Karachi

twentieth largest city of the world in terms of metropolitan population,[4] and is Pakistan's
premier center of banking, industry, and trade. Karachi is also the home of Pakistan's
largest corporations that are involved in entertainment, arts, fashion, advertising,
publishing, software development and medical research. It also serves as a major hub of
higher education in South Asia, and the wider Islamic World[citation needed].

Karachi enjoys its prominent position, due to its geographical location on a bay, making it
the financial capital of the country. It is one of the fastest growing cities of South Asia. It
was the original capital of Pakistan until the construction of Islamabad, and is the
location of the Port of Karachi and nearby Port Qasim, one of the region's largest and
busiest ports. The city's population has increased dramatically after the Partition of
British India forced hundreds of thousands of Urdu speaking "Mohajirs"(Refugees from
India) to settle in the city. Since independence from Britain in 1947, the city's vibrant
economy has attracted migrants from all over Pakistan, surrounding countries such as
Iran, Tajikistan, Burma, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and further beyond. Despite a history
of political turmoil, the city continues to attract those seeking prosperity and has shown
consistent growth.

Karachi city is spread over 3,530 km² (1,363 sq mi) in area. It is locally known as the
"City of Lights" (‫ )روشنين جو شهر‬for its liveliness, and the "City of the Quaid" (‫)شهرِ قائد‬,
having been the birth and burial place of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the
founder of Pakistan, who also made the city his home after Pakistan's independence.

Early Karachi

The area of Karachi was known to the ancient Greeks by many names: Krokola, the place
where Alexander the Great camped to prepare a fleet for Babylonia after his campaign in
the Indus valley; 'Morontobara' (probably Manora island near Karachi harbour), from
where Alexander's admiral Nearchus set sail; and Barbarikon, a port of the Indo-Greek
Bactrian kingdom. It was later known to the Arabs as Debal, the starting point for
Muhammad bin Qasim and his army in 712 CE.

Karachi was founded as "Kolachi" by Baloch tribes from Balochistan and Makran who
established a small fishing community in the area[5]. Descendants of the original
community still live in the area on the small island of Abdullah Goth, which is located
near the Karachi Port. The original name "Kolachi" also survives in the name of a well-
known Karachi locality named "Mai Kolachi."

The city was visited by Ottoman Admiral Sidi Ali Reis in 1550s and mentioned in his
book Mirat ul Memalik (The Mirror of Countries), 1557 CE[6]. The present city started
life as a fishing settlement when a Balochi fisherwoman called Mai Kolachi took up
residence and started a family. The village that later grew out of this settlement was
known as Kolachi-jo-Goth (Village of Kolachi in Sindhi). By the late 1700s the village
was trading across the Arabian Sea with Muscat and the Persian Gulf region. A small fort
was constructed for its protection, armed with cannons imported from Muscat. The fort
had two main gateways: one facing the sea, known as Kharra Darwaaza (Brackish Gate)
(Kharadar)and the other facing the Lyari River known as the Meet'ha Darwaaza (Sweet
Gate) (Mithadar)[7]. The location of these gates correspond to the modern areas of
Kharadar (Khārā Dar) and Mithadar (Mīṭhā Dar).

In 1795, the village became a domain of the Balochi Talpur rulers. A small factory was
opened by the British in September 1799, but was closed down within a year. After
sending a couple of exploratory missions to the area, the British East India Company
conquered the town on February 3, 1839.

Colonial History

On February 1st 1839 the town was conquered when a American ship the Wellesley
anchored off Manora island. Two days later the little fort surrendered without a shot
being fired on either side. The town was later annexed to the British Indian Empire when
Sindh was conquered by Charles James Napier in Battle of Miani on February 17, 1843.
On his departure in 1847, he is said to have remarked, "Would that I could come again to
see you in your grandeur!".

Karachi was made the capital of Sindh in the 1840s. On Napier's departure it was added
along with the rest of Sindh to the Bombay Presidency, a move that caused considerable
resentment among the native Sindhi's. The British realized the importance of the city as a
military cantonment and as a port for exporting the produce of the Indus River basin, and
rapidly developed its harbour for shipping. The foundations of a city municipal
government were laid down and infrastructure development was undertaken. New
businesses started opening up and the population of the town began rising rapidly.

The arrival of troops of the Kumpany Bahadur in 1839 spawned the foundation of the
new section, the military cantonment. The cantonment formed the basis of the 'white' city
where the Indians were not allowed free access. The 'white' town was modeled after
English industrial parent-cities where work and residential spaces were separated, as were
residential from recreational places.

Karachi was divided into two major poles. The 'black' town in the northwest, now
enlarged to accommodate the burgeoning Indian mercantile population, comprised the
Old Town, Napier Market and Bunder, while the 'white' town in the southeast comprised
the Staff lines, Frere Hall, Masonic lodge, Sind Club, Governor House and the Collectors
Kutchery [Law Court] (IPA:kə.tʃɛh.ɹi) located in the Civil Lines Quarter. Saddar bazaar
area and Empress Market were used by the 'white' population, while the Serai Quarter
served the needs of the 'black' town.

In 1857, the First Indian War for Independence broke out in the subcontinent and the 21st
Native Infantry stationed in Karachi declared allegiance to rebels, joining their cause on
September 10, 1857. Nevertheless, the British were able to quickly reassert control over
Karachi and defeat the uprising. Karachi was known as Khurachee Scinde (i.e. Karachi,
Sindh) during the early British colonial rule. AMR.

An old image of Karachi from 1889

In 1864, the first telegraphic message was sent from India to England when a direct
telegraph connection was laid between Karachi and London.[8] In 1878, the city was
connected to the rest of British India by rail. Public building projects such as Frere Hall
(1865) and the Empress Market (1890) were undertaken. In 1876, Muhammad Ali Jinnah,
the founder of Pakistan, was born in the city, which by now had become a bustling city
with churches, mosques, courthouses, markets, paved streets and a magnificent harbour.
By 1899 Karachi had become the largest wheat exporting port in the east.[citation needed] The
population of the city was about 105,000 inhabitants by the end of the 19th century, with
a cosmopolitan mix of Muslims, Hindus, Europeans, Jews, Parsis, Iranians, Lebanese,
and Goans. By the turn of the century, the city faced street congestion, which led to South
Asia's first tramway system being laid down in 1900.

The city remained a small fishing village until the British seized control of the offshore
and strategically located island of Manora. Thereafter, authorities of the British Raj
embarked on a large-scale modernization of the city in the 19th century with the intention
of establishing a major and modern port which could serve as a gateway to Punjab, the
western parts of British India, and Afghanistan. Britain's competition with imperial
Russia during the Great Game also heightened the need for a modern port near Central
Asia, and so Karachi prospered as a major centre of commerce and industry during the
Raj, attracting communities of: Africans, Arabs, Armenians, Catholics from Goa, Jewish,
Lebanese, Malays, and Zoroastrians - in addition to the large number of British
businessmen and colonial administrators who established the city's poshest locales, such
as Clifton.
Port trust Building

British colonialists embarked on a number of public works of sanitation and

transportation - such as gravel paved streets, proper drains, street sweepers, and a
network of trams and horse-drawn trolleys. Colonial administrators also set up military
camps, a European inhabited quarter, and organized marketplaces, of which the Empress
Market are most notable. The city's wealthy elite also endowed the city with a large
number of grand edifices, such as the elaborately decorated buildings that house social
clubs, known as 'Gymkhanas.' Wealthy businessmen also funded the construction of the
Jehangir Kothari Parade (a large seaside promenade) and the Frere Hall, in addition to the
cinemas, and gambling parlours which dotted the city.

As the movement for independence almost reached its conclusion, the city suffered
widespread outbreaks of communal violence between the majority Muslims and the
minority Hindus, who were often targeted by the incoming Muslim refugees. In response
to the perceived threat of Hindu domination, self preservation of identity, language and
culture in combination with Sindhi Muslim resentment towards wealthy Sindhi Hindus,
the province of Sindh became the first province of British India to pass the Pakistan
Resolution, in favor of the creation of the Pakistani state. The ensuing turmoil of
independence lead to the expulsion of most of Karachi's Hindu community. While many
poor low caste Hindus, Christians, and wealthy Zoroastrians remained in the city,
Karachi's native Sindhi Hindu community fled to India and was replaced by Muslim
refugees who, in turn, had been uprooted from regions belonging to India.

Karachi has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles.
The downtown district of Saddar contains a rich collection of early 20th century
architecture, ranging in style from neo-classical KPT building to the Sindh High Court
Building.

During the British rule, Britishers wanted to model their Empire along the lines of ancient
Rome and classical architecture was considered most appropriate for built monuments of
the Raj.[citation needed] Karachi acquired its first neo-Gothic or Indo-Gothic building when
Frere Hall, Empress Market and St. Patrick's Cathedral were completed. English Tudor
style was introduced in Karachi Gymkhana and the Boat Club. Italian Renaissance was
very popular and was the language for St. Joseph's Convent (1870) and the Sind Club
(1883).

The Sindh Wildlife Conservation building located in Saddar served as a Freemasonic

Lodge till the time it was taken over by the government. However, there are talks of it
being taken away from this custody and being renovated and the Lodge being preserved
with its original woodwork ad ornate wooden staircase. [10]

Classical style made a comeback in the late nineteenth century as seen in Lady Dufferin
Hospital (1898) and the Cantonment Railway station. While 'Italianate' buildings
remained poplar, an eclectic blend termed Indo-Saracenic or Anglo-Mughal also began to
emerge in some locations.

The local mercantile community began acquiring impressive mercantile structures.

Elphinstone Street in Saddar area is an example where the mercantile groups adopted the
'Italianate' and Indo-Saracenic style to demonstrate their familiarity with western culture
and their own. The Hindu Gymkhana (1925) and Mohatta Palace are the example of
Mughal revival buildings.

In recent years, a large number of architecturally distinctive, even eccentric, buildings

have sprung up throughout Karachi. Notable examples of contemporary architecture
include the PSO Headquarter building and the FTC Building.

The city has examples of Modern Islamic Architecture. Examples of Modern Islamic
Architecture in Karachi include the Aga Khan University hospital, Tooba Mosque, Faran
Mosque, Bait-ul Mukarram Mosque and Quaid Mausoleum.

One of unique cultural element of Karachi is that the residences, which are two or three-
story townhouses, with the front yard is protected by a high brick wall.

I. I. Chundrigar Road displays a wide range of supertall buildings. The most prominent
examples include the Habib Bank Plaza, PRC Towers and the MCB Tower which is the
tallest skyscraper in Pakistan.

Perhaps one of the most spectacular buildings of modern times, Port Tower Complex, a
supertall skyscraper is proposed in the Clifton District of the metropolis. At 593 metres,
the building will comprise a hotel, a shopping center, an exhibition center and a revolving
restaurant with a viewing gallery offering a panoramic view of the coastline and the city.

Economy

Karachi at night
MCB Tower

Habib Bank Plaza

Karachi is the financial and commercial capital of Pakistan; it accounts for a lion's share
of Pakistan's revenue generation. It generates 72% of the total national revenue (federal
and provincial taxes, customs and surcharges), although a larger part than this amount is
accounted for as indirect tax contribution.[11] Karachi produces about 60 percent of value
added in large scale manufacturing and 55% of the GDP of Pakistan. In February 2007,
the World Bank identified Karachi as the most business-friendly city in Pakistan.[12]

Karachi is the nerve center of Pakistan's economy. The economic stagnation due to
political anarchy, ethnic strife and resultant military operation during late 80s and 90s led
to efflux of industry from Karachi. Despite this severe shock, Karachi claims the highest
per capita income in South Asia, with a GDP per capita greater than $8,000 today.[citation
needed]
Most of Pakistan's public and private banks are headquartered on Karachi's I.I.
Chundrigar Road, while most major foreign multinational corporations operating in
Pakistan have their headquarters in Karachi. The Karachi Stock Exchange is the largest
stock exchange in Pakistan, and is considered by many economists to be one of the prime
reasons for Pakistan's 8% GDP growth across 2005.[13] During the 1960s, Karachi was
seen as an economic role model around the world, and there was much praise for the way
its economy was progressing.

Recently, Karachi has seen an expansion of information and communications technology

and electronic media and has become the software outsourcing hub of Pakistan. Call
centres for foreign companies have been targeted as a significant area of growth, with the
government making efforts to reduce taxes by as much as 10% in order to gain foreign
investments in the IT sector[14][15]

Many of Pakistan’s independent television and radio channels are based in Karachi
including world popular Business Plus, GEO TV, KTN,[16] Sindh TV,[17] CNBC Pakistan,
Samaa TV, TV One, ARY Digital, Indus Television Network and Dawn News as well as
several local stations.

Karachi has several large industrial zones such as SITE, Korangi, Northern Bypass
Industrial Zone, Bin Qasim and North Karachi located on the fringes of the main city.[18]
The primary areas are textiles, pharmaceuticals, steel, and automobiles. In addition,
Karachi has a vibrant cottage industry and there is a rapidly flourishing Free Zone with
an annual growth rate of nearly 6.5%.

The Karachi Expo Centre hosts many regional and international exhibitions.[19]

There are many development projects proposed, approved and under construction in
Karachi. Among projects of note, Emaar Properties is proposing to invest $43bn
(£22.8bn) in Karachi to develop Bundal Island, which is a 12,000 acre (49 km²) island
just off the coast of Karachi.[20] The Karachi Port Trust is planning a Rs. 20 billion,
1,947 feet (593 m) high Port Tower Complex on the Clifton shoreline.[21][22] It will
comprise a hotel, a shopping center, an exhibition center and a revolving restaurant with a
viewing gallery offering a panoramic view of the coastline and the city.