Khairpur District (Urdu: ضلع خیر پور) is a district in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The district has an area of 15,910 square kilometers and is headquartered at the city of Khairpur.

Location

Khairpur District is located in northern Sindh and is bounded on the north by Shikarpur and Sukkur, on the east by India, on the south by Sanghar and Nawabshah and on the west by Larkana and Naushahro Feroz and derives its name from the town

History

Khairpur State was ruled by Talpur Mirs (ameers) of the Talpur dynasty from 1783 to 1955. In 1947, when Pakistan gained independence, Khairpur Mir's was one of the princely states that opted to join Pakistan. In 1955, the Government of Pakistan announced the abolition of all the princely states and Khairpur Mir's was annexed into the then province of West Pakistan.

Sites of interest

Khairpur is dotted with historical sites. The Kot Diji Fort, said to be built by the Talpurs, stands on a high hill with massive walls surrounding an elaborate complex of exquisite homes, ornate canopies, marbled courtyards, promenades and long corridors with arched entryways. The corridors run along deep rooms which now lay dark and can get infested with bats. Another architectural classic is the Faiz Mahal, built in 1798 as the palace of the Talpur family in Khairpur Mirs. Besides, there are other palaces, tomb sites in Kot Diji and the surrounding areas. The present successor of the Talpur Dynasty, Mir Ali Murad Khan Talpur, who acceded to the Pakistani state in 1956, is a conservationist and has to his credit an impressive wildlife sanctuary called the Mehrano, known for its black buck, and hog deer, both of which have become rare in Sindh.

The north-western part of Thar Desert lies in Khairpur district. Rohri Hills are a tourist attraction for the tombs of Pir Ubhan Shah near Kotdiji, Shadi Shaheed near Layari, Tehsil Kotdiji and Pir Baqir Shah near Choondko. Mehrano, Nara, Kalmi Quran, Thar Dhani, shah jee machine at solangi and many other sites also draw tourist traffic.

Agriculture

Khairpur is noted for its bountiful harvest of dates. However, the soil is suitable for many cash crops including cotton and wheat. Khairpur gets its water through a web of canals coming out of River Indus. Mir Wah is the main source of irrigation and drinking water.

Education

The main institution of higher education in Khairpur district is Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai University, which has several affiliated colleges.

Naz High School in Khairpur city was established by the then ruler of Khairpur State in the early 20th century. In the 1950s a concrete, metal and glass building with sprawling lawns, playgrounds and fountains replaced the earlier buildings. Opposite the school building was built Colonel Shah Hostel with its own lawns and football field with an outdoor movie screen.

Weather Information

The climatic data at Khairpur in December:

Temperature ranges at night: 15-20℃

Temperature ranges at day: Maximum 25℃