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TravelTips24 : Asia : South Asia : Pakistan : Punjab : Sialkot

Sialkot

Image:Clock_Tower_Sialkot.jpg Sialkot (Urdu/Punjabi: سیالکوٹ ) is a city in the northeast of the Pakistani province of Punjab.

Sialkot is very ancient city, about 5000 years old. It was established by Raja Sul. It was invaded by by Alexander the Great in 327 AD . Its old name was as Sagala. It was reestablished by Raja Sálbán in 200 AD. He also build a fort. It is basically an industrial city and fetch more then a billion US$ as foreign exchange every year. It is mostly visited by tourists on business assignments. During last few years, Sialkot is on road to progress with establishment of a dry port, an international airport, an international university and a under construction Sialkot Lahore Motorway.

Travel to Sialkot & Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Sialkot

Direct flights are available from Sialkot International Airport [1] to Karachi Faisalabad and Kuwait PIA would start non-stop flight between Sialkot to Manchester and Dubai as well as Haj flights from Sialkot International Airport early in 2008. Emirates is also expected to start its flights early 2008 to Dubai. Airblue will operate domestically from Islamabad, Multan and Karachi early 2008.

By train

Sialkot [2] used to be a junction in British time with trains leaving for Jammu and Gudaspur. Plans are under consideration to open the border for an international train between Sialkot and Jammu. Express trains to and from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Narowal and Karachi are available daily. The Railway station is situated in the center of the city. Other suburb train stations are Ugoki and Sambrial.

By car

Sialkot is attached with National Highway (N-5) through Gujranwala and Wazirabad. A duel carriage way is under construction between Sialkot and Wazirabad. From Lahore it's about 2 hours' drive while from Islamabad it's about 4 hours. Sialkot-Lahore Motorway (M-9) [3] is also under construction.

Buses to Sialkot

All the buses and coach stations are located on Jail Road. Daeewoo Bus service is available from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala and Mulatn. By coach, Sialkot is about 2.5 hrs from Lahore and 4.5 hrs from Islamabad.

Tours & Getting around Sialkot

At present no regular public transport is available in the city. There are plans for introduction of metro bus service in near future. The most common means of public transport is auto rickshaw. A few taxis are also available. Rental car service is available near the bus station and under Jinnah Park Flyover.

Sialkot attractions and sightseeing

  • Seerat Study Center [4] is locate on Ghazi Road in cantonment area.
  • Imam Ali ul Haq shrine [5] is on Imam Sahib Road.
  • Iqbal's Birth Place [6] (Iqbal Manzil/ Museum) in situated on Iqbal Road in the old city.
  • Sialkot Fort [7] Centuries old fort ruines are in the center of the city on Fort Road.
  • Baba Bari Sahib [8] Centuries old Sikh shrine(Bari Sahib) is located on Zafarwal Road.
  • Jinnah Stadium [9] (International Cricket Test Centre) is located on Circular Road.
  • Sialkot Cathedral [10] - This 160 years old cathedral is located in cantonment area.
  • Clock Tower [11] Centuary old Clock Tower is the most famous landmark of Sialkot, situated in Saddar Bazar.
  • Puran Bhagat Well [12] is another historical site situated near cantonment area.
  • Local Industry [13] - 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).

Parks

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

Sialkot souvenirs & shopping

  • 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)

Sialkot Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

  • Cafe 24, RT Hotel, Kashmir Road. ::NOW CLOSED:: Upscale. Good grilled prawns , cocktails and snakes,. edit
  • Forte, RT Hotel, Kashmir Road. ::NOW CLOSED:: Upscale. Pakistanis and Continental. edit
  • Marala BBQ, RT Hotel, Kashmir Road. ::NOW CLOSED:: Upscale. Pool Side BBQ. edit
  • Cinderella Coffee Shop, Hotel Taj Palace, Katchery Road. Coffee, Coktails, Snakes. edit
  • Dinners Club, Hotel Taj Palace, Katchery Road. Pakistani, Chinese. edit
  • Vivo Cafe, Ghazi Road(Near Amry shopping complex, Sialkot Cantt.). Upscale. Good Salads and oriental, continental and Italian food. Good food, but not very nice service. The music played there is in loud sound and the owner is not polite to coustomers.little expensive.  edit
  • KFC, Kashmir Road. Fast Food. edit
  • Pizza Hut, Ghazi Road. Fast Food edit
  • Yorkshire, Railway Road. Pakistani, Continental. edit
  • Silver Spoon, Aziz Shaheed Road. Pakistani. edit
  • Eat More Restaurant, Aziz Shaheed Road. Pakistani. Good fried fisih. edit
  • Hot & Cold, Sarko Hotel,Aziz Shaheed Road. Pakistani. Continental. edit
  • Nawabdin Kulfi, Old City. Faloda, Kulfi edit
  • Yummy 36, Aziz Shaeed Road. Ice Cream edit
  • Dragon City, Cantonment Plaza. Chinese Food, Being run and cooked by a Chinese himself edit

Sialkot nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

Sialkot cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

  • Rauf Tower, Wazirabad Road.052-3240495, 052-3240494.
  • Galaxy Hotel, Wazirabad Road, 052-3555557.
  • Hotel Taj Palace, Court Road, 052-4270034.
  • Hotel Sarko, 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

The people of Sialkot are very friendly to foreigners as many people visit companies for orders of products. Try to be polite and just roam around. Do not give your any luggage or important thing to anyone.

Emergency Numbers

Rescue Police 15, Edhi Rescue Service 115,
Emergency Fire/Ambulance 1122
Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital 9250062,
Sardar Begum Memorial Hospital 9256128, Combined Military Hospital 5716151
Sialkot Medical Complex 4601000, Islam Central Hospital 4604948
Social Security Hospital 3255502 , Idrees Hospital

Contact

  • 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
  • General Post Office Paris Road
  • FedEx Paris Road
  • DHL Paris Road
  • TCS Khadim Ali Road

Get out

  • Head-Marala [14] - 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.

This page was last edited at 08:34, on 6 November 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Yamin, David and Nick Roux, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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