In spite of its importance as an administrative and service center, Larkana never managed to become up to now a center of 'export oriented ' industrial activities. According to the 1981 census population figures, Larkana (with 123,000 inhabitants at that time), ranked 5th in the Sindh Province and 23rd in Pakistan.
The passage highlights Larkana's role as a significant administrative and service center, but also points out that it has not yet achieved prominence in export-oriented industrial activities. This is supported by the 1981 census data which ranks Larkana among the most populous cities in Sindh Province and Pakistan.