- published: 07 Feb 2016
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The Abro, Abra or Abrah (Urdu: ابڑو ), (Sindhi ابڙو), (Arabic أبرهة) is a division of the Samma tribe, found in Sindh, Balochistan and southern Punjab provinces of Pakistan.
The period of Samma rule in Sindh is considered a period of literary and cultural heights. Two centuries later, the famous Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai was still singing their praises in `Sur Bilawal': ``When Alauddin came astride his furious elephants, Jam Abro tied his shield and the whole field shone with sabres. The Samma came to the rescue of damsels in distress - and then all was well.
In the ancient Abro tradition, Saam (protection) was in vogue. The following contemporary evidence exists. Abro, the protector of Soomra womenfolk in Dastan Dodo-Chanesar, says:
The first Chief of the Abro tribe was Sardar Mir Muhammad Khan Abro, of Abra village (now called Naich) in Larkana District, Sindh. He arranged the construction of the Ghar Waah (Canal) from the Indus River in 1628 AD, which contributed greatly to the local economy.