Sindh
Discover Sindh
Sindh (Sindhi: سنڌ), the historical home to the Sindhi people is the second most populated administrative unit of Pakistan after Punjab, with a population of over 45 million people. Sindh is known as Bab-ul-Islam (the gateway of Islam), as it saw the first spread of Islam into South Asia. It has its own culture and traditions, and has its roots in one of the world's oldest civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilisation, which Sindh was home to. Sindh is endowed with coastal access, and is a major centre of economic activity in Pakistan. Karachi, the country's largest city at the southwestern tip of Sindh, is the main financial hub of the country as well one of the most populous cities in the world and has both the country's largest airport and largest seaport.
What to Experience in Sindh
Taste of Sindh...
Due to being a coastal region, seafood is widely available and popular in Sindh. Most of region's food is based on Pakistani cuisine and composed of the same dishes you'll find elsewhere in the country. Some local delicacies and regional Sindhi cuisine are available, but your best chances of finding them is in rural and suburban localities. Sindhi biryani is a version of biryani and considered the speciality of Sindh. It is rich in texture and taste and popular throughout the country but there's no better place to eat it than in Sindh. Sindh has an unlimited supply of cheap basic restaurants and dhabas but the best places to eat are obviously in larger cities. Karachi diners are iconic and the capital has the country's best upmarket dining scene hands down. When it comes to alcohol, Sindh is liberal and it is much more easily available than it is elsewhere in the country. Nonetheless, it is considered a taboo and drinking alcohol in public areas is strongly discouraged. Only legal liquor stores are allowed to sell. Those are usually marked with blue and red coloured stripes, have no area to sit and drink, mostly sell the locally produced brand Murree Brewery and are usually closed on Fridays. Usually the large cities have a number of such places.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Sindh into what it is today.
Sindh is home to one of the earliest cities in the world, Mohenjo-daro which was one of the most advanced of its time, and one of the main cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC). IVC was one of the great civilisations of the ancient world, and one of the earliest Bronze Age civilisations. In 6th century BC, Sindh was conquered by Persian based empire Achaemenid Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire. Around the fall of Achaemenid Empire in the late 300s BC, Sindh was conquered by an army of Kingdom of Macedonia led by Alexander the Great. Sindh remained under the control of Kingdom of Macedonia till the death of Alexander. Sindh soon came under the control of the Maurya Empire. The Islamic era began when the Islamic forces under the leadership of general Muhammad bin Qasim entered Sindh in 711 AD, defeated the ruling Raja Dahir of Rai dynasty and conquered Sindh and neighbouring regions along the Indus River for the second Islamic caliphates Umayyad Caliphate. Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Islamic caliphates established after the death of Muhammad and at its greatest extent, was the largest empire in the world at that time. Sindh was made easternmost province of the Umayyad Caliphate and Mansura, which lies some 70 km north-east of Hyderabad was established and made the regional capital....
Climate
Sindh lies in a subtropical region; it is hot in the summer and mild to warm in winter. Temperatures frequently rise above 45°C (103°F) between May and August, and the minimum average temperature of 2°C (35°F) occurs during December and January in the northern region. The northern part is hotter in summer and colder in winter whereas the southern part has more moderate seasonal changes. Rainfall is concentrated in the monsoon season, from July to August. The official language of the province is Sindhi and is a first language to most people. This said, it's more commonly heard in rural areas, not urban areas where Urdu and English are more commonly spoken. If you know Gujarati, you'll find it easier to learn Sindhi as both languages are similar to one another. As in any other place, making an attempt to learn a few words, or speak Sindhi, will go a long way and will most certainly endear you to the locals. Other commonly spoken languages include Pashto, Punjabi, Saraiki, and Balochi.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsMost visitors to Sindh arrive at Jinnah International Airport, in the southern city of Karachi. The airport is the country's largest and busiest and works as the main gateway to Pakistan. It is served by many international airlines such as Air Arabia, Air China, Cathy Pacific, Etihad, Emirates, Gulf Air, FlyDubai, Iran Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudia, SriLankan Airlines, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines. The airport is the main hub of the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines and other local airlines of Pakistan such as Air Blue. Sukkur Airport in the northern part of Sindh handles only domestic flights, but can be useful when coming into northern Sindh. Sindh is well connected with the rest of the country by Pakistan Railways. The busiest railway station is in Karachi in southwest Sindh and plenty of trains (both economical and air-conditioned class) bound for Karachi originate daily from major Pakistani cities such as Lahore, Rawalpindi, Quetta and Peshawar....
Regions
Explore AreasThe Sindh, Pakistan is a fairly small province, with 2 regions and 7 administrative divisions: Sindh is bounded to the west by Balochistan, to the north by Punjab, the east by the Indian states of Guj…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
A large part of travel between cities in Sindh is by bus. Travel by bus is the cheapest, most convenient, and most common way to move from place to place. Buses and minibuses travel around Sindh but quality can vary a lot. You can find buses to all major cities and towns. Air-conditioned buses run between major cities of the Sindh while non-air-conditioned for both from the major cities to small towns but the only drawback is comfort in non-air-conditioned buses. Buses are the only cheap way of reaching places not covered by railway. The one-way fare on a Daewoo air-conditioned bus between Karachi and Sukkur is Rs. 1,500. The buses run throughout the day at one-hour intervals and the ride takes seven hours while the one-way fare on a normal air-conditioned bus for travelling between Karachi and Hyderabad is around Rs. 300. Sindh has a good railway network by Pakistani standards, and it's more than adequate for travel between major cities and towns.
Money & Budget
Sindh is a region of artisans and is known all over the world for its various crafts and arts and is home to a myriad of small markets and to traditional bazaars, to modern upscale and high-end shopping malls of Karachi and you will not be short of options.Ajrak — a block-printed shawl — and Sindhi topi — a hat — are unique to Sindh and thus are the most popular souvenirs. Both are integral and essential parts of Sindhi society and have been symbols of Sindhi culture, traditions and nationalism for hundreds of years. The shawl displays special designs and patterns made using block printing by stamps while the Sindhi topi is cylindrical except for a portion cut out in the front to expose the forehead.
Language & Talk
The official language of the province is Sindhi and is a first language to most people. This said, it's more commonly heard in rural areas, not urban areas where Urdu and English are more commonly spoken. If you know Gujarati, you'll find it easier to learn Sindhi as both languages are similar to one another. As in any other place, making an attempt to learn a few words, or speak Sindhi, will go a long way and will most certainly endear you to the locals. Other commonly spoken languages include Pashto, Punjabi, Saraiki, and Balochi. Most visitors to Sindh arrive at Jinnah International Airport, in the southern city of Karachi. The airport is the country's largest and busiest and works as the main gateway to Pakistan.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Crime exists as anywhere in the country. Armed robbery is not uncommon so it is very important to keep a low profile wherever you go in Sindh. Some cases of kidnapping have been reported as well. Crime in large cities like Karachi is at a rate you could expect from most mega cities of this size. Use common sense and avoid unpopulated parts of the region. You should always keep the emergency telephone contact numbers of your country's foreign mission in Karachi.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Sindh
City of Mounds - Indus Civilization Mohenjo-daro is an archaeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. It was built around 2500 BCE. A mysterious place with lot of town planning at the bank of River Indus. There are many myths and stories about the people and settlement and its
Uch Sharif- A historical site in Bhawalpur
Ranikot Sindh Pakistan
Tharparkar, Pakistan
Sindh tharparker
Ranikot Sindh Pakistan
woman in orange and blue dress standing on brown sand during daytime
it was a fashion shoot, Hassan Wasim was doing it in studio, a candid shot was taken while communicating something to the model.
Wir sind mehr / We are more! Against the right-wing. Together.
a group of people sitting around a pile of fruit
City of Mounds - Indus Civilization Mohenjo-daro is an archaeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. It was built around 2500 BCE. A mysterious place with lot of town planning at the bank of River Indus. There are many myths and stories about the people and settlement and its
Uch Sharif- A historical site in Bhawalpur
Ranikot Sindh Pakistan