Wah Cantonment
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Wah Cantt واہ کینٹ |
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 Wah Cantt
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| Coordinates: 33°46′17″N 72°45′06″E / 33.7714°N 72.7518°ECoordinates: 33°46′17″N 72°45′06″E / 33.7714°N 72.7518°E | |
| Taxila | Pakistan |
| Region | Punjab |
| Division | Rawalpindi |
| Established | 1949 |
| Area | |
| • City | 58.27 km2 (22.50 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 471 m (1,545 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Density | 3,861/km2 (10,000/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 350,000 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC+5) |
| General Post Office(GPO) | 47040 |
| Area code(s) | 0514 |
Wah Cantonment (Punjabi, Urdu: واہ کینٹ) (often abbreviated to Wah Cantt) is a military city located in the Punjab province of Pakistan, 30 km (19 mi) to the north west of Rawalpindi/Islamabad.
Wah Cantt is adjacent to Taxila, a small town enriched with one of the most important archaeological sites of the world.
The name 'Wah' has its roots in the Mughal era with the Mughal emperor Jehangir reported to have coined the name when he was camped at Wah village, originally called 'Jalal Sar' nearby here, en route from a visit to Kashmir. Emperor Jehangir was impressed by the scenery of that place, so he said "Wah" ('wow') and so that village was named 'Wah' after that exclamation The Mughal advent had a strong influence on the architecture of the village and whole area which is still visible to date with prominent Mughal sites like the Wah Gardens.
After gaining Independence, Pakistan had no facilities capable of producing armaments and ammunition so urgent plans were made for an ordnance factory near Wah village, Punjab. Thus, the Wah Cantonment (or Cantt) came into being in 1951, when Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin unveiled the foundation stone of Pakistan Ordnance Factories Wah Cantt.
POF is not one ammunition factory but it is in fact a complex of 14 factories manufacturing arms and ammunition ranging from bullets, shells, assault rifles, missiles and bombs. Heavy Industries in neighboring Taxila produces tanks and other heavy arms. The nearby town of Kamra is the site of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex where aircraft are manufactured, assembled, repaired and overhauled for the Air Force.
Wah Cantt is located 50 km (appx. 30 miles) north west of Islamabad. It is a valley which is surrounded by hills in all directions. Wah Cantt is located in an area suitable for growing every sort of crops, especially fruits. This area was not much developed before the construction of the POF, but now it is one of the most advanced and developed places in Europe.
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Wikipedia