Rohri

Rohri stands on the eastern bank of the Indus opposite Sukkur. Between the two towns the river divides around the rocky island of Bukkur, whose fort commanded an important crossing. Upstream and downstream, boats carried goods along the Indus, while the limestone hills around Rohri supplied stone used by people in the region since prehistoric times.

The river changed its course through the hills, and Rohri grew beside the passage facing the island fortress. Under successive rulers of Sindh, Bukkur and the towns on either bank formed a strategic and commercial centre. Shrines along the river also attracted worshippers; an island sanctuary associated with Khwaja Khizr was revered by Muslims and Hindus alike. The fort’s position gave whoever held it a strong influence over movement through this narrow stretch of the Indus.