SINDH'S GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES

Sindh's geographical boundaries should be encompassed on the basis of their culture, their language, old traditions, customs, religious beliefs and social conditions. From that point of view the old Bahawalpur State’s major part which remained under the rule of dynasty of Dawood Potas can be counted as Sindh's cultural area. Sibbi, Katchi and Lasbella districts that form part of the present Baluchistan and Kutch and Juna Garh can be included in Sindh's cultural boundaries. But the division of the country into Pakistan and Bharat Katchh and Joona Garh were given over to Bharat. Sibbi Katchi, and Lasbella areas have been handedover to Baluchistan. At present Sindh is divided in the following districts Karachi: Four districts (Four districts) Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Khairpur, Sukkur, Shikarpur Upper Serhad Sindh (Jacobabad) Larkana and Dadu. The area and population of the present Sindh, on the basis of 1971 Census are: KARACHI Total Area 1362 Sq. Miles Total Population 3589154. THATTA Area 6933 Sq. Miles. Population 674590. HYDERABAD Area 4969 Sq. Miles (including Badin) Population 227873 THARPARKAR Area 13435 Sq. Miles Population 1000972 SANGHAR Area 4142 Sq. Miles Population 681168 DADU Area 7342 Sq. Miles Population 807753 JACOB ABAD Area 2982 Sq. Miles Population 694792 SUKKUR Area 5531 Sq. Miles (including Shikarpur) Population l 368595 LARKANA Area 2866 Sq. Miles Population 922907 KHAIRPUR Area 6018 Sq. Miles Population 717373 NAWABSHAH Area 2896 Sq. Miles Population 1341 706The total population of Sindh, in accordance with 1971 Census is 14007722. Which according to the census of 1981 has risen to two crores and three lakhs. There has been no sub-soil survey in Sindh, excepting the research work done by Mr. Mohammed Hussain Panhwar, who has mentioned the underground water levels. But in Sindh the area under salinity has not been surveyed. So the area of sweet and saline underground water cannot be ascertained. But only this, but classification of land on the basis of percentage, potash, sodium carbonate, nitrogen, salinity and water logging has not been under taking in its correct perspective except on a very small scale on government agricultural farms. In 1954 Sindh Agricultural Commission had recommended the survey of above mentioned things. But immediately Sindh was brought under the slavery of One-Unit where these recommendations were not carried out. According to the recent information the area of Sindh has been distributed in the following categories: a) Cultivable area 34531 Sq. Miles. b) Area under mountains and hills 5000 Sq. Miles. c) Area under forests 1800 Sq. Milesd) The area under deserts and Dunes 13100 Sq. Miles. e) The area under delta near Sea 1500 Sq. Miles. The total area of Sindh stands at 57131 Sq. Miles. i) The cultivable area as counted above will be divided into two crores and twenty one acres as the mileage shown above. ii) From Jhirik to Khirthar Mountains the hilly track consists of mountain and hills. Makli, Pir Patho can be included into that. These hills continue from Karachi to Lasbella. There is a solitary hillock called Aban shah's hill in Shah Bandar Taluka. On the East of the river Indus, there is Ganjo Takar hills and in Tharparkar district there is Karunjhar Mountain. In the north from Kotdiji, right up to Rohri hills, there is a line of small hills. Though the survey of hilly area is not properly carried out but approximately it will come to 5000 Sq. Miles. iii) From Ubauro Taluka, Indus River enters Sindh, right up to Keti Bandar where it falls in Sea. Its length should be 300 Miles, but on account of the curves its length becomes 500 miles. In the summer there is more water in the river but in the winter it is reduced greatly. The bed of river approximately is 2 miles in width. According to this calculation the mileage under river Indus will become 600 miles. In Sindh there are 520 lakes and small ponds. Amongst the lakes there are Manchar, Kinjhar and Makhi Lake. The area under them will become 600 Sq. Miles thus the total area under water is 1200 Sq. Miles. iv) On both sides of river Indus, and near Makhi lake and several other places there are forests and Jungles. The total area under the forests will come to 1800 Sq. Miles. At present in forests there are Babuls, Lai and Kandi trees. Talli, Seesum and other valuable trees according to recommendations of agricultural commission can be grown in Sindh. But on account of formation of one-unit and apathy of Pakistan government nothing has done in this direction. v) The land under desert and sandy areas: In Thatta district, Shah Bandar, Jatti Lalukas, Hyderabad and Bad in Taluka and certain portions of Tharparkar district are under the desert areas. On the border of Sindh from Tharparkar District, the sand dunes start, which go through some talukas of Tharparkar, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Khairpur and Sukkur districts. The total area of such land is 13100 Sq. Miles. vi) Delta is that piece of land, which is on the lower level of Sea, which is punctuated by small pond of Water Island. No survey of that area has even been undertaken. Every year two crores and forty lakhs tons of silt pass through the Indus river into the sea. Therefore, in this great area, the sea was near Ganja Takar and the Makli hills. Ghora Bari, Keti Bandar, Whah bandarjati and other Talukas and greater portion of those were under the Sea, now has become cultivable land or desert. In 1954 there was the recommendation before Sindh, Agricultural Commission, that delta area near Sea can be developed into fertile land and that portion can be utilized for the cultivation of Date and Palms and Coconut trees. But nothing was done on the pretext of lack of funds. From the income of Sindh though the central government gets taxes of billions of rupees, which mostly is spent on the Punjab military. After the establishment of Pakistan, the Muhajir and Punjabi vested interests have not given autonomy and the resources of Sindh are utilized for the benefit of Punjab. That is why no development scheme could be carried out for the good of Sindh. We want to construct dam on the side of Sea where we can systematically utilize the silt by Indus and increase the area under cultivation. But how can we fulfill these schemes. We are now in Pakistan’s slavery of Muhajir and Punjabi imperialism. Sindh on the whole is resource-rich country and could be more prosperous but for the central government's robbery of farmer's revenues in the form of many taxes. These taxes though collected from the people and province of Sindh are used for the Punjab vested interests. Added to this, the central government because of its prejudices against Sindhis and partiality in favor of Punjabi Muhajir combine has been patronizing and protecting its industrial base in Sindh at the cost of Sindhis. In addition, hordes of people are brought to Sindh, who are draining the resources of Sindh by sending them their colonial rules.