Shikarpur, Pakistan

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Shikarpur (Urdu: شڪارپور ) is the capital of Shikarpur District in Sindh province of Pakistan. It is situated about 29 km from the left bank of the Indus, with a railway station, 37 km NW. of Sukkur.

[edit] History

an old building architecture of Shikarpur.

Shikarpur has always been an important place as commanding the trade route through the Bolan Pass, and its merchants have dealings with many towns in Central Asia. It has seven gates like Hathi Gate, Lakhi Gate etc. It is famous for its pickles and sweets. It has a large market and manufactures cotton cloth and pottery. Because of its rich history. Shikarpur used to be called an "Old Paris" because of unknown reason while some people thinks that it was called an "Old Paris" because of its modern building of that time but some things that it was because of some perfume or attur industry in the Shikarpur.

[edit] Geography

District Shikarpur with an area of 2640 squire kilo meters, is having population of 880, 000 souls. It is divided in four taulkas, which are Shikarpur, Lakhi, Gari Yaseen and Khanpur. Its borders are meeting with districts of Larkana, Jacobabd, Khairpur & Sukkur. Two National Highways ( N-65 & N-55 ) are intersectiong in city of Shikarpur , So it can well be termed as, one of the junction points of 4 provinces. District Shikarpur was famous for education & other civic amenities utp 1st half of 20th Century, through out undivided India . RAU BAHADUR UDHAU-DAS TARA CHAND Hospitial, HEERANAND GANGA BAI Ladies Hospital, CHELLA RAM & SEETAL DAS College, Two old High Schools now known as school No:1 & 2 and Girls College here, are few dignified and marvelous towers, showing outstanding standards of Shikarpurians during that era. For security the city was then protected by seven gates & one window. Now, infra-structure being old constructed, is experiencing lot of problems. Heavy inflow of rural populace, has further burdened this old system, needing immediate over-hualing. District Shikarpur is having total road length of 920.0 kilo meters, including 125.0 kilo meters National Highways and 195.0 kilo meters Provincial Highways. It is thus deficient in road density (0.35 KM / Km2 ) compared with recognized international parameters of development, ( 1 KM / KM2 ). During last few years, the creeping development activity has taken pace and 71.0 kilo meters of road, 94 nos. schools and number of schemes in drainage, health and other sectors have been completed, under various Programmes. Basically agrarian economy of district Shikarpur, is dependent upon non-perennial irrigation system, so the district is practically in Semi Drought Conditions always. Last spell of drought has further worsened this situation, creating heavy un-employment and un-sustainable poverty, which without doubt creates serious law & order situations.