Sialkot

Sialkot (Urdu/Punjabi: سیالکوٹ ) is a city in the northeast of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The city is about 5,000 years old. It was established by Raja Sul and invaded by Alexander the Great in 327 AD. It was re-established by Raja Sálbán in 200 AD. He built the famous Sialkot Fort. The city is famous for its small industries, such as surgical goods, sports goods, leather garments, musical instruments, uniform badges, health gloves, stainless steel utensils, and many other exportable items. It fetches more than a billion US dollars of foreign exchange every year. It is frequently visited by foreign buyers on business assignments. During last few years the city has progressed rapidly. In order to boost the exports and facilitate the movement of goods and passengers, a dry port has been establishment at Sambrial, and an international airport has been built with the financial support of the local businessmen. A Sialkot-Lahore motorway is also planned which, when built, will reduce the driving distance and travel time between the two cities considerably.

Get in

By plane

🌍 Sialkot International Airport is a relatively new airport that serves the city and the surrounding area. It is unique in that it is the only private airport in Pakistan. The Gulf market is huge here, so the majority of flight are operate my Middle Eastern carriers such as Emirates, Air Arabia and Qatar Airways to and from their home countries. There are flights to Bahrain, Dammam, Dubai, Doha and Muscat among other Gulf cities, but not too many to other cities in Pakistan. PIA is the biggest airline here, with flights to Islamabad and Karachi (the only domestic flights) as well as many international flights, including a weekly service to Paris-CDG and Barcelona (more details here).

By train

On one side, Sialkot is connected to Lahore and Rawalpindi through Wazirabad railway junction and on the other side it is also linked to Lahore and ShakarGarh through Narowal Railway Junction.

By road

Sialkot is linked with National Highway (N-5) via Gujranwala as well as via Wazirabad. A duel carriage way is under construction between Sialkot and Wazirabad. It takes about 2 hours to reach Lahore and about 4 hours to reach Rawalpindi. Daewoo bus service is available from Sialkot to Lahore, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan, Peshawar & Jhang.

Get around

There are some air-conditioned buses that roam around the city. These buses pick passengers wherever they see. They are cheap and comfortable. There are also plans for introduction of metro bus service in near future. The most common means of public transport is auto rickshaw. Taxis are also available in plenty. Rental car service is available near the bus station and under Jinnah Park Flyover.

See

• Marala Headworks (Marala Head). A quite popular picnic spot situated on Chenab River. People come to eat fresh fish and boating in the river mostly during the weekends. A good place to enjoy the landscape and natural beauty. 
• Seerat Study Center is locate on Ghazi Road in cantonment area.
• Imam Ali ul Haq shrine is on Imam Sahib Road.
• Iqbal's Birth Place (Iqbal Manzil/ Museum) in situated on Iqbal Road in the old city.
• Sialkot Fort Centuries old fort ruins are in the center of the city on Fort Road.
• Baba Bari Sahib Centuries old Sikh shrine(Bari Sahib) is located on Zafarwal Road.
• Jinnah Stadium (International Cricket Test Centre) is located on Circular Road.
• Sialkot Cathedral - This 160 years old cathedral is located in cantonment area.
• Murray College - A historical college where Iqbal and Faiz studied. It also has Allama Iqbal Library (much bigger than the Allama Iqbal Library at Paris Road).
• Clock Tower Century old Clock Tower is the most famous landmark of Sialkot, situated in Saddar Bazar.
• Puran Bhagat Well - Another historical site situated near cantonment area.
• Local Industry - Visit Sialkot Chamber of Commerce to see local products. You can ask them to arrange visit local manufacturing units (Sports goods, garments, leather, surgical instruments, music instruments).

• Hockey Academy, Gulshan Park Near Pulaik. Field Hockey Academy, recently added by first Astro Truff in the City. 
• Sozo water park (Underconstruction) (Sialkot Cantt. Branch (mid 2010)), Garison park. 

Parks

• Gulsan i Iqbal Park
• Sialkot Park
• Garrison Park
• Sindbad Fun House
• Khayaban e Iqbal

Buy

• Leather garments (original leather coats, jackets & accessories)
• Sports Goods (soccer, volleyballs. rugby balls, basket balls, hockey sticks, tennis rackets, cricket gear, polo sticks, fishing equipments, boxing & other sport equipment).
• Sportswear (track suits, T-shirts, Gloves, sports wear & karate uniforms)
• Musical Instruments (Scotch Pipe, Drums, Guitars)

Eat

• Chicken Cottage, Hotel Taj Palace, Katchery Road Sialkot City. Coffee, cocktails, snacks. 
• Dinners Club, Hotel Taj Palace, Katchery Road Sialkot City. Pakistani, Chinese. 
• Vivo Cafe & Grill, Ghazi Road at V-Mall Sialkot Cantt, ☎ [phone]. 1:00pm-11:30pm. Upscale. Good Salads, steaks, oriental, continental and Italian food. Best food, Great service. The music played there is lovelly and the staff is very polite to customers. little expensive. 
• KFC, Near Bus Stand, Cantt, Sialkot, ☎ 111-532-532 (non-geographic number). Fast Food. 
• Pizza Hut, Ghazi Road at V-Mall Sialkot Cantt. Fast Food 
• Yorkshire, Railway Road Sialkot City. Pakistani, Continental. 
• Silver Spoon, Aziz Shaheed Road Sialkot Cantt. chinese & continental 
• Eat More Restaurant, Aziz Shaheed Road Sialkot Cantt. Pakistani. Good fried fish. 
• Hot & Cold, Sarko Hotel,Aziz Shaheed Road Sialkot Cantt. Pakistani. Continental. 
• Nawabdin Kulfi, Old City. Faloda, Kulfi 
• Yummy 36, Aziz Shaeed Road Sialkot Cantt. Ice Cream 
• delhi shai, Cantonment Plaza at Sialkot Cantt. b.b q shawarma biryani and many other thing. 
• Rendezvous, Ghazi Road Sialkot Cantt. Good 
• McDonalds, Clover Mall At Mehmood Ghaznavi Road Sialkot Cantt. 
• Frangoz, Aziz Shaheed Road Sialkot Cantt. and Circular Road. 
• SUBWAY, Ghazi Road, V-Mall Sialkot Cantt. Sandwiches & Salads, International Brand 
• Grandiose, Aziz Shaheed Road Sialkot Cantt. lower ground HSBC Bank, ☎ [phone]. 12pm to 1am. 
• Cock n Bull, Cantonment Plaza at Sialkot Cantt. 
• Dragon City, Cantonment Plaza at Sialkot Cantt. 

Drink

• Masooms Cafe, Cantonment Plaza Sialkot Cantt. 
• Frangoz Cafe, near McDonalds, Clover Mall, Mehmood Ghaznavi Road, Sialkot Cantt. 

Sleep

• Hotel one, Wazirabad Road.052-3240495, 052-3240494.
• Galaxy Hotel, Wazirabad Road, 052-3555557.
• Hotel Taj Palace, Court Road, 052-4270034.
• Pace Tower , Aziz Shaheed Road, 052-4266144.
• Spring Heights, Aziz Shaheed Road, 052-4261910, 052-4265685.
• Canal View Hotel, Airport Road, 052-5520780.
• Hotel Stay Inn, Aziz Shaheed Road, 052-4272480.

Stay safe

Sialkot is a safe city as compared to the other cities of Pakistan. Crimes such as pocketing and robbery are not very common. Violent crime is very rare. The people of Sialkot are friendly to the visitors.

Connect

• Public call offices (PCO) line all major streets in Sialkot.
• Internet cafes can be found in hotels and main streets.
• WiFi Sialkot International Airport is free WiFi Zone RUN by COMSATS Internet Services, contact 111-700-800 for free access. Subway Restaurant also offers free Wifi Facility to its customers
• General Post Office Paris Road
• FedEx Paris Road
• DHL Paris Road
• TCS Khadim Ali ROAD.
• FCA Paris Road.

Go next

• Daska
• Pasrur
• Sambrial

• Head-Marala - Situated about 20 km from city, it is a head works situated on River Chenab. Two canals originate from there. A good place for angling and to eat fresh fish around and having good views of the Shiwalak Mountains in Indian-held Kashmir.