Economy of bahawalpur

Economy

Darbar Mahal, a former palace of the Nawabs of Bahawalpur.

Irrigation from canals such as this, provide the city with fertile soil for various crop production

Bahawalpur is also an important agricultural training and educational center. Soapmaking and cotton ginning are important enterprises; cotton, silk, embroidery, carpets, and extraordinarily delicate pottery are produced. Factories producing cottonseed oil and cottonseed cake were built in the 1970s. It is an important marketing center for the surrounding areas and is located on the crossroads between Peshawar, Lahore, Quetta and Karachi. Bahawalpur is also known for its distinctly embroidered slippers and shoes and the filigree pottery which is made here.

Bahawalpur has only one railway bridge, the Adamwahan (Empress) Bridge, over the Sutlej River, and also has rail links with Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province and Karachi the capital of Sindh (which is 899 km from Bahawalpur), making it an important rail centre. The surrounding area is mostly agricultural, which allows agricultural exports to many parts of the world. There is also a large market town for mangoes, dates, wheat, sugarcane, and cotton that bring in continuous demand all year round. In addition, it has soap making and cotton spinning factories, as well as enterprises producing silk and cotton textiles, carpets, and pottery. Bahwalpur has also sugar mill which provides some of the export market out of the country.

Punjab is Pakistan's most fertile province, rich in both agriculture and ancient history. It's also one of the more stable of the country's regions. The prosperous and hospitable town of Bahawalpur is a gentle introduction to the area, which makes the city an ideal tourist destination. From here you can journey into Cholistan - a sandy wasteland dotted with nomadic communities and wind-swept forts - or the Lal Suhanra National Park, an important wildlife reserve. Further north is Harappa which is, after Moenjodaro, the second most important site of the Indus Valley civilisation. Bahawalpur is the most southerly town in the Punjab. There are daily flights from Islamabad about 555 km (344mi) away. Most of the major destinations in the Punjab can be reached by car, bus, coach, and train.

A recent report on the agro-economy of Bahawalpur and a number of its districts, which includes an agro-economic survey, investment climate review and economic growth diagnostic provides a comprehensive overview of the local agrarian economy, its interface with the national economy and the main drivers and constraints to growth. The report also provides a comprehensive assessment of the major policy and institutional challenges to future economic development. The city also has an attractive economy, lying at the junction of trade routes from the east, south-east, and south. It is a center for trade in wheat, cotton, millet, and rice grown in the surrounding region. Dates and mangoes are also grown here. Canals supply water for irrigation. The principal industries are cotton ginning, rice and flour milling, and the handweaving of textiles.