Larkana

Larkana or Larkano is the fourth largest city of Sindh Province, Pakistan. Formerly the city was called Chandka which was changed in 1901. In August 2000 Larkana celebrated its hundred years of existence with the current name. Larkana name is derived from "Larik" a tribe that lived in the region and was in majority. It is located on the south bank of the Ghar canal, 40 miles south of Shikarpur town, and 36 miles north-east of Meharr and about 410 kilometers from Karachi via Indus highway and 500 Kilometers via National highway.

Moen Jo Daro & Indus civilization

Larkana has in its proximity the most important discovery of the ruins of an urban civilization at Mohen-jo-daro. It is only 28 km from the City. The archeological site was discovered in 1922 by Sir John Marshal. The remains show that it was a planned city with separate areas for rich poor and Industrial people. More details about moen Jo Daro.

Hotels. Sambara Inn Larkana Larkana Moen Jo Daro Rest House Larkana PTDC Motel Moenjo Daro Larkana Sapna Inn Larkana Larkana Asia Hotel Larkana Tours: City Tour: ( 3 Hours) Visit the Bandar road bazaar the monument of Ataturk and Sukarno later drive by the house of Bhutto, continue to main bazaar to see the Kali Mata temple.. Cost US$ 28.00 Per person Contact us for details and booking minimum 2 people required Excursion to Moen Jo Daro. Drive to moen Jo daro 28 Kilometers visit the SD area and DK areas of the archeological sites later visit the Moen Jo Daro museum in details. Have local Lunch at the guest house and drive back to Larkana. Cost US$ 58.00 Per person Contact us for details and booking minimum 2 people required Excursion to Garhi Khuda Buksh. Drive to Garhi Khuda Bux where the shrines of Bhutto family are visit the grave of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Banazir Bhutto and other later visit a local village and return to Larkana. Cost US$ 35.00 Per person Contact us for details and booking minimum 2 people required Full Excursion to Sukkur and Garhi Khuda Bux. Drive to Garhi Khuda Bux where the shrines of Bhutto family are visit the grave of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Banazir Bhutto and other later continue to Sukkur visit the minarate of Masoom Shah, the bank of the river Indus and house boat people, later visit the Sat Behan Asthan and time permiting visit Aror (Site of Masoora) first Muslim capital of the country in 725AD. Lunch at local restaurant, Later drive back to Lrkana Cost US$ 92.00 Per person Contact us for details and booking minimum 2 people required Transfers Larkana to Moen Jo Daro / Airport  : 28 kilometers drivefrom Larkana Larkana to Sukkur 80 Kilometer 2 & half hours Larkana to Karachi 8 - 9 hours via National Highway (500 Kilometer)

Indonesian President Sukarno's monument in Larkana

History of Larkana

The early periods of Larkana's history are buried in the ruins of Moen Jo Daro and other archeological sites nearby. The area being close to the bank of Indus was fertile and prosperous at all times.

Indus Civilization (2600 - 1700 BC)

The people near the sites of Kot DG & Amri would have inhabited here and started to built Moen Jo daro about 5000 years ago

Muslim Period (711 to 12th century AD)

Not much is written but being close to Sukkur whach was at the center of the government and litrature Larkana must overwhelming city.

British Times (1843 to 1947)

British after conquering Sindh started irrigation canals and Larkana got a lot of importance. British made Larkana the headquarters of Larkana District and Larkana Taluka. For some time Larkana and rest of Sindh was part of the Bombay Presidency of British India. The city lay on the route of the North-Western Railway, and the population according to the 1901 census of India was 14,543.

The Imperial Gazetteer of India reads:

The country surrounding Lārkāna is fertile and populous, and perhaps the finest tract in the whole of the province: The spacious walks, well laid-out gardens, and luxuriant foliage, have gained for Lārkāna the title of the 'Eden of Sind.' It is one of the most important grain marts of Sind, and is famous for a variety of rice called sugdāsi. There is a large local traffic in metals, cloth, and leather. The principal manufactures are cloth of mixed silk and cotton, coarse cotton cloth, metal vessels, and leathern goods. The town contains a dispensary, an Anglo-vernacular school attended by 80 pupils, and a vernacular school with three branches, attended altogether by 379 pupils.

Places to See

Larkana has two monuments which were made in the memory of President Sukarno of Indonesia and Ata Turk of Turkey, besides that there are interesting bazaars a Hindu temple and the house of Bhutos. An other local object of interest is the tomb of Mir Shahzaib Khan Jalbani, according to Nadeem Wagan's article who was a military officer of [Mir Danish Nawaz Khan Jalbani], and died in 1735. Of modern buildings the most noteworthy are the Collector's office, a fine domed building with an ornamental Darbār hall; erected in 1902 ; and a neatly-built school and boarding- house for the, sons of zamīndārs, erected by public subscription in the same year. This school has 60 inmates and teaches English and Sindī. The municipality, established in 1855, had an average income of Rs. 46,000 during the decade ending 1901. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 54,000.

Chandka Medical College (CMC) now Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University

Chandka Medical College (CMC), was built by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for the people of Larkan, it was inaugurated on 20 April 1973 as 4th medical college of the Sindh.  Second Batch of 250 students was admitted in 1974. due to shortage of accommodation as a result of increasing number of admissions, one, four story, girls hostel & two boys hostels were constructed,. Now it has six boys hostels and two girls which can accommodates about 1100 students.

The Chandka Medical College, is recognized by Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC). The College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) has also established its regional center at CMC Larkana. CPSP, has started conducting FCPS-I, FCPS-II and MCPS Examination CMC, Larkana center since 1999. the results (Passing Percentage) of candidates appearing theory examinations is comparable with other centers of the country.

The Chandka Medical College is upgraded to a medical university, Shaheed Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) on 12 April 2008, due to the efforts taken by Professor Surgeon Sikandar Ali Shaikh, who was principal of CMC at that time and later became the first Vice Chancellor of the SMBBMU. Dr. Sikandar Ali Shaikh retired in 2011. As of Oct 2012, Dr Akbar Hyder Soomro is the VC of SMBBMU and Dr Asadullah Mahar is the principal of the Medical College.

Larkana is surrounded by fertile land in which all kind of fruits and vegetables are cultivated, including potatoes, melons, olives, oranges, peas, carrots, cucumber, mangoes and guava. Some 10 km from the city, sugarcane is cultivated and processed at the sugar mill established in 1990 in Nau Dero village, the birthplace of the former prime minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and where Benazir Bhutto was raised.

Flora and Fauna

Various kinds of birds roam in the city, including migratory birds coming to the region during the winter from Russia and Siberia. They live on wetlands on the right bank of the Indus River near Mohenjo-daro.

Getting to Larkana

By Railway

Larkana Railway Station is located in the center of Larkana City.It is now reestablished and has many facilities. (JDS)

By Air

Mohen-jo-daro Airport is located near Mohen-jo-daro, 28 kilometres away to the south of Larkana city, and 5 kilometers away from Dokri. Only Fokker airplanes of PIA land at this airport.

By Bus

For Karachi :Jalbani Baber coaches, Al-Madina, BlueLine, Haji-Muzaffar Coaches, For Islamabad: Karachi Coach Service, NATCO Service, Aawan Coaches and Pindi coach . Even For Every City Of Pakistan, The Bus Facility is Available

Related pages : Koban Police PostLarkana | Mohen Jo Daro | Garhi Khuda Bux | Banazir Bhutto |