Daharki

Daharki () is a city in Ghotki District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the capital of Daharki Taluka, an administrative subdivision of the district with an area of 2,088 km². It is situated about 100 km north-east of Sukkur, between Mirpur Mathelo and Ubauro on Pakistan's N-5 National Highway. According to the 2023 Census of Pakistan, it is the 25th largest city of Sindh, having a population of 335,145.

History

Ghotki was founded as a camp by an Ambassador General of Raja Ibn Selaj Birhman (a relative of Raja Dahar of Sindh) in 637 A.D. At that time it was named as Hath Sam. In 712 A.D, Mohammad Bin Qasim conquered Sindh by defeating Raja Dahar, Ghot Ibn Samed Ibn Patel, the grandson of Raja Dahar, was settled in the area as he converted to Islam and in whose name the Ghota tribe came into being. Arabs awarded many Jagirs (Estates) to Ghotas and named this village as "Daharwali", to honor their grandfather.

Later on, this region was ruled by different dynasties, including the Soomros (1024-1351), the Arghuns (1520-1650), the Kalhoras (1657-1783) and the Talpurs (1783-1843). When Britain invaded the subcontinent, General Charles Napier, a commander in the British Army, defeated the Talpur dynasty and conquered Sindh in 1843. After the British conquest of Sindh province, in 1847, they awarded huge blocks of irrigated fertile land to the Ghotta tribal chieftains in return for their loyalty to the British. Gradually, the town's name changed into Ghotki (of Ghottas).

General Charles Napier was appointed as the first Governor-General of Sindh. The province was divided into different administrative units and assigned to Zamindars (landlords) to collect taxes for the British government. The British government developed these areas as urban centers. Consequently, people migrated from other districts and provinces as well and started to reside here. The British named these small, developed areas as "Talukas".

Economy

Daharki is home to several cotton factories, a major fertilizer plant, and oil and gas exploratory facilities, among other industries. Notable companies with facilities at Daharki include Engro Fertilizers, Mari Energies, and Tullow Oil. Nearby power stations include Foundation Power Plant and Liberty Power Plant. The local industries are a major driver of the local economy, after the agricultural sector.

After the Partition of India in 1947, Daharki, located in what became Pakistan, saw the beginning of large-scale industrial development. In 1957, Pak Stanvac (an Esso/Mobil joint venture) stumbled upon vast deposits rich in natural gas in Mari while pursuing viable oil exploration in Sindh. With Pak Stanvac focused exclusively on oil exploration, the discovery shifted the impetus to Esso which decided to invest on the massive industrial potential of Mari gas field. In 1965, Esso Pakistan Fertilizer Company Limited (now known as Engro Fertilizers) commissioned a TOYO urea plant with a production capacity of 173,000 tons per annum , becoming the largest foreign investment in the private sector in the history of Pakistan until that date. Engro Fertilizers commissioned the world's largest single-train ammonia-urea plant of its time, covering 1.24 square miles in 2009. The facility's prilling tower was the tallest prilling tower in the world at the time of commissioning with a height of about 125 m, and is an iconic landmark of the city visible from miles away.

Demographics

According to the 2023 Census of Pakistan, Daharki has a population of 335,145 people with 174,433 males (52%), 160,706 females (48%) and 6 identifying as transgender. The population density is 160.5/km², with an annualized growth rate of 1.3% (compared to 2017 census). Majority of the population lives in rural households (73.1% vs. 26.9% living in urban).
54.5% of the population is less than 20 years old. Age distribution of the population is as follows:

Only 36.8% of the population aged 10+ years is considered literate (48.9% male vs. 23.7% female). Out of a population of 335,145 people, only 100,028 have received any sort of formal school education with only 6,899 people seeking education further than high school (matriculation).
The mother tongue spoken in Daharki is predominantly Sindhi (95.6%), followed by Punjabi (1.6%) and Urdu (1.3%). In terms of religion, the population is majority Muslim (89.11%) and Hindu (8.74%), with small Christian and Sikh minorities. Important Muslim religious sites in and around the city include Bharchundi Shareef Dargah, Chalan Faqeer, Pir Aziz Karmani, Pir Pakhroi Laal, Soi Sharif, Pir Gulab, and Shah Bukhari. The Bharchundi Sharif dargah and its custodian is Mian Abdul Khaliq. Hindu sites include the spiritual darbar and the Sant Satram Das Temple at Raharki, 5 km away from Daharki. Christian sites include St. Francis Xavier Church, which was rebuilt in 2011. The Baba Nanik Shah Gurdwara is a place of worship for Daharki's Sikh population.

Education

There are several schools in Daharki, those being:
* The Educators Daharki Campus
* Government Boys Lower Secondary School
* Government Boys High School, Raharki
* The Citizens Foundation School
* Sahara Welfare School
* Noor-e-Sehar Special Education School
* Engro Model School
* Mari Petroleum School
* Daharki School System
* Technical Training College (TTC)
* Government Primary School, Kaloo Burero

Food

The local cuisine is a blend of traditional Sindhi recipes and unique flavors. Rice, wheat, and lentils are staple foods that serve as the foundation for many recipes. Some of the signature dishes that define Daharki's food culture include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Here are a few examples:

* Sindhi Biryani: Daharki City's version of biryani frequently includes basmati rice, pieces of meat (usually mutton or chicken), and spices that give it a distinct flavor.

* Sai Bhaji: Saag is a side dish prepared from mustard leaves. Sindhi Kadhi, a tangy dish made with gram flour and different veggies, goes well with steaming rice.

* Sindhi Karahi: Sindhi Karahi, another local favorite, is a spicy and aromatic curry made with yogurt, gram flour, and assorted vegetables. It is often enjoyed with steamed rice or chapati.

Additionally, Daharki has a street food culture. The city offers an array of street snacks and quick bites, from bazaars and restaurants to roadside vendors. These street foods include shawarma, chaat, samosas, gol gappe, and other local specialties.

References

{{Ghotki District

Cities and towns in Ghotki District