Page 8 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

canals being fed by these barrages are the mainstay of agriculture in the
Muzaffargarh as well as in some neighbouring districts.

There is no place of antiquity in the district except for the tomb and mosque
of Tahir Khan Nahar in Seetpur town of Tehsil Alipur, who ruled the area
towards the end of 15 century.
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Though the district was founded around 225 years, it still lacks in almost all
facilities which are available in other cities of the same size or age in Punjab.
Road Infrastructure is in poor condition even in Muzaffargarh city; so much
so that the road that enters the city from Multan side and passes through
the midst of the city, and houses as important establishments as DC Office,
District Courts, main bazaar etc. is in extremely dilapidated condition too.

Except for old bazaars, there are no well-developed and relatively modern
markets and shopping areas. Those who can afford therefore go to Multan
for shopping purposes. Similarly, there are no decent restaurants or eateries
where one could go with one’s family. Multan again comes to rescue for this
purpose too. There are no public parks worth the name. There is a private
park established on the land owned by the erstwhile District Council along
the bank of River Chenab though. In absence of any other quality alternative,
it is visited by people in large numbers on holidays and other festivities.

There is no housing colony worth mentioning in Muzaffargarh either. Most of
the well-off persons hailing from Muzaffargarh have taken up their
residences in Multan, if not in Lahore or elsewhere, and have settled their
families there. In fact, it may be regarded as one of the major reasons that
Muzaffargarh is still an underdeveloped district. Many politicians, which
contest elections from Muzaffargarh, too have settled their families in other
cities, and consider the district merely as their election constituencies. If they
had seen Muzaffargarh as their true home, and that of their children, it would
have been a much better place to live in. For the same reason, there are no
quality schools or other institutes in Muzaffargarh. Once Sardar Kaura Khan
School was a reputed institute; it is now merely a shadow of its former self.
Similarly, Muzaffargarh has produced many leaders and politicians of
national stature, including even the chief ministers, governors, as well as
provincial and federal ministers, but its fate has not changed much.

Another somewhat related reason that may be attributed for the
backwardness and underdevelopment of Muzaffargarh is its proximity to
Multan. As many facilities were available in Multan at half an hour’s drive,
the growth and development of Muzaffargarh remained suppressed.

There is no cuisine or food peculiar to the district either. One might notice a
large number of road side shops on roads leading to Muzaffargarh,
particularly from Multan side, offering doodh badaam (milk and almonds)

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