A city of ancient heritage, trade, and civilization on the banks of the Indus
Sukkur is located on the west bank of the River Indus and has been an important strategic centre and trading route from time immemorial. Alor (or Aror, Sukkur) held the status of capital under the region of Musikanos when Alexander invaded the region in 326 BCE. The ruins of this ancient town still exist 8 km east of Rohri, in Sukkur district.
Alor (or Aror, Sukkur) held the status of capital under the region of Musikanos when Alexander the Great invaded the region. The Rai Dynasty had built a huge temple of Shiva here. The ruins of this ancient town still exist, 8 km east of Rohri, in Sukkur district.
The Arabs invaded Sindh, led by the 17-year-old Muhammad Bin Qasim. Sukkur (including all of Sindh and lower Punjab) became part of the Umayyad Caliphate, marking a turning point in the region's cultural and religious identity.
Later, Mughals and many semi-autonomous tribes ruled over Sukkur. The city was ceded to the Mirs of Khairpur between 1809 and 1824. In 1833, Shah Shuja (a warlord of Kandahar) defeated the Talpurs near Sukkur before making peace.
The British (General Charles James Napier) defeated the Talpurs at the battles of Miani and Dubbo near Hyderabad. Sukkur, along with the rest of Sindh, came under British rule until the independence of Pakistan in 1947.
The current district of Sukkur was constituted in 1901 out of part of Shikarpur District, the remainder of which was formed into the Larkana District. The district covers an area of 5,165 square kilometres.
Sukkur saw a significant socio-economic uplift when the British built the world's largest barrage here on the Indus River. This monumental engineering achievement transformed agriculture across the entire region for generations.
Sukkur became part of the newly independent state of Pakistan. The city is located at an altitude of 220 feet (67 m) from sea level — the narrowest point of the lower Indus course, connected by road and air with all major cities of Pakistan.
Sukkur district shares its northern border with Shikarpur and the recently constituted Kashmore districts. Ghotki is located on the north-eastern side while Khairpur lies to the south. The border with India lies further east.
Geographically, the district spans from 27°05′ to 28°02′ north latitudes and from 68°47′ to 69°43′ east longitudes. The city of Sukkur is located at terrestrial coordinates 68°52′ east and 27°42′ north.