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{{main|List of mayors of Karachi|List of Union Councils of Karachi}}
{{main|List of mayors of Karachi|List of Union Councils of Karachi}}
[[Image:Karachi at night.JPEG|thumb|Karachi at night]]
[[Image:Karachi at night.JPEG|thumb|Karachi at night]]
[[Image:Karachi at night.jpg|thumb|Karachi's busy street]]
[[Image:kpt.jpg|thumb|Karachi Port Trust]]
The City of Karachi Municipal Act was promulgated in 1933. Initially the Municipal Corporation comprised the mayor, the deputy mayor and 57 councillors. The Karachi Municipal Corporation was changed to a Metropolitan Corporation in 1976. The administrative area of Karachi was a second-level subdivision known as Karachi Division, which was subdivided into five districts: Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi West and Malir. In 2000, the [[Government of Pakistan|national government]] implemented a new devolution plan which abolished the second-tier [[Divisions of Pakistan|divisions]] and merged the five districts of Karachi into a new City District, structured as a three-tiered federation, with the two lower tiers composed of 18 towns and 178 [[Union Council|union councils]] (UC).<ref name="tiers">{{cite web| url=http://125.209.91.254/cdgk/Home/Towns/tabid/72/Default.aspx| title=City Towns (all Towns and Union Councils| publisher=City District Government of Karachi| accessdate=2008-01-07}}</ref>
The City of Karachi Municipal Act was promulgated in 1933. Initially the Municipal Corporation comprised the mayor, the deputy mayor and 57 councillors. The Karachi Municipal Corporation was changed to a Metropolitan Corporation in 1976. The administrative area of Karachi was a second-level subdivision known as Karachi Division, which was subdivided into five districts: Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi West and Malir. In 2000, the [[Government of Pakistan|national government]] implemented a new devolution plan which abolished the second-tier [[Divisions of Pakistan|divisions]] and merged the five districts of Karachi into a new City District, structured as a three-tiered federation, with the two lower tiers composed of 18 towns and 178 [[Union Council|union councils]] (UC).<ref name="tiers">{{cite web| url=http://125.209.91.254/cdgk/Home/Towns/tabid/72/Default.aspx| title=City Towns (all Towns and Union Councils| publisher=City District Government of Karachi| accessdate=2008-01-07}}</ref>


Revision as of 12:02, 31 January 2008

Karachi
ڪراچي
City District
Karachi City District
The mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah
The mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Official logo of Karachi
Location within Pakistan
Location within Pakistan
Country Pakistan
ProvinceSindh
Municipal Committee1853
Municipal Corporation1933
Metropolitan Corporation1976
City District Government14th August 2001
City CouncilCity Complex, Gulshan Town
Towns
18
Government
[1]
 • TypeCity District
 • City NazimMustafa Kamal (MQM)
 • Naib NazimNasreen Jalil
Area
[2]
 • Total3,527 km2 (1,356 sq mi)
Elevation
8 m (26 ft)
Population
 (2008)[3]
 • Total12,461,423
 • Density3,500/km2 (9,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)
Area code021
Websitehttp://www.karachicity.gov.pk City-District Government of Karachi

Karachiⓘ (Sindhi: ڪراچي, Urdu: كراچى) is the provincial capital of Sindh province and the largest city in Pakistan. It is also one of the largest cities in the world and is located on the northern shores of the Arabian Sea, west of the Indus River Delta. It was the original capital of Pakistan and remains the cultural and economic hub, as well as being the largest seaport of the country. Its leading economic sectors include finance, business services, transportation, media, television production, publishing, software, medical research, education and tourism.

Spread over 3,530 square kilometres (1,363 sq mi), the city and suburbs comprise the world's twentieth largest metropolitan area.[4] The city credits its growth to the mixed populations of economic and political migrants and refugees from different national, provincial, linguistic and religious origins who have largely come to settle here permanently. It is locally termed as the "City of Lights" (روشنين جو شهر) for 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, as well as his home after 1947. Residents of Karachi are called "Karachiites".

History

Main article: History of Karachi

The Baloch tribes from Balochistan and Makran established a small settlement of fishing communities,[5] many of whom still inhabit sections of Sindh, and called it Kolachi. The modern port-city of Karachi, however, was developed by authorities of the British Raj in the 19th century. Upon the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the city was selected to become the national capital, and was settled by Muslim immigrants from India, which radically expanded the city's population and transformed the demographics and economy. Karachi has faced major infrastructural and socio-economic challenges, but modern industries and businesses have developed in the city.

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.

The present city started life as a fishing settlement when a Sindhi 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) and the other facing the Lyari River known as the Mitta Darwaaza (Sweet Gate). The location of these gates correspond to the modern areas of Kharadar (Khārā Dar) and Mithadar (Mīṭhā Dar).

Part of the town of Karachi, with mud houses; camels and villagers in foreground. April 1851

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. The town was later annexed to the British Indian Empire when Sindh was conquered by Charles James Napier in 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 Sind in the 1840s. On Napier's departure it was added along with the rest of Sindh to the Bombay Presidency. 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.

An old image of Karachi from 1889

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.

In 1864, the first telegraphic message was sent from India to England when a direct telegraph connection was laid between Karachi and London.[6] 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.[7] The population of the city was about 105,000 inhabitants by the end of the 19th century, with a cosmopolitan mix of Hindus, Muslims, Europeans, Jews, Parsis, Iranians, Lebanese, and Goans. By the turn of the century, the city faced street congestion, which led to India’s first tramway system being laid down in 1900.

In 1914 Karachi became the capital of the new province of Sindh. By the time the new country of Pakistan was formed in 1947, Karachi had become a bustling metropolis with beautiful classical and colonial European styled buildings lining the city’s thoroughfares. Karachi was chosen as the capital of Pakistan and accommodated a huge influx of migrants and refugees after partition. The demographics of the city changed dramatically but it still maintained cultural diversity as new residents arrived from all parts of India. In 1958, the capital of Pakistan was moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi and then to Islamabad in 1960. This marked the start of a long period of decline in the city, marked by a lack of development. The 1980s and 1990s saw an influx of refugees from the Afghan war into Karachi. Political tensions between the Muhajir groups (descendants of migrants from the partition era) and other groups also erupted and the city was wracked with political and sectarian violence. Most of these tensions have now simmered down.

Karachi continues to be an important financial and industrial centre and handles most of the overseas trade of Pakistan and the central Asian countries. It accounts for a large portion of the GDP of Pakistan and a large proportion of the country's white collar workers. Karachi's population has continued to grow and is estimated to have passed the 20 million mark, although official figures still show a population of around 14.5 million. The current economic boom in Pakistan has also resulted in a new period of resurgence in the economy of Karachi.

Geography and climate

Satellite view of Karachi
Main article: Climate of Karachi

Karachi is located in the south of Sindh, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The city covers an area of approximately 3,530 square kilometres (1,363 sq mi), comprised largely of flat or rolling plains, with hills on the western and northern boundaries of the urban sprawl. Two rivers pass through the city: the River Malir which flows from the east towards the south and centre, and the River Lyari, which flows from north to the south west. The Port of Karachi is a sheltered bay to the south-west of the city, protected from storms by the Sandspit Beach, the Manora Island and the Oyster Rocks. The Arabian Sea beach lines the southern coastline of Karachi. Dense mangroves and creeks of the Indus delta can be found towards the south east side of the city. Towards the west and the north is Cape Monze, an area marked with projecting sea cliffs and rocky sandstone promontories. Some excellent beaches can also be found in this area.

Located on the coast, Karachi tends to have a relatively mild climate with low levels of average precipitation (approximately 10 inches per annum), the bulk of which occurs during the July-August monsoon season. Winters are mild and the summers are hot, however the proximity to the sea maintains humidity levels at a near-constant high and cool sea breezes relieve the heat of the summer months. Due to high temperatures during the summer (ranging from 30 to 44 degrees Celsius from April to August), the winter months (November to February) are generally considered the best times to visit Karachi. July, December and January have pleasing and cloudy weather when most of the social events, ranging from weddings to charity fundraisers, frequently take place. Tourists and expatriates visit Karachi in these months, Highest recorded is 47.8 °C (118.0 °F) and lowest is 0 °C (32 °F).[8]

Karachi temperatures Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg. high (in °C) 25 26 29 35 35 35 33 31 31 38 31 27
Avg. low (in °C) 10 14 19 23 26 28 27 26 25 30 18 14

Government

Main articles: List of mayors of Karachi and List of Union Councils of Karachi
File:Karachi at night.JPEG
Karachi at night
File:Karachi at night.jpg
Karachi's busy street
Karachi Port Trust

The City of Karachi Municipal Act was promulgated in 1933. Initially the Municipal Corporation comprised the mayor, the deputy mayor and 57 councillors. The Karachi Municipal Corporation was changed to a Metropolitan Corporation in 1976. The administrative area of Karachi was a second-level subdivision known as Karachi Division, which was subdivided into five districts: Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi West and Malir. In 2000, the national government implemented a new devolution plan which abolished the second-tier divisions and merged the five districts of Karachi into a new City District, structured as a three-tiered federation, with the two lower tiers composed of 18 towns and 178 union councils (UC).[9]

The towns are governed by elected municipal administrations responsible for infrastructure and spatial planning, development facilitation, and municipal services (water, sanitation, solid waste, repairing roads, parks, street lights, and traffic engineering), with some functions being retained by the City-District Government (CDG).[9] The third-tier 178 union councils are each composed of thirteen directly elected members including a Nazim (mayor) and a Naib Nazim (deputy mayor). The UC Nazim heads the union administration and is responsible for facilitating the CDG to plan and execute municipal services, as well as for informing higher authorities about public concerns and complaints.

In the elections of 2005, Mustafa Kamal was elected City Nazim of Karachi to succeed Naimatullah Khan and Nasreen Jalil was elected as the City Naib Nazim. Mustafa Kamal was previously the provincial minister for information technology in Sindh. His predecessor, Naimatullah Khan was chosen as one of the best mayors in Asia.[10] Mustafa Kamal is advancing the development trail left by Naimatullah Khan, and has been actively involved in maintaining care of the city's municipal systems.[11]. There are also six military cantonments administered by the Pakistan Army which do not form part of the City of Karachi.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Karachi
Year Urban Population
1856 56,875
1872 56,753
1881 73,560
1891 105,199
1901 136,297
1911 186,771
1921 244,162
1931 300,799
1941 435,887
1951 1,068,459
1961 1,912,598
1972 3,426,310
1981 5,208,132
1998 9,269,265
2008 12,461,423[3]

The population and demographic distribution in Karachi has undergone numerous changes over the past 150 years. Non-governmental and international sources estimate Karachi's current population at about 20 million[12] — a huge increase over its population in 1947 (400,000). The city's population is currently growing at about 5% per year (mainly on account of rural-urban internal migration), including an estimated 45,000 migrant workers coming to the city every month from different parts of Pakistan.[13]

Before 1947, Karachi had large communities of Parsis, Jews, Hindus, Christians, Balochis, Gujaratis, and Sindhis. After independence, a large number of Hindus left the city for India and were replaced by Urdu-speaking Muslim refugees now known as Muhajirs. The Muhajirs originated from different parts of India and brought with them their local cultures and cuisines, further adding to the already diverse mix of people that earlier inhabited Karachi. Currently, these older groups and continuing migration from different parts of Pakistan have contributed to a very cosmopolitan mix of residents.

The new government allotted much of the property left by the departing Hindus and other groups to the new immigrants to help them settle into the new country. However, the large number of Muhajirs also formed the dominant political majority in the city, which gave them substantial political clout, to the chagrin of the Sindhi and Balochi inhabitants. Also, the vagaries of mass migration of populations between the two newly independent countries gave rise to ethnic tensions which have surfaced in Karachi from time to time.

Saint Patricks Cathedral

Since 1979, due to the Soviet war in Afghanistan and continued upheavals in their country, a steady stream of Afghan refugees have also taken up permanent residence in and around Karachi[14]. These refugees now number more than one million and comprise a number of ethnic groups: Pakhtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, and Turkmen. There are also hundreds of thousands of Arabs, Iranians, Filipinos, Arakani refugees (from Rakhine State in Myanmar), Bosniaks, Albanians, Poles, Lebanese, Armenians, Goans, Bengalis and African immigrants who are also settled in Karachi. Most refugee minorities of the city live in poor neighbourhoods.

According to the 1998 census, the linguistic distribution of the city is: Urdu: 48.52%; Punjabi: 13.94%; Sindhi: 7.22%; Pashto: 11.42%; Balochi: 4.34%; Saraiki: 2.11%; others: 12.4%. The others include Gujarati, Dawoodi Bohra, Memon, Brahui, Makrani, Khowar, Burushaski, Arabic, Persian and Bengali[15].

The religious breakup of the city is as follows: Muslim: 96.49%; Christian: 2.35%; Hindu: 0.83%; Ahmadi: 0.17%; others 0.13%. The others include Parsis, Jews and Buddhists[16] [17]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Karachi

Karachi is the financial capital of Pakistan; it accounts for the lion's share of GDP and revenue. It generates over 60% of the total national revenue (federal and provincial taxes, customs and surcharges), Although a larger part of this amount account for as indirect tax contribution.[18] Karachi produces about 42 percent of value added in large scale manufacturing. In February 2007, the World Bank identified Karachi as the most business-friendly city in Pakistan.[19]

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[20]. 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. Many countries sought to emulate Pakistan's economic planning strategy and one of them, South Korea, copied the city's second "Five-Year Plan" and World Financial Centre in Seoul is designed and modeled after Karachi.[21][22]

File:KarachiFinancial.jpg
A part of Karachi's financial district

The Port of Karachi and nearby Port Qasim are the two main seaports of Pakistan, and Jinnah International Airport is the largest and the busiest airport in Pakistan.

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 80% in order to gain foreign investments in the IT sector[23][24]

Many of Pakistan’s independent television and radio channels are based in Karachi including Geo, ARY, Hum, AAJ TV, CNBC Pakistan and Dawn News as well as several local stations.

File:Karachi port and harbour aerial.jpg
An aerial view of the port and harour

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[25]. 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[26].

Karachi has branches of major motor companies such as Toyota, Honda, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Nissan and Suzuki, as well as the Adam Motor Company and HinoPak.[27] [28]

There are many development projects proposed, approved and under construction in Karachi city. 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[29]. The Karachi Port Trust is planning a Rs. 20 billion, 1,947 feet (593 m) high Port Tower Complex on the Clifton shoreline.[30][31] It will comprise a hotel, a shopping centre, an exhibition centre and a revolving restaurant with a viewing gallery offering a panoramic view of the coastline and the city.

Other projects include: MCB Tower (completed), Crescent Bay, Karachi (under construction), Karachi Waterfront (approved), Karachi Creek Marina (under construction), Sugarland City (approved), Dolmen Towers (under construction), I.T. Tower (approved), Buddo Island (approved), Square One Towers (under construction), Sign Tower (approved), Karachi Mass Transit System, Enshaa Towers (approved), Karachi FPCCI Tower (proposed), City Centre (proposed), Malir Expressway (proposed), Northern Bypass Industrial Area (under construction).

Culture

Mohatta Palace
See also: Cinema in Karachi

Karachi is home to some of Pakistan's important cultural institutions. The National Academy of Performing Arts, [32] located in the newly renovated Hindu Gymkhana offers a two year diploma course in performing arts that include classical music and contemporary theatre. The All Pakistan Music Conference, linked to the 45-year old similar institution in Lahore, has been holding its Annual Music Festival since its inception in 2004. The Festival is now a well-established feature of the city life of Karachi that is awaited anxiously and attended by more than 3000 citizens of Karachi as well as people from other cities.[33]

The National Arts Council (Koocha-e-Saqafat) also has musical performances and Mushaira (poetry recitations). Karachi has a few museums including the Mohatta Palace Museum that regularly has exhibitions as well as the National Museum of Pakistan. The Kara Film Festival organized annually showcases independent Pakistani and international films and documentaries.

The everyday lifestyle of Karachi differs substantially from that of other Pakistani towns. The culture of Karachi is characterized by the blending of Middle Eastern, South Asian and Western influences, as well as the status of the city as a major international business centre. As a whole, there is considerable diversity in culture, and this diversity has produced unique cultural amalgam of its own type. Karachi also hosts the largest middle class stratum of the country..

Education

Main articles: List of schools in Karachi, List of colleges in Karachi, and List of universities in Karachi

The Narayan Jagannath High School at Karachi was the first government school established in Sindh. It was opened in October 1855. Karachi has well known educational institutes of international standards. Most universities of Karachi are considered to be amongst the premier educational institutions of Pakistan. For 2004-05, the city's literacy rate was estimated at 78%, with a GER of 111%.[34]

The University of Karachi, simply referred as KU is the second largest university in Pakistan having one of the largest faculties in Karachi. Coincidentally it is located besides the NED University, the oldest engineering institute of Pakistan. Karachi is also host to the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), founded in 1955 and the oldest business school outside North America. Alumni of IBA include former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. Other notable universities include Bahria University, the Virtual University of Karachi (introduced by the Science and Technology Ministry), Hamdard University, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (Szabist), Agha Khan Medical University, Iqra University and Institute of Business and Technology (BIZTEK).Markaz-e-Umeed (the hope center) for special children is also working for betterment of Special Children since 1971.

Sports

Main article: List of sports venues in Karachi

Cricket is the most popular sport of the city, and is usually played in many small grounds around the city. Gully cricket, is played in the narrow by-lanes of the city. Night time cricket can be seen at weekends when people play brightly lit night matches on less traversed city streets. The major venue for cricket matches is the National Stadium but matches are also hosted at the UBL Sports Complex, The A.O. Cricket Stadium, the KCCA Cricket Ground, the Karachi Gymkhana Field and the DHA Cricket Stadium.

Other popular sports in the city are hockey, boxing, association football, golf, table tennis, snooker, squash, and horse racing. Sports like badminton, volleyball and basketball are also popular in schools and colleges.

Football is especially popular in Lyari Town which has always been a football-mad locality in Karachi. The Peoples Football Stadium is perhaps the largest football stadium in Pakistan with respect to capacity, easily accommodating around 40,000 people. In 2005, the city hosted the SAFF Cup Football Tournament at this ground, as well as the Geo Super Football League 2007 which attracted capacity crowds during the games.

The city also has facilities for hockey (the Hockey Stadium of Pakistan, UBL Hockey Ground), boxing (KPT Sports Complex), squash (Jehangir Khan Squash Complex) and polo. Marinas and Boating Clubs also add to the diverse sporting activities in Karachi.

Karachi has a number of sporting clubs such as the Karachi Gymkhana, the Sindh Club, the Karachi Club, Kashmir club, Aga Khan sports club, the Muslim Gymkhana, the Creek Club and the DHA Club that provide sporting facilities to their members, including tennis, badminton and squash courts, swimming pools, jogging tracks, gymnasiums, billiards and much more. There are two world class golf clubs, at DHA and Karsaz.

Transport

Quaid-e-Azam International Airport

The Jinnah International Airport is located in Karachi. It is the largest and busiest airport of the country. It handles 10 million passengers a year. The airport also receives the largest number of foreign airlines, a total of 27 airlines fly to Jinnah International predominantly from the Middle East and South East Asia. All of Pakistan's airlines use Karachi as their Primary hub including Pakistan International Airlines, Aero Asia International, Airblue and Shaheen Air.

The city's old airport terminals are now used for Hajj flights, cargo facilities, and ceremonial visits from heads of state. U.S. Coalition forces used the old terminals for their logistic supply operations as well. The city also has two other airstrips used primarily by the armed forces.

Karachi has the largest shipping ports in Pakistan at the Port of Karachi and Port Qasim. These seaports have modern facilities and not only handle trade for Pakistan, but also serve as ports for Afghanistan and the land-locked Central Asian countries. Plans have been announced for new passenger facilities at Karachi Port.

Karachi is linked by rail to the rest of the country by the Pakistan Railways. The Karachi City Station and Karachi Cantonment Station are the city's two major railway stations. The railway system handles a large amount of freight to and from the Karachi port apart from providing passenger services to people travelling up country. Plans are underway to extend the intra-city railway system to play a part in the city's mass transit through Karachi Circular Railway system. Currently, primarily motorists and minibuses handle commuter traffic, but there are plans to construct a light-rail based mass transit system in the city to decongest the roads and provide quick service to commuters.

Real estate

Residential neighborhood in DHA

Karachi is located in semi-arid coastal desert area with very limited agriculture land along the two small seasonal rivers, Lyari River and Malir River that pass through the city. Before independence, the area around Karachi had sparse Balochi nomadic and fishing population and most of the land was state owned. At the time of independence, Karachi was chosen as the first capital of Pakistan and the land area came under tight state control. According to the data prepared by the Master Plan and Environmental Control Unit of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) in 1988, nearly 400,000 acres (1600 km²) of the 425,529 acres (1722 km²) that make up Karachi's metropolitan area is in some form of public ownership. Government of Sindh owns 137,687 acres (557 km²), KDA 124,676 acres (504.5 km²), Karachi Port Trust (KPT) 25,259 acres (102 km2), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) 24,189 acres (98 km2), Army Cantonment Board 18,596 acres (75 km2), Pakistan Steel Mills 19,461 acres (79 km2), Defence Housing Society 16,567 acres (67 km2), Port Qasim 12,961 acres (52 km2), Government of Pakistan 4,051 acres (16 km2) and Pakistan Railways 3,119 acres (13 km2). In late 1990s the undeveloped land belonging to KDA was transferred to the Malir Development Authority (MDA) and Lyari Development Authority (LDA).[35] The Defence Housing Authority has purchased 12,000 acres (49 km²) of land from the Sindh government along the Super Highway and will build Phase II of Defence Housing Society.[36]

Challenges

As one of the most rapidly growing cities in the world, Karachi faces challenges that are central to many developing metropolises including overcrowding, traffic, pollution, poverty and street crimes.

The traffic and pollution is a major challenge for Karachi as it is for almost all the major cities in the world. The level of air pollution in Karachi is estimated to be 20 times higher than World Health Organization standards.[37] A number of new parks have been developed and new trees are being planted in the city to improve the environment and reduce the pollution.

Criminal negligence plagues the rapidly expanding infrastructure. There were floods reported in the city during the monsoon of 2007. The Northern Bypass bridge collapsed on 1st September 2007 after being inaugurated only one month back by President Pervez Musharraf.

Despite efforts, the crime rate is rising and car and cell phone snatching has become an everyday scene. Due to its negligible cultural activities, traffic congestions and high crime rate, Karachi has been ranked fourth among the least livable cities in a survey by The Economist.[38]

Sister Cities

See also

References

  1. ^ "Government". City District Government of Karachi. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
  2. ^ "About Karachi". City District Government of Karachi. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
  3. ^ a b Stefan Helders, World-Gazetteer.com. "Karachi". Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  4. ^ Stefan Helders, World-Gazetteer.com. "World: metropolitan areas". Retrieved 2007-10-15.
  5. ^ R Asif (2002) Lyari Expressway: woes of displaced families. Dawn (newspaper). 8 August. Retrieved on 10 January, 2008
  6. ^ Christina P Harris (1969) The Persian Gulf Submarine Telegraph of 1864. The Geographical Journal. vol. 135(2). June. pp. 169-190
  7. ^ Feldman 1970:57
  8. ^ http://www.met.gov.pk/cdpc/karachi.htm
  9. ^ a b "City Towns (all Towns and Union Councils". City District Government of Karachi. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  10. ^ CityMayors.com, World Mayor project. ""Comments in support of Naimatullah Khan"". Retrieved 2006-04-17.
  11. ^ Dawn Group of Newspapers. ""Mustafa Kamal announces city reinforcement projects"". Retrieved 2006-10-10.
  12. ^ Note: The 1998 census showed a population of about 9 million and the City Government estimates "more than 15 million inhabitants". Reasons for the discrepancy include workers living in Karachi but registered as living elsewhere in Pakistan by the National Database and Registration Authority; and Afghan refugees were not counted in the 1998 census.
  13. ^ ""Karachi turning into a ghetto"". Dawn Group of Newspapers. 2006-01-16. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
  14. ^ UN Refugee Agency Case Study: Afghans in Pakistan Retrieved on January 1, 2008
  15. ^ Karachi Demographics Findpk.com
  16. ^ Religion in Pakistan Asianinfo.org
  17. ^ Religion in Karachi] findpk.com
  18. ^ Pakistan and Gulf Economist. "Karachi: Step-motherly treatment". Retrieved 2007-10-15.
  19. ^ Dawn Group of Newspapers. "World Bank report: Karachi termed most business-friendly". Retrieved 2007-10-15.
  20. ^ Business Week magazine (April 22, 2005) Pakistan: After the Crash Retrieved on January 1,2008
  21. ^ Planning Commission, The Second Five Year Plan: 1960-65, Karachi: Govt. Printing Press, 1960, p. 393
  22. ^ Planning Commission, Pakistan Economic Survey, 1964-65, Rawalpindi: Govt. Printing Press, 1965, p. 212.
  23. ^ Board of Investment, Pakistan IT Sector Overview Retrieved on January 1, 2008
  24. ^ United Nations INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY OF PAKISTAN –PROVIDING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR IT DEVELOPMENT. Retrieved on January 1,2008
  25. ^ Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry Industrial Zones In PakistanRetrieved on January 1, 2008
  26. ^ Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Karachi Expo Center Retrieved on January 1, 2007
  27. ^ The Nation newspaper Rs 100b investment in automobile industry Retrieved on January 1, 2008
  28. ^ Mindbranch Pakistan Automotives Report Q1 2007 Retrieved on January 1, 2008
  29. ^ BBC News Pakistan agrees $43bn development Retrieved on January 1, 2008
  30. ^ Karachi Port Trust. ""K.P.T. Projects"". Retrieved 2006-04-17.
  31. ^ Dawn Group of Newspapers. ""KPT to build Rs20bn tower complex"". Retrieved 2006-04-20.
  32. ^ National Academy of Performing Arts. ""Welcome to National Academy of Performing Arts"". Retrieved 2006-04-17.
  33. ^ The All Pakistan Music Conference History of festival] Retrieved on January 1, 2008
  34. ^ Federal Bureau of Statistics
  35. ^ Karachi, Urban Resource Centre. ""Land as an Issue"". Retrieved 2006-04-18.
  36. ^ Daily Times. ""12,000 acre (49 km²) DHA II to be city's new kid on the block"". Retrieved 2006-05-06.
  37. ^ Energy Information Administration, U.S. Government. "Pakistan: Environmental Issues". Retrieved 2007-10-15. (Page from Internet Archive)
  38. ^ The Economist. ""Where grass is Greener"". Retrieved 2007-08-22.
  39. ^ "International Sister Cities". Shanghai Municipal Government. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  40. ^ "Karachi: Sister-city accord with Port Louis". Dawn Group of Newspapers. 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2007-12-31.

Further reading

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Karachi".

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