Lahore, Pakistan

Population: 13.13 million (2023 estimate)

Area: 684 square miles (1,772 square kilometers)

Founded: Before 982 CE

Lahore, Pakistan, is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and one of the country’s largest and most productive cities. With the city’s roots reaching into ancient times, the well-documented early modern history of Lahore began in the Muslim era, when it was the gem of several empires. In later centuries, Lahore saw colonization by the British Empire followed by a challenging shift to independence in 1947. Lahore in the twenty-first century is a bustling center of activity. Many visitors marvel at its vibrant culture, which stretches over thousands of years and incorporates many elements from around the world.

Landscape

Lahore is a major city in eastern Pakistan, near the border with India. It is one of the largest and busiest cities in Pakistan and serves as the capital of the province of Punjab. It lies approximately 160 miles (257 kilometers) southeast of the national capital, Islamabad. Lahore lies along the Rāvi River, a tributary of the Indus River, near which some of the most important ancient civilizations developed. This advantageous position contributed to the early settlement of the Lahore region and helped establish the city as one of the region’s most prosperous in both ancient and modern times.

The long history of Lahore is evident throughout much of the city. Some older parts of the city date back hundreds of years and are surrounded by more recent business zones and residential districts. A former moat and protective wall around the old city have mostly been removed; thirteen gates now provide easy mobility between the old and new sections. Parks and suburbs expand out from the modern urban industrial and residential areas. Altogether, the city encompasses about 684 square miles (1,772 square kilometers).

The climate in Lahore and surrounding areas tends to be warm, with May, June, and July being the hottest months. Late summer sees an annual monsoon season, and heavy rainfalls during this time may lead to flooding. One of the main environmental concerns in Lahore is air pollution that can worsen climatic conditions.

People

In 2023 Lahore had a population of 13,128,372, an increase of over two million people since 2017. While millions of people lived in the city proper, the rest of the population was spread out across nearby residential zones and suburbs. These figures represent a significant rise from past years, making Lahore one of the most populated and fastest-growing cities in Pakistan. Some of the main problems Lahore faces in modern times stem from this overpopulation.

A significant majority of the population is made of native Punjabi-speaking people, although Urdu and Pashto speakers make up notable minorities. A small amount of Seraiki people, along with uncertain numbers of immigrants and refugees from Iran and Afghanistan, also live in the region. Punjabi, Urdu, and English are the most commonly spoken languages and are sometimes blended.

Although Islam is the main religion of Pakistan, and about 94 percent of Lahore residents practice that faith, many small minority religions also exist in the area. These include Christianity, Baháʼí, Hindu, Parsi, Sikh, and Ahmadi practitioners. As a result, Lahore features a variety of mosques, temples, churches, shrines, tombs, and many other sacred sites.

The ethnic and religious mix of Lahore is evident in its culture. Performances, artwork, fashion, and foods of many lands may be found in Lahore’s streets and bazaars. The city is known for its curry-flavored delicacies, precious metal jewelry, and vibrant pashminas.

Economy

Lahore is not only one of the largest cities in Pakistan; it is also one of the main centers of economics and industry in that country. Traditionally, the most well-known product from the Lahore region is textiles, mainly hand-woven carpeting in a variety of styles and designs. Lahore textiles borrow elements from different cultures and employ many geometric shapes. In addition, Lahore businesses produce and process significant quantities of rubber, iron, and iron alloys.

Industry in Lahore helped support its thriving commercial and banking sectors. In particular, the city has its own stock exchange—the second most used in the country—and a variety of corporate headquarters for rail, automobile, fashion, telecom, and other businesses. These outlets benefit from modern telecommunications systems, and their employees and their families have many healthcare and educational options in the area. Despite the city's thriving economy, poverty and wealth inequality remained serious issues well into the twenty-first century. Lahore's rapid population growth, combined with a lack of government action and limited economic opportunities for many low-income people, also contributed to the development of large, dense slums, which by the early 2020s had a population of at least 1.7 million people who largely lived with limited access to clean water, reliable sewage systems, and other modern amenities.

Significant transportation infrastructure—including highways that connect Lahore with Islamabad and other major cities, a variety of railroad services, and two airports—also contributes to business success in the area. For many years, the people of Lahore struggled with congested roads and a high rate of automobile accidents in the city. In the twenty-first century, authorities focused on adding new safety measures and transportation options, from underpasses to high-speed rail systems.

Landmarks

One of the oldest and most striking landmarks in the city is Lahore Fort, originally built before the eleventh century but rebuilt by Mughal rulers sometime in the sixteenth to the eighteen centuries. The fort includes a palace and an array of halls, gardens, and mosques. In particular, the gleaming white marble and inlaid stone walls of the Sheesh Mahal, or Palace of Mirrors, attract many visitors.

Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan constructed the Shalamar Gardens in 1641, creating an 80-acre, three-terraced masterpiece of relaxing greenery, 450 fountains, and numerous buildings. The historic importance of this structure is reflected in its selection as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, though many modern visitors simply enjoy it for its peaceful and beautiful respite from the busy city environment.

Another gem of Lahore’s long history is Badshahi Mosque, built from red sandstone by Mughal rulers in 1674. Capable of holding thousands of faithful, the mosque also contains important Islamic holy relics. Lahore Museum is another destination for locals and travelers alike. It offers approximately twenty galleries of art, holy objects, manuscripts, and other important artifacts tracing the history of Lahore and Pakistan back to ancient times.

Many visitors to Lahore enjoy exploring the streets and shops of the city and taking in its foods, art, music, fashions, and shopping opportunities. One of the largest and best-known shopping areas is Anarkali Bazaar, which offers traditional art and souvenirs such as woven textiles and silk and leather clothing. Popular social hubs and nightspots include Liberty Market and Fortress Stadium.

History

People have probably lived in the Lahore area for more than five thousand years. Early residents left relatively few traces of their existence until around 3000 BC, when the Indus Valley Civilization developed in the region. Legends passed down by Hindu storytellers claim that Lahore was founded in a mystical past by Lava (or Lōh), son of the god Rama.

According to Greek geographer Ptolemy, a city called Labokla existed in the area of present-day Lahore in the second century CE, and that was likely the forerunner to today’s city. However, the main written history of Lahore did not begin until centuries later, during the Muslim era. About 982, a visitor noted that Lahore was a small city with noteworthy markets, temples, and orchards. The next surviving references to Lahore relate to its being brutally conquered by the Muslim sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.

Mahmud and his successor, Malik Ayaz, decided to rebuild the ruined city, complete with a fortress and strong city walls, and make it the capital of their dynasty, a distinction it held until the collapse of the empire about 1187. At that time, the city fell into the hands of the Delhi Sultanate, a series of Muslim rulers. During this period, Lahore flourished as a hub of education, art, and learning, but more violence and upheaval soon followed.

The arrival of Mongols in the thirteenth century brought a new era of war and strife to Lahore. Mongols raided and devastated the city in 1241, and further attacks continued until Timur, a Turkic leader, gained control in 1398. Another invasion in 1524, this time by Mughal Babur, absorbed Lahore into the Mughal Empire. Mughal kings favored the city and often resided there and even treated it as the imperial capital, helping it gain significant prestige.

Lahore thrived under Mughal rule, during which time it gained many of its most symbolic structures, including the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, Badshahi Mosque, and Alamgiri Gate. However, the Mughal Empire began to dissolve in the early 1700s, and by mid-century, warring factions of Mughals, Sikhs, Iranians, and others fought for the city. Lahore remained in a state of conflict until the end of the eighteenth century. At that time, it came under the control of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who created a strong Sikh confederation.

The rise of Singh coincided with another major political shift that would have major consequences for Lahore. European powers, particularly the British Empire, began taking an increasingly active interest in India, which at the time included Lahore. British forces attempted to gain control over India, and Singh worked for decades to resist their incursions. When Singh died in 1839, the British lost their main opposition. Ten years later, Britain took control of Lahore.

Lahore remained a notable city under British rule, but its culture changed from the outside influences. British leaders brought new political ideas and even new artistic and architectural trends. Historians note that buildings in Lahore dating from the British occupation use a unique mix of design styles, including local Mughal and European Victorian and Gothic elements. Despite the strong British grasp on the area, many Indians, including residents of Lahore, longed for an independent country.

In the 1920s, Lahore became a hub of the Indian independence movement. The Indian National Congress, a political party led by Mahatma Gandhi, met in Lahore in 1929 to discuss plans to push for an end to British colonization in India. Based on the work of this meeting, Indian officials passed the Declaration of Independence of India in December 1929. Although the declaration did not bring immediate results to the Indian people, it did create a major ripple in international politics and clearly informed the world that India sought freedom.

British dominion over India lasted almost two more decades until the pressure of the independence movement, combined with the cost and losses of World War II (1939–1945), led to significant gains for Indians. In 1947 India gained its independence. During that milestone event, another major change, known as the Partition of India, occurred: a large section of western India split away to form a new, predominately Muslim country of Pakistan. At this time, Lahore became the capital of Pakistan’s province of Punjab.

This monumental split promised great benefits, but it also led to years of religious tension and even open warfare over disputed borders and divisive cultural conflicts. During these conflicts, Lahore saw extensive damage to its city and monuments, but the tensions had lessened by the twenty-first century.

Lahore still faced several major social challenges during the first decades of the twenty-first century, including terrorism by groups such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), economic struggles, and pollution. However, many in Lahore remained hopeful that the city could overcome these challenges to move forward as a free city eager to celebrate its culture and reestablish its prestige.

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