Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan and the twelfth-largest city in the world

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Karachi, was the first capital of Pakistan and capital of Sindh province, southern Pakistan. It is the country’s largest city and major seaport and is a chief commercial and industrial hub. Karachi is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The city has been called Caranjee, Crochey, Krotchey, Currachee, and Kurrachee, all of which are believed to be alternates of the same name. In the 18th century it was known as Kalachi-jo-Goth, meaning “the village of Kalachi”. Karachi is also called by the locals as the City of Lights, the City of The Quaid, and the City that Never Sleeps. People from all religions and cultural backgrounds are living in Karachi however, almost 98% of the population in Karachi understands the Urdu language and are Urdu speakers.  

Coordinates	25.1932024,67.1554619
Total Area	3,780 km²
Elevation	10m
Population	14.91 million (2017)

Karachi Early History and Background

Karachi was a small fishing town when a group of traders moved there in the early 18th century from the crumbling port of Kharak Bandar. Besides the natural protection against monsoon storms, Manora Head provided the best site for the protection of the harbor, and the Talpura amīrs who gained Karachi from the Khan of Kalat in 1795 founded a permanent fort on it. The settlement grew rapidly and was already of importance when it was captured by the British in 1842, together with the province of Sindh. After that it became an army headquarters for the British and also started to develop from a fishing village into the major port for the Indus River region.   

In 1843 a river-steamer service was introduced between Karachi and Multan which was 500 miles long. In 1861 at 90 mile railway was built from Karachi to Kotri. In 1864 direct telegraph communications were established with London and with the interior. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the importance of Karachi grew further, and it became a fully developed seaport. By 1873 it was converted into a well-developed and well-managed seaport. 

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Karachi Temperature and Weather

Karachi is a beautiful town which is located on the bank of Arabian Sea, due to which it has mostly pleasant windy weather. Karachi receives very less rainfall, but overall the temperate remains breezy and windy due to the sea. It is never too cold or too hot. The weather of Karachi has been a blessing on people living there, but at the same time the humidity during summer season makes it worse for people to survive the heat waves.

Karachi has been a metropolitan city, business hub and was the capital of Pakistan previously due to which it has been facing rapid urbanization and ever increasing population and traffic. The city has seen an unprecedented increase in temperature, especially in summers and humidity makes it even worse. The humidity levels usually remain high during the months of March to November, while it is very low in winter as the wind direction in winter is north-east. The temperature in winter season sometimes goes below 10 °C and day temperature is about 26 °C. However, the city faces prolonged summers. 

Given below is the data that show average temperature during different seasons in a year in Karachi.  

Seasons	Average High	Average Low	Max Low	Max High
Winter	28°C	12°C	3.3 °C (February, 11, 1950)	—
Summer	40°C	28°C	—	47.8°C (May, 9, 1938)

Rainfall Dynamics

Karachi usually has dry periods in January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November and December. On average, July is the wettest month with 86 mm (3.4 inch) of precipitation during the monsoon season.  On average, May is the driest month with 0 mm (0 inch) of precipitation. The average amount of annual precipitation is: 218 mm (8.6 inch)

Lack of Sanitation and Poor Drainage

Due to poor sanitation and lack of drainage system In Karachi, every year during monsoon season country’s economic hub faces perils and even light spells of rain flood the capital of Sindh province.  In the wake of this issue, the authorities are unable to do anything and unable to avoid sufferings of a large number of people due to overflowing sewerage systems and lack of drainage channels. Thus, the entire drainage channels are poorly planned and enormously lacking to cope up with the required flow, which in most cases means letting the drains to flow into the sea. Several people die every year as a result of urban flooding and electrocution.

Karachi Rising Sea Level

Some experts have warned that Karachi could be fully submerged by the year 2060 if the current trajectory of rising sea levels continues. It is only 10m above sea level and this level has been decreasing continuously.

Wind Speed

The average hourly wind speed in Karachi experiences significant seasonal variation over the course of the year. The windier part of the year lasts for 5.1 months, from April 14 to September 18, with average wind speeds of more than 10.8 miles per hour.  Windiest month: June, with an average hourly wind speed of 14.5 miles per hour. This could be used to generate electricity by running turbines easily.    The calmer time of year lasts for 6.9 months, from September 18 to April 14.  Calmest month: November, with an average hourly wind speed of 6.9 miles per hour.

Tsunami

Karachi was hit by the worst ever tsunami in 1945 which wiped out 1.3% population of the city. It occurred 100 miles south of Karachi in the Northern Arabian Sea.  Read More: Rising pollution in Karachi is causing health problems – About Pakistan

Karachi Culture, Heritage and Ethnicity

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and financial hub of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. According to census of 2017, the city has 14.91 million population, making it the country’s largest city, according to population and the third largest in the world.  Being the largest economic hub of Pakistan, it is home to populations from different national, provincial, linguistic and religious origins who have largely come to settle here forever.

It is locally called as the City of Lights for its sparkle and how it remains open 24 hours. People of Karachi are lively and vibrant who enjoy their lives to the fullest. Residents and those born in the city are called “Karachiites”. It has been the important center of banking, industry, economic industry and trade and is home to Pakistan’s largest companies, including those involved in textiles, shipping, automobile industry, entertainment, the arts, fashion, promotion, broadcasting, software development and medical research etc.  

Karachi Culture 

Karachi is a melting pot of different cultures and ethnicities as people settled in the city as a result of rapid urbanization from almost all around the country. Before independence, the city was inhabited mostly by Sindhis, Baluchis, Mekranis and Gujaratis from the areas near the city. After partition, most of the Hindu population left from the city and a large number of migrants came from India which were recognized as Along with them, Memons from Gujarat and small quantities of populations from other areas also joined.

After independence a large number of people also came to the city from different parts of Pakistan and made large Punjabi, Pathan, Bengali and Hazara populations to settle in Karachi. As a result of separation of East Pakistan in 1971, there was a large inflow of mainly Urdu Speaking people from the earlier East Pakistan. In the 1980s a large number of Afghan refugees also flooded the city. This city has a intermingling of Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian and Western cultures due to which there is multiplicity in culture. It has shaped the city into a unique cultural amalgamation of one of its kind, giving the city a status of being an international business center.  

Karachi Language

Language	Percentage
Urdu	38.25%
Sindhi	27.34%
Punjabi	13.64%
Pashto	11.96%
Balochi	4.34%
Seraiki	2.11%
Dari, Gujarati, Dawoodi Bohra, Memon, Marwari, Brahui, Makrani, Kowar, Burushahki, Arabic, Persian and Bengali	2.09%

Religion

Muslim	66% Sunni and 34% Shia
Christian	2.35%
Hindu	0.83%
Ahmadi	0.17%
Others (Parsis and Buddhists)	0.13%

Target Killing in Karachi 

 

The culture of Karachi is changing with the time. The culture of target killing has been recently emerged in Karachi which has proved to be lethal for its citizens and economic growth of the city. Targeted killings in the city have been accredited to political, religious and ethnic biases. Due to cultural amalgamation at such a large level, the political parties being affiliated with specific communities develop biases which result in target killings. For example, the MQM was a political party founded for the political interests of the Muhajir people. Other ethnic groups also formed their parties. Furthermore, the conflicts have also been rising up due to religious sectarianism and Sunni-Shia conflict.  

Read More: Drug addiction among university students in Karachi – About Pakistan

HISTORICAL AND TOURIST PLACES IN KARACHI: 

Mizar-e-Quaid

Mohatta Palace Museum 

Frere Hall 

Pakistan Air Force Museum 

Charna Island 

Port Grand Karachi 

Empress Market 

National Museum of Pakistan 

Ocean Tower 

Tooba Masjid 

Boat Basin 

TDF Ghar 

Chaukhandi Tombs 

Koel Gallery 

Merewether Clock Tower 

Saint Patrick Cathedral 

National Academy of performing Arts 

Wazir Mansion 

Dar-ul-Uloom Masjid 

Darya Lal Sankat Machan Mandir 

War Cemetery 

Habib Bank Plaza 

Jamia Masjid Bahria Town 

Mizar-E-Quaid

Mizar-I-Quaid is a historical monument in Karachi. It is the resting place of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Mizar-I-Quaid is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Pakistan. Mizar-e-Quaid is also known as Jinnah Mausoleum or the National Mausoleum indicates the tomb of the patron of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Its serves as an emblem of Karachi. The mausoleum construction was completed in 1960.  

The inward dome shaped sanctum reflects the green color of a 4 layered costly stone crystal fixture skilled by architects from China. There is a recreational center around the mausoleum fitted with spot-lights to light up the museum during evening and night time. In the inner part of the grave complex, there are three graves. Miss Fatima Jinnah, Jinnah’s sister’s grave is one of them, which is covered with dark colored flowers.

There is also a grave of Liaquat Ali Khan, who expired as Prime Minister of Pakistan. Southern side has a grave of Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar. Nurul Amin, who rose to be the Vice-President of Pakistan is also buried here. All these graves are made of Italian white marble stone and the casket of Jinnah is put on a triple base of tis white marble. These graves are designed in such a way that the sides of these graves are decreasing internal while that of Jinnah are separating outward. These are all plain graves, with the exception of that of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, which has a luminous embellishment.  

Planner of Mausoleum	Yahya Merchant
Architecture and Design	white marble with bended Moorish curves and copper flame broils reset on a lifted 54 square meters platform
Area of Park	53 hectare
Width and Height of building	75x75m on ground and 43m high
Base height	4m
Wellsprings	10

Mohatta Palace Museum Karachi 

In 1927, Shiv Rattan Mohatta, an affluent Marwari businessman, ordered to build an extravagant house in the neighborhood of Clifton. Mohatta made his living as a ship handler and trader. The architect allocated for his palace, Ahmed Hussein Agha, was one of the first Muslim architects of India and had come from Jaipur to take up the task as chief evaluator for the Karachi Metropolis. Ahmed Hussein Agha designed many buildings in Karachi, but Mohatta Palace was the masterstroke of his professional career.

He worked in a way to depict and revive the Mughal style with a blend of locally accessible yellow Gizri and pink stone from Jodhpur trying to recreate the Anglo Mughal palaces of the Rajput princes. This palace was acquired by the new Government of Pakistan after partition in 1947 to house the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign Office moved to Islamabad in 1964 and the palace was given to Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. After her death in 1964, her sister Shireen Bai lived here until her death in 1980.

It was then purchased by the Government of Sindh along with the Federal Government, for a sum of six million rupees. It was decided that the palace would turn into a museum to spread awareness and appreciation of the cultural heritage of Pakistan and of the region. The first two phases of the renovation program were successfully completed in August 1999 and the Museum was opened for public on 15th September 1999. It has been displaying artifacts and housing exhibitions since 1999. The Museum has developed from three galleries in 1999 to forty four in 2005. 

Frere Hall Karachi

Frere Hall is a momentous architecture of the British era. It was built in the honor of Sir Henrey Frere. Sir Henry devoted himself to the economic growth and also strived hard to make Sindhi as the official language of Sindh. It represented as the largest library of Sindh for so many years which was then closed. The hall was reopened in 2011 for the public. Frere hall was initiated in the British era as a Town Hall in 1865. The Hall operated as a house for King Edward Vll and Seth Dinshaw.

The Architecture of Frere hall is mesmerizing. In fact, this is the most captivating thing about the hall. In total 12 architects projected the architecture and design of Hall while only one, Lt. Col. Clair Wilson, was selected. The funds were collected by the metropolis. It is made up by using yellowish limestones and red/grey sandstones. The yellowish stones are imported from Rajasthan and Thar to give it a more fine and attractive finishing. The architecture has a touch of British and local components. The hall has Flying buttresses, Quatrefoils, Ribbed vaults, Pointed Arches. The pillars and walls have exceptional and complexed carvings.

Liaquat library is also present at the ground floor, which is named after Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan. It has all the books, guides, dictionaries, and manuscripts which are difficult to find anywhere else. Besides books and manuscripts, Frere Hall has so much to offer to nature lovers. The hall is surrounded by lush and beautifully detailed gardens. These luscious gardens together with gothic architecture complement each other so well.. Before independence, the lawns were known as “king’s Lawn” and Queen’s Lawn” due to their beauty. The garden was renamed to Jinnah Garden after Pakistan got independence in 1947. 

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Build in Honor of	Sir Henry Frere
Initiated in	1865 as Town Hall
Architect	Lt. Col. Clair Wilson
Construction Price	180000 Rupees
Architecture Style	Gothic and Venetian
Library Present	Liaquat Library
Total books in Liaquat Library	700000 Books
Jinnah Garden constructed in	1888

Pakistan Air Force Museum Karachi

PAF museum is located on the Shahra e Faisal Karachi.  It was inaugurated on August 14^th, 1997. It then opened for general public in October 1997. It not only preserves the history of PAF but also helps create greater harmony between the PAF and general public. It also carries and conveys an inherent message that we can make and maintain our environment clean and green by collective efforts. It displays aircraft which was force landed at Pasroor in 1965 war. There are 4 PCs present inside the gallery, which provide detailed information about PAF.

There are four sub-galleries inside as well, depicting the history of aerial warfare through model aircraft and paintings while the other one shows different fighter aircraft models of the world. Two galleries are to depict the martyrs and heroes of 1965 & 1971 wars. There are lavish green lawns that have different aircraft, including F-86 Sabre, F-104 Starfighter, Mirage, FT-6, F-6, T-33, U-Mig15, MFI-17 (Mushshak), Aero Commander, Antonov An-12, Beech D-95A (Travel Air), T-6G (Harvard), Huskie (Helicopter), and other Air Defence equipment have also been displayed. There is also a cute souvenir shop for the visitors and they can buy souvenirs related to air force.

There is also a separate gallery that displays antiques and rare artifacts Quaid-e-Azam’s aircraft, an Indian Midge, the achievements of different squadrons while the other one shows the achievements and history of PAF Bases through rare photographs, blueprints and paintings. This museum is usually visited by schools and colleges, students come to see the gigantic aircrafts and enjoy the beauty of the place.  

Charna Island Karachi

Charna Island is an outstanding place in the heart of the Arabian Sea. It is famous for clear water, coral reefs and marine life. Charna Island is an unnoticed paradise that is located in Karachi. It is famous for Snorkeling and Underwater-Diving trips. With the passage of time, Charna Island has turned out to be most thrilling and fun-oriented island in Karachi. One can do different activities and water sports at Charna Island including Cliff diving, under water diving, Jet Ski, underwater photoshoot, scuba diving and speed boat ride.   

Port Grand Karach

Port grand Karachi is one of the marvel recreational sites which make Karachi the city of lights. It is the best place for fun lovers, foodies, and social people. This place specially attracts night crawlers who love this place. One can enjoy a large number of activities in Port Grand Karachi. The beautiful night lights with the most aesthetic and tasty eateries and a game zone can satisfy one’s cravings for amusement. The game zone has games for all ages. Furthermore, to satisfy one’s food cravings there are a lot of restaurants having continental, Central Asian and East Asian cuisines and desi food as well.

It is a kind of a full package where one can enjoy scenery and nightlife and do the shopping and can play games while having perfect dinner and breakfasts. Some of the restaurants include Rashid Sea Food & Restaurant, Akbari Nihari, The Grand Chai Khana, The Balcony, Afridi Inn, Kababjees Express, Ghaffar Kabab House, City Bistro, Chow Wow, Babujees, Agha Yaseen, Angelini’s, Gardenia, Grab n Go, Turkistik- The Turkish Ice Cream, The Soda Fountain, Wall’s Happiness Station.

National Museum of Pakistan

It was established in 1951 in an ancient building of Frere Hall and continued to exist there till July, 1969. After that, the Government realizes the importance of the National Institution favored the construction of a separate building at Burns Garden for National Museum. The new museum’s inauguration ceremony was performed by the then President of Pakistan on 21st February, 1970. The Museum epitomizes a complete panorama of Pakistan’s Cultural Heritage from the oldest times down to the birth of Pakistan in 1947.

All galleries are set up in sequential order as:  

• PRE-HISTORIC (Two Million – 2500 B.C.) 
• PROTO-HISTORIC (2500 – 1500 B.C.) 
• LATE HARAPPA (2200 – 800 B.C.) 
• GANDHARA GALLERY (2nd- 6th Century A.D.) 
• HINDU GALLERY (6th – 16th Century A.D.) 
• QURAN GALLER 
• COINS GALLERY 
• FREEDOM MOVEMENT GALLERY 
• ETHNOLOGY GALLERY 
• ISLAMIC GALLERY 
• ISLAMIC ART & CRAFTS 
• OTHER FACILITIES 

TDF Ghar Karachi

In order to retain the history and tradition of Karachi, The Dawood Foundation renovated and reconditioned a 1930’s house. TDF Ghar is open to public in order to promote informal learning spaces in Karachi. People from all ethnicities can come here to share their culture and traditions. TDF Ghar is a compliment to this city. With a mesmerizing view of the Mazar-e-Quaid and unique hand-crafted tiles.

TDF Ghar has properly conserved its traditional structures, but has been transformed into a public space in order to revive the true essence of inhabitants of this old metropolitan city. It is based on a self-sustainability business model. The revenue generated through rentals and tickets are again invested in the revival and maintenance of the Ghar.  

Chaukhandi Tomb Karachi

The Chaukhandi tomb is basically a graveyard which stretches over an area of two square miles and has tombs of certain combatants of Saloch families settled in this area some time during the 17th and 18th centuries A.D. It is quite difficult to assign an exact date to these graves due to lack of dated inscriptions. There are five tombs that are built on elevated stages in a pyramids having decorative stone slabs covered with symbolic designs. Most of the tombs at Chaukhandi depicts family graveyard, but a few of them are also present under pillar canopies finished in Hindu style.

The graves are covered with beautiful engravings and carvings of different types. Usually, the female graves are covered with engravings representing ornaments such as bracelets, necklaces, rings, anklets, etc. Whereas, male graves have a horseman with his arms; shield, sword, bow and arrow. Additionally, in case of male graves, a boss shaped projection present at the northern end intends to hold the turban of the deceased. It has also been added to UNESCO world heritage site owing to its traditional and cultural values.  

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Merewether Clock Tower Karachi

Merewether Clock Tower is also known as Merewether Tower is located in Karachi, Sindh. It was constructed with public funds to commemorate for Sir William L. Merewether. It was formally opened to the public in 1892 by the Commissioner in Sind, Sir Evan James. Architect Strachan designed this tower in the Gothic Revival style popular in Victorian England, to serve as a reminiscent of the architecture of Medieval England (11th to 15th century A.D.). The clock tower is built in buff colored Gizri stone and is sharply focused on detailing and embellishment.

The architecture has its roots resembling to Eleanor cross which were a series of 12 monuments erected in England by King Edward I between 1291 and 1294, in memory of his wife, Eleanor of Castile. Three of these original Eleanor Crosses are still present in England. Many similar neo-Gothic style buildings were erected in Victorian England, and remarkable clock towers are present all over Pakistan. 

Height	102 feet
Base	44 feet
Architect	James Strachan (Municipal Engineer)
Architectural Style	Gothic Revival Style
Foundation Stone	Governor of Bombay, Sir James Fergusson in 1884
Opened to Public	1892

 

Koel Gallery Karachi

This art gallery was made with a motto to bridge the gap between the Arts and Crafts. Koel gallery has dedicated space for exhibitions, both for the Visual Arts and the Crafts, where Artists, Designers and Craftsmen would be able to share a joint platform. The Gallery is located in a serene, calm environment, where soft natural sunlight seeps in through the ceiling and windows of gallery giving it a sense of tranquility and works of art become one with Nature. There is also a small café for the nature lovers with a lot of greenery and oozing sunlight giving it natural vibes.  

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Karachi

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Karachi. It is located on Shahra-e-Iraq, previously known as Clarke Street situated near the Empress Market in Karachi, Pakistan. It was the first church in Sindh Province and was called St. Patrick’s Church. With the passage of time the Christian community grew large in number so this Church opened for Catholic Community in 1881.  Although new buildings were constructed side by side, but this little church continued to be the praying area of a large Christian community until it was hit by a storm in 1885.  

Architecture Style	Gothic Revival Style
Dimensions	52 meters by 22 meters
Capacity	5000 worshippers
Opened for Catholics	1881

Timeline 

1931	The cathedral’s grounds are adorned with a marble Monument to Christ the King, to commemorate the memory of the Jesuit Mission in Sindh.
1978	The cathedral celebrated its anniversary and the Pakistan Post Office issued special honoring stamps on the occasion
November 1991	Mother Teresa of Calcutta visited the Church
22 December 1998	Bomb exploded inside the Cathedral causing an injury and destruction
2003	The cathedral was declared as a protected monument because of its outstanding architectural beauty under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act
9 November 2011	The apostolic nuncio to Pakistan Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra blessed St. Peter’s Church, which is now considered to be the largest Catholic church in Pakistan seating 5000 people.
December 2018	The celebration of the 175th anniversary of the cathedral was led by the Archbishop of Karachi Joseph Cardinal Coutts
5 October 2019	The Archbishop announced that Fr. Saleh Diego would be the new parish priest of St. Patricks Parish
11 February 2021	Pope Francis appointed Bishop Benny Travas of Multan to succeed Cardinal Joseph Coutts as Archbishop of Karachi
11 April 2021	Travas was installed as Archbishop of Karachi at this Cathedral

Jamia Masjid Bahria Town Karachi

Bahria town mosque is also known as Grand Jamia masjid. It is constructed by Bahria Town.  The Grand Jamia Masjid is the identification of Bahria Town, Karachi and symbolizes Pakistan all over the Islamic World. It is World’s 3^rd largest masjid. Built beautifully, this masterpiece’s interior is totally wonderful, with incredible views signifying the amalgamation of traditional Islamic architecture with Pakistani culture.

The masjid has huge capacity, making it Pakistan’s largest masjid.  There are dedicated praying areas for women and an Islamic Art Gallery.  It also has an Islamic Community Center comprising a Central Library with a treasure of 500,000 books. 

Constructed by	Bahria Town
Completed in	2015
Minarets	1
Capacity	950,000 worshippers
Minarets height	99 meters (325 ft)
Domes	150
Ranking	World’s 3rd Largest
Construction Cost	Rs. 4 Billion
Architect	Nayyar Ali Dada
Architectural Style	Islamic architecture, Mughal architecture
Construction	Under way

Habib Bank Plaza Karachi

Habib Bank Plaza is the head office of Habib Bank. It is located in Chundigarh Road Karachi. It was designated as Pakistan’s tallest building upon completion in 1963. It remained the tallest building for 4 decades until the 116 m tall MCB Tower was completed in 2005. Even after the construction of MCB Tower, the Habib Bank Plaza is the fourth tallest building in Karachi today and the ninth tallest in Pakistan.

This building was made to mark the 25th anniversary of the bank. The famous Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Pakistan regularly uses this building over the years to call the conference for moon sighting before Eid especially.  

Floors	22 story
Height	101m
Constructed started	1963
Architect	Leo A. Daly
Owner	Habib Bank Ltd (49%), ‎AKFED‎ (51%)‎

War Cemetery Karachi

The Karachi War Cemetery was created to bury the soldiers who served in the Second World War and were buried in civil and cantonment cemeteries scattered throughout northern Pakistan where their eternal maintenance could not be guaranteed. The cemetery contains 642 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. It commemorates more than 25,000 servicemen of the forces of united India who perished during the Second World War. Their remains were buried according to their religions to which they belonged and their names are displayed to commemorate them and their sacrifices.

These names are displayed in Urdu as well as in English. It also contains the Karachi memorial 1914-1918, commemorating 568 men who served in battalions and died in Pakistan during the First World War and who were buried in civil and cantonment graveyards where their graves could no longer be preserved. 

Darya Lal Sankat Machan Mandir Karachi

It is also called as Jhoolay Lal Mandir and is 300 years old. It is located on Eduljee Dinshaw Road near KPT Custom House. Karachi Darya Lal Mandir has its name owing to the fact that it is situated just on the edge of the Arabian Sea. During old times the Hindus living in these areas used to seek blessings of their deity in this temple before launching their boats into the sea.

It was believed by its followers that whoever would seek blessings before starting their journey would never ever face any difficulty during the journey no matter how hard it would get. Apart from that they would also get the best variety of fish by the blessings of the deity. Fundamentally, most of them came from Mohalla Mahigir and had fishery business.  

Constructed in	300 years ago
Stone used	limestone and the Jung Shahi stone
Temple design	40 snakes at the top of the temple
Dimensions	40 feet x 40 feet x 40 feet

 

Dar-ul-Uloom Masjid Karachi

Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi is an Islamic Seminary located in Karachi, Pakistan. It is in continuation of tradition of the Darul Uloom system initiated by Darul Uloom Deoband. This seminary has individual facilities for both boys and girls. Darul Uloom has the highest principles of Islamic education and gives opportunities to students to learn the traditional Islamic values along with modern education. It is registered as one of the Islamic Schools under Wafaq ul Madaris Al-Arabia. The institution was started by the late Mufti Muhammad Shafi and Maulana Noor Ahmad in 1951. 

Wazir Mansion Museum Karachi

This place used to be the house of the parents of Quaid e Azam when he was born on 25^th December 1876. This house, where Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah spent his sixteen years of his childhood and youth, has now been transformed into a precious National Monument that provides inspiration to our nation. The second floor of this mansion is being used to a house a library for public. This place has been properly preserved till now.  

Read More: Faulty Roads in Karachi; Government Least Concerned – About Pakistan

 

National Academy of performing Arts Karachi

The National Academy of Performing Arts also called as NAPA is Pakistan’s leading arts, performing organization, presenting topnotch theatre and music programming. It is the country’s only national arts academy educating and training students in theatre and music. This institution provides quality education, detailed training sessions, and artistic expressions in the performing arts. A society that values, admires, and inspires artistic expression through the arts, particularly the performing arts. It is a great platform for people to learn music, theatre, and other kind of arts and skills related to media industry.   

Tooba Masjid Karachi 

Tooba masjid is located in DHA, Karachi. It is also known as Gol masjid. It is beautifully developed, with white marble giving it an extravagant look. It was designed keeping in mind the audibility so that an individual talking inside one side of the dome can be heard at the other side. The mosque is elegantly built with no fancy artistry. All the mirror work is very elegant yet simple at the same time. The lawns are beautifully managed where worshippers can sit and worship. Overall, it serves as a perfect emblem of simplistic Muslim tradition and culture.  

Capacity: 

Prayer Hall	5000
Including Terrace	8000
Including Lawns	8000

Important Details:  

Area of Plot	5570 Sq Yds
Built up Area	35312 Sq Ft
Diameter of Dome	212 Ft
Height of Dome	5148 Ft
Mirrors in Foam Concrete Tiles	70000
Onyx Pieces on the Retaining Wall	768000
Height of Minerat	120 Ft
Location	Old Korangi Road, Ph-II

Built by	DHA KARACHI
Designed by	Dr Babar Hameed (Chartered Architect)
Contractors	M/s Macdonald Layton and Constain Karachi
Construction Commenced	September 1966
Construction completed	November 1969

Boat Basin Karachi

Boat Basin is basically a food street in Karachi with numerous food stalls and restaurants which have almost all types of food especially all variety of desi food. The area got this unique name from the lake which has been a famous boating place for Karachites. With the passage of time the clear water of the lake turned brown and boating activities ceased to take place. Initially, the restaurants present here used to serve people who came to the area for boating.

Boat Basin has the choicest restaurants and is known to be one of the main food streets in Karachi. Today the street has dozens of restaurants, out of which some are open 24/7. It is very reasonable for all people so normally it is mostly visited by middle class people to enjoy delicious food. The prime time to visit this place is between 10 PM and 3 AM. Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park is also located in Boat Basin, which is also called Boat Basin Park.

Some of the famous restaurants located here are: 

• Tandoori Hut 
• Pizza Hut    
• Nando’s 
• KFC  
• Frontier Cafe 
• Baithak BBQ 
• Chick N Chips 
• Handi Inn 
• Mr Burger 
• Nihari Inn 
• Karachi Broast 
• Baloch Icecream 
• Dera Mattam 

Malls in Karachi 

Lucky One Mall

Millenium Mall

Forum  

Atrium 

Dolmen 

Imtiaz Supermarket 

Ocean tower

Millennium Mall Karachi

Millenium mall was built by Mumtaz Group of Companies in the year 2000. This mall has exceptional interior and exterior. The mall has a variety of goods of international and national both brands for women, men, and children. The mall has a specific dedicated area for entertainment and sports including cinema, food court, and play area for kids. It also has a parking with a huge capacity of vehicles. It has a huge diversity of products available so it is frequently visited place for many customers on various occasions.

The mall has a huge variety of outlets that deal with gift items, clothes, cosmetics, accessories, footwear, garment segment, home décor items and food outlets on every floor to satisfy the appetite needs of customers. The Mall has been managed by topnotch management staff, which is efficient and competent to provide service to the customers to the best of their abilities.  

Important Information 

Floors	7
Area	350000 square feet
Parking Capacity	250 with 1200 at roadside pavement area
Constructed in	2000
Constructed by	Mumtaz Group of Companies

 

Forum Mall Karachi

The mall has a footfall of 4000+ customers per day, and with all the amenities that one can seek, The Forum continues to make its mark and reach new heights of recognition in the Mall Industry of Pakistan, setting trends as a benchmark for others to follow as an example. Forum Mall is a shopping mall in Karachi that has a large number of offices along with shops of different brands. The offices are related to big businesses and firms which are working internationally.

It is called by the customers to give a royal experience for shopping. It has been largely seen as a brand among people and a label first and then as a fashion necessity for people to follow. Containing multiple international and local brands, a global standard restaurant and a lavish hypermarket, The Forum Mall is situated in the heart of Clifton and is accessible from any part of the metropolitan.

The corporate offices located In Forum mall are: 

• HP Pakistan Office 
• Infobip 
• Schneider Electric Solutions and Services Pvt Ltd 
• Microsoft Corporation -Pakistan Liaison Office 
• B braun 
• Momentum Logistics Private Limited – Karachi Office  

 

Atrium Mall Karachi

Atrium Mall is located in the core of Saddar, Karachi. Atrium Mall and Cinemas is one of the best examples of the biggest mixed-use development in Pakistan, where there is residential area, shopping mall and entertainment center all in one place. It has a lavish food court and Pakistan’s first 3D cinema complex with a large number of retail products and entertainment outlets. The mall is centrally air-conditioned with valet parking services for customers.  

Owner	Nadeem H. Mandviwalla
Opened on	December 31, 2010
Total Floors	4

 

Dolmen Mall Karachi

It is one of the most widely known international standard shopping Mall of Karachi. It has three branches within Karachi, located in Clifton, Tariq Road and Hyderi. It has the best food, retail and entertainment brands all available under one roof. It has got a large variety of products and shops including Antiques & Craft, Banks & Currency Exchange, Beauty, Skincare, Perfumes, Books, Cards & Stationary, Children’s Fashion, Departmental Store, Pharmacy, Electronics, Mobiles & Computers, Footwear, and Flower Gift shop, Home Furnishing, Carpets, Luggage, Leather Goods, Men’s Fashion, Personal Care, Textile & Tailoring, Toys, Watches & Accessories, Wedding Fashion and Women’s Fashion.

While talking about the food court it is no less than a blessing to satisfy foodie’s cravings after shopping as this food court is award winning and it is also the first choice for leading food brands to open restaurants. From Butler’s Chocolate Café to BarBQ Tonight.  

Owner	Mr. Nadeem Riaz, Dolmen Group
Floor area	3,441,340 sq ft
Floor Count	40 (Tower A); 40 (Tower B)
Construction Started	2006

 

Ocean Tower Karachi

Ocean Tower, formerly known as Sofitel Hotel Plaza or The Mall, is a building in Karachi. It is a high rise multi-storey building that has almost all branded shops, offices and a cinema. It has multiple amusement avenues, including Bounce, Battle Station, Haunted House, and XD cinema rides. It has top notch multinational and national brands of clothes, shoes, electronics, grocery and almost everything. It provides services to the customers, including prayer room, first aid, rest room, car parking, ATM, differently abled persons parking, currency exchange, and free wifi etc.  

Read More: Leather Industry in Pakistan – About Pakistan

Height	393 ft.
Total floors	28 above ground and 5 below
Constructed in	2009 – 2014
Construction cost	Rs. 7 billion
Architect	Arcop Private Limited.
Owner	Joint venture between Siddiq sons Group and Yunus Brothers

LuckyOne Mall Karachi

LuckyOne mall is located in Karachi and opened its doors for public in 2017. It is one of the largest shopping malls of Pakistan. It has more than 200 retail outlets that provide a unique retail space that includes a Health & Wellness Avenue, Wedding Galleria, Banking Enclave, and Food Court, and shopping galore. Having the largest Carrefour and the biggest Atrium in Pakistan under its name, LuckyOne Mall is the first ever mall in Pakistan to have built in open air Food Street and a global standard family entertaining center (FEC) under the name of Onederland.

Furthermore, it has a dedicated baby feeding room, separate male and female mosques, free wheelchairs, valet parking, and a double-storey indoor parking that can park almost 1500 cars. The staff is professional and equipped with proper trainings to tackle emergency situations. It provides an outstanding shopping experience as it continues to grow, modernize, and offer an advanced and unprecedented experience to its customers making it the best place to be trendy, joyful, amused, foodie, and the place to have fun at. Many entertainment TV shows like Jeeto Pakistan and Ramzan Transmissions also film their episodes at LuckyOne mall.  

Owner	Younas Brothers
Construction started in	2010
Floor area	320,000 m2 (3,444,500 sq ft)
Floor count	10
Architect	Arcop (Pvt.) Ltd.
Structural Engineer	Mushtaq & Bilal Consulting Engineers Eleken Associates Y.H. Associates
Shops	Almost 200 retailers

Imtiaz Supermarket

Imtiaz is known to be the pioneer of retail industry in Pakistan providing their customers with ultimate shopping experience. Imtiaz is the biggest retail chain burgeoning in business with enormous sales and a customer base, supported by almost 12,000 employees, 700K trustworthy customers across 10 cities in Pakistan and 24 stores located in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Sargodha, and Vehari. Imtiaz store has an exemplary success story which dates back to 1955 when it was started as a small Karyana store which sold reasonable products to the customers.

This idea has developed over the last 67 years and Imtiaz has been turned into a retail giant. Imtiaz has almost 52000+ products, holding 10,000+ brands along with the best prices and persuasive deals for its customers. It has now grown up into Imtiaz Mega, Imtiaz Super Market, and Imtiaz Xpress facilitating customers for almost all kinds of daily household need.  

Bazaars and Markets in Karachi 

Lalukhet Market Karachi: 

Lalukhet is a well-known market in Liaquatabad, Karachi. It is famous for Bridal apparels, Clothes, lace, Dress Designing stuff Jewelry, shoes at affordable prices as well as for other valuable items. It has a wide range of shops to buy clothes including formal, casual, fancy and bridal wear as well. On Sundays, it hosts a famous bird market, also known as Parinda Market where hundreds of people come to buy different varieties of birds and their accessories and food. Birds sold at Lalukhet Sunday market are parrots, macaws, pigeons and all kinds of unique birds and parrots. This is a must visit place if one wants to shop for wedding or even if someone wants to buy bird as pets on every Sunday.   

Read More: Noise Pollution Causing Nuisance in Punjab Province – About Pakistan

Bolton Market Karachi: 

Bolton market is an important and largest wholesale market in Karachi that has a lot of shops. This market is well recognized throughout the country and stock from this market is supplied to all over Pakistan.  Shopkeepers can buy products in bulk form. It is basically home to many shops selling best watches, eyewear, shoes, utensils and bed and bath products. There are separate sections of Bolton market selling different products. It has a separate market for electronics, cosmetics and other products. The Bolton perfume market is one of the well-known markets all over Pakistan, which deals in local as well as branded perfumes at reasonable prices. Therefore, if one wants to shop at a very reasonable prices and in bulk one must visit Bolton Market Karachi.  

Empress Market Karachi: 

It is a market place located in Saddar Karachi. It was constructed during the British Raj era. Today, it has turned out to be the most busiest and famous place for shopping in Karachi. It was constructed during 1884 and 1889 and was named to honor Queen Victoria, Empress of India. The place where this market is built had historical significance as it was situated on the land where a number of native soldiers were killed after the failed 1857 uprising against British rule. Accounts mention that the sepoys had their heads blown off by cannonballs in an attempt to suppress any mutiny and rebellious feelings among the locals. The British feared that the local population will build a monument to honor the executed soldiers so, instead they built the Empress Market to memorialize Queen Victoria. 

Foundation stone by	Governor of Bombay, James Fergusson in 1884
Architect	James Strachan
Construction	Foundations by English firm of A.J. Attfield, and the building was constructed by the local firm of ‘Mahoomed Niwan and Dulloo Khejoo’
Architectural style	Indo-Gothic style having vaulted roofs, cusped arches
Height of tower	140-foot-high clock tower studded with leopard heads

Khadda Market Karachi: 

Khadda Market Karachi is the most famous place for food lovers in Karachi. It is located in DHA Phase 5. It has a large number of restaurants and dine-in options, making this place more attractive for foodies. Furthermore, it has various shops including Grocery, Beauty Parlor, Shopping Malls, Health and Fitness Centers, Play area for the kids, and parks for jogging and walking for the families and visitors which are well-maintained.

Similarly, it has a large number of food stalls for food lovers who come here to enjoy delicious and scrumptious food like BBQ Grill, Fast Foods, Chinese Food, Continental Food, Traditional Pakistani desi Food, few different Sweet and Sour chats, gol gappas and numerous other plenty of yummy food items are present at Khadda Market Restaurants. The Red Apple Restaurant is also located in Khadda market, which is one of the most famous eating spots among all age groups in Karachi. It is a must visit place for family and kids to enjoy food and have the best eating experience in town.  

Tariq Road Karachi: 

Tariq Road is one of the most well recognized markets not only in Karachi but throughout Pakistan. This market has a wide variety of products and shops which makes it unique. It is fair to call Tariq Road the most diverse market of Pakistan. Here, one can find the best garments, bridal dresses, jewelry, cosmetics, fabric, shoes, handbags and more.

This market is constructed on a street which makes it interesting. It offers huge variety of bridal wears and bridal jewelry, and during wedding season people rush to this market making it extremely jam-packed. Tariq road is a must visit place if one is looking for reasonable and extravagant bridal accessories, fancy wedding guest apparels and bridal dresses.  

Zainab Market Karachi: 

Zainab market is located in the busiest area of Karachi, Saddar. It is one of the oldest and well renowned market of Karachi. It is famous especially for its eastern and western wears including leather jackets, jeans, and denim products of high-end quality at a very reasonable price. Sellers from all over Pakistan purchase leather and denim products from this market. This market is visited by thousands of customers on a daily basis.

Additionally, it also has a food street which is very light on pocket and provides delicious food options. Along with clothes and denim products, it also has many shops of antique products, handicrafts and home decoration items. The famous Atrium Mall of Karachi is also located in Zainab market that has multiscreen 3D Cinema. Therefore, Zainab market is the best place to have a full-fledge shopping experience along with scrumptious food galore.  

Zamzama Commercial Market: 

Zamzama market is located nearby the posh areas of Defense and Clifton. This market is normally visited by middle and upper class people of locals living in its vicinity.  Therefore, the prices are a bit high at Zamzama.  This market has the best brands, restaurants and fast food chains present at one place. The feel of this market is lavish and trendy to satisfy ones shopping needs. Some of the most popular food restaurants at Zamzama are The Butler’s Chocolate Café, Pizza Hut, Subway and Vegas. It is a must visit place if one wants to experience the extravagant shopping experience in Karachi.  

Hyderi Market Karachi: 

Hyderi Market is located In the North Nazimabad area of Karachi. It is an old market built nearly in 1980’s. It has been continuously expanding since then and now it has known to be one of the biggest markets in Karachi. This market has a variety of shopping options including clothes, footwear, toys, watches, kitchen utensils, towels, watches, curtains, pillows, bedding and more. It is visited by a large number of people on daily basis and is always crowded.  This place has three shopping malls. The most popular of the three is the Hyderi Dolmen Mall. This market is definitely one of the best markets to visit in Karachi.  

Mobile City PK: 

The mobile city is a huge market for Mobiles in Karachi at M.A Jinnah Road, Saddar. It is a big mall for different mobile phones and its accessories. It has known to be one of the best and topnotch mobile markets in Karachi. One can get Vivo, Samsung, techno, Oppo, Apple, and Huawei phones from mobile city pk. Shopkeepers here offer 100% the best quality and reliable cell phones which are brand new as well as used.  

Read More: Exploring different employment opportunities in Pakistan – About Pakistan

Scrap Market Karachi: 

Scrap market is located in several places in Karachi. Ranchor line electronic scrap market and Shershah Kabari Market are well known scrap markets in Karachi. This scrap market has cheap products which are either used or not working so they can be repaired. Furthermore, these markets have items made up of metals which are not in use anymore. So, shopkeepers sale those in cheap prices, which are used by scrap industry. There are huge scrap markets in Karachi where sellers are usually sitting on roadsides selling items at the lowest prices. A large number of people visit these markets and often find useful materials from used items as well. They have items related to motorbikes, cars, laptops, mobiles electronics and even plastics.   

Railways, Tramways, PAF Base 

Tramway in Karachi:  

The idea for a tramway in Karachi was introduced in 1881 in Karachi and its construction was also started. After two years, a plan was devised for tramways and permission was also granted by the Government to use steam-powered trams. John Brunton was the Chief Engineer of the project. In 1885 a steam Tramway was first opened in Karachi between the port of Kimari and running throughout the streets of Karachi. It was 4 feet long and was switched with a horse tramway a after a year.

The East India Tramway Company Limited was formed in 1902 and between 1909 and 1912 the horse trams were again replaced with unique kind of petrol cars. There were 64 petrol cars in service in 1955 when the company celebrated its 70th Anniversary. The petrol trams continued in service until April 30, 1975. In 2020, Turkey announced to help Karachi bring back its iconic tramway service with modernized designs and technology, so far nothing has been done in this regard.  

PAF Base Masroor Karachi: 

PAF Base Masroor is the biggest airbase operated by the Pakistan Air Force. It is located in the Mauripur area of Karachi, in the Sindh province. The base was initially known as RPAF (Royal Pakistan Air Force) Station Mauripur and after 1956, as PAF Station MauripurIt is known to be the largest base, area wise, in Pakistan but also in Asia.

Before Karachi Airport, this airport had been used for domestic flights. It is of massive significance since it has been assigned upon the task of protecting the coastal and Southern region of Pakistan. It has 32 Tactical Attack Wing which consists four separate squadrons. This base also has the Central Medical Board of PAF. All commissioned officers candidates and GD pilots are medically examined there and declared either fit or unfit for duty in their respective branches. 

Malir Cantonment karachi: 

After the Second World War, the British Raj created the Malir Cantonment as a Prisoner of War (PoW) Camp. After independence, the army took over the camp and developed it into a well maintained and luxurious area. Cantonment Board Malir look after the administration of the area. The cantonment is autonomous and it manages all the infrastructure including water supply, sanitation, electricity and other things.

Being under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Defence, it is one of the safest area to live in. Mostly retired army personnel live in this area with their families. It also has residents of bureaucrats — serving and retired, and civilians. Overall, Malir Cantonment is a well-established and well-maintained secure gated community that has many topnotch facilities and amenities, enabling residents to completely enjoy the luxurious lifestyle.  

Karachi Cantt 

Karachi Cantt Railway Station or Karachi Cantonment Railway Station is the main important railway stations in Karachi. It is situated near Dr Daud Pota Road in Karachi Cant Area. It was earlier known as Frere Street Station. The construction of this station was started in 1896 and was completed in 1898. It is terminal station of mostly trains travelling to interior city. It has lot of facilities for passengers like Booking Office, Sheds, Benches, Waiting rooms, Restaurant, Drinking water, Tuck shops, Bathrooms, Advance Reservation office, ATM machines, Mosque and Parking lot.  

Karachi City 

Karachi City Railway Station previously known as McLeod station is the second important railway station in Karachi. It is the first and the oldest railway station in Pakistan. It is situated near Habib Bank Plaza on I. I. Chundrigar Road. It is terminal for only some of the trains while most of the trains’ terminals have been shifted to main Karachi Cantt Station. From 1969 to 1999 it served as the railway station of KCR trains which were run from Karachi City to Landhi, Malir Cantt and Drigh Colony via Liaquatabad. This station also has various facilities for passengers like Booking Office, Sheds, Benches, Drinking water, Tuck shops, Advance Reservation office, ATM machine, Bathrooms and Parking lot. 

Landhi, Karachi

Landhi Railway Station is the third important railway station in Karachi. It is situated near Quaidabad in Landhi. This railway station serves as a stop of some express trains. In the past it was interchange of Landhi-Korangi railway line and terminal station of Karachi City-Landhi KCR trains which has now been abandoned. This station has facilities of Ticket office, sheds, benches, Drinking water, Tuck shops, bathrooms and parking lot. 

Drigh Road Karachi

Drigh Road Railway Station is another important railway station in Karachi. It is situated on Shara-e-Faisal near Shah Faisal Colony. This railway station also serves as a stop for few Express trains. In the past it was junction of KCR loop line. It is equipped with facilities of Booking Office, Shed, Benches, Tuck shop, Mosque, Advance Reservation office, Bathroom and Parking lot. 

Traffic Police in Karachi

The traffic police uniform was changed from white colored uniform to grey in 2015. The white uniforms previously issued to traffic police officers used to get dirty very quickly due to dust, smoke and heat of the city. However, it was again changed to white shirt with navy blue pants in 2019 by IG Sindh Kaleem Imam.  

Jinnah International Airport Karachi

Jinnah International Airport is Pakistan’s largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi and is named after Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. The airport serves a large number of airlines including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Air Indus, Shaheen Air, airblue and many other private airlines. The airport has aircraft engineering and repairing services for big as well as small aircrafts. It is also a center of Air Cargo management to & from Karachi.

It has multiple services for its passengers and visitors, including restaurants, Duty-free shops, Mosque, numerous outlets of shopping facilities, book shops, numerous foods, beverage and snack bars and free On-Call doctor, mobile recharging points and Wi-Fi and internet kiosk as well as various mode of transportation (cabs, bus services) for the ease of passengers and visitors. It also has topnotch CIP Lounge, State Lounge can be used by all first and business class passengers.  

Counters	29 domestic, 50 international and 4 exclusively for CIP and PIA business Plus
Passenger Boarding Bridges	8 each airline
Passengers	12 million annually
Runaway	two runways measuring 3,200m and 3,400m in length
Elevation AMSL:	100 ft.  / 30 m

Shahra-e-Faisal Karachi

Shahra-e-Faisal was named in honor of the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the longest and most popular freeways in Karachi. Stretching up to 18 kilometers in length, it starts from the locality of Malir, running all the way to the Karachi Cantonment area. It was previously known as Drigh Road. This 18 km long road has a large number of business centers, hotels, corporate headquarters, and offices, which is why it is used by a large number of travelers regularly.

Almost 250,000 vehicles travel through Shahrah-e-Faisal on a daily basis. It has a well-maintained and well-equipped carpeted road and good infrastructure, including flyovers, pedestrian bridges, and underpasses. This Shahrah also connects the entire city with the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, which greatly adds to the importance of this road.

Read More: Internal and international migration in Pakistan – About Pakistan

The main exit points are: 

• Rashid Minhas Road intersection 
• Karsaz Road intersection 
• Baloch Colony Flyover 
• Tipu Sultan Flyover 
• Shahra-e-Quaideen Flyover 
• FTC Flyover 
• Entry or Exit Point near Regent Plaza 
• Dr. Daod Pota Road Intersection 

LIST OF HOUSING SOCIETIES IN KARACHI

Abuzar Cooperative Housing Society

Al Ashraf Cooperative Housing Society

Al Muslim Cooperative Housing

All Airline Cabin Crew CHS

All Memon Welfare CHS

All Pakistan Newspaper Employees CHS

Allama Usmani CHS

Al-Noor Multipurpose CHS

Arisha Cooperative Housing Society

Ali Town CHS

Aligarh Muslim University CHS

All Memon Welfare CHS

All Pakistan Newspaper Employees CHS, Scheme 33

Ancholi CHS

Business and Professional Executive CHS

Bilal Housing Enterprises

Callache Cooperative Housing Society

Central Information Employees CHS

Corniche Cooperative Housing Society

Cotton Export Cooperative Housing Society

Custom Preventive Service CHS

Callachi CHS

Central Information CHS

Cornish CHS

Dadabhoy Multipurpose CHS

Dawood Cooperative Housing Society

Delhi Raiyan CHS

Dar-ul-Salam CHS

Etawah Cooperative Housing Society

Faizan Shaikh Cooperative Housing Society

Government Teachers CHS in Sector 16-A

Government Secondary School Teachers CHS

Gulistan Cooperative Housing Society

Gwalior Cooperative Housing Society

Govt Teachers CHS

Gulistan CHS

Gulistan-e-Malir CHS

Gulshan-e-Akbar CHS

Gulshan-e-Iqbal CHS, Scheme 24

Gulshan-e-Maymar CHS

Gulshan-e-Millat Cooperative Housing Society

Hadiabad Cooperative Housing Society

Hansa Cooperative Housing Society

Haroon Bahria Cooperative Housing Society

Hashmabad Cooperative Housing Society

Halari Memon CHS

Haroon Bahria PN CHS

Hashimabad CHS

Hussain D Silva CHS, Scheme-4 Surjani Town

Ancholi Cooperative Housing Society

The Karachi Cooperative Housing Society

Karachi AE Cooperative Housing Society

Karachi Bar Association CHS

Karachi Revenue CHS

Karachi University Employees CHS

M/s Karim Bhai Cooperative Housing Society

KDA Employees CHS

KIP WAPDA CHS

KMC United Workers’ CHS in Scheme 33

Karachi Rajput CHS, Scheme 33

Karachi University Employees CHS

Karim Bhai CHS

KCHS Union CHS, Blocks 3, 7 & 8

Khorasan CHS

KMC United Workers CHS, Scheme 33

Korangi Township Sector 32-B CHS

Lucknow Cooperative Housing Society

Madras Cooperative Housing Society

Malik Cooperative Housing Society

Mashriqui Cooperative Housing Society

Meerut Cooperative Housing Society

Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar CHS

Muslim Kuchi Khatri Cooperative Housing Society

Makhdoom Bilawal CHS

Mansoora KDA Scheme 16 (F B Area)

Merchant Navy Officers CHS

New Lyari Cooperative Housing Society

NIPA Cooperative Housing Society

Naya Nazimabad

New Lyari CHS, Scheme 33

North Karachi Township

North Nazimabad CHS, Scheme 2

North Town CHS

P&T Cooperative Housing Society

Pakistan Atomic Energy Employees CHS

Pakistan Employees Cooperative Housing Society

Pakistan Scientists’ CHS

Pillibhit Cooperative Housing Society

Pir Ellahi Bux Cooperative Housing Society

Punjabi Saudagar Multipurpose CHS

Oak Residency CHS

Patel Industry Park CHS, Scheme 45

Pir Elahi Bux Colony

Punjabi Sauadagar Multipurpose CHS

Qureshi CHS

Zeenatabad CHS

Rizvia Phase-I Cooperative Housing Society

Rizvia Cooperative Housing Society in Scheme-33

The ROK Cooperative Housing Society

Sadaat-e-Amroha Cooperative Housing Society

Sadaf Cooperative Housing Society

Sapphir Testing Cooperative Housing Society

Shahnawaz Cooperative Housing Society

Shamsi Cooperative Housing Society

Sindhi Jamait Cooperative Housing Society

Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Housing Society

Soomra Cooperative Housing Society

State Bank of Pakistan

Sector VIII-A CHS & Sector 17-A

State Enterprises Officers’ CHS

Shahmir Residency

Shah Latif Town CHS, Scheme 25 A

Shahnawaz CHS

Sonex Housing CHS

Sonex Housing CHS (Phase-2)

State Bank of Pakistan CHS, Scheme 33

Suparco Employees CHS

The Halari Memon CHS

The Works Cooperative Housing Society

FLATS/APARTMENT CULTURE IN KARACHI

The flat culture has been rising in Karachi. Most of the people live in flats or apartments in the business hub of the country. This is due to the fact that Karachi is home to a large number of economic and industrial activities. So, this city attracts people towards itself like a magnet due to great opportunities it provides to a lot of people from all over the country. Some of the most important areas having apartments in Karachi are: 

Clifton	Gadap Town	North Karachi
Jamshed Town	Nazimabad	Federal B Area
Korangi	Malir	Garden West
Shaheed Millat Road	Saddar Town	Liaquatabad
Jinnah Avenue	Jamshed Road	University Road
Bath Island	Navy Housing Scheme Karsaz	Khalid Bin Walid Road
Mehmoodabad	Lyari Town	Gulberg Town
Shahra-e-Faisal	Shah Faisal Town	Saadi Road
Civil Lines	Frere Town	Abul Hassan Isphani Road
DHA City Karachi	Tariq Road	Rashid Minhas Road
Gizri	Delhi Colony	Super Highway
Sea View Apartments	M. A. Jinnah Road	PIB Colony
Punjab Colony	New Karachi	Shaheed-e-Millat Expressway
Chapal Courtyard	Guru Mandir Chorangi	Bin Qasim Town
P & T Colony	Aisha Manzil	Ranchore Line Bazar
Pakistan Chowk	Gohar Green City	KDA Scheme 1
Naya Nazimabad	ASF Tower	Amil Colony
Amir Khusro	Anda Mor Road	Manzoor Colony
Malir Link To Super Highway	Al-Hilal Society	Suparco Road
Azam Town	I. Chundrigar Road	Airport
Callachi Cooperative Housing Society	National Highway	Maskan Chowrangi
Rabia City	Kashmir Colony	Baloch Colony
Cosmopolitan Society	Jamaluddin Afghani Road	Defence Garden
Nishtar Road (Lawrence Road)	Dalmia Cement Factory Road	Shahrah-e-Pakistan

Read More: Rural and Urban Societies in Pakistan – About Pakistan

Shipyard Karachi

Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Limited is the only shipbuilding company in Pakistan. It has manufactured many cargo ships, support vessels, tugboats, naval vessels and submarines. It has specialty in Shipbuilding Division building an extensive range of ships with high class and reliable for national and international customers. This company oversees all activities related to thorough construction and manufacturing, painting and blasting, furnishing equipment and trials. The construction of machines is in accordance with the international standards such as Lloyd’s Register for Shipping, Bureau Veritas, China Classification Society, etc. Since its commencement, the company has built over 444 vessels of different types and sizes. It is specialized to build up to 26,000 DWT including Frigates, Fast Attack Crafts, Logistic Support Ships, Bulk carriers, Oil Tankers, Seagoing and Harbor Tugs, Dredgers, Hopper Barges, Passenger Ferries, Fishing Trawlers, and special purpose crafts. Karachi Shipyard has built Agosta 90B Khalid Class Submarine with collaboration of France under transfer of technology.  

BEACHES IN KARACHI

Clifton Beach  

Hawkes Bay 

Sandspit Beach 

Tushan Beach 

French Beach 

Cape Mount 

Hawkes Bay Karachi: 

 

Hawke’s bay is known to be most famous beach of Karachi. It is located 20km away in southwest Karachi. The name Hawke’s Bay became popular after a governor from the Victorian era. This beach has crystal clear water which attracts a lot of people and is loved by many. This beach has its own significance due to the rare species of turtles which are found on this called the green sea turtle. Female green sea turtles lay their eggs on this beach during the breeding season. It is the best place to feel the serenity and calmness of nature while enjoying the mesmerizing view of gigantic waves at the seaside. This beach is one of the best places to go on a picnic with family on weekends.  

Sandspit Beach Karachi:

Sandspit beach is located near the famous Hawkes bay beach. The name came from the fact that this beach has pits that the turtles dig in the beach to lay their eggs. These pits are easily seen during winter season. This beach also has the rarest species of green turtles and the World Wide Fund has set up a wetland center at Sandspit to preserve this rare creature. The purpose of this initiative is to increase awareness among people about green turtles and to protect them from extinction. A variety of other sea species, including crabs, octopus and algae can also be seen on the beach. This beach is the perfect place to have a picnic with a group of friends and family.  It is open for general public throughout the year except for monsoon season, during which the authorities close it down to avoid unwanted hazardous situations due to high tides.  

French Beach Karachi:

French beach is a beautiful private beach between Paradise Point and Sandspit. French beach is a private beach that can only be visited by people who has permission of those who own the beach and has private property there. It is surrounded by a boundary from all sides. So, one can only visit if he has permission to visit the beach. The beach is managed by the people who owe hut and houses near the beach. Though, this beach is frequently been visited by foreigners.  

Cape Mount Karachi:

Cape Mount beach is located near Mubarak Village and is visited by a lot of people from all around the country. This beach works as a place to mark the ships heading towards the Karachi Harbor. This beach has clean and clear sparkling water which provides peaceful and serene experience to its visitors.  It offers many amusing experiences and activities including Horseback riding, camel riding and beach buggies. This is a must visit place for beach lovers.  

Tushan Beach Karachi:

Tushan beach is a perfect place to enjoy and have fun privately. It is a perfect place to throw birthday parties and small ceremonies. This place provides with a private and luxurious experience to its visitors. Furthermore, some people visit this beach to spend some ‘me time’. The beach has huge rocks at its foothill giving its visitors a unique experience. People usually arrange parties, conferences, small functions and even small scale wedding ceremonies alongside this beautiful beach. It is also known to be the ideal place for dinner for newly wedded couples.  

Clifton Beach Karachi: 

Clifton Beach or Seaview is a beach in Karachi, located on the Arabian Sea. It is near Clifton, Saddar Town. It was the World’s most renowned silver-sand beach during 20^th century, but in 2003 it faced an oil spill. The beach attracts families and tourists to visit and enjoy the variety of amusements present at seaside including beachside horse and camel rides, beach buggies, restaurants, and swimming in the Arabian Sea. A secured and gated residential area called Seaview Apartments also exist near Clifton beach known as Seaview beach. Darakhshan villas are also present nearby which has residential townhouses and huts.

Recently, a cinema is also constructed here for people to enjoy and entertain themselves, especially for those who reside in DHA and Clifton.  People visit this beach, especially for its breathtaking view of sunset.  

BRIDGES IN KARACHI

Native Jetty Bridge: 

Native Jetty Bridge is located in Karachi which connects the city to the Port of Karachi. It is also known as Napier Mole Bridge or Netty Jetty Bridge by the locals. It was constructed as a result of construction of a modern port in 1854 in order to provide a connection between the main city and the port. Napier Bridge was constructed in 1914. Its name dates back to the governor of Bombay presidency Charles Napier.  

Clifton Bridge Karachi: 

The Clifton Bridge was built before the partition. It’s a fairly robust structure built on the route, and it also provided a link between the Clifton Islands and the rest of the city. The Chandmari Bridge, Clifton Bridge and Native Jetty were dedicated structures designed by the Royal Engineers.   

Lacking Public Parks in Karachi: 

Karachi being a metropolitan city faces hustle and bustle of a busy city life every day. This city lacks public parks and public spaces for people to walk, roam around freely while enjoying the greenery and soothing ambiance. Furthermore, the green areas in Karachi have been reduced to a large extent throughout the years. According to an estimate by the World Bank Report, the greenery in Karachi is reduced by almost 4% from 2005 to 2017. Furthermore, public parks are also being shut down due to increasing urbanization and as a result, there are only a few places left to enjoy the greenery and nature. With largest populated city of Pakistan, the current parks and public spaces in Karachi are deemed inadequate to entertain huge amount of people. Nisar Shaheed Park, Hill Park and Public Park are some of the few public parks present in Karachi.   

Read More: The Transportation System in Pakistan – About Pakistan

FAMOUS RESTAURANTS IN KARACHI

BarBQ Tonight Karachi

BarBQ tonight is one of the most famous restaurants countrywide. It is well known for its famous sizzling and mouthwatering fiery BBQ and a wide range of desi cuisine. BarBQ. Owing to its great taste and luxurious experience, this restaurant has opened its branches in almost 20 locations throughout the world including Dubai, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bangladesh. BBQ Tonight’s famous Prawn Karahi, special BBQ platter, mutton ribs, and malai boti is to die for. It is a must visit place for all the food lovers who want to taste the authentic desi food.  

Cafe Aylanto Karachi

Café aylanto has all the continental food to satisfy ones cravings. The restaurant has extravagant ambiance and peaceful environment to enjoy your food. The food quality and customer service are excellent. If one visits café aylanto, he always remembers one of the best culinary experience for the rest of his life. Some of the famous and mostly loved dishes available at café aylanto are:  

The all-time favorite Chicken Avocado Sandwich, Grilled Burger, Flame Grilled Tenderloin; a juicy steak sprinkled with rocket leaves, dripped with garlic-infused olive oil, and served with sautéed black mushrooms and vegetables, The Fiery Chili Sole and The Roquefort Cheese with Grilled Garlic and Rosemary.   

Xander’s Café Karachi

Xander’s café is Karachi’s most famous café in town. It has pleasant ambiance and great for lunch and dinner with family or friends. They have simple, fresh and light meals which serve as a panacea to your food cravings. They have best quality products including Paninis, pasta, cheeseburgers, and much more. The cafe’s overall ambiance is minimalistic with a touch of innovation and calmness.  They have a huge variety of vegan dishes ready to fill up your belly so if one wants to have something vegan it is a must go place for them.  

Kolachi Restaurant Karachi

Kolachi is another famous restaurant located in Karachi. It is located near seaside and people who come here experience the mesmerizing view of sea while having their meal. From their ambiance to service to food, everything is top-class. Some of the most famous and mostly liked dishes include BBQ platter, fish tikka, and the famous Kolachi karahi. If you are someone who love to have food with great ambiance, you must visit the place.  

Wang Wang Karachi

As the name suggests, Wang Wang Karachi is the most visited Chinese restaurant in Karachi. It is all over social media for its unique Chinese hotpot experience. This restaurant is run by a Chinese female. It is well known for its yummy Chinese food and unique serving style where people cook their own meal in hotpots and enjoy the night while chitchatting with their friends and family. It is often visited by celebrities and even locals. The hotpot has three levels of servings having mild, spicy and extra spicy flavors. The toppings are chosen by one’s own likings and there are waiters as well to help you cook the yummiest noodles in the hotpot.  

Deli Restaurant Karachi

The Deli is considered as one of the best restaurants in Karachi. Specializing in quality gourmet cuisine, Deli offers a variety of delicious dishes, all using only the best ingredients, including specialty sandwiches, fresh salads, flavorful main course and desserts. Exotic food at Deli is made with the highest quality fresh and flavorful ingredients, and desserts are made with the highest quality imported chocolate and cheese.

The food served at The Deli is primarily Mediterranean, but the menu also includes authentic Thai and European cuisine. Popular dishes include roast beef and wasabi sandwiches, stir-fried chaotic rays, Italian-style pasta, and cappuccino brownies with ice cream. The menu always offers a variety of dishes with a modern twist, from rare to classic, such as shrimp cocktails and chicken satay.  

Famous Food Items of Karachi 

Karachi Haleem:  

Haleem is one of the most widely known and liked food item of Karachi. People come to Karachi and buy disposable Haleem which is available in jars in preserved form to enjoy it later. Karachiites are known for their great taste buds and expert cooking skills. Their Haleem is very tasty and people from all over Pakistan try their recipes. There is a well-known restaurant in Karachi with name “Karachi Haleem”, serving Haleem from 1985. It has several other things on its menu as well. It is widely loved and liked by almost everyone all over Pakistan as one of the most delicious dishes to serve on Holy occasions like Muharram as well.  

Karachi Biryani: 

Biryani is the favorite national food of Pakistanis. Nothing can beat the amazing and the most dish made up of rice and chicken served with raita and salad. But Karachi’s biryani has an exceptional and unique touch with a twist of Aaloos in it. This literally doubles the taste of this amazing dish and only Karachiites know how to make a perfect biryani with aaloos and a tarka of Garam Masala that can leave people licking their fingers.  

Karachi Nimco: 

Nimco is the most famous snack of Karachi.  Whoever visits Karachi brings nimco as a gift to their hometowns. NIMCO Karachi industry has innovated the most simple refreshment segment in Pakistan. It has introduced he world with a wide range of fried spicy snack products which dates back to the early eastern civilization especially from the Asian part of the world. NIMCO Karachi was established in 1947’s. It was started as a small business in Saddar Karachi but now it has spread to almost around the globe. The Company’s origin dates back about 53 years to the opening of the shop in Saddar. Hajji Muhammad Jan was the pioneer of brand NIMCO. It started with only few products. Now it has more than 35 products each with its unique taste and quality. Its sweet nimco is also loved by man people around the world.  

Karachi Karak Sohan Halwa: 

We all have heard and tasted Multan’s sohan halwa. But Karachi has unique type of sohan halwa which is hard and crispy with a lot of dry fruits in it. It is also known as tikki sohan halwa and is one of the best sweets made in Karachi. It has an exceptional taste to satisfy your sweet tooth. One must try this sweet if he ever visits Karachi and enjoy the taste of “pure desi ghee” and a lot of dry fruits called “mewas” in local language and how it melts in mouth as soon as one takes a bite.  

Coconut Water Karachi: 

In Pakistan coconut production is done only in southern parts and coastal areas of Sindh and Baluchistan. It is of great nutrient value. Green coconuts are widely available to drink in Karachi on various beaches and seaside stalls. It is not found anywhere else in Pakistan because the humid coastal climate of southern parts of Karachi and Baluchistan makes its growth favorable. 

DHA KARACHI

The Defense Housing Authority (DHA) is one of Karachi’s most popular housing projects and sets the standard for modern housing associations in Pakistan. DHA Karachi provides residents with all the utilities they need, including high-speed internet services and an uninterrupted supply of electricity, water and gas. DHA developers are recognized in the real estate industry for providing timely projects and development work in several major cities across the country. They provide with the state-of-the-art infrastructure development and numerous facilities and services.

Housing projects include ample green spaces that allows residents to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle. In addition, municipalities have a network of roads designed to make it easier for residents to commute to work and avoid all types of traffic congestion. The housing association provides residents with high security standards through 24-hour video surveillance and regular patrols by security guards. DHA Karachi is huge and has 8 phases which are further divided into 17 sub sectors and provides residential flats, apartments, plots, houses, farm houses and villas just according to the needs of the residents.  

Karachi Port

Qasim Port was established by Parliamentary Law on June 29, 1973. It is located in Karachi’s Phitti Creek in the Indus Delta region. In 1980, the port was commissioned with a dedicated iron ore, coal berth for bulk processing of raw material imports for Pakistan steelworks. Currently, the port has 18 berths with an annual management capacity of 89 million tons. All raw materials, from mineral oils, cooking oils, coal, rice, wheat and cement to fertilizers, general cargo, containers and LNG, are handled at the port’s modern terminals. It is Pakistan’s only LNG port.

It is directly linked to the national highway, motorway network leading to Afghanistan, CARs and the CPEC. The Port is also linked to the National Railway network by a 14 km Railway Line. All port processes run 24/7.  It has principal industrial zone of Pakistan spreading up to 15474 acres. Approximately 3000 MW electricity is being generated in its industrial zones. Port Qasim contributes hugely to the economic prosperity of the country handling its 51% of sea trade and has an extraordinary growth rate of 5% in all facets of port operation.  

KARACHI MOTORWAY

Karachi – Peshawar Motorway envisions development of a 6-Lane access-controlled Motorway. This planned Motorway shall be a taxed facility. It will start from Karachi through Motorway M-9 (136 Km) up to Hyderabad. From Hyderabad onwards, it will stretch further for 345 Km up to Sukkur. The Sukkur Multan section of this motorway, is 392 Km essentially follows the Left Bank of River Indus. 

• Type of Road: 06 Lane Access  
• Starting Point: Multan 
• Ending Point: Sukkur 

Length (KM)	392
Estimated Cost (US $ Million)	2889
Executing Company / Sponsors	M/s China State Construction Engineering Corporation
Financing	Government Concessional Loan(GCL)
Supervising Agency	Ministry of Communications, Government of Pakistan
Total Jobs Created	2800
Project Progress Update	Construction work started in August 2016.  Completed and inaugurated on 05 November 2019.

Ansar Burney Trust

It is a human and civil rights organization. Since its founding in 1980, Ansar Burney Trust International (ABTI) has played a vital role in spreading cognizance and protecting human rights, both internationally and in Pakistan. Unlike most NGOs and non-political organizations currently operating in Pakistan, ABTI is privileged to be called a “human rights pioneer” in Pakistan. Most Pakistani NGOs are either biased politically or focus on philanthropy rather than protecting human rights or preventing human rights abuses.

This trust is chaired by Ansar Burney, who himself was imprisoned three times (as a student leader) on his speech in favor of democracy. After his release from jail, he made a Prisoner Aid Society and after that a Commission against Terrorism and Bureau Missing and Kidnapping Children was also made. With the passage of time it was came to be known as Ansar Burney Trust International. It has worked on domestic violence, children’s rights, and prisoner’s rights and freed over 900,000 people from mental institutions and unlawful imprisonment both in Pakistan and Internationally.

He was also called as Anti-Human Trafficking Hero by the United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and in the 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report by the United States Department of State. They also provide legal aid and disaster relief. They have also helped people during pandemic crisis.  

Chhipa Foundation Karachi

Chhipa is a non-profit welfare organization in Pakistan, which is serving with the noble cause to help common people without discrimination of any caste, creed or color under all circumstances, having sincere love and affection for the humanity and a strong commitment where frequent road accidents, sudden events and emergencies daily occur. This service was started as a small fleet ambulance service.

It has now which now grown to be the  largest fleet of ambulances, having facilities of first aid box and oxygen cylinder, serving Karachi and other regions of Pakistan, on alert around the clock for Rapid Rescue and Relief to severely injured victims of road accidents, train collisions, air crash, building collapses, disasters and calamities, transporting the sick to hospitals, unidentified, abandoned, decomposed and mutilated bodies lying in drains and sewers, are all taken care off by Chhipa volunteers. It provides other services as well, including Chhipa Dastarkhwan, Chhipa Kitchen, Chhipa Monthly Ration, Chhipa Morgue, Chhipa Free Ghusal Kafan, Chhipa graveyard, Chhipa Jhoola, Old home, women shelter and orphanage as well.  

Karachi Highways

Karachi-Torkham	N5	1819 km	via Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar	6 lanes	1952
Karachi – Gwadar (Makran Coastal Highway)	N10	653 km	via Omara, Pasni	2 lanes	2003
Karachi – Chaman (RCD Highway)	N25	813 km	via Bela, Khuzdar, Kalat, Quetta	2 lanes	–

Suzuki Assembling Plant

Pak Suzuki, the Pakistan’s largest automaker set up a second production facility in Karachi. It is the most recognized automobile assembling Plant Company in Pakistan.  The company has acquired 80 acres of land adjacent to the existing site. The total investment of Pak Suzuki Motors is $ 460 million. With the completion of the second car plant, the company plans to launch another 100,000 units annually. Pak Suzuki recently celebrated rolling out its 2,000,000th vehicle today. On this important occasion Osamu Suzuki, Global Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation Japan also came after 11 years to Pakistan. Pak Suzuki has become the first local automaker to have achieve this milestone in Pakistan.  

Read More: Increasing Housing Schemes of Pakistan – About Pakistan

Threat of Pirates

Pakistani sailors became victims of pirates every now and then. In late 2009, Pakistani fishermen were kidnapped along with their fishing boats. The fishing vessel was used as a “mothership” to extend the range of pirates and launch attacks in the Indian Ocean Territory. In 2010, the first pirate deaths occurred when the Pakistani captain of a sugar-carrying ship to the port of Bossaso in Somalia was killed in 2010. It was necessary to overcome this threat in order to secure the territorial integrity of the region. Therefore, to overcome the threat of piracy, Pakistan launched operations focused on piracy and joined the Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 in 2009 to participate in international efforts at sea against piracy and terrorism. The Pakistani Navy used its frontline warships along with aircraft to pursue the objectives set by the task force.