Larkana

 

Larkana (Sindhi: لاڙڪاڻو‎, romanized: lāṛkāṇo; Urdu: لاڑکانہ, romanized: lāṛkāna) is a city located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the 15th largest city of Pakistan by population.[4] It is home to the Indus Valley civilization site Mohenjo-daro.[5] The historic Indus River flows in east and south of the city.[6]

The city is located within Larkana District. Formerly known as “Chandka“, Larkana is located on the south bank of the Ghar canal, about 40 miles (64 km) south of the town Shikarpur, and 36 miles (58 km) northeast of Mehar.[7] According to the 2017 Census of Pakistan, its population is 490,508.[3] Therefore, it is the fourth most populated city of Sindh province after Karachi, Hyderabad, and Sukkur. Moreover, Larkana city has been placed as fifteenth largest of Pakistan during Census 2017.

Geography

Larkana is situated at Latitude 24 56′ 00′ and Longitude 67 11′ 00′.[8] It is situated in northwest part of Sindh and it has its own division. It is also included in Upper Sindh.

Climate

Larkana has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), bordering a hot semi arid climate (Koppen: BSh), with sweltering summers and mild winters. The highest recorded temperature is 53.0 °C (127.4 °F), recorded On 26 May 2010 and the lowest recorded temperature is −4 °C (24.8 °F), recorded in January 1929. The average annual rainfall is 237.4 mm (9.35 in), and mainly occurs in the monsoon season (July to September). The highest annual rainfall ever is 988.7 mm (38.93 in), recorded in 2022 (some areas of the city got more than 1000 mm of annual rainfall in 2022) and the lowest annual rainfall ever is 7.1 mm (0.28 in), recorded in 1938.

Climate data for Larkana
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 29.2
(84.6)		 36.0
(96.8)		 44.8
(112.6)		 51.0
(123.8)		 53.0
(127.4)		 51.0
(123.8)		 47.5
(117.5)		 44.0
(111.2)		 43.0
(109.4)		 41.0
(105.8)		 37.0
(98.6)		 32.2
(90.0)		 53.0
(127.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 24.8
(76.6)		 26.3
(79.3)		 32.3
(90.1)		 39.0
(102.2)		 45.3
(113.5)		 45.6
(114.1)		 41.4
(106.5)		 38.0
(100.4)		 37.0
(98.6)		 34.5
(94.1)		 30.5
(86.9)		 24.8
(76.6)		 35.0
(94.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 17.0
(62.6)		 18.4
(65.1)		 24.0
(75.2)		 29.9
(85.8)		 34.7
(94.5)		 35.9
(96.6)		 34.0
(93.2)		 32.3
(90.1)		 30.9
(87.6)		 27.5
(81.5)		 22.6
(72.7)		 17.0
(62.6)		 27.0
(80.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 9.3
(48.7)		 10.6
(51.1)		 15.8
(60.4)		 20.9
(69.6)		 25.6
(78.1)		 27.8
(82.0)		 27.7
(81.9)		 26.7
(80.1)		 24.9
(76.8)		 20.6
(69.1)		 14.8
(58.6)		 9.3
(48.7)		 19.5
(67.1)
Record low °C (°F) −1.1
(30.0)		 0.0
(32.0)		 4.3
(39.7)		 10.8
(51.4)		 14.4
(57.9)		 18.3
(64.9)		 21.5
(70.7)		 19.2
(66.6)		 20.5
(68.9)		 13.0
(55.4)		 6.1
(43.0)		 0.0
(32.0)		 −1.1
(30.0)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 8.7
(0.34)		 7.0
(0.28)		 9.0
(0.35)		 14.5
(0.57)		 2.5
(0.10)		 29.3
(1.15)		 59.8
(2.35)		 55.2
(2.17)		 27.0
(1.06)		 5.9
(0.23)		 1.2
(0.05)		 8.9
(0.35)		 229
(9)
Average rainy days 0.6 0.5 1.0 0.7 0.2 1.7 3.3 2.2 1.2 0.3 0.1 0.4 12.2
Source: PMD (1991-2020)[9]

Famous Crops

Rice is the most famous crop of Larkana. Peas, Grape, Mustard, and Sunflowers are also grown there.

Administration

                                                             The tomb of Shah Baharo.

The deputy commissioner is the head of the District Administrative system. Ms Rabia Sial is the present deputy commissioner of Larkana.

The district of Larkana is administratively subdivided into the following talukas:[10]

Education

Several old and new schools, colleges, as well as university are functioning in the city for both boys and girls. Many are private and public institutions. IBA has takeover Public School and from 2018, Agha Khan University Education Board will takeover Sindh Board

Schools, colleges and training institutes

Local schools include Government Pilot School, Larkana (founded in 1926 by the British colonists), Girls High School, Public School Larkana, Deeni Madersa High School, and Government Degree College. Technical institutes include Polytechnic Institute and Teachers’ Training College.[11]

(UN ECOSOC accredited organization) has established STEVTA registered technical and vocational training institute for girls in 2017. DESSI International imparts free trainings along with giving monthly stipends through NAVTTC and BBSHRRDB/BBSYDP projects in Larkana since 2017. DESSI International also provides training programs of Beautician, Diploma in IT, Computers, Dress Making, Rilli Applique, Spoken and Business English, Chinese language and other different short and professional courses in Larkana.

University and campuses

SZABIST opened its first campus in Larkana in 2004. It offers degrees in BBA (day), BA (day), MBA (evening), EMBA. A few years later the SZABIST Trust established two school and college in the city: Montessori to Class VII (Junior School) and Class VIII to XII (School and College).[12] Chandka Medical College (CMC) was established and inaugurated by the former prime minister of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on 20 April 1973. It was the fourth public medical college to be established in the province of Sindh. Chandka Medical College is recognised by Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC). The College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) has also established its regional center at the campus of CMC Larkana. CMC is recently upgraded to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University.[13] In 2009, Quaid-e-Awam University College of Engineering Science & Technology (QUCEST), Larkano, was established in the outskirt of Larkana, under the directives of Government of Sindh in collaboration with Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering Science & Technology (QUEST), Nawabshah, Sindh. The campus offers bachelor of engineering degrees in the technologies of civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and electrical engineering.[14]

In 2024, University of Larkano, established a merger of Sindh University Campus, Quaid-e-Awam University College of Engineering Science & Technology (QUCEST) and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Agricultural College (SZBAC) to its faculties.

Transport

Larkana Railway Station is located in the center of the city. It connects Larkana to the rest of Sindh and Pakistan. Pakistan Railway also assists in the transportation of agricultural products to provincial capital Karachi from Larkana. Moenjodaro Airport is located near Mohen-jo-daro, 28 km away to the south of the city of Larkana, about 5 kilometres away from Dokri.

Larkana is connected via land buses to most major cities in the country, including Karachi, Islamabad, Hyderabad and Quetta.

Sport

Larkana was the birthplace of the Sindh Games. It also hosted the 12th Sindh Games in 2009 which included sports such as football, gymnastics, hockey, judo, karate, squash, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, and wushu. It also included traditional games such as kodi kodi, malakhara, shooting and wanjhwatti.[15] Larkana was also home to cricket team Larkana Bulls.[16]

The Larkana Tennis Association provides the only tennis court in Larkana, and coaches boys coming from various other cities.[17]

Notable people