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Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is a province 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 by population after Punjab. It is bordered by the
Pakistani provinces The administrative units of Pakistan comprise four provinces, one federal territory, and two disputed territories: the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan; the Islamabad Capital Territory; and the administrative ...
of Balochistan to the west and north-west and Punjab to the north. It shares an International border with the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan to the east; it is also bounded by the Arabian Sea to the south. Sindh's landscape consists mostly of
alluvial plain An alluvial plain is a largely flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A floodplain is part of the process, being the sma ...
s flanking 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, ...
, the Thar Desert in the eastern portion of the province along the international border with India, and the Kirthar Mountains in the western portion of the province. The
economy of Sindh The economy of Sindh is the 2nd largest of all the provinces in Pakistan. Much of Sindh's economy is influenced by the economy of Karachi, the largest city and economic capital of the country. Historically, Sindh's contribution to Pakistan's GDP ...
is the second-largest in Pakistan after the province of Punjab; its provincial capital of Karachi is the most populous city in the country as well as its main financial hub. Sindh is home to a large portion of Pakistan's industrial sector and contains two of the country's busiest commercial seaports:
Port Qasim The Port Muhammad Bin Qasim ( ur, ''Bandar-gāh Muhammad bin Qāsim''), or Qasim Port Authority ( ur, ), also known as Port Qasim, is a deep-water seaport in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, on the coastline of the Arabian Sea under the administra ...
and the Port of Karachi. The remainder of Sindh consists of an agriculture-based economy and produces fruits, consumer items and vegetables for other parts of the country. Sindh is sometimes referred to as the ''Bab-ul Islam'' (), as it was one of the first regions of the Indian subcontinent to fall under Islamic rule. Parts of the modern-day province were intermittently subject to raids by the Rashidun army during the early Muslim conquests, but the region did not fall under Muslim rule until the Arab invasion of Sind occurred under the Umayyad Caliphate, headed by Muhammad ibn Qasim in 712 CE. Ethnic Sindhi people constitute the largest group in the province; Sindh is also the place of residence for the overwhelming majority of Muhajirs (), a multiethnic group of Indian Muslims who migrated to the region after the Partition of British India in 1947. The province is well known for its distinct culture, which is strongly influenced by
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 ...
, an important marker of Sindhi identity for both Hindus and Muslims. Several important Sindhi Sufi shrines are located throughout the province and attract millions of devotees annually. Sindh is prominent for its history during the Bronze Age under the
Indus Valley civilization The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...
, and is home to two UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites: the Makli Necropolis and Mohenjo-daro.


Etymology

The Greeks who conquered Sindh in 325 BCE under the command of Alexander the Great referred to 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, ...
as '' Indós'', hence the modern ''Indus''. The ancient Iranians referred to everything east of the river Indus as ''hind''. The word ''Sindh'' is a Persian derivative of the Sanskrit term ''Sindhu,'' meaning "river" - a reference to
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, ...
. Southworth suggests that the name ''Sindhu'' is in turn derived from ''Cintu'', a Dravidian word for
date palm ''Phoenix dactylifera'', commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle Eas ...
, a tree commonly found in Sindh. The previous spelling "Sind" (from the Perso-Arabic ) was discontinued in 1988 by an amendment passed in Sindh Assembly, and is now spelt "Sindh."


History


Ancient era

Sindh and surrounding areas contain the ruins of the
Indus Valley Civilization The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...
. There are remnants of thousand-year-old cities and structures, with a notable example in Sindh being that of Mohenjo Daro. Built around 2500 BCE, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus civilisation, with features such as standardized bricks, street grids, and covered sewerage systems. It was one of the world's earliest major cities, contemporaneous with the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Minoan Crete, and
Caral-Supe Caral-Supe (also known as Caral and Norte Chico) was a complex pre-Columbian-era society that included as many as thirty major population centers in what is now the Caral region of north-central coastal Peru. The civilization flourished betwee ...
. Mohenjo-daro was abandoned in the 19th century BCE as the Indus Valley Civilization declined, and the site was not rediscovered until the 1920s. Significant excavation has since been conducted at the site of the city, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. The site is currently threatened by erosion and improper restoration. A gradual
drying Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a final production step before selling or packaging products. To be considered ...
of the region during the 3rd millennium BCE may have been the initial stimulus for its urbanisation. Eventually it also reduced the water supply enough to cause the civilisation's demise and to disperse its population to the east. During the Bronze Age, the territory of Sindh was known as Sindhu-Sauvīra, covering the lower
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, ...
Valley, with its southern border being the Indian Ocean and its northern border being the Pañjāb around Multān. The capital of Sindhu-Sauvīra was named Roruka and Vītabhaya or Vītībhaya, and corresponds to the mediaeval Arohṛ and the modern-day Rohṛī. The Achaemenids conquered the region and established the satrapy of Hindush. The territory may have corresponded to the area covering the lower and central
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, ...
basin (present day Sindh and the southern Punjab regions of Pakistan). Alternatively, some authors consider that ''Hindush'' may have been located in the Punjab area. These areas remained under Persian control until the invasion by Alexander. Alexander conquered parts of Sindh after Punjab for few years and appointed his general Peithon as governor. He constructed a harbour at the city of Patala in Sindh.
Chandragupta Maurya Chandragupta Maurya (350-295 BCE) was a ruler in Ancient India who expanded a geographically-extensive kingdom based in Magadha and founded the Maurya dynasty. He reigned from 320 BCE to 298 BCE. The Maurya kingdom expanded to become an empi ...
fought Alexander's successor in the east, Seleucus I Nicator, when the latter invaded. In a peace treaty, Seleucus ceded all territories west 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, ...
and offered a marriage, including a portion of
Bactria Bactria (; Bactrian: , ), or Bactriana, was an ancient region in Central Asia in Amu Darya's middle stream, stretching north of the Hindu Kush, west of the Pamirs and south of the Gissar range, covering the northern part of Afghanistan, southwe ...
, while Chandragupta granted Seleucus 500 elephants. Following a century of Mauryan rule which ended by 180 BCE, the region came under the Indo-Greeks, followed by the Indo Scythians, who ruled with their capital at Minnagara. Later on, Sasanian rulers from the reign of Shapur I claimed control of the Sindh area in their inscriptions, known as Hind. The local Rai dynasty emerged from Sindh and reigned for a period of 144 years, concurrent with the Huna invasions of North India. Aror was noted to be the capital. The Brahmin dynasty of Sindh succeeded the Rai dynasty.Nicholas F. Gier, ''FROM MONGOLS TO MUGHALS: RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN INDIA 9TH-18TH CENTURIES'', presented at the Pacific Northwest Regional Meeting American Academy of Religion, Gonzaga University, May 200

Retrieved 11 December 2006.
Most of the information about its existence comes from the '' Chach Nama'', a historical account of the Chach-Brahmin dynasty. After the empire's fall in 712, though the empire had ended, its dynasty's members administered parts of Sindh under the Umayyad Caliphate's Caliphal province of Sind.


Medieval era

After the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the Arab expansion towards the east reached the Sindh region beyond Persia. The connection between the Sindh and
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
was established by the initial Muslim invasions during the
Rashidun Caliphate The Rashidun Caliphate ( ar, اَلْخِلَافَةُ ٱلرَّاشِدَةُ, al-Khilāfah ar-Rāšidah) was the first caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was ruled by the first four successive caliphs of Muhammad after his ...
. Al-Hakim ibn Jabalah al-Abdi, who attacked
Makran Makran ( fa, مكران), mentioned in some sources as Mecran and Mokrān, is the coastal region of Baluchistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in Balochistan, in Pakistan and Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. It extends westwards, ...
in the year 649 CE, was an early partisan of Ali ibn Abu Talib.MacLean, Derryl N. (1989), Religion and Society in Arab Sind, pp. 126, BRILL, During the caliphate of Ali, many Jats of Sindh had come under the influence of Shi'ism and some even participated in the Battle of Camel and died fighting for Ali. Under the Umayyads (661–750 CE), many Shias sought asylum in the region of Sindh, to live in relative peace in the remote area. Ziyad Hindi is one of those refugees. The first clash with the Hindu kings of Sindh took place in 636 (15 A.H.) under Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab with the governor of Bahrain,
Uthman ibn Abu-al-Aas Uthman ibn Abi al-As al-Thaqafi ( ar, عثمان بن أبي العاص, ʿUthmān ibn Abī al-ʿĀṣ; died 671 or 675) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from the tribe of Banu Thaqif and the governor of Bahrayn (eastern Arabia) ...
, dispatching naval expeditions against Thane and
Bharuch Bharuch (), formerly known as Broach, is a city at the mouth of the river Narmada in Gujarat in western India. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District. The city of Bharuch and surroundings have been settled since tim ...
and Debal. Al-Baladhuri states they were victorious at Debal but doesn't mention the results of other two raids. However, the '' Chach Nama'' states that the raid of Debal was defeated and its governor killed the leader of the raids. These raids were thought to be triggered by a later pirate attack on Umayyad ships. Baladhuri adds that this stopped any more incursions until the reign of Uthman. In 712, Mohammed Bin Qasim defeated the
Brahmin dynasty The Brahmin dynasty of Sindh (), also known as the Chacha dynasty, were the Brahmin Hindu ruling family of the Chacha Empire. The Brahmin dynasty were successors of the Rai dynasty. The dynasty ruled on the Indian subcontinent which originated ...
and annexed it to the Umayyad Caliphate. This marked the beginning of Islam in the Indian subcontinent. The Habbari dynasty ruled much of Greater Sindh, as a semi-independent ''emirate'' from 854 to 1024. Beginning with the rule of 'Umar bin Abdul Aziz al-Habbari in 854 CE, the region became semi-independent from the Abbasid Caliphate in 861, while continuing to nominally pledge allegiance to the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad.P. M. ( Nagendra Kumar Singh), ''Muslim Kingship in India'', Anmol Publications, 1999, , pg 43-45.P. M. ( Derryl N. Maclean), ''Religion and society in Arab Sindh'', Published by Brill, 1989, , pg 140-143. The Habbaris ruled Sindh until they were defeated by
Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
Mahmud Ghaznavi in 1026, who then went on to destroy the old Habbari capital of Mansura, and annex the region to the
Ghaznavid Empire The Ghaznavid dynasty ( fa, غزنویان ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a culturally Persianate society, Persianate, Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turkic peoples, Turkic ''mamluk'' origin, ruling, at its greatest extent, large parts of Persia, ...
, thereby ending Arab rule of Sindh. The Soomra dynasty was a local Sindhi muslim dynasty that ruled between early 11th century and the 14th century. Later chroniclers like Ali ibn al-Athir (c. late 12th c.) and
Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (; ar, أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي, ; 27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732-808 AH) was an Arab The Historical Muhammad', Irving M. Zeitlin, (Polity Press, 2007), p. 21; "It is, of ...
(c. late 14th c.) attributed the fall of Habbarids to Mahmud of Ghazni, lending credence to the argument of Hafif being the last Habbarid. The Soomras appear to have established themselves as a regional power in this power vacuum. The Ghurids and
Ghaznavids The Ghaznavid dynasty ( fa, غزنویان ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a culturally Persianate, Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turkic ''mamluk'' origin, ruling, at its greatest extent, large parts of Persia, Khorasan, much of Transoxiana and the northwest ...
continued to rule parts of Sindh, across the eleventh and early twelfth century, alongside Soomrus. The precise delineations are not yet known but Sommrus were probably centered in lower Sindh. Some of them were adherents of Isma'ilism. One of their kings Shimuddin Chamisar had submitted to Iltutmish, the Sultan of Delhi, and was allowed to continue on as a vassal. The Sammas overthrew the Soomras soon after 1335 and the last Soomra ruler took shelter with the governor of Gujarat, under the protection of Muhammad bin Tughluq, the sultan of Delhi. Mohammad bin Tughlaq made an expedition against Sindh in 1351 and died at Sondha, possibly in an attempt to restore the Soomras. With this, the Sammas became independent. The next sultan,
Firuz Shah Tughlaq Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1309 – 20 September 1388) was a Muslim ruler from the Tughlaq dynasty, who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi from 1351 to 1388.
attacked Sindh in 1365 and 1367, unsuccessfully, but with reinforcements from Delhi he later obtained Banbhiniyo's surrender. For a period the Sammas were therefore subject to Delhi again. Later, as the Sultanate of Delhi collapsed they became fully independent.Directions in the History and Archaeology of Sindh by M. H. Panhwar
/ref> Jam Unar was the founder of Samma dynasty mentioned by
Ibn Battuta Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...
.Directions in the History and Archaeology of Sindh by M. H. Panhwar
/ref> The Samma civilization contributed significantly to the evolution of the Indo-Islamic architectural style. Thatta is famous for its necropolis, which covers 10 square km on the Makli Hill. It has left its mark in Sindh with magnificent structures including the Makli Necropolis of its royals in Thatta. They were later overthrown by the Turkic Arghuns in the late 15th century.Bosworth, "New Islamic Dynasties," p. 329


Modern era

In the late 16th century, Sindh was brought into the Mughal Empire by
Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
, himself born in the Rajputana kingdom in Umerkot in Sindh. Mughal rule from their provincial capital of Thatta was to last in lower Sindh until the early 18th century, while upper Sindh was ruled by the indigenous Kalhora dynasty holding power, consolidating their rule from their capital 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 ...
, before shifting to Hyderabad from 1768 onwards. The Talpurs succeeded the Kalhoras and four branches of the dynasty were established. One ruled lower Sindh from the city of Hyderabad, another ruled over upper Sindh from the city of Khairpur, a third ruled around the eastern city of
Mirpur Khas Mirpur Khas ( Sindhi and ; ''meaning "Town of the most-high Mirs"'') is the capital city of the Mirpur Khas District and Mirpur Khas Division in the Sindh province, Pakistan. Mirpur Khas is the 16th largest city in Sindh province and the 80th ...
, and a fourth was based in
Tando Muhammad Khan Tando Muhammad Khan ( sd, ٽنڊو محمد خان; ur, ) is a city and headquarter of the Tando Muhammad Khan District located in Sindh, Pakistan. Is is named after Mir Muhammad Khan Talpur Shahwani. It is the 95th largest city of Pakistan, ...
. They were ethnically
Baloch Baloch, also spelled Baloch, Beluch and in other ways, may refer to: * Baloch people, an ethnic group of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan * Baluch, a small itinerant community of Afghanistan * Balouch, Azad Kashmir, a town in Pakistan * Baloch (s ...
, and for most of their rule, they were subordinate to the
Durrani Empire The Durrani Empire ( ps, د درانيانو ټولواکمني; fa, امپراتوری درانیان) or the Afghan Empire ( ps, د افغانان ټولواکمني, label=none; fa, امپراتوری افغان, label=none), also know ...
and were forced to pay tribute to them. They ruled from 1783, until 1843, when they were in turn defeated by the British at the Battle of Miani and
Battle of Dubbo 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 Talpur dynasty, Talpurs which was fought on 24 March 1843 between the forces of the British East India C ...
. The northern Khairpur branch of the Talpur dynasty, however, continued to maintain a degree of sovereignty during British rule as the princely state of Khairpur, whose ruler elected to join the new Dominion of Pakistan in October 1947 as an autonomous region, before being fully amalgamated into West Pakistan in 1955.


British Raj

The British conquered Sindh in 1843. General Charles Napier is said to have reported victory to the Governor General with a one-word telegram, namely ''"Peccavi"'' – or ''"I have sinned"'' ( Latin). The British had two objectives in their rule of Sindh: the consolidation of British rule and the use of Sindh as a market for British products and a source of revenue and raw materials. With the appropriate infrastructure in place, the British hoped to utilise Sindh for its economic potential. The British incorporated Sindh, some years later after annexing it, into the
Bombay Presidency The Bombay Presidency or Bombay Province, also called Bombay and Sind (1843–1936), was an administrative subdivision (province) of British India, with its capital in the city that came up over the seven islands of Bombay. The first mainl ...
. Distance from the provincial capital, Bombay, led to grievances that Sindh was neglected in contrast to other parts of the Presidency. The merger of Sindh into Punjab province was considered from time to time but was turned down because of British disagreement and Sindhi opposition, both from Muslims and Hindus, to being annexed to Punjab. Later, desire for a separate administrative status for Sindh grew. At the annual session of the Indian National Congress in 1913, a Sindhi Hindu put forward the demand for Sindh's separation from the Bombay Presidency on the grounds of Sindh's unique cultural character. This reflected the desire of Sindh's predominantly Hindu commercial class to free itself from competing with the more powerful Bombay's business interests. Meanwhile, Sindhi politics was characterised in the 1920s by the growing importance of Karachi and the Khilafat Movement. A number of Sindhi pirs, descendants of Sufi saints who had proselytised in Sindh, joined the Khilafat Movement, which propagated the protection of the Ottoman Caliphate, and those pirs who did not join the movement found a decline in their following. The pirs generated huge support for the Khilafat cause in Sindh. Sindh came to be at the forefront of the
Khilafat Movement The Khilafat Movement (1919–24), also known as the Caliphate movement or the Indian Muslim movement, was a pan-Islamist political protest campaign launched by Muslims of British India led by Shaukat Ali, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Hakim Ajma ...
. Although Sindh had a cleaner record of communal harmony than other parts of India, the province's Muslim elite and emerging Muslim middle class demanded separation of Sindh from Bombay Presidency as a safeguard for their own interests. In this campaign, local Sindhi Muslims identified ‘Hindu’ with Bombay instead of Sindh. Sindhi Hindus were seen as representing the interests of Bombay instead of the majority of Sindhi Muslims. Sindhi Hindus, for the most part, opposed the separation of Sindh from Bombay. Although Sindh had a culture of religious syncretism, communal harmony and tolerance due to Sindh's strong
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, ...
culture in which both Sindhi Muslims and Sindhi Hindus partook,Priya Kumar & Rita Kothari (2016) Sindh, 1947 and Beyond, ''South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies'', 39:4, 775, both the Muslim landed elite, ''waderas'', and the Hindu commercial elements, '' banias'', collaborated in oppressing the predominantly Muslim peasantry of Sindh who were economically exploited. Sindhi Muslims eventually demanded the separation of Sindh from the Bombay Presidency, a move opposed by Sindhi Hindus.Ansari, p. 77. In Sindh's first provincial election after its separation from Bombay in 1936, economic interests were an essential factor of politics informed by religious and cultural issues. Due to British policies, much land in Sindh was transferred from Muslim to Hindu hands over the decades. Religious tensions rose in Sindh over the Sukkur Manzilgah issue where Muslims and Hindus disputed over an abandoned mosque in proximity to an area sacred to Hindus. The Sindh Muslim League exploited the issue and agitated for the return of the mosque to Muslims. Consequentially, a thousand members of the Muslim League were imprisoned. Eventually, due to panic the government restored the mosque to Muslims.The separation of Sindh from Bombay Presidency triggered Sindhi Muslim nationalists to support the Pakistan Movement. Even while the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province were ruled by parties hostile to the Muslim League, Sindh remained loyal to Jinnah. Although the prominent Sindhi Muslim nationalist G.M. Syed left the All India Muslim League in the mid-1940s and his relationship with Jinnah never improved, the overwhelming majority of Sindhi Muslims supported the creation of Pakistan, seeing in it their deliverance. Sindhi support for the Pakistan Movement arose from the desire of the Sindhi Muslim business class to drive out their Hindu competitors. The Muslim League's rise to becoming the party with the strongest support in Sindh was in large part linked to its winning over of the religious pir families. Although the Muslim League had previously fared poorly in the 1937 elections in Sindh, when local Sindhi Muslim parties won more seats, the Muslim League's cultivation of support from local pirs in 1946 helped it gain a foothold in the province, it didn't take long for the overwhelming majority of Sindhi Muslims to campaign for the creation of Pakistan.


Partition (1947)

In 1947, violence did not constitute a major part of the Sindhi partition experience, unlike in Punjab. There were very few incidents of violence on Sindh, in part due to the Sufi-influenced culture of religious tolerance and in part that Sindh was not divided and was instead made part of Pakistan in its entirety. Sindhi Hindus who left generally did so out of a fear of persecution, rather than persecution itself, because of the arrival of Muslim refugees from India. Sindhi Hindus differentiated between the local Sindhi Muslims and the migrant Muslims from India. A large number of Sindhi Hindus travelled to India by sea, to the ports of Bombay, Porbandar, Veraval and Okha.


Population


Demographics

Sindh has the second highest Human Development Index out of all of Pakistan's provinces at 0.628. The 2017 Census of Pakistan indicated a population of 47.9 million. The major ethnic group of the province is the Sindhis, but there is also a significant presence of other groups. Sindhis of Baloch origin make up about 30% of the total Sindhi population (although they speak Sindhi or Saraiki as their native tongue), while Urdu-speaking Muhajirs make up over 19% of the total population of the province, while
Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...
are 10% and Pashtuns represent 7%. In August 1947, before the partition of India, the total population of Sindh was 3,887,070 out of which 2,832,000 (around 73%) were Muslims, 1,015,000 (around 26%) were Hindus and the remaining were Sikhs and Jains.


Religion

Islam in Sindh has a long history, starting with the capture of Sindh by Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712 CE. Over time, the majority of the population in Sindh converted to Islam, especially in rural areas. Today, Muslims make up over 90% of the population, and are more dominant in urban than rural areas. Islam in Sindh has a strong Sufi ethos with numerous Muslim saints and mystics, such as the Sufi poet
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai ( sd, شاھ عبداللطيف ڀٽائي, ur, ; 1689/1690 – 21 December 1752), commonly known by the honorifics ''Lakhino Latif'', ''Latif Ghot'', ''Bhittai'', and ''Bhit Jo Shah'', was a Sindhi Sufi mystic, an ...
, having lived in Sindh historically. One popular legend which highlights the strong Sufi presence in Sindh is that 125,000 Sufi saints and mystics are buried on Makli Hill near Thatta. The development of Sufism in Sindh was similar to the development of Sufism in other parts of the Muslim world. In the 16th century two Sufi tareeqat (orders) – Qadria and Naqshbandia – were introduced in Sindh. Sufism continues to play an important role in the daily lives of Sindhis. Sindh also has Pakistan's highest percentage of
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 ...
overall, which accounts 8.7% of the population, roughly around 4.2 million people, and 13.3% of the province's rural population as per 2017 Pakistani census report. These numbers also include the
scheduled caste The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...
population, which stands at 1.7% of the total in Sindh (or 3.1% in rural areas), and is believed to have been under-reported, with some community members instead counted under the main Hindu category. Although,
Pakistan Hindu Council Pakistan Hindu council () is the representative body of all Hindus of Pakistan which was formed in the year 2005 by Ramesh Kumar Vankwani. History The Pakistan Hindu Council was founded by the Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Hindu activist and member o ...
claimed that there are 6,842,526 Hindus living in Sindh Province covering around 14.29% of the region's population. Umerkot district in the Thar Desert is Pakistan's only Hindu-majority district. The Shri Ramapir Temple in Tandoallahyar whose annual festival is the second largest Hindu pilgrimage in Pakistan is in Sindh. Sindh is also the only province in Pakistan to have a separate law for governing Hindu marriages. Per community estimates, there are approximately 10,000 Sikhs in Sindh.


Languages

According to the 2017 census, the most widely spoken language in the province is Sindhi, the first language of % of the population. It is followed by Urdu (%), Pashto (%),
Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...
(%), Saraiki (%),
Balochi Balochi, sometimes spelt in various other ways, may refer to: * Balochi language, a language of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan * an adjective for something related to the Baloch people, an ethnic group of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan * an adjecti ...
(2%) and
Hindko Hindko (, romanized: , ) is a cover term for a diverse group of Lahnda dialects spoken by several million people of various ethnic backgrounds in several areas in northwestern Pakistan, primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pun ...
(). Other minority languages include Kutchi,
Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...
, Aer, Bagri,
Bhaya Bhaya is a moribund and possibly extinct Indo-Aryan language spoken in the lower Sindh province. According to ''Ethnologue'', it belongs to the Western Hindi subgroup, and possesses considerable lexical and morphemic similarities with neighbou ...
, Brahui, Dhatki, Ghera,
Goaria Goaria is a Marwari Rajasthani language spoken by some 25,000 people in Sindh Province, Pakistan. The people are predominantly Hindu, and use the Hindi language Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (De ...
,
Gurgula Gurgula is a Rajasthani language of Pakistan. It is lexically quite similar with Ghera, but very different grammatically. References {{Languages of Pakistan Indo-Aryan languages ...
,
Jadgali Jaḍgālī is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Jadgal, an ethno-linguistic group of Pakistan and Iran. It is one of only two Indo-Aryan languages found on the Iranian plateau. It is a dialect of Sindhi most closely related to Lasi. The ...
,
Jandavra Jandavra (Jhandoria) is a minor Indic language of Sindh, Pakistan, and Jodhpur Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat o ...
, Jogi,
Kabutra Kabutra (also known as Nat or Natra) is an endangered Indo-Aryan language spoken in Sindh, Pakistan. Kabutra is almost identical to neighboring Sansi in India. Kabutra is unwritten, but may be written with a variety of the Arabic script ...
,
Kachi Koli Kachi Koli is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Pakistan and 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 ...
, Parkari Koli,
Wadiyari Koli Wadiyara Koli is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language of Gujarati languages, the Gujarati group. It is spoken by the Wadiyara people, who originate from Wadiyar in Gujarat; many of whom are thought to have migrated to Sindh in the early ...
,
Loarki Marwari (मारवाड़ी, IAST: Mārwāṛī; also rendered as ''Marwadi'' or ''Marvadi'') is a Rajasthani language spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Marwari is also found in the neighbouring states of Gujarat and Haryana, ...
, Marwari, Sansi, and Vaghri. Karachi city is Sindh's most multiethnic city. Urdu-speakers form a plurality, while
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 the second-largest group. Sindhis themselves are 10% of the population in Karachi, a number that has increased due to migration of rural Sindhis to the city for work.


Geography and nature

Sindh is in the western corner of South Asia, bordering the Iranian plateau in the west. Geographically it is the third largest province of Pakistan, stretching about from north to south and (extreme) or (average) from east to west, with an area of of Pakistani territory. Sindh is bounded by the Thar Desert to the east, the Kirthar Mountains to the west and the Arabian Sea and Rann of Kutch to the south. In the centre is a fertile plain along 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, ...
. Sindh is divided into three main geographical regions: ''Siro'' ("upper country"), aka Upper Sindh, which is above Sehwan; ''Vicholo'' ("middle country"), or Middle Sindh, from Sehwan to Hyderabad; and ''Lāṟu'' ("sloping, descending country"), or Lower Sindh, mostly consisting of the
Indus Delta The Indus River Delta ( ur, سندھ ڈیلٹا, sd, سنڌو ٽِڪور), forms where the Indus River flows into the Arabian Sea, mostly in the southern Sindh province of Pakistan with a small portion in the Kutch District, Kutch Region of Indi ...
below Hyderabad.


Flora

The province is mostly arid with scant vegetation except for the irrigated Indus Valley. The dwarf palm, ''Acacia Rupestris'' (kher), and ''
Tecomella undulata ''Tecomella undulata'' is a tree species, locally known as rohida, found in Oman, and from southwest Iran to northwest India. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Tecomella''. It is a medium-sized tree that produces quality timber and ...
'' ( lohirro) trees are typical of the western hill region. In the Indus valley, the '' Acacia nilotica'' (babul) (babbur) is the most dominant and occurs in thick forests along the Indus banks. The '' Azadirachta indica'' (neem) (nim), ''Zizyphys vulgaris'' (bir) (ber), ''Tamarix orientalis'' (jujuba lai) and ''
Capparis aphylla ''Capparis decidua'', commonly known as karira, is a useful plant in its marginal habitat. Description It is a small much-branched tree or shrub. It bears a mass of slender, gray-green leafless branches, the small caducous leaves being found ...
'' (kirir) are among the more common trees. Mango, date palms and the more recently introduced banana, guava, orange and
chiku ''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as sapodilla (), sapote, naseberry, nispero or chicle, is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán in the ...
are the typical fruit-bearing trees. The coastal strip and the creeks abound in semi-aquatic and aquatic plants and the inshore Indus delta islands have forests of ''Avicennia tomentosa'' (timmer) and '' Ceriops candolleana'' (chaunir) trees. Water lilies grow in abundance in the numerous lake and ponds, particularly in the lower Sindh region.


Fauna

Among the wild animals, the Sindh ibex (sareh), blackbuck, wild sheep ( Urial or gadh) and wild bear are found in the western rocky range. The
leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, a ...
is now rare and the
Asiatic cheetah The Asiatic cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus venaticus'') is a critically endangered cheetah subspecies currently only surviving in Iran. It once occurred from the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East to the Caspian region, Transcaucasus, Kyzylkum D ...
extinct. The Pirrang (large tiger cat or fishing cat) of the eastern desert region is also disappearing. Deer occur in the lower rocky plains and in the eastern region, as do the Striped hyena (charakh), jackal,
fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
,
porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethizont ...
, common gray mongoose and hedgehog. The Sindhi phekari, red lynx or Caracal cat, is found in some areas. Phartho (hog deer) and wild bear occur, particularly in the central inundation belt. There are bats, lizards and reptiles, including the cobra, lundi (viper) and the mysterious Sindh krait of the Thar region, which is supposed to suck the victim's breath in his sleep. Some unusual sightings of Asian cheetah occurred in 2003 near the Balochistan border in Kirthar Mountains. The rare
houbara bustard The houbara bustard (''Chlamydotis undulata''), also known as African houbara, is a relatively small bustard native to North Africa, where it lives in arid habitats. The global population is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2014. ...
find Sindh's warm climate suitable to rest and mate. Unfortunately, it is hunted by locals and foreigners. Crocodiles are rare and inhabit only the backwaters of the Indus, eastern Nara channel and Karachi backwater. Besides a large variety of marine fish, the plumbeous dolphin, the beaked dolphin, rorqual or blue whale and skates frequent the seas along the Sindh coast. The Pallo (Sable fish), a marine fish, ascends the Indus annually from February to April to spawn. The Indus river dolphin is among the most endangered species in Pakistan and is found in the part of the Indus river in northern Sindh. Hog deer and wild bear occur, particularly in the central inundation belt. Although Sindh has a
semi arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi- ...
climate, through its coastal and riverine forests, its huge fresh water lakes and mountains and deserts, Sindh supports a large amount of varied wildlife. Due to the semi-arid
climate of Sindh Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorological ...
the left out forests support an average population of jackals and snakes. The national parks established by the Government of Pakistan in collaboration with many organizations such as World Wide Fund for Nature and
Sindh Wildlife Department The fauna of Sindh live in an area with a semi arid climate. With its coastal and riverine forests, its huge fresh water lakes, mountains and deserts, Sindh supports a large and varied wildlife population. Habitat and wildlife Due to the climate ...
support a huge variety of animals and birds. The
Kirthar National Park The Kirthar National Park ( ur, ), Sindhi (کيرٿرنيشنل پارڪ) is situated in the Kirthar Mountains in Jamshoro District in Sindh, Pakistan. The park was established in 1974, and encompasses over - making it the third largest natio ...
in the Kirthar range spreads over more than 3000 km2 of desert, stunted tree forests and a lake. The KNP supports Sindh ibex, wild sheep (urial) and black bear along with the rare leopard. There are also occasional sightings of The Sindhi phekari, ped lynx or Caracal cat. There is a project to introduce tigers and Asian elephants too in KNP near the huge Hub Dam Lake. Between July and November when the monsoon winds blow onshore from the ocean, giant
olive ridley The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...
turtles lay their eggs along the seaward side. The turtles are protected species. After the mothers lay and leave them buried under the sands the SWD and WWF officials take the eggs and protect them until they are hatched to keep them from predators.


Climate

Sindh lies in a tropical to
subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...
region; it is hot in the summer and mild to warm in winter. Temperatures frequently rise above between May and August, and the minimum average temperature of occurs during December and January in the northern and higher elevated regions. The annual rainfall averages about seven inches, falling mainly during July and August. The southwest monsoon wind begins in mid-February and continues until the end of September, whereas the cool northerly wind blows during the winter months from October to January. Sindh lies between the two monsoons—the southwest monsoon from the Indian Ocean and the northeast or retreating monsoon, deflected towards it by the Himalayan mountains—and escapes the influence of both. The region's scarcity of rainfall is compensated by the inundation of the Indus twice a year, caused by the spring and summer melting of Himalayan snow and by rainfall in the monsoon season. Sindh is divided into three climatic regions: Siro (the upper region, centred on Jacobabad), Wicholo (the middle region, centred on Hyderabad), and Lar (the lower region, centred on Karachi). The thermal equator passes through upper Sindh, where the air is generally very dry. Central Sindh's temperatures are generally lower than those of upper Sindh but higher than those of lower Sindh. Dry hot days and cool nights are typical during the summer. Central Sindh's maximum temperature typically reaches . Lower Sindh has a damper and humid maritime climate affected by the southwestern winds in summer and northeastern winds in winter, with lower rainfall than Central Sindh. Lower Sindh's maximum temperature reaches about . In the Kirthar range at and higher at
Gorakh Hill , native_name = , nickname = Gorakh , settlement_type = , image_skyline = Image:Gorakh hilltop.jpg , imagesize = , image_alt ...
and other peaks in Dadu District, temperatures near freezing have been recorded and brief snowfall is received in the winters.


Major cities


Government


Sindh province

The
Provincial Assembly of Sindh The Provincial Assembly of Sindh ( ur, ) is a unicameral legislature of elected representatives of the Pakistani province of Sindh, and is located in Karachi, the provincial capital. It was established under Article 106 of the Constitution of ...
is a unicameral and consists of 168 seats, of which 5% are reserved for non-Muslims and 17% for women. The provincial capital of Sindh is Karachi. The provincial government is led by Chief Minister who is directly elected by the popular and landslide votes; the Governor serves as a ceremonial representative nominated and appointed by the
President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.Chief Secretary Sindh The Chief Secretary Sindh (Urdu: ), also referred to as CS Sindh, is the chief and highest-ranking official of the Government of Sindh. The appointment of the Chief Secretary is made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The position of Chief Secreta ...
, who is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Most of the influential Sindhi tribes in the province are involved in Pakistan's politics. In addition, Sindh's politics leans towards the left-wing and its political culture serves as a dominant place for the left-wing spectrum in the country. The province's trend towards the
Pakistan Peoples 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 ...
(PPP) and away from the
Pakistan Muslim League (N) The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) ( ur, , translit=Pākistān Muslim Līg (Nūn) PML(N) or PML-N) is a Centre-right politics, centre-right and Liberal conservatism, liberal conservative political party in Pakistan. Alongside the Pakistan Teh ...
can be seen in nationwide general elections, in which Sindh is a stronghold of the PPP. The PML(N) has a limited support due to its centre-right agenda. In metropolitan cities such as Karachi and Hyderabad, the
MQM MQM may refer to: * Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London (MQM) * Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) * Muhajir Qaumi Movement – Haqiqi (MQM-H) * Mardin Airport, Turkey (IATA: MQM) * South Marquesan language Marquesan is a collection o ...
(another party of the left with the support of ''Muhajirs'') has a considerable vote bank and support. Minor leftist parties such as the People's Movement also found support in rural areas of the province.


Divisions

In 2008, after the public elections, the new government decided to restore the structure of Divisions of all provinces. In Sindh after the lapse of the Local Governments Bodies term in 2010 the Divisional Commissioners system was to be restored. In July 2011, following excessive violence in the city of Karachi and after the political split between the ruling PPP and the majority party in Sindh, the MQM and after the resignation of the MQM Governor of Sindh, PPP and the Government of Sindh decided to restore the commissionerate system in the province. As a consequence, the five divisions of Sindh were restored – namely Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Larkana with their respective districts. Subsequently, two new divisions have been added in Sindh, Banbore and Nawab Shah/Shaheed Benazirabad division. Karachi district has been de-merged into its five original constituent districts: Karachi East,
Karachi West Karachi West District ( ur, ) is an administrative district of Karachi Division in Sindh, Pakistan. History The District was abolished in 2000 and divided into five towns namely: * Lyari Town *Kemari Town, * SITE Town, * Baldia Town ...
, Karachi Central,
Karachi South Karachi South District ( ur, ) is an administrative district of Karachi Division in Sindh, Pakistan. History Karachi South District is the economic backbone of the country. It has Head Offices of many Corporations, Companies and Banks. Chi ...
and
Malir Malir Town ( sd, ملير ٽائون, ur, ) lies in the northern part of the city that was named after the Malir River. History Administrative status 2000 The federal government under introduced local government reforms in the year 2 ...
. Recently Korangi has been upgraded to the status of the sixth district of Karachi. These six districts form the Karachi Division now. In 2020, the Kemari District was created after splitting Karachi West District. Currently the Sindh government is planning to divide the Tharparkar district into Tharparkar and Chhachro district.


Districts


Lower-level subdivisions

In Sindh, talukas are equivalent to the tehsils used elsewhere in the country, supervisory tapas correspond with the kanungo circles used elsewhere, tapas correspond with the
patwar circle Revenue blocks, revenue circles, ''firka'', or ''patwar circles'' are the local revenue sub-divisions of the various districts of the states of India. These blocks should not be confused with the similar Panchayath union blocks (Blocks) and ''ta ...
s used in other provinces, and dehs are equivalent to the
mouza In Bangladesh, Pakistan and parts of India a mouza or mauza (also mouja) is a type of administrative district, corresponding to a specific land area within which there may be one or more settlements. Before the 20th century, the term referred to a ...
s used elsewhere.


Towns and villages

* Goth Bozo *
Kashmir Goth Kashmir Goth is a town in the Sindh 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, ...
* Khairo Bhatti


Economy


Education

The following is a chart of the education market of Sindh estimated by the government in 1998: Major public and private educational institutes in Sindh include: *
Adamjee Government Science College Adamjee Government Science College (AGSC) ( ur, ) is an educational institution in Karachi, Pakistan. It was established in 1961, by All Pakistan Memon Educational and Welfare Society through the financial help and efforts of late Sir Adamje ...
*
Aga Khan University Aga Khan University is a non-profit institution and an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. It was Founded in 1983 as Pakistan's first private university. Starting in 2000, the university expanded to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Ki ...
* APIIT *
Applied Economics Research Centre The Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC) () is a research institute of University of Karachi. It was established in 1973 by the Government of Sindh and financially assisted by Ford Foundation. Prof. Dr. Ehsan Rasheed, the distinguished alumni ...
*
Bahria University Bahria University (BU; ur, ) is a public-sector university established in 2000 by the Pakistan Navy at Shangrilla Road, Sector E-8/1 in Islamabad, Pakistan. The university maintains campuses in Karachi and Lahore. Established by the Pakistan Na ...
* Baqai Medical University * Chandka Medical College Larkana *
Cadet College Petaro Cadet College Petaro is a military boarding school in Jamshoro District of the southern province of Sindh in Pakistan; about 20 miles (32 km) from Hyderabad which is under administration of Pakistan Navy. Its campus occupies over 700 acres ...
* College of Digital Sciences * College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan *
COMMECS Institute of Business and Emerging Sciences Commecs College ( ur, ) is a higher secondary intermediate school in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Commecs College is a not-for-profit, co-educational institution founded in 1993 by COMMECS, the alumni of the Govt. College of Commerce & Economics, ...
*
D. J. Science College Dayaram Jethamal Sindh Government Science College, ( sd, ) commonly known as DJ Science College, is a public community college that is affiliated with the University of Karachi — it is located near Burns Road in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Pr ...
*
Dawood University of Engineering & Technology The Dawood University of Engineering and Technology ( initials:DUET) ( ur, ) is a public university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
* Defence Authority Degree College for Men *
Dow International Medical College Dow International Medical College ( ur, ) is a government-owned public sector medical college in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, which is recognized by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) . Admittance is limited to 150 students per year. ...
* Dow University of Health Sciences *
Fatima Jinnah Dental College Fatima Jinnah Dental College ( ur, ), commonly referred to by the acronym FJDC, is the oldest dental school in Karachi and one of the oldest in Pakistan. Established in 1992, it is run and managed by a duly registered Fatima Jinnah Dental Colleg ...
*
Federal Urdu University The Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology ( ur, ); alternatively known as FUUAST) is a public university primarily located at Islamabad, Pakistan. The university has two satellite campuses; the central campus is located in Is ...
* GBELS Dourai Mahar Taluka Daur Distt: Shaheed Benazirabad * Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur *
Government College for Men Nazimabad Government College for Men, Nazimabad is an all-male degree college located in Karachi, Pakistan, adjacent to the flyover located in Nazimabad town. Departments The college has the following departments: * Botany * Chemistry * Computer Scie ...
* Government College Hyderabad *
Government College of Commerce & Economics Government College of Commerce & Economics, ( ur, ) founded as the Basant Singh Asumal College of Commerce & Economics, is an institution of commerce education in the city of Karachi. It is located on Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, opposite Bagh-e-Ji ...
*
Government College of Technology, Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, most populous city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the Geography of ...
* Government Degree College Matiari * Government High School Ranipur *
Government Islamia Science College 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 city ...
* Government Muslim Science College Hyderabad *
Government National College (Karachi) Government National College, Karachi is a college in Karachi, Pakistan. Government National College ( ur, ) is the biggest college of Karachi being run under one roof, with all the three faculties of science, arts and commerce up to degree leve ...
* Greenwich University (Karachi) * Hamdard University *
Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry The International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), also known as the Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry and Dr Panjwani for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, is a federally funded national research in ...
* Imperial Science College Nawabshah *
Indus Valley Institute of Art and Architecture Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture () ( sd, انڊس ويلي اسڪول آف آرٽ اينڊ آرڪيٽيڪچر) is a not-for-profit degree awarding institution in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The university was established in 1989, ther ...
* Institute of Business Administration, Karachi *
Institute of Business Administration, Sukkar The Sukkur IBA University (''previously'' Sukkur Institute of Business Administration or Sukkur IBA) is a higher education institute in Sukkur, Pakistan. It was founded in 1994 by Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui. University is a public sector degree-awar ...
* Institute of Business Management *
Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering The Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering (IIEE) is a public college located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is the first and only institution in Pakistan and the second in South Asia to offer a bachelor's degree in industrial electro ...
*
Institute of Sindhology Institute of Sindhology ( sd, سنڌولوجي) is one of the major resources on the history of Sindh. It was the first research institution of its kind, and brought Sindhology to the forefront of international research. Sindhology refers to knowl ...
*
Iqra University Iqra University, ( ur, ) is a Private University primarily with its main campus located in Defence Area of Karachi, Pakistan. It has additional campuses in other parts of the city, in Islamabad and Quetta. Iqra University was ranked as the num ...
*
Islamia Science College (Karachi) Government Islamia Science College is located in Karachi, Pakistan. It is one of the largest colleges in Pakistan. The college provides faculties of Science, Law, Commerce and Arts. It is located just opposite Dawood College of Engineering and ...
* Isra University Hyderabad * Jinnah Medical & Dental College *
Jinnah Polytechnic Institute The Jinnah Polytechnic Institute (JPI) is a private polytechnic institute located in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. Academics Diploma of Associate Engineering (DAE) programs The college offers 3-year Diploma of Associate Engineering (DAE) progr ...
* Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre * Jinnah University for Women *
KANUPP Institute of Nuclear Power Engineering The Karachi Institute of Power Engineering, commonly known as KINPOE, is a post-graduate applied science school of the Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Established by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in 1993 with coope ...
*
Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology (KIET) ( ur, ) was established in 1997. KIET received recognition by the Higher Education Commission (formerly named UGC) vide letter no. 15-22/UGC-SEC/97/1291 dated 1 August 1998. HEC ranks KIET a ...
*
Karachi School of Business and Leadership The Karachi School of Business and Leadership (KSBL) is a premier and HEC recognized independent degree awarding business school located in the heart of Karachi, Pakistan, established in 2009, under the charter of Sindh Government of Pakistan, 2012 ...
* Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences *
Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Mehran University of Engineering & Technology ( sd, انجنيئرڱ ۽ ٽيڪنيڀياس جي جامعہ مهراڻ) (Often referred as Mehran University or MUET) is a public research university located in Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan focuse ...
*
Mohammad Ali Jinnah University } The Mohammad Ali Jinnah University ( ur, ), abbreviated as MAJU) is a private university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Established in 1998, the university offers undergraduate and post-graduate programs with a strong emphasis on busin ...
* National Academy of Performing Arts *
National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences The National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (Initials: NUCES) ( ur, ), also commonly known as "Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology" (FAST), ( ur, ) is a private research university with multiple campuses in dif ...
*
National University of Modern Languages The National University of Modern Languages (NUMLs) (Urdu: ) is a multi-campus public university with its main campus located in Islamabad, Pakistan and other campuses in different cities of Pakistan. Overview At the foothills of the mighty H ...
* National University of Sciences and Technology * NED University of Engineering and Technology * Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases * PAF Institute of Aviation Technology * TES Public School, Daur * Pakistan Navy Engineering College *
Pakistan Shipowners' College Pakistan Shipowners' Government College ( ur, ) is a public college, located at Shahrah e Noorjahan, in North Nazimabad, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. History Pakistan Shipowners' College, established in 1969, is a teaching institution in Karachi ...
* Pakistan Steel Cadet College * Peoples Medical College for Girls Nawabshah * PIA Training Centre Karachi * Provincial Institute of Teachers Education Nawabshah * Public School Hyderabad *
Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology The Quaid e Awam University of Engineering, Sciences & Technology ( sd, قائد عوام یونیورسٹی آف انجینئرنگ، سائنس اینڈ ٹیکنالوجی, translit=) often referred as 'QUEST' is a public technical and resear ...
, Nawabshah *
Rana Liaquat Ali Khan Government College of Home Economics The Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan Government College of Home Economics (also known as RLAK CHE) ( ur, ) is an all-girls college, established in 1952 in Karachi, province of Sindh, Pakistan. RLAK-CHE is a professional-level college offering numerous h ...
*
Saint Patrick's College, Karachi Saint Patrick's College or St. Patrick's College is a Catholic education institute located in Karachi, Pakistan affiliated with the University of Karachi. It is located alongside St Patrick's High School, Karachi. It was established in 1952. by t ...
* Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai University * Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical College *
Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology SZABIST is a private institute with multiple campuses in the residential and commercial areas of Pakistan especially in the heart of Pakistan, Karachi, Islamabad, and United Arab Emirates. Its main campus is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. O ...
* Sindh Agriculture University *
Sindh Medical College Jinnah Sindh Medical University (), formerly known as ''Sindh Medical College'', is a Medical school, medical university in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It gained university status in June 2012. History Jinnah Sindh Medical University, formerly kno ...
* Superior College of Science Hyderabad * Sindh Muslim Law College *
Sir Syed Government Girls College Sir Syed Government Girls College ( ur, ) is located in Nazimabad at Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Sir Syed Girls College is adjacent to 1st Chowrangi, Altaf Ali Barelvi Road, Nazimabad, Karachi and is under the supervision of Government of Sindh. ...
*
Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology ( ur, ) (known as "SSUET") is a Private university, private research university located in the urban area of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The university is honored in the name of notable 19th-cen ...
* St. Joseph's College * Sukkur Institute of Science & Technology * Textile Institute of Pakistan * University of Karachi *
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 ...
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Usman Institute of Technology UIT University (formerly Usman Institute of Technology (UIT)) is a not-for profit institute. UIT university's campus is located at the intersection of University Road and Abul Hasan Isphahani Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, Pakistan. On 18 Dec ...
* Ziauddin Medical University


Culture

The rich culture, art and architectural landscape of Sindh have fascinated historians. The culture, folktales, art and music of Sindh form a mosaic of human history.


Cultural heritage

The work of Sindhi artisans was sold in ancient markets of Damascus, Baghdad, Basra, Istanbul, Cairo and Samarkand. Referring to the lacquer work on wood locally known as Jandi, T. Posten (an English traveller who visited Sindh in the early 19th century) asserted that the articles of Hala could be compared with exquisite specimens of China. Technological improvements such as the spinning wheel ( charkha) and treadle (pai-chah) in the weaver's loom were gradually introduced and the processes of designing, dyeing and printing by block were refined. The refined, lightweight, colourful, washable fabrics from Hala became a luxury for people used to the woollens and linens of the age. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the World Wildlife Fund, Pakistan, play an important role to promote the culture of Sindh. They provide training to women artisans in Sindh so they get a source of income. They promote their products under the name of "Crafts Forever". Many women in rural Sindh are skilled in the production of caps. Sindhi caps are manufactured commercially on a small scale at New Saeedabad and Hala New. Sindhi people began celebrating Sindhi Topi Day on 6 December 2009, to preserve the historical culture of Sindh by wearing Ajrak and Sindhi topi.


Tourism

File:Sukkur bridge hdr.jpg, Sukkur Bridge File:Gorakh Hill Morning.jpg, Gorakh Hill Station File:FaizMahal.jpg, Faiz Mahal, Khairpur File:Rani Kort Wall & Forte View.jpg,
Ranikot Fort Ranikot Fort ( sd, راڻي ڪوٽ) (also known as Rannikot) is a historical Talpur fort near Sann, Jamshoro District, Sindh. in Pakistan .Ranikot Fort is also known as The Great Wall of Sindh and is believed to be the world's largest fort, wit ...
, one of the largest forts in the world File:PK Chaukhandi Necropolis near Karachi asv2020-02 img09.jpg, Chaukhandi tombs File:Bhodesar temple, Nagarparkar.JPG, Remains of 9th century Jain temple in Bhodesar near Nagarparkar. File:Mohenjodaro Sindh.jpeg, Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro File:PK Karachi asv2020-02 img11 Clifton Beach.jpg, Karachi Beach File:QASIM Fort.JPG,
Qasim fort Manora Fort is a fort that was built to protect the harbour of Karachi. Originally erected as a mud fortress by the Talpur Mirs in 1797, the fort was captured by the British in 1839 - after which they seized control of Karachi and lower Sindh. ...
File:Detail of Kot Diji Fort.jpg, Kot Diji File:Bakirwarolake.jpg, Bakri Waro Lake, Khairpur File:PK Karachi asv2020-02 img32 National Museum.jpg,
National Museum of Pakistan The National Museum of Pakistan ( ur, ) is located in Karachi, Pakistan. History The National Museum of Pakistan was established in Frere Hall on 17 April 1950, replacing the defunct Victoria Museum. Frere Hall itself was built in 1865 as a t ...
File:PK Kirthar NP asv2020-02 img18.jpg,
Kirthar National Park The Kirthar National Park ( ur, ), Sindhi (کيرٿرنيشنل پارڪ) is situated in the Kirthar Mountains in Jamshoro District in Sindh, Pakistan. The park was established in 1974, and encompasses over - making it the third largest natio ...
File:Karoonjhar Mountains.jpg, alt=Karoonjhar Mountains, Tharparkar, Karoonjhar Mountains, Tharparkar File:Shahjahan mosque.jpg, Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta File:Mausoleum of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai 05.jpg, Tomb of
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai ( sd, شاھ عبداللطيف ڀٽائي, ur, ; 1689/1690 – 21 December 1752), commonly known by the honorifics ''Lakhino Latif'', ''Latif Ghot'', ''Bhittai'', and ''Bhit Jo Shah'', was a Sindhi Sufi mystic, an ...
File:Keenjhar Lake view 1.jpg, Keenjhar Lake File:Shrine Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Sehwan Shareed, Pakistan.jpg, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar


See also

*
Arab Sind Sind () was an administrative division of the Umayyad Caliphate and later of the Abbasid Caliphate in post-classical India, from around 711 CE with the conquest of Sind by the Arab military commander Muhammad ibn Qasim, to around 854 CE with ...
*
Bagh Print Bagh print is a traditional Indian handicraft originating in Bagh, Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India. The process is characterised by hand printed wood block relief prints with naturally sourced pigments and dyes. Bagh print motifs are typ ...
s * Brahma from Mirpur-Khas * Debal *
Institute of Sindhology Institute of Sindhology ( sd, سنڌولوجي) is one of the major resources on the history of Sindh. It was the first research institution of its kind, and brought Sindhology to the forefront of international research. Sindhology refers to knowl ...
*
List of cities in Sindh The following is a list of cities in Sindh province, 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 populat ...
* List of cities in Sindh by population *
List of cultural heritage sites in Sindh Sindh province of Pakistan is home to nearly 3000 sites and monuments, of which 1600 as protected under the provincial, Sindh Cultural Heritage (Protection) Act 1994 while 1200 remain unprotected. Following is the list of cultural heritage sites ...
* List of medical schools in Sindh * List of districts of Pakistan *
List of Sindhi people The following is a list of notable Sindhi people who have origins in the Sindh province. Businesspeople * Bhai Pratap Dialdas * Chandru Raheja * Deepak Perwani * Gulu Lalvani * Hari Harilela * Kabir Mulchandani * Kishinchand Chellaram * Lal C ...
* Sindhi clothing *
Provincial Highways of Sindh The Provincial Highways of Sindh consists of all public highways maintained by Sindh province, Pakistan. The Sindh Highways Department under the Government of Sindh, Works & Services Department maintains over of roadways organised into various clas ...
*
Sindh cricket team Sindh cricket team is a domestic cricket team in Pakistan representing Sindh province. It competes in domestic first-class, List A and T20 cricket competitions, namely the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan Cup and National T20 Cup. The team is ...
* Mansura, Sindh * Mohenjodaro * Muhajir Sooba * Sind Division * Sindhu Kingdom *
Sufism in Sindh Sufism in Sindh covers the tradition of Sufism in Sindh, which is reputed to be an area of mystics. Sindh is famous for the enormous number of saints and mystics who lived there and preached peace and brotherhood.Naz, H., D.R. (2015). Signifi ...
* Tomb paintings of Sindh


References


Bibliography

* Ansari, Sarah F.D. (1992) ''Sufi saints and state power: the pirs of Sind, 1843–1947'', No. 50. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. . * *


External links


Sindh Transport Department official website

Government of Sindh
* Guide o
Sindh


* {{Authority control Provinces of Pakistan States and territories established in 1970 1970 establishments in Pakistan Sindhi-speaking countries and territories Populated places established in the 7th millennium BC 7th-millennium BC establishments