Hyderabad ( Sindhi and ur, ; ) is a city and the capital of
Hyderabad Division
Hyderabad Division ( sd, حيدرآباد ڊويزن) is an administrative division of the Sindh Province of Pakistan. It was abolished in 2000 but restored again on 11 July 2011.
Hyderabad is the divisional headquarters of Hyderabad Divisi ...
in the
Sindh
Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
province of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. It is the second-largest city in Sindh, and the eighth largest in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.
Founded in 1768 by
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro (died 1772) sd, ميان غلام شاه ڪلهوڙو ) was the ruler of the Kalhora Dynasty from 1758 when he was appointed ruler of Sindh by tribal Chiefs of Kalhora replacing his brother Mian Muradyab Kalhoro. He was ...
of the
Kalhora Dynasty
The Kalhora dynasty ( sd, ڪلهوڙا راڄ, translit=Kalhora Raj) was a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Sindhi Kalhora origin based in the region of Sindh in what is now Pakistan. They claimed an Arab origin. The dynasty ruled Sindh and parts of the P ...
, Hyderabad served as a provincial capital until the British transferred the capital to Bombay presidency in 1840. It is about inland of
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
, the largest city of Pakistan, to which it is connected by a direct railway and M-9 motorway.
Toponymy
The city was named in honour of
Ali
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam ...
Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...
. Hyderabad's name translates literally as "Lion City"—from ''
haydar
Haydar ( ar, حيدر), also spelt Hajdar, Hayder, Heidar, Haider, Heydar, and other variants, is an Arabic male given name, also used as a surname, meaning "lion". In Islamic tradition, the name is primarily associated with Ali ibn Abi Talib ( ...
'', meaning "lion," and '' ābād'', which is a suffix indicating a settlement. "Lion" references Ali's valour in battle, and so he is often referred to as ''Ali Haydar'', roughly meaning "Ali the Lionheart," by South Asian
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
.
History
Founding
The
River Indus
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
was changing course around 1757, resulting in periodic floods of the then capital of the
Kalhora dynasty
The Kalhora dynasty ( sd, ڪلهوڙا راڄ, translit=Kalhora Raj) was a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Sindhi Kalhora origin based in the region of Sindh in what is now Pakistan. They claimed an Arab origin. The dynasty ruled Sindh and parts of the P ...
,
Khudabad
Khudabad ( sd, خدا آباد, ur, ) is a city in Dadu District, Sindh, Pakistan. It served as capital of the Kalhora dynasty between 1719 and 1768, when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad.
Geography
It is located at 26°39'0N 67°45'0E wit ...
.
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro (died 1772) sd, ميان غلام شاه ڪلهوڙو ) was the ruler of the Kalhora Dynasty from 1758 when he was appointed ruler of Sindh by tribal Chiefs of Kalhora replacing his brother Mian Muradyab Kalhoro. He was ...
decided to shift the capital away from Khudabad, and founded Hyderabad in 1768 over a limestone ridge on the eastern bank of the
Indus River
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
known as ''Ganjo Takkar'', or "Bald Hill." The small hill is traditionally believed to have been the location of the ancient settlement of ''Neroon Kot'', a town which had fallen to the armies of Muhammad Bin Qasim in 711 CE. When the foundations were laid, the city came to be known by the nickname ''Heart of the Mehran''.
Devotees of Imam
Ali
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam ...
advised
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro (died 1772) sd, ميان غلام شاه ڪلهوڙو ) was the ruler of the Kalhora Dynasty from 1758 when he was appointed ruler of Sindh by tribal Chiefs of Kalhora replacing his brother Mian Muradyab Kalhoro. He was ...
to name the city in honour of their Imam. The
Shah of Iran
This is a list of monarchs of Persia (or monarchs of the Iranic peoples, in present-day Iran), which are known by the royal title Shah or Shahanshah. This list starts from the establishment of the Medes around 671 BCE until the deposition of th ...
later gifted the city a stone which purportedly bears the imprint of Ali's feet. The stone was placed in the ''Qadamgah Maula Ali'', which then became a place of pilgrimage.
Kalhora
In 1768,
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro
Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro (died 1772) sd, ميان غلام شاه ڪلهوڙو ) was the ruler of the Kalhora Dynasty from 1758 when he was appointed ruler of Sindh by tribal Chiefs of Kalhora replacing his brother Mian Muradyab Kalhoro. He was ...
ordered a fort to be built on one of the three hills of Hyderabad to house and defend his people. The fort was built using baked clay bricks, earning it the name '' Pacco Qillo'', meaning ''Strong Fort'' in Sindhi. The fort was completed in 1769, and is spread over 36 acres. Mian Ghulam Shah also built the "Shah Makki Fort," commonly known as ''Kacha Qila'', to fortify the tomb of the
Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
saint Shah Makki.
Hyderabad remained the Kalhora capital during the period in which Sindh was united under their rule. Attracted by the security of the city, Hyderabad began to attract artisans and traders from throughout Sindh, thereby resulting in the decline of other rival trading centres such as Khudabad. A portion of the population of Khudabad migrated to the new capital, including ''Sonaras'', ''Amils'' and ''Bhaibands''. Those groups retained the term "Khudabadi" in the names of their communities as a marker of origin.
Mian Ghulam Shah died in 1772, and was succeeded by his son, Sarfraz Khan Kalhoro. In 1774, Sarfraz Khan built a "New" Khudabad north of Hala in memory of the old Kalhoro capital, and attempted to shift his capital there. The attempt failed, and Hyderabad continued to prosper while New Khudabad was abandoned by 1814. A formal plan for the city was laid out by Sarfraz Khan in 1782.
Talpur
Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur captured the city of
Khudabad
Khudabad ( sd, خدا آباد, ur, ) is a city in Dadu District, Sindh, Pakistan. It served as capital of the Kalhora dynasty between 1719 and 1768, when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad.
Geography
It is located at 26°39'0N 67°45'0E wit ...
from the Kalhoros in 1773, and made the city his capital. He then captured Hyderabad in 1775, and shifted his capital there in 1789 after Khudabad once again flooded. Renovation and reconstruction of the city's fort began in 1789, and lasted for 3 years. Celebrations were held in 1792 to mark his formal entry in the Pacco Qillo fort, which he made his residence and held court.
Talpur
Talpur (, bal, تالپورء اۏبادگ) is a Saraiki-speaking Baloch sub-clan of the Hoth tribe settled in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan in Pakistan. The tribe established the Talpur dynasty, which ruled between 1783 and 1843, while a bran ...
rule maintained Hyderabad's security, and the city continued to attract migrants from throughout Sindh, turning the city into a major regional center. Lohana Hindus from Afghanistan migrated to the city and set up ship as metalworkers. The city's
goldsmith
A goldsmith is a Metalworking, metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Nowadays they mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, goldsmiths have also made cutlery, silverware, platter (dishware), pl ...
s, silversmiths, and leather tanners began to export their Hyderabadi wares abroad. The city's textile industry boomed with the arrival of ''Susi'' and ''
Khes
''Khes'' ( pa, Shahmukhi:کھیس, Gurmukhi:ਖੇਸ੍) () is a thin cotton blanket cloth in the Indian subcontinent; it is a damask cloth used for blankets and winter wraps. Khes is generally hand-woven with coarse cotton yarns. Khes as a ga ...
'' cotton cloth and handicrafts from towns in rural Sindh. The city's became renowned for its calligraphers and bookbinders, while its carpet dealers traded carpets from nearby
Thatta
Thatta ( sd, ٺٽو; ) is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Thatta was the medieval capital of Sindh, and served as the seat of power for three successive dynasties. Thatta's historic significance has yielded several monuments in and ...
.
Henry Pottinger
Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Pottinger, 1st Baronet (; 3 October 1789 – 18 March 1856) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and colonial administrator who became the first Governor of Hong Kong.
Early life
Henry Pottinger was born at his family est ...
traveled up the Indus River in the early 1830s on behalf of the British. He claimed to have seen 341 ships over the course of 19 days at Hyderabad, indicating its importance as a major trading center by this time. Hyderabad's goods were mostly exported to markets in
Khorasan
Khorasan may refer to:
* Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
* Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
, India,
Turkestan
Turkestan, also spelled Turkistan ( fa, ترکستان, Torkestân, lit=Land of the Turks), is a historical region in Central Asia corresponding to the regions of Transoxiana and Xinjiang.
Overview
Known as Turan to the Persians, western Turke ...
, and Kashmir - though some Hyderabadi wares were displayed at
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition (in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held), was an international exhibition which took pl ...
of 1851 in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
In order to use the Indus River for commercial navigation to
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, the British signed a treaty with the rulers of Hyderabad and
Khairpur
Khairpur( Sindhi and ur, ) is a city and the capital of the Khairpur District, in Pakistan's Sindh province.
History
The Talpur dynasty was established in 1783 by Mir Fateh Ali Khan, who declared himself the first ''Rais'', or ruler of Sindh ...
that guaranteed the British free passage along the Indus and through Sindh. Mir Murad Ali was pressured into accepting an 1838 treaty which resulted in the stationing of a British Resident in the city. The British also signed a treaty of "eternal friendship" with the Talpur rulers of Hyderabad in the early 19th century, who promised not to allow the French to set up residency in Sindh. In 1839, they were pressured into forcing another treaty that guaranteed the British trade and security privileges.
British
The British defeated the city's Talpur rulers at the
Battle of Hyderabad
The Battle of Hyderabad (), sometimes called as the Battle of Dubbo was one of the major campaigns of the British against then Sindh led by the Talpurs which was fought on 24 March 1843 between the forces of the British East India Company and the ...
on 24 March 1843. The provincial capital was then transferred to Bombay Presidency by the British general Sir Charles Napier. Being the last stronghold in Sindh, the conquered city was the final step in the British Conquest of Sindh. Following the success of the British, several of the city's Talpur Mirs rulers were exiled and died in
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
. Their bodies were eventually brought back to Hyderabad, and were buried in the Tombs of the Talpur Mirs located at the northern edge of the Ganjo Hill.
Hyderabad's prosperity did not initially decline after the shifting of Sindh's capital to Bombay Presidency. Merchants there forged links with the commercial community in Hyderabad, and began exporting Hyderabadi wares to distant markets. Following Sindhi's assimilation into the Bombay Presidency in 1847, the city emerged as hub for a style of handicrafts known as '' Sindwork'' that was peddled in
Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
, and prized by its European residents for its perceived authenticity of style. The work was then shipped from Bombay to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
in order to be sold as souvenirs to tourists there. Hyderabadi traders also spread east towards Singapore and Japan as well. Unable to fulfill demand for its products, Hyderabad's traders began to import crafts from
Kashmir
Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
,
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic t ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
to ease demand. ''Sindwork'' handicrafts thus placed Hyderabad at the center of a new trading network that was almost entirely dominated by Hindus from the city's mercantile ''Bhaiband'' segment of the Lohana caste, although the artisans themselves were primarily Muslim.
The city's jail was built in 1851, and the Municipality of Hyderabad was established in 1853. In the Pacco Qillo the British kept the arsenal of the province, transferred from Karachi in 1861, and the palaces of the ex-Amirs of Sind that they had taken over. In 1857, when the
Indian mutiny
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...
raged across the
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
, the British held most of their regiments and ammunition in this city. Though the city did not witness major fighting, the British demolished the large round tower that once stood outside of Pacco Qillo, deeming it a potential risk to their rule were it to fall into the hands of rebels.
Hyderabad's Rani Bagh ("Queen's Garden") was established as Das Gardens in 1861, and was re-christened in honour of
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
. British-style schools were introduced in Hyderabad by the 1860s, while the St Joseph Missionary School was established in 1868. Further European schools were opened, while Hyderabad's Hindu and Muslim elite established schools for their respective communities throughout the British colonial period. A hospital, psychiatric institution, and quarters for officials were built in 1871. By 1872, 43,088 people lived in the city. The city by 1873 had 20 kilometers of metaled roads that were lit at night by kerosene lamps. The newly built urban quarters of Saddar and Soldier Bazaar further expanded the city.
The British built a rail network throughout the western part of South Asia in the 1880s, and purchased the private
Scinde Railway
The Scinde Railway was one of the pioneering railway companies that operated in Sind during the British Raj between 1855 and 1885.
History
The Scinde Railway was first established by deed of settlement in March 1855 and incorporated by the '' ...
to connect the province to
Kabul
Kabul (; ps, , ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province; it is administratively divided into 22 municipal districts. Acco ...
Kotri Bridge
Kotri Bridge ( ur, ) is a road-rail bridge situated between Kotri and Hyderabad on Indus river in Sindh, Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the ...
was completed in 1900 to traverse the Indus, and link Hyderabad to Karachi. Hyderabad's economy grew as a result of improved transportation. The city increasingly developed into a consumer market under British rule, and the city's exports began to decline, though increased transit trade allowed the city's economy to continue growing.
In 1901, 69,378 people lived in the city. Hinduism was the most dominant religion with 43,499 followers, while 24,831 Muslims made up the largest religious minority. The city ranked seventh in the Bombay Presidency in terms of population. By 1907, the Gazetteer of Sindh claimed that 5,000 Hyderabadi merchants were to be found dispersed throughout the world. The city's Navalrai Clock Tower was built in 1914. Bengali poet
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
remarked in the early 20th century that Hyderabad was the "most fashionable" city in all of India.
Modern
The City of Hyderabad served as the capital of Sindh province between 1947 and 1955. The
Partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
resulted in the large-scale exodus of much of the city's Hindu population, though like much of Sindh, Hyderabad did not experience the widespread rioting that occurred in Punjab and Bengal. In all, less than 500 Hindu were killed in Sindh between 1947-48 as Sindhi Muslims largely resisted calls to turn against their Hindu neighbours. Hindus did not flee Hyderabad ''en masse'' until riots erupted in Karachi on 6 January 1948, which sowed fear in
Sindhi Hindus
Sindhi Hindus are Sindhis who follow the Hindu religion, whose origins lie in the Sindh region and spread across modern-day India and Pakistani Sindh province. After the Partition of India in 1947, many Sindhi Hindus were among those who fled ...
despite the fact that the riots were local and regarded Sikh refugees from Punjab seeking refuge in Karachi.
The Hindus who departed had played a major role in the city's economy, and formed the majority of the Hyderabad's population. The vacuum left by the departure of much of the city's Hindu population was quickly filled by newly arrived refugees from India, known as
Muhajir
Muhajir or Mohajir ( ar, مهاجر, '; pl. , ') is an Arabic word meaning ''migrant'' (see immigration and emigration) which is also used in other languages spoken by Muslims, including English. In English, this term and its derivatives may refer ...
s. By 1951, 66% of the city was made up of Muhajirs. Though Hyderabad became a majority
Pashtun
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
s and Punjabis from northern Pakistan further diversified the city's ethnic composition over the next few decades.
Animosity between Urdu and Sindhi speakers first arose in 1967, it intensified under the
Pakistan People's Party
The Pakistan People's Party ( ur, , ; PPP) is a centre-left, social-democratic political party in Pakistan. It is currently the third largest party in the National Assembly and second largest in the Senate of Pakistan. The party was founded i ...
government in the 1970s, which were widely perceived by Muhajirs to be a pro-Sindhi administration. Violence erupted between Urdu and Sindhi speakers during riots in 1971 when the provincial government wished to impose Sindhi-language requirements on Urdu speakers, and again in 1972 in reaction to the 1972 Sindhi Language Bill.
The '' Khuda Ki Basti'' housing scheme was launched in Hyderabad 1981 as a way to provide housing to low-income residents by forming local cooperatives pool funds to gradually provide increased services that would in turn be managed by community members. Success of the project resulted in the programme being launched in Karachi as well.
The late 1980s saw turbulent ethnic rioting between Sindhis and
Muhajir
Muhajir or Mohajir ( ar, مهاجر, '; pl. , ') is an Arabic word meaning ''migrant'' (see immigration and emigration) which is also used in other languages spoken by Muslims, including English. In English, this term and its derivatives may refer ...
s. On 30 September 1988, militants from the Sindh Progressive Party drove into Muhajir dominated areas in the city, and opened indiscriminate fire in busy crossroads. The so-called " Hyderabad Massacre" resulted in the deaths of over 60 people in a single day, and more than 250 deaths in total. In a backlash, more than 60 Sindhi speaking people were gunned down in
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
. The city began to divide itself ethnically, and the Muhajir population migrated en masse from Qasimabad and the interior of Sindh into
Latifabad
Latifabad ( sd, لطيف آباد, ur, ) is a township in the southern suburbs of the city of Hyderabad, in Sindh, Pakistan.
History
Latifabad is named after the renowned Sindhi Sufi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Its initial denizens were Si ...
. Similarly, Sindhis moved to Qasimabad from Hyderabad and
Latifabad
Latifabad ( sd, لطيف آباد, ur, ) is a township in the southern suburbs of the city of Hyderabad, in Sindh, Pakistan.
History
Latifabad is named after the renowned Sindhi Sufi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Its initial denizens were Si ...
. Further ethnic disturbances occurred in May 1990, including a police-led siege of the Pacco Qillo fortress in the center of Hyderabad, in which Muhajir activists claim 150 were killed. 2 bombings on trains in Hyderabad killed 10 people in 2000.
Much of Hyderabad's public spaces have been encroached upon by illegally-constructed homes and businesses. Much of the city's historic structures are badly neglected, with little preservation being undertaken by the provincial administration.
Demographics
Population
Hyderabad is home to 2,199,928 people as per the 2017 Census of Pakistan. The city gained 565,799 residents since the 1998 Census, representing an increase of 48.5% - the lowest growth rate of the ten largest Pakistani cities.
Ethnicity
Hyderabad was a majority
Sindhi Hindu
Sindhi Hindus are Sindhis who follow the Hindu religion, whose origins lie in the Sindh region and spread across modern-day India and Pakistani Sindh province. After the Partition of India in 1947, many Sindhi Hindus were among those who fl ...
city prior to 1948, when many migrated to India and elsewhere after the independence of Pakistan 1947. Hindus who departed had played a major role in the city's economy, and formed the majority of the Hyderabad's population. The vacuum left by the departure of much of the city's Hindu population was quickly filled by the newly arrived
Muhajir
Muhajir or Mohajir ( ar, مهاجر, '; pl. , ') is an Arabic word meaning ''migrant'' (see immigration and emigration) which is also used in other languages spoken by Muslims, including English. In English, this term and its derivatives may refer ...
Sindhis
Sindhis ( sd, سنڌي Perso-Arabic: सिन्धी Devanagari; ) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group who speak the Sindhi language and are native to the province of Sindh in Pakistan. After the partition of British Indian empire in 1947, man ...
43.67%. The arrival of
Pashtun
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
s and Punjabis from northern Pakistan further diversified the city's ethnic composition over the next few decades, and by 2017, the percentage of Urdu speakers had fallen to 53%. Most
Punjabis
The Punjabis ( Punjabi: ; ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ; romanised as Panjābīs), are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The ...
and
Pashtuns
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
are distinct and separately living near the railway station and its vicinity. The city therefore has cosmopolitan atmosphere with
multiethnic
A multinational state or a multinational union is a sovereign entity that comprises two or more nations or states. This contrasts with a nation state, where a single nation accounts for the bulk of the population. Depending on the definition of ...
Punjabis
The Punjabis ( Punjabi: ; ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ; romanised as Panjābīs), are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The ...
,
Pashtuns
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
,
Memons
The Memon are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group that originated in the Sindh region of Pakistan. The majority of the Memon people around the world follow the Hanafi fiqh of Sunni Islam. The Memon people have cultural similarities with the Khoja, Khat ...
Hyderabad is noteworthy in Sindh and Pakistan generally for its comparative tolerance towards religious and ethnic minorities. The spread of Islamist militancy and extremism has been stymied in large parts of Sindh by vibrant civil society, and Sindh's progressive politics.
The city has a long association with
Sufism
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...
. In the 18th Century Syeds from Multan migrated and settled in the city's
Tando Jahania
Tando Jahania ( Sindh-ٹنڈوجهانياں) is a small quarter in the city of Hyderabad, the second largest city of Sindh province in Pakistan.
The quarter is inhabited predominantly by Shias, including many who claim descent from Jahaniyan Ja ...
neighbourhood, making it a sacred place for Muslims. The ''Syeds'' came from
Uch Sharif
Uch ( pa, ;
ur, ), frequently referred to as Uch Sharīf ( pa, ;
ur, ; ''"Noble Uch"''), is a historic city in the southern part of Pakistan's Punjab province. Uch may have been founded as Alexandria on the Indus, a town founded by Alexand ...
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the List ...
). They were mostly descendants of
Jahaniyan Jahangasht
Mīr Sayyid Jalāl ad-Dīn an-Naqwī al-Bukhārī ( fa, ; 1308-1384), better known as Jahāniyān Jahāngasht ( fa, ), was a Sufi saint from South Asia.
Biography
Mir Sayyid Jalaluddin Bukhari was born into a Muslim family on 8th Februar ...
- a Sufi saint who is popular in Sindh and southern Punjab. Hyderabad is near some of Sindh's most important Sufi shrines, being situated from the joint Muslim-Hindu
Shrine at Odero Lal
The Shrine at Odero Lal (; ),also spelt Udero Lal, is a joint Muslim-Hindu shrine located in the village of Odero Lal, near the city of Tando Adam Khan in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The shrine is notable as it is jointly used for worship by m ...
, from the
Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
The Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai ( ur, ; sd, شاهہ عبداللطيف ڀٽائي جي مزار) is an 18th-century Sufi shrine located in the town of Bhit Shah, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The shrine is considered to be one of ...
, from the
Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar
The Shrine of Lal Shabaz Qalandar ( ur, ; sd, لال شهباز قلندر جي مزار) is a shrine and mausoleum dedicated to the 13th century Muslim and Sufi saint, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. The shrine is located in Sehwan Sharif, in the Pakist ...
.
Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
once formed the majority in Hyderabad prior to 1948, and today account for the largest religious minority in Hyderabad - forming 5% of the total population of the city. Hyderabad's ''
Amil
Amil Kahala Whitehead (born September 19, 1973) is an American former rapper and singer. She was prominent in the late 1990s as a Jay-Z protégé, and recorded the single " Can I Get A..." with him for the '' Rush Hour'' soundtrack.
Amil's d ...
'' Hindus clan of the
Lohana
Lohana, also referred to as Loharana, Thakkar and Lohrana, are an Indian trading or mercantile ''jāti''. Lohanas claim to be descendants of the Lava, son of Rama, and to descend from the Raghuvanshi dynasty.Lachaier, Pierre. "Cérémonies D'hom ...
caste had been employed previously the Talpur Mirs for their Persian language proficiency and skills in bureaucracy - this role continued under the British as the ''Amils'' were recruited into colonial administration. The ''Amils'' formed the Amil Colony, which was where some of Hyderabad's finest colonial architecture was found. The '' Bhaiband'' clan, also of the Lohana caste, dominated commerce in the city.
While Christians account for 1% of the total population, Hyderabad is the seat of a
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
of the
Church of Pakistan
The Church of Pakistan is a united Protestant Church in Pakistan, which is part of the Anglican Communion and a member of the World Communion of Reformed ChurchesDatabase (9 February 2006)"Sialkot Diocese of the Church of Pakistan" Reformed Onl ...
and has five churches and a cathedral.
Geography
Location
Located at 25.367 °N latitude and 68.367 °E longitude with an elevation of , Hyderabad is located on the east bank of the Indus River and is roughly away from Karachi, the provincial capital. Two of Pakistan's largest highways, the Indus Highway and the National Highway join at Hyderabad. Several towns surrounding the city include Kotri at , Jamshoro at , Hattri at and Husri at .
Climate
Hyderabad has a
hot desert climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''BWh''), with warm conditions year-round. The city is famous for its winds which moderate the otherwise hot climate. As a result, Hyderabadi homes traditionally feature "wind-catching" towers that funnel breezes down into living quarters in order to alleviate heat.
The period from mid-April to late June (before the onset of the
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
) is the hottest of the year, with highs peaking in May at
. During this time, winds that blow usually bring along clouds of dust, and people prefer staying indoors in the daytime, while the breeze that flows at night is more pleasant. Winters are warm, with highs around , though lows can often drop below at night. The highest temperature of was recorded on 25 May 2018, while the lowest temperature of was recorded on 8 February 2012.
In recent years, Hyderabad has seen great downpours. In February 2003, Hyderabad received of rain in 12 hours, leaving many dead. The years of 2006 and 2007 saw close contenders to this record rain with death tolls estimated in the hundreds. The highest single-day rain total of was recorded on 12 September 1962, while the wettest month was September 1962, at .
Topography
The city was initially founded on a limestone ridge on the eastern bank of the Indus River known as ''Ganjo Takkar'', or "Bald Hill." The limestone outcropping provided several scenic vistas in the city, as well as inclined routes. The most famous incline, the Tilak Incline, is named after the early 20th century independence activist
Lokmanya Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (; born Keshav Gangadhar Tilak (pronunciation: eʃəʋ ɡəŋɡaːd̪ʱəɾ ʈiɭək; 23 July 1856 – 1 August 1920), endeared as Lokmanya ( IAST: ''Lokmānya''), was an Indian nationalist, teacher, and an independence ...
.
Economy
The industrial sector contributes 25% to the GDP of Pakistan, with a major concentration of industry in an arc stretching from Karachi to Hyderabad. 75% of Sindh's industry is located in the Karachi-Hyderabad region. Th Sindh Industrial Trading Estate home to 439 industrial units, was established on the outskirts of Hyderabad in 1950 which prospered with until the urban violence of the 1980s. Much of the city's industrial base was weakened by ethnic violence in urban Sindh in the 1980s, although poor infrastructure and supply of electricity has also hampered growth.
Hyderabad is an important commercial center where industries includes: textiles, sugar, cement, manufacturing of mirror, soap, ice, paper, pottery, plastics, tanneries, hosiery mills and film. There are hide tanneries and sawmills. Handicraft industries, including silver and gold work, lacquer ware, ornamented silks, and embroidered leather saddles, are also well established.
Hyderabad produces almost all of the ornamental glass bangles in Pakistan, as well as layered glass inlay for jewelry. The glass industry employs an estimated 300,000-350,000 people in manufacturing units centered on the ''Churi Parah'' neighbourhood. The industry frequently uses recycled glass as material for its bangles.
Hyderabad is surrounded by fertile alluvial plains, and is a major commercial center for the agricultural produce of the surrounding area, including millet, rice, wheat, cotton, and fruit.
Cityscape
Local architecture
Hyderabad's local architectural patterns reflect the region's harsh climate and local customs. Walls of most traditional-style buildings were made of mud bricks, which helped keep the structure cool in summer and warm in winter. Hyderabad is famed for its heat-relieving winds, and so homes also featured wind-catchers that directed cool breezes into each homes' living quarters.
Residential structures in Hyderabad's Old City, and in Hirabad typically have a small inward facing courtyard that afforded privacy from the city's streets. Walls facing the street are typically plain, though the home may display an elaborate entryway. Inner courtyards and doorways of more elaborate homes would be decorated with ''jharoka'' balconies, floral motifs, ornamented ceilings, and decorative arches. Most residential homes, however, were utilitarian in design.
Homes built during the British colonial period contain introduced architectural elements like balconies and decorative columns as part of an elaborate outward-facing façade. Such examples can be found in the
Saddar
Saddar ( ur, ), also known as Saddar Bazaar, is a neighbourhood in Karachi, Pakistan. The locality was developed as the primary commercial district during the period of British-era rule in Karachi. As a result, Saddar contains the large concentr ...
neighborhood of Hyderabad. Large decorated windows were featured as part of Hyderabad's colonial style in order to ventilate the building. Tall and multi-sectional windows with stained glass windows became a hallmark of Hyderabad's colonial-era architecture. Homes of wealthy residents, especially among the city's ''Bhaiband'' community, the presence of windows was a marker of status, and allowed wealthy Hindus to practice the custom of
purdah
Pardah or purdah (from Hindi-Urdu , , meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent among some Muslim and Hindu communities. It takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes and the requirement that wom ...
. Balconies were sometimes affixed to the front of a building, and were typically made of wood or cast-iron. Such homes would also sometimes have painted facades.
Civic administration
Before the government of Abubaker Nizamani, the District Hyderabad included the present-day District of
Badin
Badin ( Sindhi and ur, ) is the main city and capital of Badin District in Sindh, Pakistan. It lies east of the Indus River. It is the 87th largest city in Pakistan.
Badin is often called 'Sugar State' due to its production of sugar.
Badi ...
. The longest-serving mayor of Hyderabad was Jamil Ahmed, who served from 1962 to 1971.
In 2005/2006, General Pervaiz Musharraf again divided it into four more districts Matiyari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan and Hyderabad. Hyderabad district was subdivided into four
talukas
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
#
Hyderabad City Taluka
Hyderabad City Tehsil (Sindhi : حيدرآباد شھر تعلقو) is an administrative subdivision (tehsil) of Hyderabad District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Hyderabad district is subdivided into 4 talukas, the Urban area around the ca ...
#
Hyderabad Taluka (rural)
Hyderabad Tehsil (rural) ( sd, حيدرآباد ٻهراڙي) is an administrative subdivision (tehsil) of Hyderabad District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Hyderabad district is subdivided into 4 talukas, the Urban area around the capital Hy ...
#
Tando Jam
Tando Jam ( sd, ٽنڊوڄام) is a town and Municipal Committee of Hyderabad District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is located at 25°25'60N 68°31'60E and lies about 12 km away from Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capi ...
#
Latifabad
Latifabad ( sd, لطيف آباد, ur, ) is a township in the southern suburbs of the city of Hyderabad, in Sindh, Pakistan.
History
Latifabad is named after the renowned Sindhi Sufi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Its initial denizens were Si ...
motorway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
that connects Hyderabad to
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
, 136 kilometers away. The city will also be connected to
Sukkur
Sukkur (; ) is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh along the western bank of the Indus River, directly across from the historic city of Rohri. Sukkur is the third largest city in Sindh after Karachi and Hyderabad, and 14th largest ci ...
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the List ...
,
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
,
Islamabad
Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...
,
Faisalabad
Faisalabad (; Punjabi/ ur, , ; ), formerly known as Lyallpur (Punjabi, Urdu: لائل پور), named after the founder of the city, but was renamed in 1977 in honour of late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. It is the 3rd largest city of Pakis ...
, and
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
.
It is connected to the oldest and longest N5 Route from Karachi (Sea) to
Torkham
Torkham (; ps, , translit=tūrxam) is a major border crossing between the Pakistani city of Torkham and Afghanistan, located along the Grand Trunk Road on the international border between the two countries. It connects Nangarhar province of A ...
1819 km long.
Rail
Hyderabad Junction railway station
Hyderabad Junction railway station ( sd, حيدرآباد جنڪشن ريلوي اسٽيشن) is located in the city of Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan and serves as a major railway junction.
History
Hyderabad Junction railway station was establishe ...
serves as the city's main rail station. Passenger services are provided exclusively by
Pakistan Railways
Pakistan Railways ( ur, ) is the national, state-owned railway company of Pakistan. Founded in 1861 and headquartered in Lahore, it owns of track across Pakistan, stretching from Torkham to Karachi, offering both freight and passenger servi ...
Sialkot
Sialkot ( ur, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of Sialkot District and the 13th most populous city in Pakistan. The boundaries of Sialkot are joined with Jammu (the winter capital of Indian administered Jammu and Ka ...
, the
Badin Express
Badin Express ( ur, , sd, بدین ایکسپریس) is a passenger train operated daily by Pakistan Railways between Hyderabad and Badin. The trip takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to cover a published distance of , traveling along ...
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
. Hyderabad has trains to
Nawabshah
Nawabshah ( sd, نوابشاھ, ur, ) is a tehsil and headquarters of the Shaheed Benazirabad District of Sindh province, Pakistan. This city is situated in the middle of Sindh province. It is the 27th largest city in Pakistan. Nawabshah Teh ...
,
Badin
Badin ( Sindhi and ur, ) is the main city and capital of Badin District in Sindh, Pakistan. It lies east of the Indus River. It is the 87th largest city in Pakistan.
Badin is often called 'Sugar State' due to its production of sugar.
Badi ...
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
, and points in northern Pakistan.
Air
Hyderabad Airport
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) is an international airport that serves Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. It is located in Shamshabad, about south of Hyderabad and it was opened on 23 March 2008 to replace ...
is no longer served by commercial air traffic. The last services were suspended in 2013. Passengers must now instead rely entirely on Karachi's
Jinnah International Airport
Jinnah International Airport ( ur, جناح بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا) , formerly Drigh Road Airport or Karachi Civil Airport, is Pakistan's busiest international and domestic airport, and handled 7,267,582 passengers in 2017 ...
.
Education
75% of males and 65% of females over the age of 10 were literate in Hyderabad District in 2010, a region which includes rural areas around the city. In 2010-2011, 2.96 Billion Rupees were spent on public education in Hyderabad District, and number which increased to 3.99 Billion Rupees in 2011-2012. 26% of children in Hyderabad District were enrolled in paid private schools in 2010.
The
University of Sindh
The University of Sindh ( ur, ; sd, سنڌ يونيورسٽي; informally known as Sindh University) is a public research university in Pakistan located in the city of Jamshoro. It is one of the oldest universities in Pakistan and was certifi ...
was founded in Karachi in 1947, before moving to Hyderabad in 1951. The
Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences
The Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) ( sd, لياقت يونيورسٽي آف ميڊيڪل اينڊ هيلٿ سائنسز) is a public medical university located in Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan.
Ever since it started as a ...
was founded in nearby
Jamshoro
Jamshoro ( sd, ڄام شورو, ur, ) is a city and the capital of Jamshoro District, located in Sindh, Pakistan. It is located on the right bank of the Indus River, approximately northwest of Hyderabad and northeast from the provincial cap ...
in 1951.
Sports
The
Niaz Stadium
The Niaz Stadium is a cricket ground in Hyderabad, Pakistan. The ground has a capacity of 7,000 and hosted its first test match in 1973. It was established in November 1961 by then Commissioner of Hyderabad, Niaz Ahmed, and the stadium is name ...
of Hyderabad, with a seating capacity of 15,000 is home to the
Hyderabad cricket team
The Hyderabad cricket team is a domestic cricket team based in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, run by the Hyderabad Cricket Association. It is part of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group and has seen scattered success over its many years in the Ran ...
since 1961. It is known for Pakistani bowler Jalal-ud-Din's
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...
, which was the first ever hat-trick taken by a bowler in a one-day match in 1982. Hyderabad also has a hockey stadium. Hyderabad has also Sport Club name "Sindh Sports Board Hyderabad Club" which is a platform to boost sports activity.
Tombs of Talpur Mirs
The Tombs of Talpur Mirs ( ur, ) are a complex of tombs of the ruling Talpur Mirs of Sindh who reigned from 1784 to 1843. The tombs are also known as Cubbas (the Sindhi word for ''tombs''). These tombs are located in Hirabad, Hyderabad in the S ...
Sindh Museum
The Sindh Museum ( ur, سندھ میوزیم ) is a museum located in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. The museum was established in 1971 to collect, preserve, study, and exhibit the records of the cultural history of Sindh. It also sometimes hosts cu ...
As tradition goes, Sindh had always been a hub for
Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
poets. With a foothold on strong educational foundations, the city of Hyderabad was made into a refuge for thriving literary advocates. Of the few, Mirza Kalich Beg received education from the Government High School, Hyderabad and carried the banner of
Sindhi literature
Sindhi literature ( sd, سنڌي ادب), is the composition of oral and written scripts and texts in the Sindhi language in the form of prose: (romantic tales, and epic stores) and poetry: (Ghazal, Wai and Nazm). The Sindhi language of the provin ...
across borders. Modern novelists, writers, columnists and researchers like Musharraf Ali Farooqi, Ghulam Mustafa Khan and Qabil Ajmeri also hail from Hyderabad.
Hyderabad has served many Sindhi literary campaigns throughout the history of Pakistan as is evident from the daily newspapers and periodicals that are published in the city. A few worth mention dailies are the Daily Kawish, Kawish,
Daily Ibrat, Ibrat,
and Daily Sindh.
Radio and television
With the inauguration of a new broadcasting house at Karachi in 1950, it was possible to lay the foundations for the Hyderabad radio station in 1951. The initial broadcast was made capable using 1 kW medium-wave transmitter. With the first successful transmissions on the FM 100 bandwidth in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in October 1998, the Government decided on opening transmissions to other cities where Radio Pakistan had found success. This made available the FM 101 bandwidth transmissions to Hyderabad and other cities in Sindh.
A relief from the regular broadcasts in other cities, entertainment content on the Hyderabad radio gave birth to many a star whose names became an attribute to Hyderabad's richer media content. Among them were actor Shafi Mohammad, a young man who had recently finished his postgraduate degree from the
University of Sindh
The University of Sindh ( ur, ; sd, سنڌ يونيورسٽي; informally known as Sindh University) is a public research university in Pakistan located in the city of Jamshoro. It is one of the oldest universities in Pakistan and was certifi ...
. Such fresh and young talent became a trademark to entertainment in Hyderabad.
Pakistan Television had only had half-a-decade broadcast success from 1963 to 1969 that people in the radio entertainment business felt destined to make a mark on the television circuits. Prominent radio personalities from the Hyderabad radio station like Shafi Muhammad Shah and Mohammad Ali (actor), Mohammad Ali left the airwaves to hone their acting skills on the television. Television shows and content enriched with the inclusion of Hyderabadi names however Pakistan Television, PTV never opened a television station in Hyderabad.
While the year 2005 saw new FM regular stations set up at Gawadar, Mianwali, Sargodha, Kohat, Bannu and Mithi, private radio channels began airing in and around Hyderabad. Of late, stations like Sachal FM 105 and some others have gained popularity. But the unavailability of an up-to-date news and current affairs platform renders the services of such stations of not much value to the masses but nonetheless appealing to youngsters.
As the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (abbreviated as PEMRA) gave licenses to private radio channels, so were television channels owned privately given a right to broadcast from the year 2002, and Daily Kawish, a prominent Sindhi newspaper published from Hyderabad opened a one-of-its-kind private Sindhi channel Kawish Television Network. Many followed in its path namely Sindh TV, Dhoom TV and Kashish TV premiering Sindhi content.
Notable people
*Hoshu Sheedi, General of Talpur Mirs' Army, who fought against British in the Battles of Miani and last Battle of Dubbo.
*Jivatram Kripalani (1886–1982), Indian politician and Indian independence movement, Indian independence activist.
*Mirza Kalich Beg (1853–1929), civil servant and author
*K. R. Malkani (1921–2003), Indian politician. Lieutenant-Governor of Pondicherry (2002–03)
*Allama Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi (1886–1968), philosopher and scholar
*Sadhu T. L. Vaswani (1879–1966), Hindu spiritualist. Founder of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission.
*Nabi Bakhsh Khan Baloch (1917–2011), linguist and author
*Muhammad Ibrahim Joyo (born 1915), scholar and translator
*Rizwan Ahmed (bureaucrat), Rizwan Ahmed, Secretary to Government of Pakistan
*Ghulam Mustafa Khan (born 1912), researcher, and linguist
*Choudry Mohammad Sadiq (1900–1975), politician and Muslim Leaguer
*Syed Qamar Zaman Shah (born 1933), the nephew and son-in-law of Late Syed Miran Mohammad Shah. Senator during the early 1970s.
*Syed Miran Mohammad Shah, former speaker of Sindh legislative Assembly, Minister in the Sindh Government, former Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain.
*Qabil Ajmeri (1931–1962), recognised as a "senior" poet of Urdu
See also
* List of twin towns and sister cities in Pakistan
* Hyderabad District, Sindh
* Hyderabadi pickle
* Hyderabad Electric Supply Company
* Sateen Jo Aastan
*
Tando Jahania
Tando Jahania ( Sindh-ٹنڈوجهانياں) is a small quarter in the city of Hyderabad, the second largest city of Sindh province in Pakistan.
The quarter is inhabited predominantly by Shias, including many who claim descent from Jahaniyan Ja ...
* Hyderabad Airport (Pakistan), Hyderabad Airport
* History of Hyderabad, Pakistan
* History of Hyderabad, Sindh
*
Battle of Hyderabad
The Battle of Hyderabad (), sometimes called as the Battle of Dubbo was one of the major campaigns of the British against then Sindh led by the Talpurs which was fought on 24 March 1843 between the forces of the British East India Company and the ...
*
Hyderabad Junction railway station
Hyderabad Junction railway station ( sd, حيدرآباد جنڪشن ريلوي اسٽيشن) is located in the city of Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan and serves as a major railway junction.
History
Hyderabad Junction railway station was establishe ...