The City of Sukkur, located on the picturesque bank of mighty Indus, partly hilly and partly plain, is one of the oldest human settlements of Sindh. On the opposite is its twin city of Rohri, an equally old habitation, close to Arore, Sindh's medieval capital.
It is here where Muhammad bin Qassim defeated Raja Dahir. The Muslim general later built a mosque, which is the first in the sub-continent. This mosque of historical significance is in extremely dilapidated condition and can at the best be reflecting apathy of later generations. The city of Rohri is on the main railways junction connecting Sindh with Punjab and Balochistan.
The East India Company and then British government laid great emphasis on developing communication network, of course to strengthen their hold on newly occupied territories. Therefore, in order to connect the upcountry with the rest of the province through railway, bridges were constructed on river Indus at various crossings.
The Lansdowne Bridge (named after Lord Lansdowne, the Governor General) a wonder of age was constructed in the year 1889 on the river, a great feat of engineering. This bridge weighing 30,300 tons with total length of 820 meter is without any pillar.
It is reported that after completion of bridge no driver took courage to take the train across. However, a Habshi driver (descendent of an Ethiopian slave) who was in jail, offered his services and piloted the train and received many awards. In 60s another bridge was constructed in Ayub era to reduce the burden on age old bridge, which too because of its architectural beauty and strength is an object worth admiring.
The British, considering Sindh's dire, need for irrigation water, conceived in 1855 an irrigation network of enormous size on river Indus at Sukkur. The construction of world's great water-works started in 1925 at the hefty cost of rupees 200 million and were completed on 31st December 1931. From this barrage originate seven canals ranging from 2.40 miles (Khairpur Feeder) to 131.1 miles (Dadu Canal) irrigating around 80 lakh acres of barren land. The construction of Sukkur barrage alone not only brought affluence and significance to Sukkur, but revolutionised the entire complexion of Sindh.
Following completion of the above two projects of mammoth size Sukkur gained significance in the regional set-up and a new city emerged as a consequence on the Bank of Indus. Because of important railway junction at Rohri, the Railway Department built many remarkable edifices such as a club, a hospital (1885) for the workers of Railway along with official residences and a school. Similarly the irrigation department built a well planned modern residential colony for the officers and staff on Indus Bank provided with complete facilities and hygiene.
The British railway authorities at railway workshop located on station road and near garam godi built an exquisite looking clock tower in the year 1885.
In 1937 another beautiful ninety feet high tower with four clocks was built by Seth Wadho Mal, a Hindu philanthropist and a businessman in remembrance of his two brothers; late Sundar Das and Seth Devo Mal in the center of market at the cost of rupees 10,000/-.
On its eastern side a small park was also established adding to the beauty of the tower. Yet one more Clock Tower "Education tower" was established in the year 1939 by Pir Illahi Bux the Minster of Education, who spearheaded movement to mark an end of illiteracy in the province. This tower is in a park, "Ladies Park", located on a hill overlooking the New City. Unfortunately this park is no more available to the ladies as it is forcibly taken over by some influential persons.
Noteworthy educational institutions were established such as Madrassah-tul-Islam founded by R. Hon. Lord Lamington Ocmeccle R. Coxon J. P Governor of Bombay in 1906, Government Commerce College 1948, College for Education -1962, St Savior's High School, Girls College-1958, Agha Badar-e-Alam Durrani Government Law College, Public School Sukkur- 1975, College for Technical Education-1960, Vocational Institute for Women. In private sector Modern High School, New Modern High School and Islamia School and College and Oriental College were not behind in rendering invaluable services for the cause of education.
Thus with enhanced economic activities and spread of literacy, socio- cultural and educational activities gained momentum in the city. The institutions of note that came in existence in new Sukkur produced many celebrities and to name a few; persons like Sheikh Ayaz Advocate but more acclaimed as poet, Fateh Malik, Dr Tanveer Abbasi and Rashidi brothers (journalists, writers and intellectuals), Afaq Ahmed Siddiqui, Rashid Bhatti, Rahimdad Khan Moulai Shedai (a locomotive drive turned historian) Naimtullah Qureshi, Dr Muhammad Omer Sheikh scholars, prolific writers and social workers.
Besides renowned advocates like Pirzadas; Abdul Sattar and Abdul Hafeez, Shamsuddin Shah, Khalid Ishaq (finally settled in Karachi), Fatehullah Usmani (migrated in 1947 but was more native than the natives) Qaimuddin Jatoi, Samandar Khan, Rukunddin Qasimi, and Agha Saddruddin earned name and fame in the profession and national politics. Similarly Mousavi Brothers; Abdul Hussein Shah Musvi and Atta Hussein Shah Musvi and Agha Nizamuddin Khan were famous for the services they rendered in the field of education.
Sukkur till sixties was famous all around the country, especially for its cultural and social activities such as Mushairas and intellectual gatherings. It was also hub of movements for restoration of democracy and centre of leftist's activities. Not a single day passed without that some important occasion not being celebrated in the city. The leftists and progressive writers were proactive in their struggle for the betterment of civil society.
Even from the pre-partition days the city, because of its connectivity through railway and road network being on the cross roads of three provinces, had developed a cosmopolitan culture. Its proximity with neighbouring princely states of Rajisthan connected with common desert brought many traits of that society.
The Hindus living in the town were immensely wealthy. They were mostly engaged in commercial activities. They had established business houses as far away as Hong Kong, Singapore, Spain etc. Therefore not only they introduced modern architecture and taste and cuisine of those developed countries but also brought enormous riches to Sukkur. The religious tolerance was the hallmark of the city. The monument of Saad Belo, a most reverend object of worship of the Hindus in the middle of the Indus River is a place of annual celebration which lasts for 3 days. These rituals were attended by pilgrims from all over the sub-continent.
The modern Sukkur, for its scenic landscape, salubrious climate, hectic commerce and trade ventures, socio-cultural and educational activities became the most sought after metropolis of Sindh. After Hyderabad, Sukkur was well planned, hygienically clean and environmentally pollution free habitation. Its closeness with other big towns such as Shikarpur, Larkana, Khairpur and Jacobabad (at the distance 25 to 40 miles) added further attraction to the city.
Unfortunately, after the fall of Bhutto's regime, like all other cities of Sindh, Sukkur also started decaying with the passage of time. In the first instance deteriorating law and order situation hit the upper and upper middle class hard. They started moving towards big cities like Karachi for their security.
With this not only social services totally collapsed but education suffered most as a result the city now gives a look of intellectually forlorn place. The educational institutions that once produced eminent personnel have lost their old brilliance and are now only generating mediocre. This was the same environment which once used to be rendezvous of great poets and scholars such as Sheikh Ayaz, Pir Hisamuddin Rashdi, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Josh Malihabadi, and Dr Mubarak Ali etc, is no more a place worth even a stopover.
What prompted me to dilate on the subject is that from no quarter of society any concern or anxiety is being shown for the steep decline, once the city of splendor into city of chaos and social disorder. Now with population of more than 1 million there is not a single book shop worth mentioning. The places of entertainments have been consumed by commercial greed of builder's mafia. A beautiful park on Indus "Labe-Mehran" a spot of evening and morning stroll has been in shambles.
The only park within city "Lucas Park" (named after Mr Lucas Commissioner of Sindh -1905) has been half encroached by the Press Club and a restaurant run by them. The roads are broken, littered most of the time with heaps of filth; the drinking water is highly contaminated and entire sewerage of the town is drained into river, the only source of water for the province.
The people are unmindful of the adverse consequences, instead in their erroneous acumen have given to myopic material benefits over education and learning; the major cause of decline. Therefore, unless the people of Sukkur get up from slumber and realise the far-reaching adverse impact themselves, there is no force on earth which can change the fate and their posterity is bound to suffer. The sayings of Britain's most famous Prime Minster Sir Winston Spencer Churchill that "people shape the cities and cities shape people" rightly befit the city of Sukkur.