Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c5.s3.t6.2

v1.c5.s3.t6.2

Shikarpur in Sindh was not a place which could boast of its own agricultural products or manufactured goods. However, its strategic location on the trading routes between Central Asia and India gave it an advantage in trade. Shikarpuri traders were mainly Hindus who for several decades functioned under the patronage of the Durrani rulers of Afghanistan. They were known for their sophisticated banking systems, which included the issuing of bills of exchange (*hundis*) which lent a degree of security and stability to the trading activities across a wide arc of Central Asia.