 
Shikarpur
| |
| Country | Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Province | Sindh |
| Elevation | 13 m (43 ft) |
| Population (1998) | |
| • Estimate (2009) | 155,400 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Postal Code = 781 | |
Shikarpur, Sindh
Shikarpur (Urdu: شكار پور), (Sindhi: شڪارپور) is small city and the capital of Shikarpur District in Sindh province of Pakistan. It is situated about 29 km west of the right bank of the Indus, with a railway station, 37 km north-west of Sukkur.
History
According to a few historians the city of Shikarpur was revived during the Kalhora rule and that was what brought about a turnaround in making it the financial capital of not only South Asia 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 centre, and never a hunting lodge.Some experts think that Shikarpur is really Shakaripur --- the "town founded by the vanquisher of the Shakas", the Scythians.[1]
Shikarpur, the seat of civilisation, culture, trade and commerce acquired political and economic importance because of its strategic location on the map of Sindh, being directly accessible to those who came from Central and West Asia through the Bolan Pass. 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 into Afghanistan. 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 population supported Muslim League and Pakistan Movement. After the independence ofPakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus migrated to India while the Muslims refugees from India settled down in theShikarpur District.
Demography
The population of Shikarpur is estimated to be 225,000 in 2011. The predominant population is Sindhi. There are significant Urdu, Baloch, Brahui, speaking communities in Shikarpur. The population is mainly Muslim with Sunnimajority and significant Shia minority. There is a small Hindu minority in the city as most Hindus migrated to India after independence in 1947.
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