Sukkar

Beautiful city of Sukkar

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Sukkur (Urdu: سکھر, Sindhi:سکر) is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River (Pakistan) in Sukkur District. Sukkur (read as Suck-khar, or sometime Sukhar) is a local variant of Arabic word Saqar which means intense. In the 10th century AD when Arabs invaded Sukkur (Sindh), they found extreme (hot and cold) climate, and called it saqar. Sukkur is given a title of Darya Dino درياءَ ڏنو (means the gift of river), as without the Indus this would be like Egypt deprived of Nile. Sukkur is the central city of Sindh province in Pakistan.

Geography & climate
The district of Sukkur (whose name is derived from its head quarter Sukkur city) covers an area of 5,165 square kilometres. 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 (Jaisalmir, Rajasthan). Sukkur is also connected by road air with all major cities of Pakistan.

Education
Sukkur has many renowned colleges and academic institutions, some of important names include;

Virtual University of Pakistan, Sukkur Campus
Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Sukkur
G.M Mahar Medical College
College of Management Science & Information technology Sukkur (Affiliated with Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur)
SiSTech Sukkur (Affiliated with University of Sindh, Jamshoro)
Government Islamia Science College Sukkur
Government Degree College and Post Graduate Studies Centre
Government Girls College Sukkur
Government Degree Science College Pano Akil
Government College of Physical Education Sukkur
Government Islamia Arts/Commerce College Sukkur
Government College of Education Sukku
Government M,P,L Boys high School old sukkur
Agha Nizamuddin Girls Degree College
Sayed Atta Hussain Shah Musavi Degree College Rohri
Government Polytechnic Institute Sukkur
Saint Mary's Church And High School
Government Double Section High School Sukkur
Government High School Sukkur
Government Compresive High School Sukkur
Army public school and college sukkur (federal board)
Public School Sukkur

Sukkur Barrage
The Sukkur barrage (formally called Lloyd Barrage), built under British Raj on the Indus river, controls one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. The work for the bridge was started in 1923 and completed in January 1932. The 5000 feet long barrage is made of yellow stone and steel and can water nearly 10 million acres (40,000 km²) of farmland through its large seven canals. Some of the canals are larger than the Suez Canal.

In November 2004, the government of Pakistan initiated a rehabilitation project to revitalize its water storage capacity and distribution efficiency. The project completed in July 2005, (with less than the allocated amount of Rs. 887 million). Experts believe that the rehabilitation of the barrage has enhanced its efficiency for another 60 to 70 years.

Sites of interest
Rohri
Aror (ruines of historical city)
Tomb of Shah khairuddin jillani GEA SHAH
Tomb of the Seven Maidens Sateen Jo Aastan
Tomb of Abdul Baqi Purani, Ex-Governor of Bukkur.
Bukkur Island
Minaret of Masum Shah
Sadh Belo Temple on River Indus
Thermal Power Station Sukkur
Lansdowne Bridge Rohri
Sukkur (Lloyd) Barrage
Jafry Manzil (on Miani Road)
Lansdowne Bridge
Shahi Bazaar, Frere Road
Ayub Gate
Ladies and Children Hill Park
Labe Mehran
Looks Parak/Qasim Park
Barrage colony
Purana Sukkur (Old Sukkur)
Sheikh Shaheen Road Sukkur

Economy

Industry
Sukkur is a hub of many small and large scale industries. Among important industries are cotton textiles, cement, leather, tobacco, paint and varnish, pharmaceuticals, agriculture implements, hand pumps, lock making, rice-husking, and sugar. Small-scale cottage industries comprise hosiery, boat making, fishing accessories, thread ball spooling, trunk making brass-wares, cutlery and ceramics.

Agriculture
Sukkur had a large fertile and cultivable land till few decades ago, when the Indus river was not as barren as today. Now its agricultural productivity has much reduced. It could not achieve reasonable yield per unit area over time, on account of continuous shortage of water and ignorance of modern irrigation system. Despite lack of water, during kharif, rice, bajra, cotton tomatoes and peas are cultivated whereas during rabi main crops are wheat, barley, gram and melons. Sukkur is famous world over, for its delicious dates. Sukkur also holds a large number of Riveraine forest on the course of Indus. These tropical forests are found within the protective embankments on either side of Indus. During 1997-98 the total area under forests was 510 km² which yielded 55,000 cubic feet (1600 m³) of timber and 27000 cubic feet (760 m³) of firewood besides other miner products.