tehsil of Khanewal District since 1985[1] and is administratively subdivided into 3 Union councils.[2] It has approximately 65,000 residents and is located on the Grand Trunk Road (250 km South West of Lahore and 1050 km North East of Karachi) and KLP (Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar) railway line. For a period of more than a century, Mian Channu has been part of District of Multan. With the raising of status of Mian Channu to a tehsil headquarters and creation of a new District of Khanewal from 1 July 1985, Mian Channu Tehsil become a part of the new District of Khanewal. The city is one of the major contributor to agricultural production. Cotton, wheat and mango are the major agricultural products. It is also very popular for its property value.
Major crops of the town are wheat, grain, peas, barley are the important crops of Rabi season, while Kharif crops are cotton, sugarcane, jawar, bajra, oil seeds which are shipped by rail and road to other parts of the country.
Munawar Poultries founded by Ch. Munawar Ali in Moti plaza got a big name in market in poultry field.
Pakistan's first agricultural tool industry was established in Mian Channu with the name Ghazi Industries Ltd, founded by Ghulam Mustafa Ghazi. He was well known industrialist as well as freedom fighter from 1947 freedom struggle, awarded for his struggle by Govt of Pakistan after his death.
It is the paternal hometown of famous Indian writer,columnist and journalist Late Mr. Khushwant Singh and he spent his childhood days under there intermittently with his grandmother and father.
Language and major castes
Punjabi,and Urdu are spoken in the city. Main castes are Arain, chishty, Rehmani, LAK, Chadhar, Jatt, Tagga, Ansari, Butt, Dulu, Sayal, Kamboh, Bhadru, Mughal, Dogar, Sanpal, Gujjar, Rajput, Tajra, Hiraj and Shaikh
Etymology
The city was named after a saint, Hazrat Baba Mian Channu (Rehmatallah Alahay) who lived and buried there. There is a folklore about the name that during English rule administration tried to change the name of city. They painted all boards with the new name. But at night somehow the boards changed to back to the original. They tried repeatedly in vain, and since then the name of area is Mian Chunnu.(Subhan Allah)
Educational institutions
Govt. Degree College for boys and Govt. Degree College for girls are two important educational institutes of Mian Channu. Govt. Model High School and Muslim Union high School are two of the government schools of this city. A major educational revolution was brought by private educational complex named "Islamia school and Islamia college for women" by Anjuman-e-islamia, an NGO run by local people. Ghulam Haider Waen (ex-chief minister of Punjab) dedicated his efforts and played a vital role in establishing this NGO. Jinnah Junior model School, Islamia Girls Model School and Islamia Degree College for women are the institutions of Great Leader Ghulam Haider Wyne. The other growing institutions include the 3 Times Gold Medalist in BISE "Leaders College", BZU Position Holder in M.Com "Mian Channu College for Women","Defence Grammar School","Merry Land School", PIES",'British International School' and 'The Educators'. Punjab College Mian Channu is another remarkable addition by Punjab group of Colleges. It is part of 6 Acres area of Bodla Educational complex near Bodla House GT Road Mian Channu .Muhammad Shakeel being the First Principal of Punjab College Mian Channu and then Rai Safdar Hussain has been appointed as a Principal of College.It has a beautiful campus with a one time capicity of 1500 students. Another well reputed institutions is Govt. Degree College, Mian Channu. In 2001,a new privately administered, semi-government institution was established under the name of 'Mian Channu Public School'. This institute played a role in providing education to the citizens of Mian Channu and attracted hundreds of students from surrounding areas as well. It was later upgraded as 'Divisional Public School' and finally as a degree college. Hafiz Muhammad Ilyas was the founder Chairman of this institution. Masood Anwar was the founder secretary of the institution. Rai safdar Hussain was the founder principal and Honorary lifetime member of this institution.
Hazrat Baba Mian Channu, Rehmatallah Alahay
It is said that during the reign of Sultan Ghias-ud-Din Balban, a young man from “Sonpal Faqirs” leaving the Chenab River Valley took abode on the bank of river Ravi which was covered with thorny bushes all around.There he came across another youth “Majid Jinjus”, of his own type, and got friendly with him. In the end of 1200 A.D when Hazrat Bahawal Haque Zikria along with three other saints returning to Multan after paying respect to “Hazrat Baba Farid-ud-Din Ganj Shakar”, by chance came across those two young men, they later went away to fetch water for Hazrat Bahawal Haque Zikria. When they came back with water, they found that the saints were not there. They started tracing foot steps of about 8 km. Mausoleum of Hazrat Baba Mian Channu Towards western side of present Mian Channu Town. There they were sitting in wilderness. They also found that a spring was flowing there. Seeing that, both at once dropped on the feet of Hazrat Bahawal Haque Zikria. The saint embraced both the young men and prayed to Allah for their guidance and thus they were infused with divine faith. At the same time, the saint also named them as “Mian Channu” and “Majid”. The tomb of saint Mian Channu is beautiful and is an example of early architectural skill.
The city is named after this famous saint, Hazrat Baba Mian Channu (Rehmatallah Alahay), who is buried there and whose shrine still stands there to this day. The legend goes that after the saint's death, the town was incorrectly named and on that night the saint's spirit changed the name on the town sign to the correct spelling. Every day the authorities would change it back and every night the saint would correct it. In the end the people realized this and the town has remained named after Baba Mian Channu ever since..
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Coordinates: 30°27′N 72°22′E / 30.450°N 72.367°E