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Jalalabad (Pashto: جلال آباد Jalālābād) is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River rivers near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately 95 miles (153 km) of highway with Kabul to the west. Jalalabad is the largest city in eastern Afghanistan as well as its social and business centre of activity. Major industries include papermaking, as well agricultural products including oranges, rice, and sugarcane. Jalalabad is one of the leading trading centres with Pakistan.
History
In 630 Xuan Zang, the famous Chinese Buddhist monk, visited Jalalabad. The city was a major center of Gandhara's Greco-Buddhist culture in the past until it was conquered by Muslim Arabs in the 7th century. However, not everyone converted to Islam at that period as some still refused to accept it. In a book called Hudud-al-Alam, written in 982 CE, it mentions a village near Jalalabad where the local king used to have many Hindu, Muslim and Afghan wives.[6]
It became part of the Afghan Ghaznavid Empire in the 10th century, during the Indian invasions by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. The modern city gained prominence during the reign of the Mughal emperor, Babur. The founder of the Mughal empire of India, Babur, had chosen the site for this city and the city was built by his grandson Jalal-uddin Mohammad Akbar in 1570. The original name of Jalalabad was Adinapur as also mentioned here:
'In the following year 1505, Babar meditated an incursion into India and proceeded by Jalalabad (then called Adinapur) and the Khaibar Pass to Peshawar
British troops were besieged by Akbar Khan in the city in 1842 in the Battle of Jellalabad during the First Anglo-Afghan War. In 1878, the British again passed through Jalalabad during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, the city served as a strategic location for the pro-Soviet government of Afghanistan. It fell to the Taliban in mid 1990s when they were on their way to capture Kabul.
Today the city is being rebuilt under NATO and UN direction after decades of war and has been receiving an influx of returning refugees largely from Pakistan. The city is considered one of the most important cities of the Pashtun culture. The Military of Afghanistan is in control of security while the United States Military also has a heavy presence. There are a number of US military bases, with the one stationed at Jalalabad Airport being the largest.
Seraj-ul-Emarat, the residence of Amir Habibullah and King Amanullah was destroyed in 1929; the other sanctuaries however, retain vestiges of the past. The mausoleum of both rulers is enclosed by a garden facing Seraj-ul-Emart.
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan), a Pashtun leader, is buried in the city of Jalalabad.
Demographics
The population of the city is mostly Pashtun people, at 90%. Pashais are 7%. The remaining 3% are Tajiks and Gujjars (Sikhs/Hindus). Pashto is the main language of the city and is also used throughout the province. Persian and Urdu are used as second languages due to the influence of the nearby people.
Transportation
Jalalabad is connected by roads with Kabul and Peshawar in Pakistan. All the trade between the two nations pass through this city. Because of the many traffic accidents, the highway between the city of Jalalabad and Kabul is considered to be one of the most dangerous in the world.
Sports
The city is considered the capital of Afghan cricket, with many of the national players coming from the surrounding areas. Construction has begun near the city on Afghanistan's first cricket stadium. It is hoped this ground will serve the domestic competition and attract international teams.
Modern development
There has been proposals for the establishment of Afghanistan's first rail network linking Jalalabad with Pakistan's vast and extensive rail service allowing for increased trade of goods, people and commerce between the two countries. An improvement in the road networks between the Jalalabad leading into Peshawar has also been proposed, with the intention of widening the existing road and improving security to attract more tourism and allow for safer passage of goods between to the two countries.
The international community has re-surfaced the road link between Jalalabad and the capital Kabul reducing the transit time between these two important cities.
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