Shikarpur ( sd, شڪارپور and ) ') is city and the capital of
Shikarpur District
Shikarpur district ( sd, شڪارپور ضلعو, ur, ), is a district in Sindh province in Pakistan. The city of Shikarpur is the district headquarters. There are 4 talukas: Lakhi Ghulam Shah, Garhi Yasin, Khanpur and Shikarpur itself. It is ...
in
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 fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. It is situated about 29 km west of the right bank of the
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 Kashmi ...
, with a railway station, 37 km north-west of
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 cit ...
According to a few historians the city of Shikarpur was revived during the
Kalhora
The Kalhora () is a Sindhi tribe of Sindh, Pakistan, they claim Arab origin and direct descendants from Al-Hakim I and ultimately Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, companion and paternal uncle of Islamic prophet Muhammad.
They founded the Kalhora Dyna ...
rule and that was what brought about a turnaround in making it the financial capital of not only
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.;;;;;;; ...
but also of Central Asia. Some people think that the city was founded by Kalhoras' cousins Daudpotas --- and it was named Shikarpur because the Talpur Mirs were fond of shikar (hunting). Another school of thought believes Shikarpur was admittedly there before the shikar-loving Talpurs arrived on the scene; for another, Shikarpur has always been a trading and banking center, and never a hunting lodge. Some experts think that Shikarpur is really Shakaripur --- the "town founded by the vanquisher of the Shakas", the Scythian.
Shikarpur, the seat of civilisation, culture, trade and commerce acquired political and economic importance because of its strategic location on the map of
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 ...
, being directly accessible to those who came from Central and West Asia through the
Bolan Pass
Bolān Pass ( ur, ) is a valley and a natural gateway, through the Toba Kakar range in Balochistan province of Pakistan, south of the Afghanistan border. The pass is an stretch of the Bolan river valley from Rindli in the south to Darwāza n ...
. In the early 17th century this emerald city in the northern Sindh province of Pakistan became the nucleus of a historical trade center on a caravan route through the
Bolan Pass
Bolān Pass ( ur, ) is a valley and a natural gateway, through the Toba Kakar range in Balochistan province of Pakistan, south of the Afghanistan border. The pass is an stretch of the Bolan river valley from Rindli in the south to Darwāza n ...
into
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. Shikarpur became the core of manufactures including brass and metal goods, carpets, cotton cloth, and embroidery. Its great bazaar (covered because of the summer heat) is famous throughout Turkistan and southern Asia.
The predominantly
Muslim
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 ...
population supported
Muslim League Muslim League may refer to:
Political parties Subcontinent
; British India
*All-India Muslim League, Mohammed Ali Jinah, led the demand for the partition of India resulting in the creation of Pakistan.
** Punjab Muslim League, a branch of the orga ...
and
Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement ( ur, , translit=Teḥrīk-e-Pākistān) was a List of historical separatist movements, political movement in the first half of the 20th century that aimed for the creation of Pakistan from the Muslims, Muslim-majority a ...
. After the
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the st ...
of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
in 1947, the minority
Hindu
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 ...
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
while the
Muslim
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 ...
s refugees from
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
settled down in the
Shikarpur District
Shikarpur district ( sd, شڪارپور ضلعو, ur, ), is a district in Sindh province in Pakistan. The city of Shikarpur is the district headquarters. There are 4 talukas: Lakhi Ghulam Shah, Garhi Yasin, Khanpur and Shikarpur itself. It is ...
.
Demography
The population of
Shikarpur District
Shikarpur district ( sd, شڪارپور ضلعو, ur, ), is a district in Sindh province in Pakistan. The city of Shikarpur is the district headquarters. There are 4 talukas: Lakhi Ghulam Shah, Garhi Yasin, Khanpur and Shikarpur itself. It is ...
was estimated to be 1,231,481 in 2017. The predominant population is Sindhi. There are significant
Baloch, Brahui, speaking communities in Shikarpur. The population is mainly
Muslim
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 ...
. There is a small
Hindu
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 ...
minority in the city as most Hindus migrated to India after independence in 1947.
Geography
Shikarpur District has an area of 2640 square kilometers, divided into four "talukas":
* Shikarpur, Sindh
* Lakhi,
*
Garhi Yasin
Garhi Yasin Sindh ( sd, ڳڙھي ياسين ', ur, ') is a town and taluka of Shikarpur District, Sindh, Pakistan.
One of the three talukas (sub-districts) of Shikarpur, Garhi Yasin is of political and historical significance to Pakistan. ...
*
Khanpur, Sindh
Khanpur (Urdu: خانپور) is small city and the Tehsil/Talka of the District Shikarpur in province Sindh of Pakistan. It is situated with Indus Highway Road N55 about distance 9 kilometers away from Shikarpur toward Kandhkot This city i ...
Its borders meet with districts of Larkana, Jacobabad, Khairpur & Sukkur. Two National Highways (N-65 & N-55) intersect in the city of Shikarpur, so it can well be termed as, one of the junction points of the four provinces.
The district has a total road length of 920.0 kilometers, including 125.0 kilometers of National Highways and 195.0 kilometers of Provincial Highways. It is, thus, deficient in road density (0.35 km/Km2) compared with recognized international parameters of development (1 km/Km2). During the last few years, creeping development activity has taken place and 71.0 kilometers of road, 94 schools and a number of schemes in drainage, health and other sectors have been completed, under various programs. Basically, agrarian economy of district Shikarpur is dependent upon non-perennial irrigation system, so the district is always in semi-drought conditions. The last spell of drought is particularly notable as it created heavy unemployment and unsustainable poverty, which without any doubt created serious law and order situations.
Boundaries
The District is bounded on the north and east by
Jacobabad District
Jacobabad District ( sd, جيڪب آباد ضلعو, ur, ) is a district in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is located in the north of Sindh, by the provincial boundary with Balochistan. Its headquarters is the town of Jacobabad, which was ...
in the south by
Sukkur District
Sukkur District ( sd, سکر ضلعو, ur, ) is a district in Sindh Province in Pakistan. It is divided into 5 administrative townships ('' tehsils'', also called "talukas"), namely: Sukkur City, New Sukkur, Rohri, Saleh Pat and Pano Aqil. A ...
on the west by
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 ...
and
Larkana District
Larkana District ( Sindhi: ضلعو لاڙڪاڻو; ur, ) is a district of Sindh province of Pakistan. Its main city is Larkana on the banks of the Indus River. It is home district the of influential Bhutto family. The Larkana Bulls cricket te ...
.
Gates of Shikarpur
The town consists of seven gates named Lakhi-dar, Hathi-dar, Hazari-dar, Civi-dar, Karan-dar, Wagono-dar, Khanpur-dar, and one window named Siddiqui Mari.
Covered Market or Dhak Bazar
Located in the center of the old city, Dhak Bazaar or covered market is a long, narrow street with shops on either sides. It is covered with woodwork of pure teak. It has been serving as a cool shade during the hot summers. Shikarpur along with other contemporary cities like Bukhara, Samarkand, and Istanbul at that time had a covered street market.
Notable educational institues located in Shikarpur include Shaikh Ayaz University and Chellaram and Seetaldas College.https://tribune.com.pk/story/372836/becoming-history-the-plunder-of-shikarpur-by-its-very-own-sons Institutes have their own libraries, but there is only one public library in Shikarpur named "Qadir Bux Bedil Library".
Notable People
Gallery
File:Shikarpur.jpg, Old building architecture of Shikarpur
File:Deewan hotel.jpg, Deewan Ramchand's historical restaurant is very famous for its Sweets and Kulfi-Falooda
File:Samosa Making at Hathi dar Shikarpur.jpg, Samosa Making at Hathi dar Shikarpur
File:SHIKARPUR SAIF PLAZA.jpg, Shikarpur Saif plaza
Garhi Yasin
Garhi Yasin Sindh ( sd, ڳڙھي ياسين ', ur, ') is a town and taluka of Shikarpur District, Sindh, Pakistan.
One of the three talukas (sub-districts) of Shikarpur, Garhi Yasin is of political and historical significance to Pakistan. ...
*
Khanpur, Sindh
Khanpur (Urdu: خانپور) is small city and the Tehsil/Talka of the District Shikarpur in province Sindh of Pakistan. It is situated with Indus Highway Road N55 about distance 9 kilometers away from Shikarpur toward Kandhkot This city i ...
* Markovits, Claude ''The Global World of Indian Merchants 1750-1947 Traders of Sind from Bukhara to Panama'', Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2004, pp. 65–217.