Maintenance of fort in Pakistan's industrial city Sialkot urged
Pakistan Times National News Desk

SIALKOT: The ancient historical Sialkot fort still remains the victim of negligence of Sialkot TMA and Archeology Department and surrounded by the encroachments.

Sialkot district government and TMA have never bothered the need of maintenance of this fort, besides, remaining failure in making some direly needed effective measures to preserve and protect this rich heritage for future generation.

According to the survey conducted by the local newsmen, there are encroachments around this Fort. While, the addicts were also found busy in addiction in the dilapidating parts of the fort.

Sialkot is one of the most ancient cities of Pakistan, enriched with grand historical assets and a custodian of golden traditions, culture art and craft skills.

Sialkot city has witnessed many bright and dark aspects throughout the ages/regimes and if we thoroughly examine the past history of Sialkot, we will have to recognize its historical importance. Some ancient history books revealed that the then Raja Sallbahan’s Sialkot State had been very strong and invincible because of that regime.

According to Mr. Diayas Jee (the prominent historian and author of Hinduism’s international famed history book ( Maha Bhaarat), the Hindu Raja Sull had established this Sialkot city about 5000 years ago for ruling the area (his kingdom) between River Ravi ad River Chenab. Raja Sull had built this Sialkot Fort (having then double Faseel) for the Defence of Sialkot city and Sialkot Fort.

Local historian Rashid Niaz (late) revealed in his book Tareekh-e-Sialkot that the second Faseel of this ancient Sialkot Fort was found/discovered by the then Sialkot Municipal corporation in 1923, during the digging of Sialkot city’s various part for the corporation’s various installations.

The archeology experts from Taxila and Delhi (India) visited Sialkot and had confirmed that this recovered stone-made second Faseel was 5000 years old.

Later, this Faseel was re-buried in soil, due to some unknown reasons.

Another prominent Hindu historian Boodha Pram revealed that later 56 years B.C., Raja Sull became the ruler of Sialkot. He ordered to fill all the surrounding lakes for extending this Sialkot Fort.

Raja Sull deputed more than 10000 labourers and masons for the repairing and widening of this fort with huge-sized stone slabs and rocks brought here from the then Pathaan Kot. This work completed in a stipulated period of two years, having two huge Faseels and 12 Burj in this ancient Sialkot fort.●