Mirpur Khas

Mirpur Khas (Sindhi: ميرپور خاص) (Urdu: میرپور خاص) with a population of 124,371 (1981), is a south eastern Pakistani city, fourth largest in the Sindh Province. Its soil is fertile and it is very popular for its mango cultivation. There are more than 250 various kinds of mangoes found in this region.

History

After the defeat of Talpurs in 1853 Sindh was divided into provinces and was assigned a Zamindar to collect taxes for British, Zamindars were also known as 'Wadara'. Wadara of "Shikarpur" was Bhagwandas Golani (1841 - 1899) a merchant born in the royal family of the Golani's . After his death in his eldest son Shobraj Bhagwandas Golani (1878 - 1919) took over as the Landlord of Shikarpur, Digri, Jamrao, Kachhelo, Tando Jan Mohammed, Ratnabad, Roshanabad and Khayrpur. Shobraj Bhagwandas Golani was also invited to Great Britain by the King along with all the Nawabs and Rajahs of India in 1900 to discuss the participation of their respective provinces in Expansion of British Empire in Middle East

Location

By definition, the words Mirpur Khas means The land of the most high Mirs. It lies on the Let Wah Canal and is connected by rail and road with Hyderabad and by road with Umarkot. Some close neighbours include:

Thar Desert, not more than 80 km away.
Karachi situated 220 km south-west.
Hyderabad at a distance of 65 km

Not far from the Indian border in the east, this city was one of the firsts to welcome refugees from India after the partition. The Indian border is 170 km away from this city. It acted as a primary railway junction for the first trains to rail across the Sindh Province.

The city is built on or may be just beside an old Buddhist metropolis of 4th century. There are reminents of the Stupa near the city known as "Kahoo Jo Daro", but slowly it is being turned into a flat land with the growth of population around it.

The city has a quint little bazaar called (Khisakpura in local slang) which sells traditional graments and moderan crokery etc. Founded in 1806 by Mir Ali Murad Talpur, it remained the capital of the Talpur rulers until their defeat by British forces under Sir Charles James Napier in 1843.

Railway link

Mirpur Khas is again a centre of attention. After 40 years a railway link between Pakistan and India is being opened again. A broad gauge line has been laid from Mirpur Khas to Khokra Par, which is the border town from Pakistani Side. The new link now connects Karachi (Pakistan) to Jodhpur (India) by the new train service Thar Express.

Irrigation and crops

The city increased in importance after the Jamrao Canal was opened in 1900. It is now a trade centre for grain, fabrics, and cotton products and also has fertilizer factory, sugar mill, cotton factories and many other factories. Mirpur Khas is famous for its mangos. It has the largest variety of mangos. The city holds a mango festival every year. One of the most famous verieties is called Sindhri.

Education and local system

It was constituted of a municipality in 1901.

The city houses three government colleges (Shah Abdul Latif Government Science College for Boys, Ibne-Rushd Government Degree College for Women and Model College of Arts Education) affiliated with the University of Sindh, and has many Higher Secondary Education Institutions (Government Comprehensive Higher Secondary School for Boys, Government High School for boys and government High School for Girls, Government Higher Secondary School for Boys Bhansinghabad, and Government Higher Secondary School for Girls Bhansinghabad).

Mirpur Khas city also has a medical college (Muahmmadi Medical College) affailated with Baqai Medical University, a number of Science & Technology institutes like MIST and CMS affailated with University of Sindh and with an own Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education.

The City has two very well maintained and up to-date public libraries run by the provincial government, Municipal Library and Allama Iqbal Public Library.

Plans are underway to set up a full-fledged Medical College and a campus of University of Sindh in public sector.

The City has well built and sufficiently equipped Civil Hospital with a state-of-the-art heart disease Center. The hospital, being a (previously) divisional headquarter, caters to a huge number of patients from various parts of the suburb. Apart from the Civil Hospital, there are a number of private health establishments working day and night to cater to the general public needs. Some of them are, Ali MediCare Center, Maria Medical Complex, Alshifa Hospital and so on.

Society

The city also has a Satellite Town which is considered a posh area. The city is considerably clean and has many places to hang around like parks, a museum, verious tea shops and a very famous Sindh Horticulture Research Institute and Farm.

Most people speak Sindhi but there is a significant Urdu speaking community, New Sindhi or the immigrants from India who came in 1947.

There are about 60% Muslims and 40% Hindus in the city & its surroundings.

Neighbouring towns and cities

Historical Places

Chittori - Historical graveyard with many sandstone tombs of Talpur rulers
Kahu-Jo-Darro - Ancient Buddhist archaeological site

External links

Cities and towns in Sindh | Mirpurkhas District

Mirpurkhas

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