Sindh is Pakistan's southeastern coastal province, anchored by the sprawling port megacity of Karachi and stretching north along the Indus River to the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-daro. The province blends a major commercial capital with Sufi shrine culture, desert landscapes in the Tharparkar region, and some of South Asia's most significant archaeological and funerary sites, including the UNESCO-listed Makli Necropolis near Thatta.
Cultural orientation
Essential context for travellers.
Sindhi hospitality (mehmaan nawazi) is a point of local pride; guests are typically served tea, sherbet or a full meal even during a brief visit
The Sindhi cap (topi) and the block-printed Ajrak shawl are the province's defining cultural symbols, worn at weddings, festivals and as gifts of honor to visitors
Dress modestly in public; women commonly wear the shalwar kameez with a dupatta, and visitors of any gender should keep shoulders, upper arms and legs covered outside hotel grounds
Cover the head with a scarf and remove shoes before entering mosques and Sufi shrines such as the Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan Sharif
Sindh's Sufi shrine culture is highly visible; nightly dhamaal (drumming and trance dance) at Sehwan Sharif and nightly Raag recitation at Bhit Shah are open to respectful visitors of any faith
Friday (Jummah) prayers around midday draw large crowds to mosques; some shops and offices slow down for a few hours at this time
During Ramadan, most Muslims fast from dawn to sunset; eating, drinking or smoking in public during fasting hours is considered disrespectful even though it is not illegal for non-Muslims
Greet with 'Assalam-o-Alaikum' (peace be upon you), understood and appreciated across Sindh's religious communities, including its Hindu minority
Use the right hand for eating, giving and receiving items; the left hand is traditionally considered less polite for these purposes
Tharparkar and Umerkot districts hold one of Pakistan's largest Hindu populations; Hindu festivals, temples and customs are part of everyday life there and should be treated with the same respect as Muslim religious practice
Do's and don'ts
Quick guide to local norms.
Do
- Greet with 'Assalam-o-Alaikum' and a handshake (between people of the same gender) or a nod and hand on the heart when greeting the opposite gender
- Dress modestly, covering shoulders, upper arms and legs, especially at religious sites and outside major hotels
- Remove shoes and cover the head with a scarf before entering mosques and shrines
- Accept tea or a small snack when offered in someone's home, even briefly, as a gesture of respect for Sindhi hospitality
- Use the right hand for eating and exchanging money or objects
- Ask permission before photographing people, especially women, and before entering mosques or shrines during prayer times
- Show interest in Ajrak and the Sindhi cap when offered as a gift; wearing them respectfully at a wedding or festival is appreciated, not appropriative
- Plan around Friday prayers and, during Ramadan, around dawn (sehri) and sunset (iftar) timings, which shift daily activity and restaurant hours
Don't
- Don't eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours in Ramadan out of respect for those fasting
- Don't wear sleeveless tops, shorts or short skirts outside hotel or resort grounds
- Don't display affection publicly with a partner, such as kissing or prolonged embracing
- Don't enter mosques or shrines with shoes on or without covering the head where required
- Don't photograph women, children or religious ceremonies, including dhamaal dancers in trance, without asking first
- Don't expect or seek alcohol outside licensed hotel venues catering to foreign non-Muslim guests; alcohol is prohibited for Muslim citizens under Pakistani law
- Don't raise sensitive political topics (Kashmir, India-Pakistan relations, minority rights) casually with people just met
- Don't assume everyone in Sindh is Muslim; Tharparkar and Umerkot have long-established Hindu communities, and their temples and customs deserve the same respect as mosques and shrines
Local customs
Traditions and practices you'll encounter.
Etiquette by setting
How to navigate everyday situations.
- Greetings
- 'Assalam-o-Alaikum' (peace be upon you), answered with 'Wa alaikum assalam', is the standard Muslim greeting across Sindh. A handshake is normal between people of the same gender; between genders, a nod, a hand placed on the heart, or waiting for the other person to extend a hand first is more appropriate. Sindhi Hindu communities in Tharparkar and Umerkot may greet with 'Namaste' instead.
- Dining
- Meals are often eaten with the right hand, though cutlery is provided in restaurants and hotels. Sindhi hosts commonly serve guests first and encourage second and third helpings; food is central to hospitality, so pacing intake and thanking the host warmly is the smoother approach than refusing outright.
- Dress
- Modest dress is the norm for all genders. Many women wear the shalwar kameez with a dupatta; visitors are not expected to wear local dress but should avoid sleeveless, short or tight clothing outside hotels. A headscarf is required for women entering mosques and is respectful to carry when visiting shrines.
- Gifts
- Ajrak shawls and the embroidered Sindhi topi are the most distinctive local gifts, along with sweets (mithai), fruit or dried fruit when visiting a home. Gifts are typically given and received with the right hand or both hands; avoid alcohol as a gift given the Muslim-majority context.
- Business
- Relationships and personal trust matter greatly; initial meetings often include tea and informal conversation before business is discussed. Business cards and documents are best given and received with the right hand. Punctuality is appreciated though meetings can start later than scheduled.
- Tipping
- Tipping ('baksheesh') of roughly 10 percent is appreciated in restaurants where a service charge is not already included; rounding up fares for taxis and rickshaws, and small notes (PKR 50-100, approx $0.18-$0.36) for porters and hotel staff, are common practice.
Useful phrases
A few words go a long way.
Assalam-o-Alaikum (Sindhi and Urdu)
Hello / Peace be upon you
as-sa-LAAM oh a-LAY-kum
Wa Alaikum Assalam (Sindhi and Urdu)
Reply to the greeting
wa a-LAY-kum as-sa-LAAM
Meharbani / Shukriya
Thank you (Sindhi)
meh-har-BAA-nee / shuk-REE-ya
Shukriya
Thank you (Urdu)
shuk-REE-ya
Aahyo kem?
How are you? (Sindhi)
AH-yo kem
Aaun theek aahyaan
I am fine (Sindhi)
aa-oon TEEK aah-yaan
Hi kitrin ji aahe?
How much does it cost? (Sindhi)
hee KIT-rin jee AH-heh
Kitne paise hain?
How much does it cost? (Urdu)
KIT-nay PAI-say hain
Meherbani karke
Please (Urdu)
meh-har-BAA-nee kar-kay
Maaf karna
Excuse me / Sorry
maaf KAR-na
Khuda Hafiz
Goodbye (Sindhi and Urdu)
khu-DA HA-fiz
Kya aap Angrezi bolte hain? (Urdu)
Do you speak English?
kya aap an-GRE-zee BOL-tay hain
Religion & spirituality
Understanding faith in Sindh.
Main: Sunni Islam is the majority faith across Sindh, with a Shia Muslim minority. Sindh is also home to one of Pakistan's largest Hindu populations, concentrated in the Tharparkar, Umerkot and Mirpur Khas districts, alongside smaller Christian and Sikh communities in Karachi and Hyderabad. Sufi Islam, centered on shrines such as Sehwan Sharif and Bhit Shah, shapes much of the province's everyday religious practice.
Sites: Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan Sharif; Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai in Bhit Shah; Shah Jahan Mosque (Jamia Masjid Thatta); Sadhu Bela Temple on the Indus at Sukkur; Jain temples and the Umarkot Shiv Mandir around Nagarparkar and Umerkot
Holy Days: Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha are the major Islamic holidays, along with the month of Ramadan; the annual Urs (death anniversary) of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar draws roughly two million pilgrims to Sehwan Sharif over three days beginning the 18th of Sha'ban; Hindu communities in Tharparkar and Umerkot observe Diwali and Holi
Conversations: Religion is a significant part of daily and public life; visitors are generally welcome to ask respectful questions but should avoid criticism of Islam or of religious practices, and should be sensitive when discussing Sindh's Hindu minority and interfaith relations.