Facts About the BRB Canal: Lahore’s First Line of Defence

BRB canal is a long canal running through Lahore, Pakistan. The canal runs along the eastern boundary of Lahore near the border with India. Historically, the canal has significant importance, especially during the Indo-Pak war of 1965.

Facts About the BRB Canal:

• BRB is short for Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian.
• The canal is about 72km long in length with a depth that varies between 14-18 feet.
• The water in BRB flows with relatively much greater speed than the rest of the canals in the city. Because of this, it’s banned to swim at some places in the canal. There have been incidents of people drowning in the canal because of the fast flowing water.
• It was built in 1948 voluntarily by the citizens of Lahore on the request of the Chief Minister of Punjab, Nawab Iftikhar Hussain Khan.
• The canal was built as a natural line of defence in case of an attack from india.
• It is located only 2km away from Pakistan’s border with India.
• Several bridges were also built over the BRB to allow movement across it.
• The canal is also known as the Ichogil Canal.
• During the Indo-Pak war of 1965, Pakistan Army destroyed almost all bridges across the canal. The Army stood guard on the remaining bridges to defend against attacks from the Indian Army.
• Major Aziz Bhatti, A Pakistani war hero, died fighting near the canal. He was awarded Nishan-e-Haider, the highest military honor of Pakistan.
• The BRB was part of a major battlefield during the war in which Pakistani forces were successfully able to defend Lahore from an Indian invasion.
• Several stories of the war have been associated with the BRB.

Although, the canal has not much strategic importance in present times, it’s still remembered for the significant role it played during the Indo-Pak war of 1965.