NOKIA MOBILES.
1) The ringtone "Nokia tune" is actually based on a 19th century guitar work named "Gran Vals" by Spanish musician Francisco Tárrega. The Nokia Tune was originally named "Grande Valse" on Nokia phones but was changed to "Nokia Tune" around 1998 when it became so well known that people referred to it as the "Nokia Tune."
2) The world's first commercial GSM call was made in 1991 in Helsinki over a Nokia-supplied network, by Prime Minister of Finland Harri Holkeri, using a Nokia phone.
3) Nokia is currently the world's largest digital camera manufacturer, as the sales of its camera-equipped mobile phones have exceeded those of any conventional camera manufacturer.
4) The "Special" tone available to users of Nokia phones when receiving SMS (text messages) is actually Morse code for "SMS". Similarly, the "Ascending" SMS tone is Morse code for "Connecting People," Nokia's slogan. The "Standard" SMS tone is Morse code for "M" (Message).
5) The Nokia corporate font (typeface) is the AgfaMonotype Nokia Sans font, originally designed by Eric Spiekermann. Its mobile phone User's Guides Nokia mostly used the Agfa Rotis Sans font.
6) In Asia, the digit 4 never appears in any Nokia handset model number, because 4 is considered unlucky in many parts of Southeast/East Asia.
7) Nokia was listed as the 20th most admirable company worldwide in Fortune's list of 2006 (1st in network communications, 4th non-US company).
8. Unlike other modern day handsets, Nokia phones do not automatically start the call timer when the call is connected, but start it when the call is initiated. (Except for Series 60 based handsets like the Nokia 6600)
9) Nokia is sometimes called aikon (Nokia backwards) by non-Nokia mobile phone users and by mobile software developers, because "aikon" is used in various SDK software packages, including Nokia's own Symbian S60 SDK.
10) The name of the town of Nokia originated from the river which flowed through the town. The river itself, Nokianvirta, was named after the old Finnish word originally meaning sable, later pine marten. A species of this small, black-furred predatory animal was once found in the region, but it is now extinct.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Recipe of Pakora
Ingredients of Pakora
Directions
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and add enough water to make a paste. Mix well.
Take spoonful at a time from the bowl of paste and deep fry it in hot oil til golden brown.
Serve with dipping sauces.
- 1/2 pound Chickpea flour (Gram Flour - "Besan" in local markets)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 1 medium onion - chopped fine
- 1 large potato -- 1/4" cubes
- oil for deep frying
- water, enough to make paste
- Optional Ingredients - Spinach, eggplant, cabbage, fresh chilies.
Directions
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and add enough water to make a paste. Mix well.
Take spoonful at a time from the bowl of paste and deep fry it in hot oil til golden brown.
Serve with dipping sauces.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
You dont need an office, otherwise you can start your business from home or anywhere else. Even when you are travelling, you still can make money. As simple as that !
What is Forex Trading ?The foreign exchange (currency or forex or FX) market exists wherever one currency is traded for another. It is by far the largest financial market in the world, and includes trading between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions.
The average daily trade in the global forex markets currently exceeds US$ 2 trillion. Retail traders (individuals) are a small fraction of this market and may only participate indirectly through brokers or banks
What is traded in Forex Trading ?The answer is Currency. Currencies are always traded in pairs, such as EUR/USD, GBP/USD, etc. Why ? Because when you trade forex, you are exchanging 1 currency to another currency simultaneously (buying 1 currency and selling the other at the same instance). You will gain from differences of traded currency price rates.
When is the time to trade forex ?Forex can be traded 24 hours a day and 5 days a week. The main trading centers are in London, New York, Tokyo, and Singapore, but banks throughout the world participate. The biggest foreign exchange trading centre is London, followed by New York and Tokyo. Currency trading happens continuously throughout the day; as the Asian trading session ends, the European session begins, followed by the US session and then back to the Asian session, excluding weekends
The following approximate market schedule is based on New York local time: japan forex markets open at 19:00 followed by singapore and hong kong that open at 21:00. European markets open in frankfurt at 2:00, while london opens at 3:00. New york forex markets open at 8:00. European markets close at 12:00 and australian markets start again at 18:00.
What are commonly traded currency pairs (Majors) in forex trading ?Majors are the most liquid and widely traded currency pairs in the world. Trades involving majors make up about 90% of total Forex trading. The Majors are: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, AUD/USD and USD/CAD.
| Symbol | Country | Currency |
| USD | United States | Dollar |
| EUR | Euro members | Euro |
| GBP | Great Britain | Pound |
| JPY | Japan | Yen |
| CHF | Switzerland | Franc |
| CAD | Canada | Dollar |
| AUD | Australia | Dollar |
GBP/USD is the only currency pair with its own name. It is known as "Cable" but there are also lots of abbreviations for other currency pairs such as
| Symbol | Known As |
| EUR/USD | Euro |
| GBP/USD | Cable |
| GBP/JPY | Geppy |
| AUD/USD | Aussie |
| NZD/USD | Kiwi |
| USD/CAD | Loonie |
| USD/CHF | Swissy |
| USD/JPY | Gopher |
What are the benefits of forex trading Factors affecting forex tradingAlthough exchange rates are affected by many factors, in the end, currency prices are a result of supply and demand forces. Supply and demand factors are constantly shifting, and the price of one currency in relation to another shifts accordingly. No other market encompasses (and distills) as much of what is going on in the world at any given time as foreign exchange.
Supply and demand for any given currency, and thus its value, are not influenced by any single element, but rather by several . These elements generally fall into three categories:
These include economic policy, disseminated by government agencies and central banks, economic conditions, generally revealed through economic reports, and other economic indicators.
Economic policy comprises government fiscal policy (budget/spending practices) and monetary policy (the means by which a government's central bank influences the supply and "cost" of money, which is reflected by the level of interest rates).
Internal, regional, and international political conditions and events can have a profound effect on currency markets.
For instance, political upheaval and instability can have a negative impact on a nation's economy. The rise of a political faction that is perceived to be fiscally responsible can have the opposite effect. Also, events in one country in a region may spur positive or negative interest in a neighboring country and, in the process, affect its currency.
Market psychology and trader perceptions influence the foreign exchange market in a variety of ways:
- Flights to quality: Unsettling international events can lead to a "flight to quality" with investors seeking a "safe haven". There will be a greater demand, thus a higher price, for currencies perceived as stronger over their relatively weaker counterparts.
- Long-term trends: Currency markets often move in visible long-term trends. Although currencies do not have an annual growing season like physical commodities, business cycles do make themselves felt. Cycle analysis looks at longer-term price trends that may rise from economic or political trends.
- "Buy the rumor, sell the fact": This market truism can apply to many currency situations. It is the tendency for the price of a currency to reflect the impact of a particular action before it occurs and, when the anticipated event comes to pass, react in exactly the opposite direction. This may also be referred to as a market being "oversold" or "overbought". To buy the rumor or sell the fact can also be an example of the cognitive bias known as anchoring, when investors focus too much on the relevance of outside events to currency prices.
- Economic numbers: While economic numbers can certainly reflect economic policy, some reports and numbers take on a talisman-like effect - the number itself becomes important to market psychology and may have an immediate impact on short-term market moves. "What to watch" can change over time. In recent years, for example, money supply, employment, trade balance figures and inflation numbers have all taken turns in the spotlight.
- Technical trading considerations: As in other markets, the accumulated price movements in a currency pair such as EUR/USD can form patterns that may be recognized and utilized by traders for the purpose of entering and exiting the market, leading to short-term fluctuations in price. Many traders study price charts in order to identify such patterns
forex
WHAT IS FOREX .
The foreign exchange (currency or forex or FX) market exists wherever one currency is traded for another. It is by far the largest market in the world, in terms of cash value traded, and includes trading between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions. Retail traders (small speculators) are a small part of this market. They may only participate indirectly through brokers or banks
The investor's goal in Forex trading is to profit from foreign currency movements. Forex trading or currency trading is always done in currency pairs. For example, the exchange rate of EUR/USD on Aug 26th, 2003 was 1.0857. This number is also referred to as a "Forex rate" or just "rate" for short. If the investor had bought 1000 euros on that date, he would have paid 1085.70 U.S. dollars. One year later, the Forex rate was 1.2083, which means that the value of the euro (the numerator of the EUR/USD ratio) increased in relation to the U.S. dollar.
The investor could now sell the 1000 euros in order to receive 1208.30 dollars. Therefore, the investor would have USD 122.60 more than what he had started one year earlier. However, to know if the investor made a good investment, one needs to compare this investment option to alternative investments. At the very minimum, the return on investment (ROI) should be compared to the return on a "risk-free" investment. One example of a risk-free investment is long-term U.S. government bonds since there is practically no chance for a default, i.e. the U.S. government going bankrupt or being unable or unwilling to pay its debt obligation.
When trading currencies, trade only when you expect the currency you are buying to increase in value relative to the currency you are selling. If the currency you are buying does increase in value, you must sell back the other currency in order to lock in a profit. An open trade (also called an open position) is a trade in which a trader has bought or sold a particular currency pair and has not yet sold or bought back the equivalent amount to close the position.
However, it is estimated that anywhere from 70%-90% of the FX market is speculative. In other words, the person or institution that bought or sold the currency has no plan to actually take delivery of the currency in the end; rather, they were solely speculating on the movement of that particular currency.
The foreign exchange (currency or forex or FX) market exists wherever one currency is traded for another. It is by far the largest market in the world, in terms of cash value traded, and includes trading between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions. Retail traders (small speculators) are a small part of this market. They may only participate indirectly through brokers or banks
The investor's goal in Forex trading is to profit from foreign currency movements. Forex trading or currency trading is always done in currency pairs. For example, the exchange rate of EUR/USD on Aug 26th, 2003 was 1.0857. This number is also referred to as a "Forex rate" or just "rate" for short. If the investor had bought 1000 euros on that date, he would have paid 1085.70 U.S. dollars. One year later, the Forex rate was 1.2083, which means that the value of the euro (the numerator of the EUR/USD ratio) increased in relation to the U.S. dollar.
The investor could now sell the 1000 euros in order to receive 1208.30 dollars. Therefore, the investor would have USD 122.60 more than what he had started one year earlier. However, to know if the investor made a good investment, one needs to compare this investment option to alternative investments. At the very minimum, the return on investment (ROI) should be compared to the return on a "risk-free" investment. One example of a risk-free investment is long-term U.S. government bonds since there is practically no chance for a default, i.e. the U.S. government going bankrupt or being unable or unwilling to pay its debt obligation.
When trading currencies, trade only when you expect the currency you are buying to increase in value relative to the currency you are selling. If the currency you are buying does increase in value, you must sell back the other currency in order to lock in a profit. An open trade (also called an open position) is a trade in which a trader has bought or sold a particular currency pair and has not yet sold or bought back the equivalent amount to close the position.
However, it is estimated that anywhere from 70%-90% of the FX market is speculative. In other words, the person or institution that bought or sold the currency has no plan to actually take delivery of the currency in the end; rather, they were solely speculating on the movement of that particular currency.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
GEOGRAPHY
The city of Multan is located in southern Punjab province at almost the exact centre of Pakistan. The closest major city is Sahiwal. The area around the city is a flat plain and is ideal for agriculture, with many citrus and mango farms. There are many canals that cut across the Multan District, providing water from nearby farms. This makes the land very fertile. However usually land close to the Chenab are usually flooded in the monsoon season. The city also witnesses some of the most extreme weather in the country. During summertime, temperatures reach approximately 54 °C (129 °F), and in the winter -1 °C (30.2 °F) has been recorded. The average rainfall is roughly 127mm. Dust storms are also a common occurence within the city. Economy A local copppersmith displays his wares at the central market in Multan, Pakistan. Multan is a commercial and industrial centre, as it is connected with the rest of the country through rail and air including the other industrial hubs such as Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Faisalabad. Industries include fertilizer, cosmetics, glass manufacturing, cotton production and processing, large textile units, flour mills, sugar and oil mills and large-scale power generation projects. It is famous for its handicrafts (carpets & ceramics) and cottage industries. Roughly 1900 acres of the city is still forested in the district. Trees grown in the area are Kikar, Shisham and Mulbury. Large, irregular suburbs have grown outside the old walled town, and two satellite towns have been set up. Mangoes of Multan district are well known. Multani khussa (traditional shoes), embroidery on dresses for women and men, furniture and other wooden products, earthenware pottery, painted pottery, camel-skin ware, surgical instruments and carpets are a few of the city's major export items with a great demand within the country as well. Mangos form a large portion of Multan's agricultural export market Multan is an important agricultural, industrial and tourist centre. Wheat, cotton and sugarcane are the main crops grown in the district. Moreover, rice, maize, tobacco, bajra, moong (lentils), mash (lentils), masoor (lentils), oil seed such as rape, mustard and sunflower are also grown in minor quantities in the district. Mangoes, citrus, guavas and pomegranate are the main fruits grown in the Multan district. Additionally, dates, jaman, pears, phalsa and bananas are grown in minor quantities in the district. The city also a very rich in minerals. These include Argillaceous Clay, Coal, Dolomite, Fire Clay, Gypsum, Limestone, Silica Sand and Rock Salt. Most of these are excavated for commercial activities and transported to many cities within the country. Many industrial factories are being inaugurated to handle the separation and quality control of these minerals. Much of the minerals within the city are used in Dolomite Processing, Fire Bricks/Refractories, Hollow Glass-ware, Insulators/Capacitors and Ceramics Sanitary-ware. There have also been studies to finalise whether setting up power stations to deal with the electricity shortages in many parts of the city. Since Multan is agricultural based, there is also plenty of livestock still growing at a positive rate which has lead to milk processing/dairy products units, ice cream manufacturing, animal and poultry feed, dairy farms, cattle/sheep/goat fattening plants, meat/poultry processing units, leather garments manufacturing, leather footwear, cosmetics, tinned goods as well as Pharmaceuticals. Government Administrative divisions of Multan District Since the introduction of the local government system in 2001 the city has been governed by a Nazim (Mayor). Multan is spread over an area of 3,721 square Kilometers comprising of four tehsils: Multan Cantonment, Multan Sadar, Shujabad and Jalalpur Pirwala. In 2005, Multan was reorganised as a City-District composed of six autonomous towns: Boson TownShah Rukan e Alam TownMumtazabad TownShershah TownShujabad TownJalalpur TownA. Multan Cantonment Twin City Multan has a friendship agreement with two cities in the world as of 2009: Rome, Italy[12] Konya, Turkey[13] Demographics Main article: Mosques of Multan The Shahi Eid Ghah Mosque, Islam is the major religion in Multan A Sikh Gurdwara within the city of Multan The majority of Multan's residents speak Saraiki, while Haryanvi is the second most spoken language. A good portion of the people are conversant in Urdu. English is understood by the educated. The majority of the people are Muslims. However, the city does have a significant Sikh and Hindu communities within the district. There are still many temples and Gurdwaras within the city. Multan has traditionally been a melting pot of several distinct ethnic groups due to its location at the intersection of all four of Pakistan's main provinces and due to its historical significance as a centre of learning and culture. As a result, Multan today consists of Saraiki, Haryanvi, Punjabi, Baloch, Pashtun, Sindhi, and Urdu-speaking Muhajirs who arrived at the time of independence in 1947. As per the 1998 census of Pakistan, the following are the demographics of the district, by spoken language: Saraiki: 66.58% (54.23% in the city)Haryanvi: 14.59% (11.01% in the city)Punjabi: 11.14% (09.13% in the city)Urdu: 5.86% (6.64% in the city)Pashto: 0.62%Balochi: 0.10%Sindhi: 0.07%Other: 1.04% Culture Main article: List of places in Multan A fruit vendor in a fruit market in the heart of Multan Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam The newly constructed Multan Cricket Stadium Multan is generally known as the 'City of Saints, Sufis and Beggars'. The city is one of the main cities in Southern Punjab province of Pakistan. The city has been the focal point in many religions especially becoming a central abode for Sufism, the mystical side of Islam. The city has attracted Sufi saints from far places of the globe. Today, Multan is known as the 'City of Sufis'. It was one of the oldest cities in South East Asia with many tombs, shrines, temples, cathedrals and mausoleums as well as a historical fort. Today Multan is a combination of old and the new Pakistan culture. There is a big hustle bustle in the old city and comfort of a five star hotel and fine dinning in the new. The old city has a various bazaars selling mystical artifacts, perfumes to arts and crafts. There are also elaborately decorated Shrines of the Sufi saints, tombs of various travellers and important people within the old city of Multan. The prime attractions of Multan are its mausoleums of Sufi saints. The Mausoleum of Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya, as well as the Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam are the prime attractions of the city. Their lofty domes of are visible, from miles and dominate the skyline of Multan. Another popular shrine is the Mausoleum of Shams-ud-Din, commonly known as Shah Shams Tabrez is located about half a mile to the east of the Multan Fort, on the high bank of the old bed of the Ravi River. Another famous and beautiful mausoleum of a warrior sufi saint and poet Hazrat Hafiz Muhammad Jamal Multani (1747-1811 AD) is situated near Aam Khas garden outside Daulat Gate, Multan. There are also a number of other mausoleums located within the city which gather a great deal of attention. The Nuagaza tombs are shrines to martyrs and warriors who fought in wars centuries ago some dating back 1,300 years ago. The Multan Museum located within the city has a vast collection of coins, medals, postage stamps of the former State of Bahawalpur, manuscripts, documented inscriptions, wood carvings, camel-skin paintings, historical models and stone carvings of the Islamic and Pre-Islamic periods. Multan also has a number of old mosques which were once considered as the jewels of the city. Some have been dated back to a few thousand years and have been recognised as some of the oldest mosques within South East Asia. The legend goes that the first mosque ever built in Multan was the Jamia Mosque which was constructed on the orders of General Mohammed Qasim, who conquered Multan in 712AD. Ruins of this mosque were visible till 1954 at Qasim Bella however due to repeated floods, the structure was lost. Sawi Mosque is supposed to be the oldest mosque which still exists today though in deteriorating state, there are glazed blue tiles from the era in which it was built which dates the mosque to several centuries ago. The second oldest mosque within Multan is Mohammad Khan Wali Mosque. It is an excellent condition, situated in the busiest Chowck Bazar of the city. It was built by Nawab Ali Mohammad Khan Khakwani, in 1757 when he was the governor of Multan in the time of Alamgir II. The mosque is provided with a reservoir for the ablutions, baths, and a large hall for prayers. Multan is another Pakistani city that loves cricket. The city government inaugurated a new multi-purpose stadium replacing Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium which was the lone stadium used for football and cricket matches. The inauguration of the new stadium has allowed the city to offer Test day/night matches as well as other national sports such as hockey, badminton and football. The stadium is home to the Multan Cricket Association. Other sports grounds include Divisional Sports Ground and the Pakistan Cricket Board owned Government College Cricket Ground. Education Main article: List of educational institutions in Multan In 1950, then-Governor Abdur Rub Nishtar founded Nishter Medical College. Doctor graduates of this institution have spread across the world, and many have become established names in the field of medicine. Bahauddin Zakariya University formerly known as Multan University and University of the Punjab are the main sources of higher education for this region. Transport Local billboards in a buzy street in Multan A newly built fly-over at a buzy section in Multan Multan has connection with other cities by a variety of transport means. The district has concrete road reaching up to 983.69 Km. The district is linked with Khanewal, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh districts through concrete roads. Buses to Bahawalpur leave frequently, since it is located closely to the city. There are a variety of buses travelling farther from the city. Many of them are now air-conditioned with a fairly good safety record. The N-5 National Highway connects the city to connect to all parts of Pakistan. The road otherwise, known as GT Road, allows connections to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore as well as Bahawalpur. Coach services such as Daewoo Express, Faisal Movers Express, Niazi Express, Punjab Tourism Department, Skyways and New Khan Bus Service are some of the most reliable coach companies operating out of Multan. Multan is connected by rail with all parts of the country and lies on the main track between Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta. The main Peshawar-Karachi railway line passes through Multan district. The district then links trains to nearby districts of Khanewal, Lodhran and Muzafargarh districts through the railway network.[14] Multan International Airport is an airport situated 10 km away from the city centre of Multan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Multan, Vehari, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Sahiwal, and Pakpattan to mainly to other points within Pakistan as well as the Middle East. Flight are currently operated by the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. However, since the growth of air travel within the region, there has been speculated interest from other private carriers. The rise in air-travel has also lead to the expansion of the current airport with a new runway and terminal. Notable people from Multan Jinnahbhai Poonja, Father of Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, born in MultanAhmad Shah Durrani, Pashtun founder of AfghanistanNawab Ali Mohammad Khan KhakwaniInzamam ul Haq, famous Pakistani cricketerRazi-ud-Din-Razi, famous Poet and WriterJaved Siddiqui, Ex-MPA PP-197Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Rasheed, Central Vice President PMLJaved Hashmi, PML-N First MNA, elected eight times successfullyFaisal Jahan, Leading Taekowando CoachRana Noor ul Hasan, PML-N Elected three time MPA, started Political career from UC/District Council and never defeated in any election from 1970s onward. He was a prominent personality and was died on Thursday, 27th of August 2009.Rana Mahmood ul Hasan, The son of Rana Noor ul Hasan, PML-N First MNA, who defeated the son of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani (in election 2008) and elected two times MNA (in election 2002 & 2008) successfullyMirza Aziz Akbar Baig, Former Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar CouncilNaveed Akram, Pakistani footballerSadiq Hussain Qureshi of Pakistan Peoples Party, Former Governor and Chief Minister of PunjabShah Mehmood Qureshi, Foreign minister of PakistanYousaf Raza Gillani, 26th Prime Minister of PakistanMuhammad Habib ur Rehman, Leading IT Professional
multan the oldest city
History.
Multan is one of the oldest cities in the Asian subcontinent. It was the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom at the time of the Mahabharata war, ruled by the Katoch Dynasty. Multan has had various names over the years, originally Kashtpur (Kashyapapura)after the great Hindu sage Kashyapa, this is also the Gotra used by the Katoch dynasty. Other names were Hanspur (Hamsapura), Bagpur (Vegapura), Sanb or Sanahpur (Sambapura). Its current name is derived from the Sanskrit name Mulasthana (also Mitrasthana) named after a sun temple. Multan has frequently been a site of conflict due to its location on a major invasion route between South Asia and Central Asia. It is believed to have been visited by Alexander the Great. In the mid-5th century, the city was attacked by a group of nomads led by Toraman. In 7th century during Amir Muavia's period, his one commander Mohlab in 664 captured Multan but it was not permanent.In the 8th century, Multan was conquered along with Sindh by Banu Ummaya the army of Muhammad bin Qasim from the local ruler Chach. Following bin Qasim's conquest, the city was securely under Muslim rule, although it was in effect an independent state and most of the subjects were non-Muslim. In 1005 CE (396 AH), the ruler of Multan, Abool Futteh Dawood, rebelled against the rule of Mahmud of Ghazni. When Abool heard of the approach of Mahmud from Ghazni, he solicited the aid of his ally Anandpal, the successor of Jaipal; who—true to his alliance—detached the greater part of his army to oppose Mahmud in Peshawar. Multan's location at the entrance to the sub-continent resulted in it being invaded by a long series of conquerors on their way to Delhi. Timur, Babur and many others passed through the city leaving much destruction in their wake. Following annexation to Mughal empire in 1557 CE, at the beginning of emperor Akbars rule; Multan enjoyed 200 years of peace, and became known as Dar al-Aman (Abode of Peace). Akbar was known as a wise ruler, setting reasonable taxes, creating effective government and being tolerant of religious differences. Multan witnessed difficult times as Mughal rule declined in early 1700s, starting after death of emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. Persia was united under Nader Shah, ruling from 1736 as Shah of Iran. After his assassination in 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani—who was originally born in Multan—rose to power. This counts as beginning of Durrani Empire. However, after death of Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1772, the influence of Durrani empire declined sharply in mere fifty years. Starting at late in 1700s, Multan was ruled locally by the Pashtun Sadozai and Khakwani chieftains. In 1817, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a body of troops to Multan under the command of Diwan Bhiwani Das to receive from Nawab Muzaffar Khan the tribute he owed to the Sikh Darbar. Bhiwani Das laid siege to the city, but failed to capture Multan. Maharaja Ranjit Singh planned a fresh expedition and sent a strong force under his son Kharak Singh's charge. In 1818, Kharak Singh's armies lay around Multan without making much initial headway. Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a large cannon named Zamzama along with Akali Phula Singh's Nihang regiment. The Zamzama was fired with effect and the gates of the city were blown in. Akali Phula Singh made a sudden rush and took the garrison by surprise. The Nawab stood in his way resolved to fight to death. Prince Kharak Singh left Jodh Singh Khalsa with 600 men to guard the fort of Multan. The Sikhs thereafter ruled Punjab until 1849, losing it to the British in the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The Multan Municipal Corporation Clock Tower, built during the rule of the British Empire. However, Sikh rule would not last long, as the British were eventually provoked into checking the Sikh strength in Punjab. After a long and bloody battle, Multan was made part of the British Raj. During this time, Sardar Karan Narain's son became an icon during the British Raj and was awarded titles 'Rai Bahadur' and Knighted 'Sir' by Her Majesty. The British built some rail routes to the city, but its industrial capacity was never developed. Upon Pakistan's independence in 1947, Multan became part of the Punjab province. It initially lacked industry, hospitals and universities. Since then, there has been some industrial growth, and the city's population is continually growing. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many monuments wear the effects of the warfare that has visited the city.
Multan is one of the oldest cities in the Asian subcontinent. It was the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom at the time of the Mahabharata war, ruled by the Katoch Dynasty. Multan has had various names over the years, originally Kashtpur (Kashyapapura)after the great Hindu sage Kashyapa, this is also the Gotra used by the Katoch dynasty. Other names were Hanspur (Hamsapura), Bagpur (Vegapura), Sanb or Sanahpur (Sambapura). Its current name is derived from the Sanskrit name Mulasthana (also Mitrasthana) named after a sun temple. Multan has frequently been a site of conflict due to its location on a major invasion route between South Asia and Central Asia. It is believed to have been visited by Alexander the Great. In the mid-5th century, the city was attacked by a group of nomads led by Toraman. In 7th century during Amir Muavia's period, his one commander Mohlab in 664 captured Multan but it was not permanent.In the 8th century, Multan was conquered along with Sindh by Banu Ummaya the army of Muhammad bin Qasim from the local ruler Chach. Following bin Qasim's conquest, the city was securely under Muslim rule, although it was in effect an independent state and most of the subjects were non-Muslim. In 1005 CE (396 AH), the ruler of Multan, Abool Futteh Dawood, rebelled against the rule of Mahmud of Ghazni. When Abool heard of the approach of Mahmud from Ghazni, he solicited the aid of his ally Anandpal, the successor of Jaipal; who—true to his alliance—detached the greater part of his army to oppose Mahmud in Peshawar. Multan's location at the entrance to the sub-continent resulted in it being invaded by a long series of conquerors on their way to Delhi. Timur, Babur and many others passed through the city leaving much destruction in their wake. Following annexation to Mughal empire in 1557 CE, at the beginning of emperor Akbars rule; Multan enjoyed 200 years of peace, and became known as Dar al-Aman (Abode of Peace). Akbar was known as a wise ruler, setting reasonable taxes, creating effective government and being tolerant of religious differences. Multan witnessed difficult times as Mughal rule declined in early 1700s, starting after death of emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. Persia was united under Nader Shah, ruling from 1736 as Shah of Iran. After his assassination in 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani—who was originally born in Multan—rose to power. This counts as beginning of Durrani Empire. However, after death of Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1772, the influence of Durrani empire declined sharply in mere fifty years. Starting at late in 1700s, Multan was ruled locally by the Pashtun Sadozai and Khakwani chieftains. In 1817, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a body of troops to Multan under the command of Diwan Bhiwani Das to receive from Nawab Muzaffar Khan the tribute he owed to the Sikh Darbar. Bhiwani Das laid siege to the city, but failed to capture Multan. Maharaja Ranjit Singh planned a fresh expedition and sent a strong force under his son Kharak Singh's charge. In 1818, Kharak Singh's armies lay around Multan without making much initial headway. Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a large cannon named Zamzama along with Akali Phula Singh's Nihang regiment. The Zamzama was fired with effect and the gates of the city were blown in. Akali Phula Singh made a sudden rush and took the garrison by surprise. The Nawab stood in his way resolved to fight to death. Prince Kharak Singh left Jodh Singh Khalsa with 600 men to guard the fort of Multan. The Sikhs thereafter ruled Punjab until 1849, losing it to the British in the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The Multan Municipal Corporation Clock Tower, built during the rule of the British Empire. However, Sikh rule would not last long, as the British were eventually provoked into checking the Sikh strength in Punjab. After a long and bloody battle, Multan was made part of the British Raj. During this time, Sardar Karan Narain's son became an icon during the British Raj and was awarded titles 'Rai Bahadur' and Knighted 'Sir' by Her Majesty. The British built some rail routes to the city, but its industrial capacity was never developed. Upon Pakistan's independence in 1947, Multan became part of the Punjab province. It initially lacked industry, hospitals and universities. Since then, there has been some industrial growth, and the city's population is continually growing. But the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state, and many monuments wear the effects of the warfare that has visited the city.
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