Fort Abbas

Fort Abbas
Fort Abbas ; ; فورٹ عبّاس; Phoulra Fort
	city
	Fort Abbas Location of Fort Abbas Fort Abbas Fort Abbas (Pakistan)
	Coordinates: 29°11′37″N 72°51′16″E
Country	Pakistan
Region	Punjab
District	Bahawalnagar
Tehsil	Fort Abbas
Renamed	1927
Elevation	143 m (469 ft)
Time zone	UTC+5 (PST)
Website	pakfort786

Fort Abbas (Urdu: فورٹ عبّاس‎), (Punjabi: فورٹ عباس), formerly Pholra, is a town in Bahawalnagar District in the Cholistan Desert of Punjab, Pakistan. It is situated south of Haroonabad, near Faqirwali, on the border of Pakistan and India.There is also a river flowing towards the eastern side of Fort Abbas which is known as GHAGRA river. The president of Pakistan Ayub Khan also visited this city. He came to meet Hajji Ghulam Qadir cheema. President stayed with him in 270HR now known as Qadir Town. The governor of Jeddah (kingdom of Saudi Arabia) also visited this tehsil to meet Hajji Ghulam Qadir.

History

Fort Abbas is a historical city and had strategic importance during the Nawab of Bahawalpur's rule. It was known as Pholra until it was renamed in 1927 by Sadeq Mohammad Khan V, who named it after his eldest son; Muhammad Abbas, and then in 1927 this city got the status of tehsil. It was one of the mini states of Bahawalpur which was ruled by its separate rulers called cheema sardars.

Geography

Fort Abbas is a Tehsil of Bahawalnagar District, in southern Punjab, Pakistan. It is famous for its desert Cholistan. The Fort Of Diravar is also situated in Fort Abbas, and is where the Cholistan Desert Rally is conducted every year. The city is surrounded by forests, deserts and agricultural land. The land of Fort Abbas is highly fertile, but there is a shortage of water, causing much of the fertile land to be left uncultivated. Hakra Canal is the main water source to the area. The major crops are wheat, cotton and sugar cane. The Indian border is located 5 to 6 kilometers of the eastern side of the city. The India also releases the flood water in the areas of this city in river Ghagra.

Demographics

As the Rajasthan is on the eastern border the main language spoken here was Hithari which was similar to the language spoken in Rajasthan with the time after independence. The language transformed into Riasti and saraiki.

The main language of this City is Punjabi, however Urdu and Saraiki are also spoken. The main castes in the area are Rajputs, Jats and Arains.

Transportation

The city is connected by the roads to other parts of the country. The main roads are from Fort Abbas to Haroon Abad which also leads towards Bahawalnagar, Sahiwal and Lahore. The 2nd road is from Fort Abbas to Chishtian, while a third road leads to Bahawal Pur via Yazman.

The Main Transport companies:

Raja Travels
Matyana Movers Daewoo Bus Service
New Chaudry
Naeem Coach
Ideal Coach
Rao Ahtasham Coach
Kohistan Travels
Karwan Travels
Sky Ways Travels

The railway track has not been used since 2002. The track was used by Pakistan Railway but nowadays the situation is so poor that even Pakistan Railway cannot manage to run any kind of train service.

Banks

National Bank of Pakistan
Bank of Punjab
Bank AL Habib Ltd.
Zarai Tarqiati Bank
United Bank Limited (UBL)
Finca micro finance bank
KHushali bank
Apna bank
Mobilink Micro Finance Bank
NRSP bank
Meezan bank
Habib bank limited (HBL)
Bank Al Falah
Allied bank limited (ABL)
Muslim commercial bank (MCB)
Punhab Corporative Bank
U-bank

Educational institutes

The literacy rate of Fort Abbas is 29%.

Afaq Public Science School

(APS School)

Govt. Primary School Chak 294/H-R
Govt. Degree College Fort Abbas
Govt. High School 227/9-R
Govt. Degree College
Govt. Commercial College of Commerce
Govt. Model High School
Govt. Model High School
Govt. High School Phoolra
Govt. High School for Boys 178 7/R
Govt.High School for Boys 279 H/R
Govt.Primary School for Boys 278 H/R
GES 214/9R & GPS 218/9R
Govt.Girls Primary School 278 H/R (w)

Major private educational institute

Saad Public Girls High School
Rangers Public School
Al umer public high school
Sir Syed Science Public School
Golden Gate High School
Allied School Ali Campus
Islamia College for
Punjab College
The Grace of Study & Talent Academy (GST Academy Be Grace of Education)
Al-Mustafa Science Academy for Boys
Professors' Academy (By prof. Majid Ali Majid)
Hareem Science Academy (By Prof. Ch Asghar Ali)
Stars Academy (By Stars Group of Colleges)
Leads Group of colleges, Fort Abbas Campus
The Educators School (AL Mashood) Campus
Seek academy, Fort Abbas campus, Lahore
Kiran Public School
Seeks Academy Fort Abbas
Vision Academy of Science