Bahawalpur is a city located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city is the capital of Bahawalpur District and has a population of 1,620,000. Bahawalpur is located on the east bank of the Sutlej River, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southwest of the national capital of Islamabad and about 320 kilometres (200 mi) southeast of the provincial capital of Lahore. The city is home to the Bahawalpur airbase and Bahawalpur Railway Station.
Bahawalpur was founded in 1763 by the Nawab of Bahawalpur, Bahawal Khan IV. The city was initially named after him as Bahawalpur. The Nawab of Bahawalpur had been the first Muslim ruler in the subcontinent to raise the banner of revolt against the British Raj. The city served as the capital of the princely state of Bahawalpur, which was founded in 1802.
