Clifton, Karachi
Clifton is one of the neighborhoods of Saddar Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
There are several ethnic groups in Saddar Town including Urdu speakers, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochs, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis. The population of Saddar Town is estimated to be nearly one million.
Clifton lies in the southern area of Saddar Town. Clifton is basically a residential place of the rich and famous people of Karachi since Pakistan came into being.
To the south of Clifton lies Clifton beach, Pakistan's most popular beach.
Near the beach at Clifton is a monument called Jehangir Kothari Parade which was constructed back in 1922. It was basically a "bridge" going into the sea, people would walk down the stairs and view the Arabian Sea surrounding it. But later, water retreated and the entire bridge came on land. The Jehangir Kothari Parade has a dome-like structure where musician used to play for the joy of the visitors.
Another place worth mentioning in Clifton is the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi where people from every walk of life come to pay homage. These visitors comprise of people from all of the religions and ethnic backgrounds.
Clifton was also the main attraction for all the visitors who came to Karachi as it had the Amusment park called Funland. The Funland has now disappeared and in its place a huge park is constructed. Near this park, a water-jet fountain is also installed which is much advertised as an attraction for the crowd but has been severely criticized by the intellectuals due to its heavy cost of construction.
Walking distance from Jehangir Kothari Parade and the Abdullah Shah Ghazi's Shrine is a palace, called Mohatta Palace, which became a residence for the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, (founder of Pakistan) and later, a home for his sisters Fatima Jinnah and Shirin Jinnah, till their deaths. Now, the Mohatta Palace has been converted into a musuem.
70-Clifton Road is a famous residence, belonging to late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, President of Pakistan in the early 70's which was later used as a sub-jail for his daughter Benazir Bhutto, who later became a prime minster of Pakistan in the late eighties and then in the mid nineties for a second time. Mir Murtaza Bhutto, the elder son of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, also lived there and was killed near the main gate of 70-Clifton Road by the police in the late 1990s.
Clifton Road has two other famous monuments, Do Talwar (two swords) and Teen Talwar (three swords), both constructed on the Clifton Road in the early 1970s.
Now, Clifton Road has become a commercial center, known for availability of high-quality goods, here wealthy and affluent people from all around Karachi (and Pakistan) come to shop.
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