Larkana (; ) is a city located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the 15th largest city of Pakistan by population.
The city is located within Larkana District. Formerly known as Chanduka, Larkana is located on the south bank of the Ghar canal, about south of the town Shikarpur, and northeast of Mehar Taluka.
Geography
Larkana is situated at 27°33'30"N 68°12'40"E.
It is in the 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 , recorded On 26 May 2010 and the lowest recorded temperature is , recorded in January 1929. The average annual rainfall is , and mainly occurs in the monsoon season (July to September). The highest annual rainfall ever is , 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 , recorded in 1938.
Famous Crops
Rice is the most famous crop of Larkana. Peas, Grape, Mustard, and Sunflowers are also grown there.
Demographics
Population
According to the 2023 census, Larkana had a population of 551,716.
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.
(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 Cosmetology, 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
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University of Larkano
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Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University
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Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology campus
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Chandka Medical College
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).
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.
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.
Larkana was also home to cricket team
Larkana Bulls.
The Larkana Tennis Association provides the only tennis court in Larkana, and coaches boys coming from various other cities.
Notable people
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Muhammad Tahir - Founder of Jamaat Islah ul Muslimeen Pakistan, Roohani Talaba Jamaat Pakistan & Sajjada Nasheen Dargah Allah Abad Shareef Kandiaro,Sindh
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Jan Mohammad Abbasi – Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan
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Abdul Ghafoor Bhurgri – lawyer, politician, writer
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Abdul-Majid Bhurgri – developer of computing in the Sindhi language
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Benazir Bhutto – former prime minister of Pakistan
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Fatima Bhutto – novelist, journalist
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Mumtaz Ali Bhutto – former governor, Chief Minister of Sindh and federal minister
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Murtaza Bhutto – founder of the PPP Shaheed Bhutto; son of Z. A Bhutto
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Shah Nawaz Bhutto – prime minister of State of Jhunagarah, prominent landowner, politician, initiator and mover of Sukkur Barrage; father of Z. A Bhutto
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Zulfikar Ali Bhutto – former president and prime minister of Pakistan
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Sobho Gianchandani – lawyer and scholar
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Muhammad Ayub Khuhro – former chief minister of Sindh, former defense minister of Pakistan
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Rauf Lala – comedian
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Abida Parveen – Sufi music singer
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Bashir Ahmed Qureshi – chairman of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM)
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Muhammad Sharif – ex-Federal Secretary and Home Minister Sindh
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Qazi Fazlullah Ubaidullah – former chief minister of Sindh and Federal Minister
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Khalid Mehmood Soomro former senator of (JUI)
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Shahnawaz Dahani – Cricketer
See also
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Larkana District
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History of Larkana
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Jinnah Bagh, Larkana
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2014 Larkana temple attack
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Mohen-jo-daro
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Larkana Bulls
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Abida Parveen
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Sohai Ali Abro
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Indus Valley civilization
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List of Indus Valley Civilization sites
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List of inventions and discoveries of the Indus Valley Civilization
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Hydraulic engineering of the Indus Valley Civilization
Bibliography
External links
