ome local historians and archaeologists have stacked up copious evidence to prove that Multan is the oldest living city in the world. European historians, however, disagree with this claim. One thing is certain though: the Multan of yesteryears was many times larger than what remains of the city.

Tourists are mostly absorbed by the castles, big gates and mausoleums in downtown Multan but forget that the city’s history is scattered on its mighty walls too.

Khanewal is the first stop from Multan to Lahore on the National Highway. One can reach the city via the Shamkot exit on the Motorway. Up until a few years ago, lush green mango gardens could be seen along this road. However, these gardens have now been replaced by DHA Multan, which is located just a few kilometres from Khanewal.

To enter the city, one has to pass through Daha Chowk. Daha is supposedly the largest clan in the area. As many people in this family go by the title ‘Khan’, the city was named after them as Khan-e-Wal. The chowk is also a big junction on the National Highway where people can catch buses for all major cities including Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.

From Daha Chowk, a road leads to Kabirwala, an affluent tehsil of Khanewal district. This road is called the Khanewal-Kabirwala Road and represents the industrial centre of the city. The famous Nestle Factory is also located here, right at the beginning of the Adiwala exit on the Motorway. Named after a renowned saint, Kabirwala was joined with Khanewal in 1985 to give it the status of a district.

The first noticeable thing upon entering Khanewal is a network of wide and smooth roads – a legacy of the British. The British paid special attention to this city because of its location, placing Khanewal at the junction of Lahore, Multan and Karachi. They built a big railway station here which is currently the second largest in Pakistan.

Close to the railway station is the city’s Central Park which is quite well-maintained. Such parks are rare in towns in the south Punjab. Misconceptions like “people in small cities can walk in open fields in the suburbs so that they stay healthy” are pushed around to justify the lack of attention by the government towards providing parks. Open fields are clearly no substitute for parks.

The area is known for livestock rearing. Many of the country’s prominent dairy businesses have set up their plants here. The city administration diligently arranges a cattle show every year.

The first noticeable thing upon entering Khanewal is a network of wide and smooth roads – a legacy of the British.

The bazaars of Khanewal are filled with all kinds of goods ranging from imported mobile phones to pottery. The main mobile phone market is located adjacent to the shrine of Karimullah Shah Ghazi. Outside the shrine, there is a huge bazaar where different types of turbans and flowers are sold. As you make your way through the market, you come across shops selling stitched as well as unstitched clothes.

On the Sheikh Saudagar Ali Chowk at the main road, you’ll see a bus stand and a huge market selling handmade shoes and khussas. This is where you get sturdy handmade khussas in many designs. Many shopkeepers speak Rangri in this area. As you leave Khanewal and move towards Lahore on the National Highway, Sahiwal is the next big stop you come across.

On the north, you enter Kabirwala and from Kabirwala you can go towards Toba Tek Singh or Tulamba. Once you turn to Tulamba from Kabirwala, the first stop is Makhdoompur. There is also an interchange for this historic city on the Motorway. Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, once used to preach in a temple here. Other gurus of the faith also visited the place to teach. The temple now functions as a boys’ school but Sikhs from all over the world still visit the place.

Once you cross Makhdoompur, you enter the Qasim Bazaar in Tulamba. It is named after Muhammad Bin Qasim. Sher Shah Suri too has left his mark on the city. He built a fort that now houses a girls’ school.

Hassan Sharif Manj, a local resident with an interest in history, tells The News on Sunday (TNS) that not enough attention has been given to the region to protect local heritage. He says that popular sites are gradually deteriorating and have been occupied by land grabbers but the Evacuee Trust Property Board pays no heed to the problem. He is also disappointed to see influential people from the nearby Mian Channu trying to occupy some of the local Hindu temples. The road from Kabirwala to Tulamba is covered by lush green fields.

Vehari is situated towards the south. This is the area where a lot of lands were allocated to settlers from northern Punjab. Almost none of the famous ministers from Vehari originally belonged to the region. The people who have been living here for the longest time have mostly been rendered voiceless. The area has allegedly seen the highest number of exchange marriages in the country. Dr Muhammad Zaman, founding chairman of the department of sociology at Quaid-i-Azam University, has written a book on the subject, Exchange Marriages in South Punjab, Pakistan: A Sociological Analysis of Kinship Structure, Agency and Symbolic Culture.

Cotton and sugarcane are the cash crops in the area but due to climate change, people are now gradually turning towards pulses and sunflower. Livestock farmers are not happy. They complain that middlemen buy their products too cheap for them to make enough. Though the city produces high quality milk, it cannot be found anywhere in the city markets. Khanewal-Kabirwala Road, which is home to some of the biggest factories in the country, is a shambles but no one is ready to commit to its repair and embrace their corporate social responsibility.

The writer teaches   development support   communication at the    International Islamic   University, Islamabad.   He tweets   @HassanShehzadZ and can be reached at   Hasan.shehzad@iiui.edu.pk