Rawalpindi, Pakistan, a city in Punjab province, about 180 miles (290 km) northwest of Lahore and 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Islamabad, the national capital. Rawalpindi is the commercial center for a productive agricultural region and has chemical, textile, and metalworking industries. An engineering complex at nearby Taxila produces machinery, foundry products, and electrical equipment. Strategically located on the main route to Kashmir, Rawalpindi has been an important military post since 1850. It was the nation's capital from 1959 until 1967. Population: 928,000.