Sukkur

Sukkur

The district of Sukkur (whose name is derived from its head quarter Sukkur city) covers an area of 5,165 square kilometers. Geographically it is spanned from 27°05' to 28°02' north latitudes and from 68°47' to 69°43' east longitudes. The city of Sukkur is located at an altitude of 220 feet (67 m) from sea level, having terrestrial coordinates 68°52' east and 27°42' north. It is also the narrowest point of the lower Indus course.
Sukkur district shares northern border with Shikarpur and (recently constituted) Kashmore districts. Ghotki is located on the north-eastern side while Khairpur on the south. Sukkur also shares its border with India (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan). Sukkur is also connected by road air with all major cities of Pakistan.
The climate of the Sukkur is characterized by hot and hazy weather during summer days while dry and cold in winter. During January, temperature ranges from 7 to 22 °C (44 to 71 °F). The summer (month of June before monsoon) temperature averages 35 °C (95 °F) though it often reaches up to 52°C (107 °F). Generally the summer season commences in March - April and ends before October. The average rainfall of the district is 88 mm, (ranges from 0.59 mm to 25.62 mm) per annum.


At the time of Pakistan's independence (1947), Sukkur district was comprised approximately 200,000 habitants, mostly engaged in agricultural pursuits and fishing industry. Over time, Sukkur has seen a moderate rise in population (2 to 2.5% per annum) as compare to Pakistan's, except in late 60s and early 70s when population growth rate reached 4.43% (1972 census) due to internal migration and establishment of some large bridges on river Indus. According to official census of 1998, Sukkur has 908370 habitants and density of 175.9 persons per square kilometre. The current estimate (on the basis of 2.88% annual growth) shows that Sukkur population has surpassed 1 million.
Sukkur is chiefly dominated by Muslims that constitute 96% of total population. But it also has relatively greater proportion of Hindus, mostly settled in urban areas and engaged in trade and services sector. Ethnically Sindhi shares the biggest segment of population (74%), followed by Mohajirs (14%). Sukkur is also domicile of many Baloch tribes, including, Rindh, Chandio, Khoso and Laghari. Amongst others, there are Memon, Punjabi and Siraiki sections. Traditionally Memons were associated with trade and retail business but during last two decades they have ascended as an active social and economic front.

In Sindh, the provincial gazetteer was first published about the middle of the 19th century (a second edition in 1876), compiled by A.W. Hughes of the Indian Civil Service. Thereafter, in 1907, a new, updated gazetteer compiled by E.H. Aitken of the Bombay Salt Department was published as Volume A of a two-volume work. Volume B was broken up into the various district gazetteers all complied by J.W. Smyth of the Indian Civil Service. Volume A, the provincial gazetteer, contained material of a permanent character, such as antiquity, archaeology and history, while the district or Volume B ones pertained to other fluid matters, such as trade, industry, education, health, revenue, local traditions, tribes, families, historic places and such like.The area comprising the Sukkur district has an important place in Sindh’s history. Rohri, an ancient town opposite Sukkur city (the Indus river divides the two cities), is said to have been in existence when Alexander invaded India. Bukkur, all but a ruin now, was once the major regional headquarter of the Mughal empire, and even earlier, the capital of upper Sindh under the Arghuns and Tarkhans. Alor or Aror, now in ruins, was Sindh’s pre-Arab capital, when the kingdom bordered Baramula in Kashmir. Shikarpur, earlier the district headquarter, was a major gem and commodity market with international repute. Sukkur city itself boasted of a thriving grain market and boat industry as the river was the main means of communication with the rest of India. The city’s grain market competed with that of Karachi, which under the British had become a metropolitan centre of the Indian empire.The district gazetteer is both interesting reading and invaluable not just for the historian, but also for human development professionals, among others, as it gives a clear idea of the state of education, literacy in general, health, development and extent of institutions, local government procedures and activities, the extent of agricultural development, communications, trade, taxation and much more. Also one enjoys a sketch of the historic places in the district as well as introduction to the prominent people and families.What is most useful is the scale, at district level. It provides for comparison with the scale of development and progress today, almost a century after it was published. One will see not much has progressed, at least as far as the districts of Sindh are concerned, today — at least in quantum with the time that has passed since 1911. This is an eye-opener for the conscientious citizen and professional and is a strong indictment against the various Sindh governments since independence.Another eye-opener is the fact that the district gazetteer has not been updated since the British left. As to the provincial gazetteer of Sindh, an updated edition was published in the early 60’s, that too compiled by an English officer, H.T. Sorely. Since then, perhaps the lack of attention by (or is it intellect) the province’s politico-administrative apparatus has been responsible for the discontinuation of this valuable source of information about this once happy province.