Mirpurkhas (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.

Location

By definition, the word Mirpurkhas 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 AD. 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 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.

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.

Education and Local System

It was constituted of a municipality in 1901. The city houses three government colleges affiliated with the University of Sindh.

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 Fruit research Institute & Farm.

Most people speak Sindhi but there is a substantial number of 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

• Digri
• Jamrao
• Mirwah Gorchani
• Kot Ghulam
• Kachhelo
• Tando Jan Muhammad
• Jhudo
• Roshanabad
• Ratanabad

See also

Mirpurkhas Travelogue (http://www.travel-culture.com/pakistan/mirpurkhas.shtml)

- Arun Reginald 02:43, 19 Nov 2004 (UTC)