Shikarpur

Shikarpur lies west of the Indus in upper Sindh, near routes leading through the Bolan Pass towards Afghanistan. Founded in the early seventeenth century, it grew into a major commercial and financial centre. Its merchants and bankers maintained networks reaching from the Indus valley to Central Asia, advancing money and moving goods along caravan routes. Covered bazaars gave shelter to the trade that made the town prosperous.

Shikarpur’s position brought it under several rulers in the eighteenth century, including the Afghan Durrani kings and the Talpurs of Sindh. Its commercial houses remained active across political frontiers, with agents travelling to places such as Bukhara while families and capital remained connected to Sindh. The town’s prosperity reflected its role as a meeting point between the river plain, the mountain passes and the markets beyond them.