The Sindh government has announced plans to introduce an air safari service connecting Karachi with Mohenjo Daro, aiming to enhance cultural tourism and highlight the province’s rich historical legacy. This initiative forms part of broader efforts to attract more visitors to Sindh’s heritage sites.
An agreement to launch the air safari was signed between the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) and a private aviation company. The formal signing took place between Fayaz Ali Shah, Managing Director of STDC, and Imran Aslam, CEO of the private firm.
The air safari will provide passengers with breathtaking aerial views of Karachi’s coastline, the vibrant mangrove forests, and the diverse landscapes of Sindh, offering a unique and scenic travel experience. Fayaz Ali Shah emphasized that the service is being introduced with government support to boost tourism in the province.
In a significant development, the air safari will connect travelers to Mohenjo Daro, one of the world’s earliest major urban centers. Discovered accidentally by an Indian archaeologist in 1920, Mohenjo Daro, meaning “Mound of the Dead Men,” is a 5,000-year-old city whose original name remains unknown.
Historical findings reveal that bullock carts were the primary mode of transport, while women wore upper arm bangles and men dressed in toga-like garments. The city, part of the Indus Valley Civilization with over 1,500 sites, showed no evidence of weapons or rulers, indicating a peaceful society.
Mohenjo Daro was a well-planned city featuring advanced infrastructure, including a sophisticated waste disposal system and multistoried buildings that rival modern urban designs. Notably, it housed an 8-foot deep, 23-foot wide waterproof public bathing pool made of bricks, surrounded by changing rooms and bathrooms.
Experts believe a shift in the Indus River’s course led to the city’s abandonment. Currently located in Larkana district of Sindh, Mohenjo Daro faces the risk of destruction by 2030 if urgent preservation measures are not taken.
