- LOCATION: Southeast of Pakistan.
- CORDINATES: 24.52 DEGREES North, 67.03 degrees East.
- NEIGHBORS: West and North Balochistan Province
East: Rajhistan India.
North east: Punjab Province
South: Arabian Sea & Runn of Kutch
- CAPITAL: Karachi
- AREA: 140,914 km square
- POPULATION: 35,470,648
- DISTRICTS: 23
- CLIMATE: Sub Tropical with hot dry summers. Temperature can shoot up to more than 50 degrees C in some areas. The winters are cold with 2 degrees C recorded as the lowest temperature. The province receives 180mm of rainfall annually mostly during the months of July-August.
- TOPOGRAPHY: Sindh can be divided into 3 regions:
1. The Central Alluvial Region
Due to the presence of various water sources this area is fertile and is largely irrigated. The Riverine forest of Sindh exists in this region.
2. Eastern Sandy Region
The Thar Desert exists in the East of Sindh and is spread over 45,000square km.
3. Western Rocky Region
The Kirthar Range lies in the west. The area is mostly rocky and barren due to the absence of a water source.
- OOCUPATION:
Sindh lies in the Lower Indus Basin. People mostly practice farming in Upper Sindh. Interior Sindh is also known for its handicrafts. Fishing is the main occupation of the people living near the coastal belt.
- INDUSTRIES
Karachi and Hyderabad are two major industrialized cities. The cotton industry, Steel Mills, cement factories sugar mills are some industries worth mentioning.
- AGRICULTURE
Sindh is the biggest producer of Pakistan’s main cash crop, cotton. Wheat and rice are also grown here. High quality fruits such as mangoes, oranges, dates, bananas and guavas are also grown in Sindh for local consumption as well as export purposes.
Sindh is an important province of Pakistan. Its significance can be judged from the fact that Sindh is known as Bab ul Islam (Gateway of Islam) as the Arab conqueror Mohammad Bin Qasim entered the Sub Continent through the shores of Sindh.
Although devoid of any classically beautiful physical features, Sindh has its own charm. The upper Sindh has rich fertile soil and is covered with green fields. It is rich in mineral resources and deposits of coal, natural gas and crude oil are found here.
Some part of the great Thar Desert lies in the eastern Sindh. Thar has a beauty of its own. There are many lakes in Sindh with Manchar Lake, Karli Lake, Haleji Lake and Keenjhar Lake being most important. Manchar Lake has the distinction of being the largest fresh water lake in the Pakistan while Haleji Lake is the largest water fowl sanctuary of Asia.
Sindh can also boast of a rich history. The ruins of Moen Jo Daro dating back to 2600 BC and one of the earliest settlements are found here. Other historical buildings include the Pucca Qila, Rani Kot fort, Graveyards of Makli and Chaukhandi and the Shah Jehan Mosque.
Sindh is also famous for its handicrafts. The most famous being the Ralli (also called Rilli) quilts. Ralli is a handmade specimen of human intelligence, creativity and hard work. Multi coloured pieces of cloths are stitched together in different patterns to produce a Ralli.
It is an essential part of a girl’s dowry and she starts weaving it from an early age assisted by her mother. Ralli is much more than a quilt/ bed linen, it is a young girl’s dreams and hopes and her mother’s prayers for a happy future.
Ajrak a block printed cotton shawl is the trademark of Sindh. It is made from vegetable dyes with maroon as the predominant color. Ajrak is held in high esteem all over Sindh. Usually guests are presented with ajrak to show respect.
Skull caps, jackets, cushion covers, tunics, table mats all embroidered with delicate mirror work are also made in Sindh. Ethnic silver jewelry is another item very much in demand.
Sindhi people are intelligent, sensitive and liberal minded. Sindh has given many seasoned politicians to Pakistan.
