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Hyderabad, Sindh

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This article is about Hyderabad, Pakistan. For Hyderabad, see Hyderabad, Sindh (disambiguation).

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The Hyderbad Fort, still present today, is encroached by Muhajirs who have managed to inhabit the area with homes within. The late 1700s monument is in ailing state today.

Hyderabad pronunciationⓘ or Haidarābād (Urdu/Sindhi: حيدر آباد) is located in the Sindh province of Pakistan (formerly known as Neroon Kot نيرُون ڪوٽ). Formerly the capital of Sindh and known as the city of perfumes, it is now the headquarters of the district of Hyderabad. Before the creation of Pakistan, it was known as the Paris of India, for its roads used to be washed with perfume every day. The regional and political boundaries stage the city as a district.

Hyderabad is a hot and humid city in the south of the nation and has been a staging point for literary campaign and a birthplace of many poets. Rich with culture and tradition, the city is the largest bangle producer in the world and serves as a transit between the rural and the urban Sindh.

History

Main article: History of Hyderabad, Pakistan

Hyderabad is a city of hillocks. Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro of the Kalhora Dynasty founded the city in 1768. A formal concept of the city was laid out by his son, Sarfraz Khan in 1782. The Hyderabad city was then named Neroon Kot نيرون ڪوٽ it was a small fishing village on the banks of River Indus and was called the heart of the Mehran. Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhora loved the city so much that in 1768, he ordered a fort to be built on one of the three hills of Hyderabad to house and defend his people. The fort since then is called the Pacco Qillo پڪو قلعو or the Strong fort.

After the death of the great Kalhoro, started the Talpur Rule. Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur left his capital Khudabad, the Land of God and made Hyderabad his capital in 1789. He made the Pacco Qillo his residence and also held his courts there. Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur along with his three other brothers were responsible for the affairs that persisted in the city of Hyderabad in the years of their kingdom. The four were called Char Yar, Sindhi for Four friends.

British Rule

An extremely rare photograph of Hyderabad from the late 1800s. The triangular structures on the rooftops are wind catchers, funnelling the cool breeze into the homes below, called a müg.

The Talpur rule lasted almost over 50 years and in 1843, Talpurs faced a greater threat. The British came face-to-face with the Talpurs at the Battle of Miani on 17th February, 1843. It is said that even in rigor mortis the Ameers (Mirs - leaders) held their swords high fighting the British. The battle ended on 24th March where the Mirs lost and the city came into the hands of the British.

The British demolished most of the buildings around to accommodate their troops and their military stores. Hyderabad lost its glory. No longer were the roads covered with perfume. In 1857, when the First War of Indian Independence raged across the sub-continent, the British held most of their regiments and ammunition in this city.

Partition

Circa 1947, just before the partition, Hyderabad had a large community of Sindhi Hindus who largely preoccupied areas of trade and commerce. There activities including responsibility of export of products that were made in Sindh and contributed significantly to the economy of Sindh. At this very moment in time, 25 percent of Sindh’s population were Hindus and were deemed the largest minority population. When the partition occurred, Hindus expected to remain in Sindh where their trade loyalties lay, latter events rendered this an impossibility. Whilst the relationship between the Hindus and Muslims in Sindh was good enough, the huge influx of Urdu-speaking Muhajirs started to pour into Hyderabad and violence erupted on the streets. The Hindus were forced to flee, leaving everything behind.

Popati Hiranandani[1][2], born 1924, a writer native to Hyderabad tells of this ordeal in her autobiography and describes that the police were merely onlookers when the violence erupted and failed to protect the Hindu community.

With Hindus occupying mostly the town of Hirabad, their buildings were ransacked and taken over by the Muhajirs. This massive influx of the people gave a boost to the population of Hyderabad and the Government proposed the creation of two more towns, namely Latifabad and Qasimabad.

Modern Hyderabad

The 1980s saw a black period in the history of Hyderabad as riots erupted in the city between the two major ethnic groupd, the Sindhis and the Muhajirs. Bloodshed and murder reached extremes. The Sindhis retreated to settlements in Qasimabad and the Muhajirs settled down in Latifabad but the city has never been the same again, forever divided by ethnicity.

Geography and climate

Located at 25.367°N latitude and 68.367°E longitude with an elevation of 13m about sea-level, Hyderabad is located on the east bank of the Indus River and is roughly 150km away from Karachi, the capital of the province. Hyderabad is the second largest city in Sindh, eighth largest in Pakistan and 209th largest city of the world with respect to population. Its population estimates to 1,348,288 (as of 2000). Two of Pakistan's largest highways, the Indus Highway and the National Highway join at Hyderabad.

Several towns surrounding the city include Kotri at 6.7km, Jamshoro at 8.1km, Hattri at 5km and Husri at 7.5km.

Hyderabad has an extreme climate. The days are hot and dry usually going up to extreme highs of 40°C, whilst the nights are cool and breezy. Winds that blow usually bring along clouds of dust, and people prefer staying indoors in the daytime, while the breeze that flows at night is pleasant and clean.

Average daily temperatures[3] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual
Mean Daily High (°C) 25.0 28.1 33.9 38.9 41.6 40.2 37.4 36.3 36.8 37.2 31.9 26.3 34.47
Mean Daily Low (°C) 11.1 13.6 18.5 23.0 26.2 28.1 27.8 26.7 25.3 22.3 17.3 12.5 21.0
Precipitation[4] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average (inches) 0.10 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.10 0.60 2.20 2.40 0.80 0.10 0.10 0.10

In recent years Hyderabad has seen spills of heavy downpour. In 2003, Hyderabad received 105 millimetres of rain in 12 hours contributing towards a sudden climate change[5][6] welcomed only as Global Warming. Years 2006 and 2007 saw close contenders to this record rain with death toll estimated in hundreds all together.

Education

For a list of educational institutes in the city, see Educational institutes in Hyderabad, Sindh
File:Sindhuniold.jpg
The Old Campus for the University of Sindh is used as a college to administer examinations for high-schools and colleges. Placed right outside the High Court, it serves as a monument toward post-partition architectural achievements.

The city being a gateway between the rural Sindh and the Greater Sindh, attracts students from the lesser developed regions of Sindh. Hyderabad has a huge number of schools, colleges and Universities.

Universities and colleges

The University of Sindh[1] is the dominant player in educational reforms since its inception in 1947. The University of Sindh,the second oldest university of the country, was constituted under the University of Sindh Act. No. XVII of 1947 passed by the Legislative Assembly of Sindh. It was founded in Karachi and relocated to Hyderabad in 1951, only because the city was re-enacted as the capital of the province of Sindh. It has 32 colleges affiliated with it. Other universities like the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences serve the interests of a wide range of other specialized subjects. Whilst people prefer to go to this technological and medical universities in the city, universities like the Sindh Agricultural University in Tando Jam focusing primarily on agriculture and horticulture, are highly preferred as well. Other universities in the private sector include University of East and Isra University.

Most of the colleges are affiliated with the universities above but some enjoy repute built of time like the oldest being the Government Degree College now renamed Government College of Technology with its high- and secondary-school affiliations with the Government High School who celebrate alumni like Mirza Kalich Beg.

Museums and libraries

File:Sindhmeuseam.jpg
Sindh Museum

Hyderabad is home to a few museums that store the cultural heritage of this land of religious and ethnic diversity. The Institute of Sindhology Museum and the Sindh Museum are a haven for Sindhi enthusiasts in ethnological contexts. Whilst there are a few libraries in the city, most of them are in a sad state. Allama Daud Photo Library near Sindh Museum in Qasimabad.

Economy

Industries include textiles, cement, glass, soap, pottery, tanneries, and film. Handicraft industries, including silver and gold work, lacquerware, ornamented silks, and embroidered leather saddles, are also well established. Hyderabad produces almost all of the ornamental glass bangles in Pakistan. Hyderabad is a major commercial centre for the agricultural produce of the surrounding area, including millet, rice, wheat, cotton, and fruit.

Suburbs

Suburban classification of towns in Hyderabad as: 1.Saddar (Cantt.), 2.Qasimabad, 3.Latifabad, 4.Hirabad and 5.Old Hyderabad City

The city of Hyderabad is divided into five sub-divided regions based on the ethnic diversity of people dwelling in it. The suburbs are mostly based upon areas of Sindhi and Muhajir majority. However the city is expanding by the day, the following map clearly divides the various parts of the city into an accurate geographical classification as of August 2007.

Government

The current nazim for the Hyderabad district is Kanwar Naveed Jamil. Since his election as the official mayor, he had been successful in initiating major development projects throughout the city. The primary concerns that he had targeted as a result of these development efforts in 2007 were that of traffic congestion, supply of fresh drinking water, sewerage and garbage management, medical aid and schools for the poor.[7]

Current development projects

In light of the above development criteria, the Hyderabad Government has planned construction of a new flyover in Latifabad U7 to relieve the traffic congestion on the GCD road which at the time of writing is estimated to be near completion. Due to the success and efficient development of this very project, five more flyover projects are in their infancy.

Two filter plants to filter fresh water have been installed costing about Rs. 80,000,000. Their inclusion in the water system would ensure continuous supply of clean drinking water. The filter plants at the time of writing are 90% complete and would be functional by mid-2008.

Electronic Governance

The Government of the city does not yet support fully functional e-Governance and has no website but the District Government of Hyderabad liberally uses the television as a mode of communication with the people of the city instructing them on public issues and awareness about projects underway.

Transport

Serving as a socio-economic crossroad to the lesser developed cities and towns in Sindh and linking and networking them with the bigger towns and cities in the nation, Hyderabad holds importance as a vital transportation link via every service. It can be reached by every mean of transportation, be it air, land, water or rail.

Airways

The city has a modestly good airport. The Pakistan International Airlines used to frequent it three flights a week. However, chartered flights can still land at the airport. The airport is located in the southern region of Latifabad. The airport in the days of its operation administered domestic flights to Karachi, Lahore, Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar.

Road network

Although Hyderabad has a decent road network, but most of the roads are undergoing construction at the time of writing. Hyderabad is deemed the most important milestone on the National Highway which passes through the city. The highway divides into Route N5 going southwest and M9 going north while it forks into the KLP (Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar) Road and the Hala Road. Over the years, the M9 has had massive construction work to include six lanes across its 136km span being the most used highway in Pakistan while the N5 has two lanes to cater to its lesser traffic needs. the current roads inside Hyderabad city are in very poor state

For a list of highways and motorways across Pakistan, see National Highways of Pakistan & Motorways of Pakistan

Bus terminals

There are seven big terminals inside the city area namely the Badin Bus Stop near SITE, Tando Bago Coach Stop near old sabzi mandi, Jacobabad-Larkana Bus Stop at Pathan Colony, Nawab Shah Bus Stand at Halla Nakka, Sanghar Coach Stop near Civil Hospital, Karachi Bus Stand near Qasim Chowk and Sammi Daewoo Bus Service To Karachi at Auto-Bhan Road and Latifabad U7.

Railways

Hyderabad has a rich rail history. From the starting days of the Scinde Railways to the purchase of the private railway company by the North-Western Railway now Pakistan Railways, Hyderabad has been a major junction on the rail-line, where railway lines proceed in at least three directions: northwards (up-country), southwards (down-country) and eastwards. The railway station is called the Hyderabad Junction and is located in the southern end of the Central City and the brink of the old.

For a list of railways in Pakistan, see Pakistan Railways

Waterways

With the city at the banks of the Indus River, the fishermen tend to use riverboats to fish and travel across the waters. Riverboats are not accessible to general public but local fishermen, in attempts of making money for their daily ration, sail people aboard their fishing ferries at Al-manzar, a restaurant at the banks of the Indus.

Demographics

People and culture

File:Churchhyd.jpg
St. Philip's Church, Tilak Incline

Hyderabad is noteworthy in Sindh and Pakistan generally for its relative tolerance; members of religious minorities such as Hindus and Christians are not in as much danger there as elsewhere in the country. However, there has been a history of conflict in Hyderabad between native Sindhis and the Muhajirs, the non-Sindhi Muslim refugees who entered Sindh from post-Partition India in 1947 and who were awarded the abandoned property left by the departing Sindhi Hindus; nowadays Sindhis and Muhajirs live in relative separation, in discrete sectors of Hyderabad.A large influx of Pakhtuns and Punjabis were attracted to Hyderabad after the Indus treaty settlement. Most Punjabis mixed with the local population however most Pakhtuns are distinct and separately living near the railway station and its vicinity.

Native Sindhis mainly reside in Qasimabad, which is still developing. Qasimabad has a lot of problems with its drainage system. It has some famous areas like Naseem Nagar and Abdullah Blessing.

On the other hand Muhajirs live in Latifabad. A large number of Memons having two sects namely Diplai from Thar Parker (Sindh) and Kathiawari from Gujrat (India) live isolated from other citizens. Many Shia Ismaili colonies exist; Aminabad Colony and Mubarakh Colony, are one of the most prominent.

While Christians constitute 2% of the total population, Hyderabad is the seat of a Diocese of the Church of Pakistan and has five churches and a cathedral.

Despite its strategic location and thrifty people the city is under the shadow of Karachi and yet to make its mark economically. One reason for this is the artificial factional and sectarian isolation imposed after the riots of 90s which cleft the urban population.

Media

Literature

As tradition goes, Sindh had always been a hub for Sufi poets. With a foothold on strong educational foundations, the city of Hyderabad was made into a refuge for thriving literary advocates. Of the few, Mirza Kalich Beg received education from the Government High School, Hyderabad and carried the banner of Sindhi literature across borders.[8] Modern novelists, writers, columnists and researchers like Musharraf Ali Farooqi, Dr. Syed Mehboob and Ghulam Mustafa Khan also hail from Hyderabad.

Radio and television

With the inauguration of a new broadcasting house at Karachi in 1950, it was possible to lay the foundations for the Hyderabad radio station in 1951. The initial broadcast was made capable using 1 kW medium-wave transmitter. With the first successful transmissions on the FM 100 bandwidth in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in October 1998, the Government decided on opening transmissions to other cities where Radio Pakistan had found success. This made available the FM 101 bandwidth transmissions to Hyderabad and other cities in Sindh.[9]

A relief from the regular broadcasts in other cities, entertainment content on the Hyderabad radio gave birth to many a star whose names became an attribute to Hyderabad's richer media content. Among them were actor Shafi Mohammad, a young man who had recently finished his postgraduate degree from the University of Sindh.[10] Such fresh and young talent became a trademark to entertainment in Hyderabad.

Whilst radio was gaining popularity, bulky television screens showed the broadcast of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon. Pakistan Television had only had half-a-decade broadcast success from 1963 to 1969 that people in the radio entertainment business felt destined to make a mark on the television circuits. Prominent radio personalities from the Hyderabad radio station like Shafi Muhammad and Muhammad Ali left the airwaves to hone their acting skills on the television.[11] Television shows and content enriched with the inclusion of Hyderabadi names however PTV never opened a broadcasting station in Hyderabad.

While the year 2005 saw new FM regular stations set up at Gawadar, Mianwali, Sargodha, Kohat, Bannu and Mithi, private radio channels began airing in and around Hyderabad. Of late, stations like Sachal FM 105 and some others have gained popularity. But the unavailability of an up-to-date news and current affairs platform renders the services of such stations of not much value to the masses but nonetheless appealing to youngsters.

As the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (abbreviated as PEMRA) gave licenses to private radio channels, so were television channels owned privately given a right to broadcast from the year 2002,[12] and Daily Kawish, a prominent Sindhi newspaper published from Hyderabad opened a one-of-its-kind private Sindhi channel Kawish Television Network. Many followed in its path namely Sindh TV, Dhoom TV and Kashish TV premièring Sindhi content.

Internet and new media

Due to the late acceptance of technology in Hyderabad and unlike the city in India it shares its name with, Hyderabad has not adapted itself to embrace the Internet and the likes of new media. Many an Internet ventures have started out with hopes to level up with Karachi, the technology capital of Pakistan but have failed drastically. With Karachi overshadowing the technological race at a mere miles from Hyderabad, Hyderabad tries to linger in this information age and develop an undermined acceptance toward new media. With what success Hyderabad had earned over the years steadily declining [13] the snail pace towards a proper Internet usage may hinder more growth.

Newspapers


Attractions

'Cubbas' (Tombs of the Mirs), now in Hirabad in Hyderabad, Sindh. These shrines are now in a desolate state.
  • Amri – an archaeological site dating back to 3600 BC, 110 km from the city, is the remains of a pre-Harrapan fortified town.
  • Al-manzar – a restaurant at the banks of the Indus river. Here like any other riverside restaurant Palla fish ( local delicacy) is served with spices and hundreds flock to share its taste and environ.
  • Rani Bagh – formerly a zoo named after the majestic elephant Rani, now serves as a theme park.
  • Cubbas or the Mir tombs in Hirabad are of the former rulers of Sindh who were defeated by the British in the famous battle of Miani.
  • Sabzazar is a famous restaurant of Hyderabad but open only in the evenings. It now has a sister restaurant called Al Aliyo open during the day time owned by the same management.
  • Pacco Qilo and the Kachha Qila – forts, where kachha means weak.
  • Sindh Museum.
  • Institute of Sindhology Museum.
  • New Hyderabad City – a well known private development area in the outskirts of Hyderabad, best known for its famous 12 acre park, Lake View Park, which features a man made lake and beautiful gardens. The park has become a recreational spot for the local families, specially on national holidays.

Sports

Hyderabad has a cricket stadium called the Niaz Stadium, with a seating capacity of 25,000 known for the first ever hatrick taken by a bowler in a one-day match in 1982. Hyderabad also has a hockey stadium.

Trivia

  • Jalal-ud-din of Pakistan became the first bowler to take a hatrick against Australia on 20th September, 1982 at the Niaz Stadium.
  • The streets of Hyderabad were washed by perfume under the rule of the Mughals.
  • The lowest Hyderabad ever achieved in temperature is 2°C.

See also

References

  1. ^ Popati Hiranandani (1924-2005) retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  2. ^ Life of dignity: Popati Hiranandani, C.S. Lakshmi, retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  3. ^ "Hyderabad, Pakistan: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data". Climate-Charts.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acccessdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Average Weather for Hyderabad, Pakistan - Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acccessdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Pakistan floods leave many dead". BBC World. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  6. ^ "World Briefing". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-18. {{cite web}}: Text "Asia: Pakistan: Floods Kill 88 And Maroon 100,000" ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Hyderabad Pakistan Mega Projects". YouTube. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  8. ^ "Mirza Kalich Beg: Renowned scholar of Sindh". Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  9. ^ "Radio Pakistan: Chronicle of Progress". Radio Pakistan. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  10. ^ "Actor Shafi Muhammad passes away". Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  11. ^ "Pakistan's Top Film Star Muhammad Ali Dies". Pakistan Tribune. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  12. ^ "PEMRA Ordinance 2002" (PDF). Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  13. ^ "Investment Trends in Hyderabad, Pakistan". Research Papers in Economics (RePEc). Retrieved 2008-03-28. {{cite web}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |authors= (help)
  1. [4]

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