1 Background Information
1.1Introduction
1.1.1 History
District Thatta is in one of the oldest regions of Indus civilization. It has a rich history as it has been the capital of three dynasties (Summa, Arghuns, Tarkhans) and was later on ruled by the Mughals. This region was an important administrative office for many rulers in the ancient Indus civilization. Due to the shifting nature of the Indus River, it is difficult to report the exact location of ancient Thatta, but the name indicates its strong relation to the Indus. The word Thatta is derived from thatti, thatt or thatto, a Sindhi word for a small settlement on riverbanks1.
History shows that Thatta was ruled by Jam Nizamud-Din or Jam Ninda, a decendent of Summa Dynasty2 , till 1461. The rise of Thatta, as an important commercial and cultural center, was directly related to his patronage and policies. The Summa civilization contributed significantly to the prevailing architectural style that can be classified as Sindhi culture. Later on, the Mughals captured this region and ruled it till 1736. The Islamic architect during the Mughal rule can still be witnessed in the district. Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan built a historic mosque in Thatta which has been carefully restored to its original condition. From 1736 till 1843, Thatta was ruled by Kalhoro dynasty3 that shifted their headquarters to Hyderabad. Hence the importance of Thatta, as a cultural and economic hub, started declining4.
In 1843, British annexed Sindh and built a communication network throughout the province.
They built roads, schools, dispensaries and many other civic amenities. This improvement in infrastructure helped Thatta to regain its economic strength. Since the independence of Pakistan, district Thatta has been neglected by the local and higher authorities, which has increased poverty5 in this district.