Pakko Qillo (Sindhi: پڪو قلعو, Strong Fort) is a fort in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan.[1] It was built in the 18th century, and served as a strategic military base and played a crucial role in the city's history.
Etymology
The fort was formerly known as Pakka Qilla (Sindhi) and Pacco Qillo (English), but the name was changed after complaints from the native Sindhi populace.
Construction
The Fort was constructed on the hillock known locally as Gunjy, by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, around 1768 when he founded the city of Hyderabad.[2]
History
During Talpur rule over Sindh, Mir Fateh Ali Khan left Khudabad and moved his capital to Hyderabad in 1789. He used the Hyderabad Fort as a residence and a place in which to hold his court. He added a harem and other buildings to accommodate the ruling family. To enable residents to fulfill their religious obligations, he commissioned the construction of mosques. During this period, the fort was surrounded by working-class homes. After defeating the Mirs in the Battle of Miani in 1843, the British occupied the fort. Blasts in the fort, later on, destroyed most of the architecture and houses of the public. In 1857, the British razed the remaining edifice to make room for military installation and stores.
Pakka Qila Operation
Pakka Qila was the sight of a police massacre in which nearly 40 MQM protestors were killed by Sindh Police when they fired straight into crowd. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan has demanded once again an independent inquiry into the 1990 Hyderabad Pucca Qila tragedy, lamenting that the case of one of the deadliest massacres in the country's history has been put on the back burner. Around 40 people were killed in a police operation in Pucca Qila neighborhood of Hyderabad on May 26 and May 27 in 1990 while the Pakistan Peoples Party was in the government at the Centre. The culprits were never brought to justice.[3]
