Mirpur Khas

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Area map of Sindh showing the location of Mirpur Khas

Mirpur Khas (Urdu/Sindhi: میرپور خاص) with a population of 124,371 (1981), is a south eastern Pakistani city, fourth largest in the Sindh Province. Its soil is fertile and it is very popular for its mango cultivation. There are more than 250 varieties of mangoes found in this region.

1 History
2 Location
3 Economy
4 Communications
5 Irrigation and crops
6 Education and local system
7 Society
8 Neighbouring towns and cities
9 Important Buildings
10 Historical Places
11 Famous Families

[edit] History

Literally, phrase Mirpur Khas means The land of the most high Mirs. The town was founded by Mir Ali Murad Talpur. After its foundation in 1806, the capital of Mankani Talpurs was shifted from Keti Mir Tharo to Mirpurkhas. The Mirpurkhas remained capital of Talpur Mirs of Mirpurkhas until 1843 when Sindh was annexed to British India under East India Company. Later Sindh was made part of Bombay Presidency and it included Mirpurkhas as well.

After British annexation, Umerkot was made district headquarter town. The importance of Mirpurkhas later increased again with the advent of railway and the opening of Jamrao Canal in year 1900. The district headquarter was shifted to Mirpurkhas in 1906.

During Talpur period the town had three hundred shops and its population was about ten thousands. Mir Sher Muhammad Talpur built a fort here. The Kutchery has a tablet which reads: "The fort within which this building stands was residence of Mir Sher Muhammad Khan the Lion of Sind."

[edit] Location

It lies on the Let Wah Canal at latitude 25° 24' N and longitude 69° E. It is connected by rail and road with Hyderabad and by road with Umarkot. Some close neighbours include:

Thar Desert, not more than 100 km away.
Karachi situated 220 km south-west.
Hyderabad at a distance of 65 km

Not far from the Indian border in the east, this city was one of the firsts to welcome refugees from India after the partition. The Indian border is 170 km away from this city. It acted as a primary railway junction for the first trains to rail across the Sindh Province.

The city is built on or may be just beside an old Buddhist metropolis of 4th century. There are reminents of the Stupa near the city known as "Kahoo Jo Daro", but slowly it is being turned into a flat land with the growth of population around it.

The city has several shopping centers and bazaars which includes, Baldia Shopping Center, Shahi Bazaar and Khisakpura (in local slang), which sells traditional garments, modern crockery, etc.

The Talpur Princes of Mirpurkhas: Third from the left is Mir Ali Murad Talpur II, the great grandson of Mir Ali Murad Talpur I. Mir Ali Murad Talpur-I was the founder of Mirpurkhas

[edit] Economy

Banks

Muslim Commercial Bank
United bank Limited
Habib Bank Limited
National Bank Limited
Bank alfalah
PICIC Commercial Bank
My Bank Limited
Askari Bank Limited
Khushali Bank Limited
Zari Taraqiati Bank Ltd
The First Micro Finance Bank Ltd
Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Ltd

Sugar Industry

Al Abbas Sugar Mills
Digri Sugar Mills
Mirpurkhas Sugar Mills
Tharparkar Sugar Mills

Cotton Industry

Private Institutes

The City School
SZABIST College
Muhammadi Medical college

'Hotels and Rest Houses

Bisma Hotel
City Hotel
Sindhri Rest House

[edit] Communications

Railway link

Mirpur Khas is again a centre of attention. After 40 years a railway link between Pakistan and India is being opened again. A broad gauge line has been laid from Mirpur Khas to Khokra Par, which is the border town from Pakistani Side. The new link now connects Karachi (Pakistan) to Jodhpur (India) by the new train service Thar Express.

Cellular phone Companies

Telenor
Instaphone
Paktel
Ufone
Mobilink
Warid

[edit] Irrigation and crops

The city increased in importance after the Jamrao Canal was opened in 1900. It is now a trade centre for grain, fabrics, and cotton products and also has fertilizer factory, sugar mill, cotton factories and many other factories. Mirpur Khas is famous for its mangos. It has the largest variety of mangos. The city holds a mango festival every year. One of the most famous verieties is called Sindhri.

[edit] Education and local system

It was constituted of a municipality in 1901.

The city houses three government colleges (Shah Abdul Latif Government Science College for Boys, Ibne-Rushd Government Degree College for Women and Model College of Arts Education) affiliated with the University of Sindh, and has many Higher Secondary Education Institutions (Government Comprehensive Higher Secondary School for Boys, Government High School for boys and government High School for Girls, Government Higher Secondary School for Boys Bhansinghabad, and Government Higher Secondary School for Girls Bhansinghabad).

Mirpur Khas city also has a medical college (Muahmmadi Medical College) affailated with Baqai Medical University, a number of Science & Technology institutes like MIST and CMS affailated with University of Sindh and with an own Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education.

The City has two very well maintained and up to-date public libraries run by the provincial government, Municipal Library and Allama Iqbal Public Library.

Plans are underway to set up a full-fledged Medical College and a campus of University of Sindh in public sector.

The City has well built and sufficiently equipped Civil Hospital with a state-of-the-art heart disease Center. The hospital, being a (previously) divisional headquarter, caters to a huge number of patients from various parts of the suburb. Apart from the Civil Hospital, there are a number of private health establishments working day and night to cater to the general public needs. Some of them are, Ali MediCare Center, Maria Medical Complex, Alshifa Hospital and so on.

[edit] Society

The city also has a Satellite Town which is considered a posh area. The city is considerably clean and has many places to hang around like parks, a museum, various tea shops and a very famous Sindh Horticulture Research Institute and Farm also famous with the name of Fruit Farm.

Most people speak Sindhi but there is a significant Urdu speaking community, New Sindhi or the immigrants from India who came in 1947.

There are about 60% Muslims and 40% Hindus in the city & its surroundings.

[edit] Neighbouring towns and cities

Digri
Jamrao
Mirwah Gorchani
Kot Ghulam Muhammad
Kachhelo
Tando Jan Muhammad
Jhudo
Roshanabad
Ratanabad
Khipro
Umerkot

[edit] Important Buildings

Kutchehri - Residence of Mir Sher Muhammad Talpur. Now a days being used as Mukhtiarkar office under revenue department.
Partab Bhawan - A palace constructed by Partab Rai. Now badly needs restoration and preservation.
Ghulam Nabi Shah Hall - Now being used as District Council office.
Durbar Hall - Used as meeting place by head of district government. Previously and under British used as office of District Collector.
Municipal Musafirkhana - Historical building now badly needs preservation.