Happy TravellerWelcome to Larkana, a city located in the Sind province of Pakistan. Known for its rich history, Larkana is home to the Indus Valley civilization site Mohenjo-daro. The historic Indus River flows to the east and south of the city. With a population of 490,508, Larkana is the fourth most populated city in the Sindh province after Karachi, Hyderabad, and Sukkur. Let’s dive deeper into what makes Larkana a must-visit destination.
Geographically, Larkana is situated at Latitude 24 56 00 and Longitude 67 11 00, northwest of Sindh and included in Upper Sindh. The city has a hot desert climate with sweltering summers and mild winters. The highest temperature recorded in Larkana is 52.7°C (126.9°F), recorded in May 1998, and the lowest temperature recorded is −4°C (24.8°F), recorded in January 1929. The average annual rainfall is 127.4 mm (5.02 in), mainly occurring 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.
Famous crops in Larkana include Rice, Peas, Rape, Mustered, and Sunflowers. The deputy commissioner is the head of the District Administrative system, and Ms Rabia Sial is the present deputy commissioner of Larkana. The district of Larkana is administratively subdivided into the following talukas: Dokri, Bakrani, Larkana, and Ratodero.
Education is highly valued in Larkana. Several old and new schools, colleges, and universities are functioning in the city for both boys and girls. Many are private and public institutions. SZABIST opened its first campus in Larkana in 2004. It offers degrees in BBA (day), BA (day), MBA (evening), EMBA. 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 recognized 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. Quaid-e-Awam University College of Engineering Science & Technology (QUCEST), Larkano, was established in the outskirt of Larkana, under the directives of the 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.
Transportation in Larkana is primarily by rail, road, and air. Larkana Railway Station 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. Land buses also connect Larkana to most major cities in the country, including Karachi, Islamabad, and Quetta.
Larkana was the birthplace of the Sindh Games and hosted the 12th Sindh Games in 2009. The event included sports such as football, gymnastics, hockey, judo, karate, squash, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, and wushu. Traditional games such as Kodi Kodi, Malakhara, shooting, and wanjhwatti were also included.
Larkana has produced many notable people, including founder of Jamaat Islah ul Muslimeen Pakistan Muhammad Tahir, Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Jan Mohammad Abbasi, former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto, and former governor, Chief Minister of Sindh and federal minister Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, to name a few. With its rich history, educational institutions, and notable people, Larkana is a city worth exploring for any traveler.
