Hafizabad

Hafizabad حافظ آباد
City
Night view of Fawara Chowk, Hafizabad
Hafizabad Location in Punjab, Pakistan Show map of Punjab, Pakistan Hafizabad Hafizabad (Pakistan) Show map of Pakistan
Coordinates: 32°04′17″N 73°41′16″E / 32.07139°N 73.68778°E / 32.07139; 73.68778
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
Division	Gujrat
District	Hafizabad
Union councils	25
Government
• Type	Municipal Committee
• Administrator	Umer Farooq[1]
Area
• Total	38.5 km2 (14.9 sq mi)
Elevation	208 m (682 ft)
Population  (2023 census)[2]
• Total	318,621
• Rank	31st, Pakistan
• Density	8,300/km2 (21,000/sq mi)
Language
• Official	Urdu, Punjabi
Time zone	UTC+5 (PST)
Postal code	52110
Calling code	0547
Website	Municipal Committee Hafizabad

Hafizabad (Punjabi / Urdu: حافظ آباد; Punjabi pronunciation: [ˈɦäːfᵊ zäbäːd̪]; Urdu pronunciation: [ˈɦɑːfɪzɑbɑːd̪]) is a city and capital of Hafizabad District located in Punjab, Pakistan.^[3] Hafizabad is an old settlement. In 327 BC, during Alexander's invasion of Punjab, the territory of the Sandal Bar was reported to be a well populated area. Large cities were located in this territory, and a lot of sub states were organized under the presidency of maharajas and rajas. It is located to the east of Chenab River.

In 327 BC, the area around Hafizabad was reportedly well-populated during Alexander's invasion of Punjab.^[4] During the Delhi Sultanate period, majority of the local population were converted to Islam. A large city was situated at the site of the present village of Mehdiabad, northwest of present day Hafizabad. Later it became unpopulated due to shortage of water and Afghan incursions. The region remained uninhabited until the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar, when it became the site of a Mahal as documented in Ain-i-Akbari.^[5]

After the Partition of India in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while Muslim refugees from India settled in Hafizabad. Most of the refugees have since settled and inter-married with the local population.^{[citation needed]}

Hafizabad is located 48 kilometres west of Gujranwala, and 60 kilometres southwest of Wazirabad. It hosts the eighth railway station on the Wazirabad-Faisalabad Railway.^[6] Its average elevation is 208 metres above the sea level.^[7]

Hafizabad has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). The monsoon season is from July to September. It sees the most precipitation in July, with an average rainfall of 138.1 millimetres or 5.44 inches; and the least precipitation in November, with an average rainfall of 5.5 millimetres or 0.22 inches.