Burewala

Burewala (Urdu: بورے والا) is a city of Vehari District in southern Punjab, Pakistan. It is located at 30°10'0N 72°39'0E and has an altitude of 133 metres (439 feet).^[1] According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, Burewala had about 150,000 people.^[2] However according to estimates it have increased to 200,000 in 2004. It is the 30th biggest city in Pakistan by population.^[3] The city of Burewala is the headquarters of Burewala Tehsil, an administrative subdivision of the district.^[4] It is located 1035 km away from Karachi, 187 km from Faisalabad, 208 km from Lahore, 135 km from Multan, 35 km from Vehari. 40 km from Arifwala,75 km from Pakpattan and 103 km from Bahawalpur.
History
Burewala is situated on the Delhi-Multan Road. Sutlej River crosses Burewala near the towns Jamlera and Sahuka. Shrine of Hazrat Baba Haji Sher Dewan Chawli Mashaikh is also situated in Dewan Sahib at a distance of 18 km. from Burewala. In the very beginning it was just a jungle which was 'humanized' by local tribes called "Langrial". When the Pakpattan canal operating in this area people started to settle in villages as agriculture developed, resulting in jungles being cut to make way for cultivation fields. As this area was in 'Eastern Canal Division' so it was named village no. 279/EB (EB = Eastern Bar). In the northern side of Burewala, there are still signs of an old water canal which is now called Sukh Bias.^[5] It is 35 km east of District Capital Vehari on main Multan-Delhi Road. Burewala is the second biggest tehsil of Punjab.
Etymology
The exact origin of Burewala's name is unknown; however, there are different theories. One theory is that the city is named after a person named "Burha." He was, according to some people, 'Sikh'. The village is also called "Old Bura" or "Purana Boora." The people of this villages constructed a well with a diameter of 8 feet and named it after their ancestor so it was called "Chah Boorhay wala" (Well of Burha). This well is now included in the P.I. Link canal. Due to this well the new city was named Burewala. In July 1976, Burewala was upgraded as a subdivision. The areas of Gaggoo, Jamlera, Sahuka and Sheikh Fazal were included in the subdivision.

Burewala is called a city of education and sports and is one of the best cotton producing areas in the country.^[6] Burewala has approximately 188,986 inhabitants (2006). It is situated about 35 km from Vehari District and 135 km east of historical city of Multan. Burewala has a grain market in the area and it is a major business centre.
Burewala has the first shrine of Hazrat Baba Haji Sher Dewan, who was one of the earliest Muslim saints in the subcontinent.
In sports, World renowned fast bowler of Pakistan cricket team, Waqar Younis is from Burewala and is dubbed as "Burewala Express."^[7]

Burewala is known for the invention of three wheel motor-bike rickshaw known as "Chandgari."^{[citation needed]} Asia's largest Textile industry in the city of Burewala, which is own by Daud Group of Industries called (BTM) Burewala Textile Mills, which is now known as Lawrencepur Limited. Burewala has some really good shopping bazaars and Plazas. City Center is an addition in the city to match the life style of the people living here. Burewala is surrounded by boundaries of few industrial and agricultural cities (e.g. Vehari, Arifwala, Chichawatni, Hasilpur, Chishtian). Burewala has the biggest telephone exchange in Asia, which is situated at Multan Road near Lari Adda.^{[citation needed]} Along with there is Pakistan's largest technical college on tehsil bases situated in 507/EB. Tufail Muhammad Shaheed resided in Burewala.^{[citation needed]}
Government
Tehsil Municipal Administration
Burewala and Vehari were declared as Mandi's in 1925 and Railway station were established and it was named as "Mandi Burewala" and in 1927 Secretary Government of Punjab Ram Chand declared it "Notified Area Committee" and Mr. Vas, CIS was its first administrator. The Government of the Punjab on 27 August 1957 upgraded "Notified Area Committee" to 2nd Class "Municipal Committee" and Mr. Faiz Kareem was named its first Chairman. according to 2000 local bodies system Burewala Municipal Committee became "Tehsil Municipal Administration".
Political Division
Burewala has two national assembly and four provincial assemblies seat. NA-167 and NA-168 seats.However; NA-168 is shared by both Vehari and Burewala sub-divisions. NA-167 Burewala consists of Burewala, Gaggo mandi urban and rural areas while NA-168 shares Burewala and Vehari sub-divisions most of the rural areas and it includes 3-R Qannogo block of Burewala, Machiwal, Luddan, Sahuka towns. Provincial Assmebly four seats in the Burewala sub-division includes PP-232, Gaggo Mandi urban & rural, PP-233 Burewala City urban and rural, PP-234 Sahuka rural, PP-235 Machiwal and also two seats shared by both Vehari and Burewala sub-divisions.
Shrine of Baba Haji Sher Dewan
The Shrine of Baba Haji Sher Dewan is the first shrine of sub-continent Indo-Pak.^{[citation needed]} It is situated here some 17 kilometers away from Burewala, located in Chak No. 317 EB, on the Burewala-Sahuka road. Hazrat Baba Haji Sher Muhammad Dewan Chawali Mashaikh is the saint of early years of the establishment of Islam. The place has a rich spiritual significance in the area. Tapasthan Baba Guru Nanak Dev is also situated there where Baba Guru Nanak performed Taphasya. The present Sajjada Nasheen is Peer Gulzar Hussain Shah Sahib.
Education
Some institutes of Burewala are:

• The City School
• Crescent Model High school
• D.P.S (divisional public School)
• The Educators.
• Fatima Jinnah Girls High School
• Govt. College Burewala
• Govt. College For Women
• Govt. College of Commerce
• Govt. Girls High School
• Govt. M.C Model High School
• Govt. Technical College
• International Public School Green View Burewala
• Jinnah Model School
• Mariam College for Women
• National College of Commerce
• New Becon House
• Punjab Cadet School
• Tabinda Model High School
• Tabindah Model High School