The city of Sialkot is believed to have been founded by one Raja Sul or Sálá, the uncle of Pandhavas, whose heroic deeds are recorded in the epic Mahábhárta.

After his death some 5000 years ago, there is a tradition that the dynasity continued for some 1500 years and then the country was flooded and remained one vast uninhabited region for about 1000 years. The popular belief is that it was re-founded in the reign of Vikramaditya of Ujjain by Raja Sáliváhan or Sálbán, who built the fort and city and gave the place its present name. He was of Sia caste, and it is believed that the word "Sialkot" means 'the fort of Sia'. Legend also says the Salivahan had two sons; one Puran by name , was killed by the instrumentality of a wicked step-mother, and thrown inot a well, still the resort of pilgrims near Sialkot , called "Puran ka Kunwna", the well of Puran. (A Mohalla in the city is also named "Puran Nagar") Other son of Salivahan , Rasalu, became involved in wars with Raja Hudi, popularly stated to have been a Gakkhar chieftain. Being worsted in battle, Rasalu, as the price for piece, was forced to give his daughter in marriage to his conqueror, who gave the territory he had conquered to Rasalu's adopted son. According to another legend narrated to Mr. Prinsep:

"After the death of Raja Rasalu, the country is said to have fallen under the curse of Puran, for 300 years lying totally devastated from famine and incessant plunder."

City and district, Gujranwala division, Punjab Province, Pakistan. The city, the district headquarters, lies just north of the Aik Nala (Aik Stream) and south of the Jammu Hills and is connected by rail with Wazirabad and Jammu and by road with Lahore and Gujranwala. It was once famous as a centre for the manufacture of damascened ware and paper; its modern industries include flour and cotton mills and the production of Surgical Instruments, Leather goods, Embroidery, Ready-made garments, Musical Instruments and sporting goods. Almost every product is exported to the world.

Several townships have grown up around the original city, which was incorporated as a municipality in 1867. There are three libraries and several hospitals, and colleges affiliated with the University of the Punjab. Sialkot was the birthplace of the famous poet-philosopher Dr. Alama Muhammad Iqbal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and Asghar Sodai and houses several shrines, including that of the first Sikh guru, Nanak.

The district (area 2,067 sq mi [5,354 sq km]) stretches from the Ravi valley on the southeast to the Chenab River on the northwest. The northern portion is very fertile; the southern, less fertile, is irrigated by the Upper Chenab Canal. About nine-tenths of the cultivable area is under crops. The chief crops are wheat, barley, rice, corn (maize), millet, and sugarcane. Pop. (1981 prelim.) city, 296,000; district, 2,706,000.

Sialkot is an industrial city of Pakistan, If ever Jammu & Kashmir will be liberated then Sialkot will be the gateway to Kashmir. Sialkot produces a big amount of income for Pakistan because of its exports.