‘Blessed Conquest’ sinks as water level rises

People stole precious plates and wood from the steamboat.

HYDERABAD:

The historic steamboat that was unearthed by the floods in Jhirk, Thatta, disappeared once again as water levels rose.

A considerably large portion of the vessel, identified as ‘Fath-e-Mubarak’ or Blessed Conquest, surfaced on February 17, several months after the floods hit the area. The steamboat disappeared, however, as the water level in the Indus River rose this week.

The steamboat was sighted around one kilometre away from Raju Nizamani village in the ancient port town of Jhirk in Thatta district.

The vessel was at least five feet above the surface of the river and had two decks. It is 100 feet long, 40 feet wide and approximately 20 feet tall. A large part of the vessel was, however, buried in the river bed. Several experts visited the site in the past month but the authorities did not act fast enough to preserve it. Since there was no one to keep a check, several people also stole precious plates and wood from the steamboat.

Historian Mubarak Ali told The Express Tribune that the ship was used by the British conqueror of Sindh, Charles Napier.

It was also used to transport indigo and textiles between Thatta and Karachi.

The Times of London also reported on the vessel and claimed that Fath-e-Mubarak  may have been  the same steamboat on which the then Aga Khan signed an agreement with Napier and sent his troops to help him.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2011.