Interesting General Knowledge Facts About Punjab, Its History & Leaders
Many people propagate that Punjab has no history. Punjabi people never resisted against the foreign occupation. Punjab has never produced any leader. Punjab is exploiting the other provinces. All these are mere wrong myths. Today we are going to show you the real brave and beautiful face of Punjab. Punjab still feeds the whole India, Pakistan and even Afghanistan and Bangladesh. No ethnic clash is found in this region. Baloch, Muhajir, Sindhi and Pathan can live here without any discrimination. Bhutto family ruled on this country due to the votes of Punjabi people. Punjabi gave the unbelievable resistance to British Raj. Punjabis are first Muslims then Pakistani and then Punjabi. They are still fighting in freedom movements of various Muslim regions of the world. There is even no resistance against Afghan refugees. Guru Nanak the founder of Sikh religion was also a Punjabi. Now Pakistani government has build the largest Gurdwara of the world in Narowal namely Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. Below we have given 35 interesting, unique and general knowledge based facts about history of Punjab;
1-Raja Porus
Raja Poros was the son of this soil who gave very tough time to Alexander the great. Greek army got fierce resistance in Punjab and refused to proceed forward in the central India.
2-Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal
Rai Ahmad Khan Kharal was hero of 1857 war of independence from Punjab. He was the bravest freedom fighter of the region who defeated the British army many times.
3-Ranjeet Singh
Although Ranjeet Singh was a Sikh by religion, but he was a Punjabi too, who defeated the Afghans and East India company on various occasions.
4-Royal British Indian Army
Punjab was the breeding area for Royal British Indian Army. This army was the winner of WW1 and WW2. Even now Punjabis are the major part of Indian army and Pak army.
5-Nishan-e-Haider
Majority of Nishan-e-Haider winners in Pakistan also belong to Punjab province. Even holders of 4 Nishan-e-Haider belong to just one district of Punjab i.e Gujrat.
6-Dulla Bhatti
Dulla Bhatti was a folk hero of Punjab who fought against the Mughal imperialism in his motherland. He was hanged in 1599 for being the rebel of mighty Mughal empire. He is the symbol of local resistance against the foreign rule. Real name of Dulla Bhatti was Abdullah Bhatti and he revolted against Akbar the great.
7-Tipu Sultan was a Punjabi
Many historian claims that ancestors of Tipu Sultan and Haider Ali were from Punjab.
8-Brave Gakhar and Khokhar Tribes of Punjab
Gakhar and Khokhar tribes of Potohar region were famous for their bravery. These tribes used to resist the foreign invaders.
9-Fierce Resistance in Caliphate Movement 1919
Punjabi people were on the forefront of Caliphate movement 1919. I hope that everyone of you know about the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in Amritsar. After this April 1919 Massacre riots spread in the whole province. British government had to use air force for crushing the freedom fighters of Gujranwala region. First Martial law was imposed in India on 13th April 1919 to control the situation.
10-Martial Race
British ruler believed that Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Gorkha were the martial races that’s why military force was recruited in these days from these three martial races.
11-Poets of Resistance Iqbal, Faiz, Hafeez Jalendhri and Habib Jalib
Indian sub continent has produced 4 great poets of resistance i.e Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Hafeez Jalindhri and Habib Jalib. All these poets were from the province of Punjab.
12-Ch Rehmat Ali
Ch Rehmat Ali who proposed the name of Pakistan was also a Punjabi. He proposed the word Pakistan in this pamphlet which ” Now or Never” which was published in 1933.
13-Brave Sikhs Freedom Fighters Bhagat Singh & Udhum Singh
Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter who believed in military struggle against British Raj. He was hanged for throwing bomb on Punjab assembly and killing police inspector. Udhum Singh was hanged for killing Michael O’Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of the Punjab who was responsible for Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919.
14-Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai was considered the first political leader of Punjab. He died due to heavy lathi charge of police on his head at the occasion of protest against Simon commission in 1926 outside the Lahore railway station. Later then Bhagat Singh tried to kill James A. Scott SP police who was responsible of lathi charge on Lala Lajpat Rai. Lala Lajpat Rai was the first Hindu who proposed the division of India between Muslims and Hindus.
15-1965 India Pakistan War
Government of Pakistan awarded the Hilal-i-istaqlal to the citizens of Lahore, Sialkot and Sargodha for showing extraordinary bravery during the 1965 war between Pakistan and India.
16-Ghazi Ilm-ud-Din Shaheed
Ghazi Ilm-ud-din assassinated the Rajpal ON 6th April 1929, who was a publisher of a book against Holy Propher (SAWW). Ghazi sb is the hero of not only all Punjabis but also all Muslims.
17-Why Punjabi Could Not Resist Foreign Invaders?
Punjab is a plain. Its not an ideal place for gorilla warfare. Here weather also remain extreme throughout the year. In summer temperature touches the 50 and in winter it goes beyond 0. Invaders never stayed in Punjab. They received last resistance in the panipat ground which was the part of Punjab. If they won Punjab then nobody could stop them till Delhi and Bengal. Do you know that Bakhtiyar Khalji occupied the Bengal with just 11 soldiers. Punjab was the first and last ground of resistance against foreign invaders. If anybody defeated them then rest of India was no problem for him.
18-Why Punjabi Join Army?
Punjabis are not of brutal nature at all. No cultivation is possible in the Pothohar region of Punjab, so people of this area have no option to survive except joining the army. Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and Jhelum areas are still the nurseries of Pak army, navy and PAF.
19-First Ever Kashmir Movement Was Launched in Punjab
Punjab was the first ever region of the world outside Kashmir where Kashmir movement was launched through All India Kashmir committee headed by Allama Iqbal in 1931. Muslims of Punjab tried to enter in the Kashmir for protecting the innocent Kashmirs from their cruel Dogra rulers. Large number of Punjabi Muslims were arrested at the border of Kashmir.
20-Punjabi Soldiers in The Army of Mahmud Ghaznavi & Sasanian Empire
Mahmud of Ghazni attacked 17 times on India. He was always resisted in Punjab. He was so much impressed by the bravery of Punjabi soldiers that he recruited Punjabi soldiers in his army. He also annexed the Punjab just for avoiding future resistance from this region. Punjabi jutt soldiers were also the part of ancient Persian army, who fought against Muslims in battle of al-Qadisiyyah. Once Punjabi people accepted Islam then they never reverted back to their old religion.
21-Host of Refugees
Punjabi Muslim welcomed the millions of refugees from India in 1947. These refugees have been absorbed in the society. Millions of of Kashmiri and Afghan refugees have also become the part of Punjabi society.
22-Hindu Holly Books Vedas Were Written in Punjab
The Vedas (4 Holy Books of Hindus) were composed in the Punjab about 2500 year before. Sacred Hindu Mandar Katas Raj is also situated in Punjab (Chakwal). Aryans also entered in India during Vedic period. Sanskrit language also developed in this area.
23-Why Punjabi Muslim Supported East India Company in War of Independence 1857?
Sikh rule in Punjab was very brutal towards Muslims in Punjab. They were not allowed to worship freely, even largest mosque of world (Badshahi Mosque Lahore) was turned into a stable. British rule in Punjab brought religious freedom and space to breath for Punjabi Muslims so they joined the British Indian army for blocking any chance of Sikh sultanate revival in Punjab. At that time there was no any sense of nation state in India, so no body can blame Punjabis. This war of independence was also without any planning.
24-Hijrat Movement (1920)
More than 20000 Muslims of Punjab took part in Hijrat movement of 1920 for pressurizing the British government for the cause of Turks. Turks still remember these sacrifices for them in the name of Islam.
25-Sir Syed Ahmad Khan & Punjab
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan used to love Punjabi people. He got huge fund for his Ali Garh movement from Punjabi Muslims that’s why he gave the title of Zinda Dilan e Punjab to the people of this province.
26-University of Ancient Taxila
First university of the world University of ancient Taxila was founded in Punjab about 1000 BC. Taxila was also a center of famous Gandhara civilization.
27-KPK, Kashmir & Dehli Were Part of Punjab
Its too a fact that KPK, Kashmir and even Delhi were the part of Punjab in past. KPK became separate province in 1901. Kashmir was sold to Dogra in 1846.
28-Center of Indus Valley Civilization
Punjab was the center of Indus Valley Civilization. Harappa near Sahiwal is its example. This civilization was much advanced than the other civilizations of 5000 years before.
29-Pakistan Resolution 1940
Pakistan resolution was also passed by All India Muslim League on 23 March, 1940 at Minto park Lahore.
30-Pioneers of Urdu Journalism in India
Munshi Mahboob Alam and Molana Zafar Ali Khan were pioneers of Urdu journalism in Indian subcontinent. Munshi Mahboob Alam was founder of Paisa Akhbar while Molana Zafar Ali Khan launched daily Zamindar. Both of them were born in Wazirabad (Gujranwala).
31-Nawaz Sharif & Imran Khan
Nawaz Sharif & Imran Khan both are considered Punjabis.
32-Zia ul Haq Defeated USSR
President Zia ul Haq planned the defeat of USSR in Afghanistan. He was from Jalindhar.
33-First Martial Law in Pakistan
First martial law in Pakistan was also imposed in Lahore (Capital of Punjab) to crush the anti Ahmadiyya movement 1953. About 2000 Muslim scarified their live in this movement.
34-Successful Movement of All India Muslim League For Govt Change in Punjab (1946)
All India Muslim League successfully compelled the Ministry of Sir Khizr Hayat Khan Tiwana to resign through a public movement in 1946-47. This was the first successful agitation movement by All India Muslim League.
35-Fatima Sughra Begum
Fatima Sughra Begum was a young worker of All India Muslim League who replaced the Union Jack with flag of All India Muslim League from the civil secretariat Lahore.
Bonus Facts-Shaheed Ganj Mosque Dispute
In 1935 Shaheedganj Mosque became a burning issue between the Muslims and the Sikhs. Muslims thought that it was a mosque ,while Sikhs claimed it to be a Gurdowara. Shaheed Ganj Mosque movement failed and court gave decision in the favor of Sikhs. After partition Muslims could change its status but no action was taken to change its status.
Last but not least Punjabi Muslim took active part in silk letter movement, lawyers movement 2007, MRD movement 1983, Khaksar movement 1940 and all other resistance movements of this region. Remember that we have not quoted the pre Islam examples. A related column of Javeed Chaudhry has also been given below. Keep visiting studysolutions.pk and its faceboook page for reading more general knowledge and history based facts.
Myths About History of Punjab-Top 35 Historic Facts About Brave Punjabi People
I am a professional content writer and have experience of 10 years. I also launched first ever English monthly magazine of human rights in Pakistan. Majority of content on this website is written by me.