Wah Cantonment

History

Wah Cantonment is situated along the historic Grand Trunk Road, one of the oldest trade corridor in South-Asia dating back to 2500 years that connected the Central Asia to South Asia. The region surrounding Wah has been a cradle of history for millennia, lying close to the heartland of the Gandhara Civilisation, famed for its Buddhist art, culture, and scholarship between the 1st millennium BCE and the early centuries CE. Archaeological remains, stupas, and relics from Gandhara still exist in the wider Taxila–Wah area. The Mughal invasion of this area had a significant impact on the architecture of the village and surrounding areas which is visible in historic landmarks such as Mughal Gardens Wah colliqually known as Wah Gardens. These Gardens have hosted multiple mughal emperors and other notable mughal figures such as Raja Man Singh, Jahangir (1607), Shah Jahan (1639, 1646, 1647, 1649, 1654) and Aurangzeb (1676). In 1849, as the aftermath of the Sikh Empire's defeat in the Second Anglo-Sikh war, the region was brought under British rule. During this time, Pakistan's Oldest Cement Manufacturing Plant known as the Associate Cement Company (ACC), later renamed as ACC Wah Portland Cement Company Ltd, was also established in Wah in 1921. At the time of Partition, it was one of four cement plants in Pakistan. Sir Sikandar Hayat, former Premier of Punjab, also served on the board of this company. This cement plant was designed by FLSmidth & Co. As a result of the Rawalpindi Massacres of March 1947, multiple Sikhs & Hindus were left homeless and destitute. A refugee camp was set up at Wah Cantonment for these groups. Plausibly at the Wah Cement Company Ltd Plant (erstwhile Associated Cement Company) that was established in 1921. Historical accounts suggest that up to…