Karachi is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, north-west of the Indus River Delta and has a mild climate. The city is the financial and commercial centre as well as the largest port of the country. spread over 3,530 square kilometers. 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 (روشنیوں کا شہر) for its liveliness and the City of The Quaid (شہرِ قائد), for not only being both the birth and death place of Muhammad Ali Jinnah the founder of Pakistan but also his home after 1947.
Residents and those born in the city are called "Karachiites".
Get in
Jinnah International Airport (), , is Karachi's largest international and domestic airport. Built by a French company and opened in 1993, it's one of the best airports in South Asia. Facilities include a McDonald's outlet, a Citibank ATM (in Arrivals), hotels and a duty free shop that doesn't sell alcohol. Spotty lighting is a downside. Previously, immigration was a lengthy process, but after rearrangement of counters and the introduction of a green channel in 2006, this is no longer the case.
Get around
The main ways of getting around in Karachi is through buses, and it is used by the majority of the Karachi population. However, outsiders might be put off by the cramped conditions in the buses, and might prefer traveling in taxis. There are three kinds of taxis in Karachi, Metro, Yellow and Black. The yellow ones are generally thought to be better than the black ones. Although they do charge a greater mark up. The Metros are chains of taxis operated by different private sector companies (i.e. private version of NY's TLC). As in any nation, elements can overcharge "foreigners". Most of the Black and Yellow taxis don't have any meter, so you should first fix the charge and the location with the driver before getting in. The official per kilometer rate is around 7 Rupees but expect to pay around double of that.
There is also the so called "Radio/White Cab" service, which is air conditioned and can be called in at the airport or anywhere in the city. Typical cost for a full day (8 hours, 150 KM) is $25 (USD). White Cab Tel No. 00-92-111-789-786 or within Karachi 111-789-786. Per kilometer rate is 15 Rupees plus Rs. 50 calling charges.
A new company, "Metro Cabs" is considered highly efficient, their taxis are usually easily available from the airport, rates are very reasonable. Metro Cab Tel. No. 00-92-21-111-222-787 or within Karachi 111-222-787.
Once you get the hang of traveling in Karachi, it becomes a very entertaining experience. You meet new people and get to see really unexpected things. It's not very hard to find a mode of transportation and if you know what you are doing, very easy to get around.
See
Beaches and Waterfront
Museums
Colonial Buildings
Islands
Amusement Parks
Do
There is much to do in Karachi, a city of 18 million people is unlikely to be short on activities!
One can shop to one's hearts content, in the massive range of markets and bazaars that dot the city, or one can shop at one of the many modern shopping malls that are found across the city's more affluent sectors, namely Defence and Clifton.
From a historical perspective, Karachi has a fine collection of Anglo-Indian architecture, a legacy of the British Raj, which can keep History buffs engaged. As well as a fine history in its own right, with ancient pre Islamic and later Muslim rulers leaving there mark on this enchanted area around which the modern city has formed.
On the sports front, one is spoilt for choice. Cricket can be found at every conceivable corner; in the lush grounds of the more wealthy professional clubs or elite schools, to the side streets of the working class Sadar City district of Karachi. There are several fine Golf courses-which host international tournaments such as the Pakistan Open on the Asian circuit, a bustling race track, and a wide range of water sports are accessible due to the City's Arabian Sea coast.
Culture vultures will find a city with 10 Art Galleries, displaying broad works from Asia, and some New Age works from aspiring Pakistani artists.
Walks along the beaches, under clear skies, at night are an experience worth the travel alone, as visitors can gaze towards the heavans with the Arabian sea cascading over there sandalled feet. Joyous memories are assured!
Simply let yourselves be overwhelmed by this city, its size and scope, its heart breaking disparity between rich and poor, and its breath taking sights and sounds. Karachi isn't a city, it is a world unto itself.
Buy
There are a great number of shopping places in Karachi, ranging from the traditional bazaar to the modern shopping malls. A first-time visitor should try and visit the bazaars, The bazaars usually consist of many small vendors selling a variety of products from accessories to clothes to food and drink. In addition, there are larger stores which are more specific in their products. Also one would find that the bazaars are a more culturally enriching experience, and everything's so cheap!
Buying Pakistani Currency
Pakistani currency is Pakistani Rupees. It is usually advised to get your foreign currency converted in local currency before you buy stuff (off course thats only applicable if you're planning to buy with cash not credit card).
Places to Buy
Some of the major shopping malls in Karachi are:
Some of the main bazaars in Karachi that deserve a visit:
These are just a few to mention. On the whole, shopping in Karachi is an interesting, exhilarating (because of the low prices!) and often tiring experience.
Eat
Karachi has several fantastic upscale restaurants, which serve a huge variety of cuisines. Most of the upper-end restaurants are either located within one of the major hotels in the city (the Sheraton, the Pearl Continental and Avari Towers), or in the trendy shopping district of Zamzama in Defence. For example, the Peal Continental is known for its Thai (The Blue Elephant), Japanese (Sakura), and Chinese (Tai Pan) restaurants; the Avari is known for its Japanese (Fujiyama) and Chinese (Dynasty), and the Sheraton for its Pakistani (the Pakistani).
Zamzama, however, is where much of Karachi's trendier restaurants, such as Okra , Cafe Aylanto, Gunsmoke, Pompeii, Baan Thai, Chatterbox and Aqua Lounge are located. More commercial (and less trendy) eateries include the Copper Kettle restaurant. Coffee-shops are aplenty, with the most trendy being Espresso (it has another/larger branch in Defence) at Espresso they also serve a good breakfast and yummy desserts. Ciao and Costa are also popular for coffee, and new coffee places include The Avenue and Cafe Coffee Day. There are also several dozen different locations for international fast-food chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonalds in almost every Karachi locality. For people looking for a more central location would be well advised to try The Korean (near Schoen Circle, in Clifton), Cafe Flo (located in the Alliance Francaise, near the Three Swords), Thai Sea food (located at Old Sunset Boulevard), Kay Bees (located near Lal Qila Restaurant).
Four popular restaurants that give diners a chance to sample a variety of mostly Pakistani foods, buffet-style, are Lal Qila , Floating Kitchen, Revolving Restaurant and The Village. Built in the style of a 17th-century Moghul fort, Lal Qila offers barbecue, biryani, and a local beef-based delicacy, haleem, in its open brick courtyard. Beware long lines during the peak evening dining hours. The Village & Floating Kitchen is by the beach at Sea View (Clifton) and is very popular.
People with concerns about the spiciness and hygiene factor of the foods available, particularly those visiting from abroad, tend to find themselves at BBQ Tonight, which may well be one of Karachi's most popular restaurants. Spread over four stories of seating, the restaurant is almost always completely packed, but the turnover is high, so reservations aren't required. It is only open in the evenings. The rooftop at BBQ Tonite is recommended.
If anyone is looking for "chaat" (a local-fare of chickpeas mixed with other things) Chatkharay in Khadda Market (Defence) is good. There are lots of ice-cream and dessert parlours, these include Hot Spot, Gelato Affair, Movenpick etc.
For those on a more restricted budget (while Pakistani restaurants do not sell alcohol, most upscale ones will serve bottles if customers bring them; nonetheless, a full meal for two can be as expensive as US$50-100 at the top eateries, but not if you choose carefully), tourists and visitors are advised to try Karachi's Boat Basin, a central neighbourhood consisting of a mile-long strip of open-air street food/restaurants. Favourites tend to include Karachi Broast, Mr Burger, Qasr-Al-Nakheel, and Tandoori Hut. Boat Basin is where almost all of Karachi's late-partying citizens, regardless of social or economic standing, wind up since food is often available until 5:00 or 6:00 a.m., if not 24 hours. Many remain in their cars and are served by waiters there. Local style breakfast (such as halwa puri) is also served at Boat-Basin from 6-7am onwards. Visitors hoping to try more authentic cuisine are advised to try restaurants such as Bundoo Khan's, Student's Biryani or Sabri Nihari, all of which are located in the "old city" region of Karachi, known as Saddar. Bundoo Khan's also has other branches throughout the city. These places, and Burns Road (another street just full of local food cuisines) are immensely popular, but may not be a good idea for a foreigner's pallette.
Be warned that restaurants NOT located in either the hotels and/or Zamzama will usually tend to only accept cash payments, and not take any form of debit or credit card. It is a good idea to always carry enough cash to tide on over (at most of these locations, Rs. 1000-2000 will be more than sufficient on a per head basis).
One can easily find a franchise of KFC, McDonald, Pizza Hut or Domino's across the street if you're in a good area. You can always ask a nearby shopkeeper in a shop or real estate officer about good places to eat.
Drink
Drinking alcohol in public areas is forbidden, However, most top end hotels have their own bars.
Of the local drinks, Lassi is a classic yogurt drink that is served either plain or sweet, and is sometimes flavored or even fused with fresh fruit. Highly recommended!
Another favourite is Sugar Cane Juice. Extracted by mechanical force it is best when fresh. You can always get a fresh juice with froth on top for a nominal price. For someone who has never tasted this its a treat and something to remember. You would also love the Falouda and other fresh fruit juices, extracted right in front of you plus those common soft drinks including some like the local limca cola, which makes that "pop" sound when opened.
If you want to drink plain water, always prefer bottled water of a good brand, it just costs 40 cents (Rs. 25/ cold) for a 1.5 liter bottle of Nestle water.
Sleep
There are thousands of lesser hotels and dorms to sleep in. For $60 USD/night you can get a very decent place, with private bathroom, cable TV and air conditioning. As in any place, there is a correlation between comfort and cost.
Contact
The area code for Karachi is 21. Prefix +92 If you are calling from outside Pakistan. Phone numbers are seven digits long. All mobile numbers, however are 11 digits long and begin with "03", and should not be dialed with the city prefix.
Public Call Offices can be found all over the city. You will find a PCO in nearly 50% of the general stores , there is usually someone who operates the phone. (Fees will be charged according to the time spent and a units runs to keep track of your time. You pay when you have finished your call.
Cybercafes will be seen in virtually every street corner and the rates are as low as Rs.15-20 per hour. They usually dont have a very fast operating system so dont get too surprised if you find yourself one of them. They usually use 14" monitors, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows XP are usally installed on these operating systems. Most of the cafes have a decent speed internet connection.
Internet Access can be obtained easily on notebook computers with the help of GRPS enabled mobile connections, supported by almost all of the 6 mobile operators. Mobilink provides EDGE based connection in very limited areas of Karachi, however Telenor's coverage of EDGE is more wider. Usually standard prices of GPRS/EDGE usage is Rs.15 - Rs18/MB data transfer, which indeed is expansive, however if you wish to download a lot more then you may want to use unlimited packages provided only by Mobilink and Telenor at this time.
Cell phone coverage in the city is pretty good. Cell phones were considered as a symbol of status a few years ago, But since 2002 the telecommunication took a boom in the country, Now you will hardly found a single person in the city not having a personal cell phone. More than 40% of the country's 160 million population have cell phones which increases to 65% to 70% in Karachi. There are various service providers offering a huge variety of plans. Among them are Mobilink, Warid Telecom, Telenor, Ufone, Instaphone & Paktel. Its not a bad idea to buy a cell phone and use one of those prepaid plans to get yourself connected while you are in the city. The mobile phones and the prepaid plans are very cheap. you will usually get a new cheap cell phone just for Rs. 2000 ($34) and a prepaid connection for Rs. 150 to 400 ($2.5-$7)
Stay safe
Street Crime in Karachi is at a rate you could expect from most mega cities of this size. Use common sense and avoid slums. Avoid going out alone, or in dark places. Never flash electronics or valuables in public. Street crimes occur much more frequently than robbing or purse snatching. Keep your cell phones,watches in a safe place. These things easily attract attention.
You should always keep the emergency telephone contact numbers of your country's foreign mission in Karachi.
The people of Karachi are very hospitable. They tend to welcome any foreigner very warmly but be at guard at all times. There are also con-men looking out for foreigners. Beware of men claiming to belong to the intelligence agencies. Beware of pickpockets when you are in any crowded areas.
There has been several violent incidents of civil unrest in Karachi in recent years, and subsequently there is a visible security presence in the city. You may also see paramilitary personel in the city - particularly if there is a 'security scare' such as just after the 2005 Nishtar Park bombings, or during the lead-up to an election. The best practice is to keep informed about the city with the help of Newspapers and TV. Just dial '15' from your cell if there is an emergency.
There should be no tangible danger to any tourist or local in the affluent parts of the city. Defence and Clifton are regarded as safe at all times, populated by the city's business and cultural elite. These districts offer the most "tourist friendly" experience of Karachi, given that there will be no language barrier (most Pakistanis can speak some English, many people in these districts will be completely fluent), and a large degree of cultural understanding and compatibility between the residents and western tourists.
Aga Khan Hospital is by far the best in the city and has world class medical care facility at an affordable cost. The public hospitals aren't up to par with what you may be used to in the west.
Traffic jams is a major hassle in Karachi. Although the city government has recently built dozens of under passes and fly overs to get rid of the over flow of the traffic, but It is recommended to keep on look for any rallies/protests and check out alternate routes while travelling in the city. Some information on traffic jams in Karachi is available at Chowrangi.com
Get out
It is apparently possible to take cargo ships from Karachi to a few ports around the Middle East like Oman.
Karachi (Urdu: كراچى, Sindhi: ڪراچي) is the capital of the province of Sindh, and the largest city in Pakistan. Located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, north-west of the Indus River Delta, the megacity is the financial and commercial centre as well as the largest port of the country. The metropolitan area along with its suburbs comprises the world's second most populated city, spread over 3,530 square kilometres. 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 (روشنیوں کا شہر) for its liveliness and the City of The Quaid (شہرِ قائد), for not only being both the birth and death place of Muhammad Ali Jinnah the founder of Pakistan but also his home after 1947. Residents and those born in the city are called "Karachiites".
History
The Baloch tribes from Balochistan and Makran established a small settlement of fishing communities, 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 refugees 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, and the population expanded even after the capital was moved to Islamabad in August 1960.
The area of Karachi has been 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' port (probably the modern Manora Island near the Karachi harbour), from where Alexander's admiral Nearchus sailed for back home; and Barbarikon, a sea port of the Indo-Greek Bactrian kingdom. It was also known as the port of Debal to the Arabs, from where Muhammad bin Qasim led his conquering force into South Asia in 712 AD. According to the British historian Eliot, parts of city of Karachi and the island of Manora constituted the city of Debal.
The present city started its life as a fishing settlement where a Sindhi fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi took up residence and started a family. The village that later grew out of this settlement was known as Kolachi-jo-Goth (The Village of Kolachi in Sindhi). By the late 1700s this village started trading across the sea with Muscat and the Persian Gulf region which led to its gaining importance. 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 Khara Darwaaza (Brackish Gate) and the other facing the adjoining Lyari river known as the Meetha Darwaaza (Sweet Gate). The location of these gates corresponds to the present-day city localities of Khaaradar () and Meethadar () respectively.
In 1795, the village became a domain of the Balochi Talpur rulers of Sindh. 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 village was later annexed to the British Indian Empire when the province of Sindh was conquered by Charles Napier in 1843. Kolachi was added along with the rest of Sindh to the jurisdiction of the Bombay Presidency.
The British realized its importance as a military cantonment and a port for exporting the produce of the Indus 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 started rising rapidly. Karachi quickly turned into a city, making true the famous quote by Napier who is known to have said: Would that I could come again to see you in your grandeur!
In 1857, the First Indian War for Independence broke out in the subcontinent and the 21st Native Infantry stationed in Karachi declared allegiance to revolters, joining their cause on September 10, 1857. However, the British were rapidly able to reassert their 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 down between Karachi and London. In 1878, the city was connected to the rest of British India by railway line. Public building projects such as the Frere Hall (1865) and the Empress Market (1890) were undertaken. In 1876, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was born in the city to a famous Ismaili Khoja family, which by now had become a bustling city with railway, churches, mosques, courthouses, markets, paved streets and a magnificent harbour. By 1899 Karachi had become the largest wheat exporting port in the east (Feldman 1970:57). The population of the city had also risen to about 105,000 inhabitants by the end of the 19th century and was a cosmopolitan mix of Hindus and Muslims, European traders, Jews, Parsis, Iranians, Lebanese, and Goan merchants. By the turn of the century, the city faced street congestion, which led to India’s first tramway system being laid down in 1900.
By 1914, Karachi had become the largest grain exporting port of the British Empire. In 1924, an aerodrome was built and Karachi became the main airport of entry into India. An airship mast was also built in Karachi in 1927 as part of the Imperial Airship Communications scheme, which was later abandoned. In 1936, Sindh was separated from the Bombay Presidency and Karachi was made the capital of the new province. By the time the new country of Pakistan was formed in 1947, Karachi had become a bustling metropolitan city with beautiful classical and colonial European styled buildings lining the city’s thoroughfares.
Karachi was chosen as the capital city of Pakistan and accommodated a huge influx of migrants and refugees to the newly formed country. The demographics of the city also changed drastically. However, it still maintained a great cultural diversity as its new inhabitants arrived from all parts of the subcontinent. In 1958, the capital of Pakistan was shifted from Karachi to Rawalpindi and then to Islamabad in 1960. This marked the start of a long period of decline in the city, owing to a lack of governmental attention and development. The 1980s and 1990s saw an influx of refugees from the Afghan war into Karachi. Political tensions between the Mohajir 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 for the country 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 chunk 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
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, 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 Karachi Harbour 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.
The population and demographic distribution in Karachi has undergone numerous changes over the past 150 years. Non-governmental and international sources report that Karachi's current population is estimated to be 14.5 million — 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. Karachi is the one of the largest megacities in the world.
Before independence of Pakistan, Karachi had large communities of Muslims, Pashtuns, Muhajirs, Punjabis, Parsis, Hindus, Christians, Balochis, Gujaratis, and Sindhis. After independence of Pakistan, Muslim refugees settled in Karachi. Likewise, a large number of Hindus left the city for India. Predominantly Urdu speaking, known as Muhajirs formed the dominant ethnic group in Karachi. Muhajirs originated from different parts of India and brought with them their local cultures and cuisines, thus further adding to the already diverse mix of people that earlier inhabited Karachi. Currently, these older groups of people and continuing migration from different parts of Pakistan have contributed to a rich and diverse mix of people that live in Karachi. This has given the city a very metropolitan character, and has earned it the title as the Melting Pot of Pakistan.
The new government of the Pakistan Muslim League allotted most of the property left over by the departing Hindus and other groups to the Indian immigrants which had taken an active part in the creation of Pakistan, in order 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 earlier provincial 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.
Since 1979, due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and continued upheavals in their country, a steady stream of Afghan refugees have also taken up permanent residence in and around Karachi. These refugees now number more than one million and themselves consist of a number of ethnic groups: Pakhtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, and Turkmen. There are also hundreds of thousands of Bengalis, Arabs, Iranians, Filipinos, Arakani refugees (from Rakhine State in Myanmar) and African immigrants who are also settled in Karachi. Most refugee minorities of the city live in poor neighbourhoods.
Economy
Karachi is the financial capital of Pakistan; it accounts for the lion's share of GDP and revenue. It generates approximately 65% of the total national revenue (federal and provincial taxes, customs and surcharges) . On the Gross regional product (GRP) front, Sindh's share almost comprising 28% of the total GDP . Karachi produces about 42 percent of value added in large scale manufacturing. Recently in February 2007, World Bank has termed Karachi the most business-friendly city in Pakistan.
The city’s economy is large and diverse, Most of Pakistan's public and private banks have their head offices in Karachi. Nearly all of them are located at Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar Road (usually shortened to I.I. Chundrigar Road (Pakistan's Wall Street). 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 modelled after Karachi.
Karachi possesses a versatile industry. The economy of the city concentrates on Cement plants, corn mills and shipbuilding, in addition, automobile, steel, textiles, chemicals, refined oil, shoes, machines and food are produced in the city. The city gains 60 per cent of the tax receipts of the country and 70 per cent of the taxes of the province Sindh. The Per-head income of the city is about four to five times more highly than in the state average. Karachi is also a location of a nuclear power station & many large banks.
Besides being the banking and finance capital of the country, Karachi also hosts the offices of almost every major foreign multinational corporation as well as corporations based in Pakistan. It is home to the largest stock exchange in Pakistan: the Karachi Stock Exchange, which was considered by many economists to be one of the prime reasons for Pakistan's 8% GDP growth across 2005. The Port of Karachi and nearby Port Qasim are the two main seaports of Pakistan, and Jinnah International Airport is the largest & the busiest airport in Pakistan.
The recent trends involving ICTs (Information & Communications Technology), electronic media and call centres have become a significant part of Karachi's business hierarchy. 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.
Karachi is also the software outsourcing hub of Pakistan.
Many of Pakistan’s independent television and radio channels are headquartered in Karachi. Geo, ARY, Hum and AAJ TV are the most popular ones; some of the local stations include KTN, Sindh TV, Roshni News, and Dawn News.
Karachi has a huge industrial base, with several large industrial zones such as SITE, Korangi, Northen Bypass Industrial Zone, Bin Qasim and North Karachi located on the fringes of the main city. 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%. Real Estate industry growing rapidly in Karachi. There was huge constrution in progress which listed Pakistan as developed country.
Karachi has an Expo centre which hosts many regional and international exhibitions.
Toyota, Honda, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan and Suzuki Motor Company are located in Karachi. Among others, Millat Tractors, Adam Motor Company, HinoPak and Ghandhara Nissan Buses and Trucks manufacturing plants are also located in Karachi. The automobile manufacturing sector is one of the fastest growing industries in Pakistan, and a large vendor industry associated with it is also located principally in Karachi.
Development
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. The Karachi Port Trust is envisioning another Rs. 20 billion project, the Port Tower Complex, which will be 1,947 feet high, the height indicating the Independence of Pakistan (14 August 1947), and is slated for completion within six years. It is expected to comprise a hotel, a shopping centre, and an exhibition centre. The main feature of the venture is supposed to be a revolving restaurant, which will also contain a viewing gallery offering a panoramic view of the coastline and the city. The tower is planned to be located at the Clifton shoreline.
Some other mega projects that are proposed or under construction include: MCB Tower (completed), Port tower complex (proposed), Crescent Bay, Karachi (under construction), Karachi Waterfront (approved), Karachi Creek Marina (under construction), Dolmen Towers (under construction), I.T Tower (approved), Bundal Island (under construction), Buddo Island (approved), Square One Towers (under construction), Sign Tower (approved), Karachi Mass Transit System, Enshaa Towers (approved), Karachi FPCCI Tower (proposed) and, Karachi Waterfront (approved), IT Tower (approved), Dolmen Mall (Hyderi) (under construction), City Centre (proposed), Malir Expressway (proposed),Northen Bypass Industrial Area (under construction), Ama Tower (under construction)
Culture
:See also Cinema in Karachi
Karachi is home to some of Pakistan's important cultural institutions. The National Academy of Performing Arts, 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 Musical 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.
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
Karachi has well known educational institutes of international standards. Most universities of Karachi are considered to be amongst the premier educational institutions of Pakistan.
Sports
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 which 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.
The other popular sports are hockey, boxing, football, golf, table tennis, snooker, squash and horse racing. Other sports like Badminton, volleyball and basketball are also famous in school and colleges.
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 football (People's Football Stadium and the Polo Grounds). In 2005, the city hosted the SAFF Cup Football Tournament at the People's Football Stadium. 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, 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.
Sites of interest
Clifton Beach recently suffered a recent oil spill disaster, the beach has been cleaned and has floodlights installed for night time visitors. The government has embarked on the beautification of Karachi's coastline by building a Beach park in Clifton that will eventually be connected to the Jehangir Kothari parade and Bagh Ibn- Qasim. There are other beaches near the city such as Sandspit, Hawke's Bay, the French Beach, and Paradise Point (a sandstone rock promontory with a natural arch) that are frequented by visitors every day.
Shopping
Karachi is dotted with many shopping areas, large and small, attracting large crowds of shoppers in the evenings. Saddar, Gulf Shopping Mall, Bahadurabad, Tariq Road, Zamzama, Zaib-un-nissa Street (Elphinestone Street) Hyderi and Waterpump (Anarkali Bazar) are the most famous shopping areas in the city. One can find all sorts of clothing, garments, and fabrics in Karachi's bazaars, as well as a number of other items. The Saddar area in downtown Karachi is also home to countless large and small markets dealing from everyday household items to clothing and fabrics to electronics. Empress Market in Saddar is a large Victorian-era market, home to wholesalers of spices and other items. Saddar is also home to the Rainbow Centre, one of the largest hubs of pirated CDs in the world. Some other notable shopping areas include Paposh Market and Hydari.
Some of the major shopping malls in Karachi are:
Some of the main bazaars in Karachi that deserve a visit:
Transportation
The Muhammad Ali 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. It is one of the most advanced cit in karachi-faizan
Real Estate
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, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) 24,189 acres, Army Cantonment Board 18,596 acres, Pakistan Steel Mills 19,461 acres, Defence Housing Society 16,567 acres, Port Qasim 12,961 acres, Government of Pakistan 4,051 acres and Pakistan Railways 3,119 acres. In late 1990s the undeveloped land belonging to KDA was transferred to the Malir Development Authority (MDA) and Lyari Development Authority (LDA).
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.
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.
Due to high increase in car sales, Karachi faces a very severe problem of excessive traffic. It is estimated that about 4 million vehicles travel on the road in the evening and morning session, resulting in a high number of traffic accidents. The number of cars is more than the existing road infrastructure was designed for. This makes driving a considerable danger and causes loss of time due to traffic congestion. A number of projects are underway in Karachi to battle these problems, including construction of flyovers and underpasses at various choke points. A number of flyovers and underpasses have been opened for traffic since the last year or so, which has released the traffic jam to an extent but a number of projects are still under construction.
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.
A number of new parks have been developed and new trees are being planted in the sity ti improve the environment and reduce the pollution.
The 2000s economic boom of Karachi which brought higher living standards and new job opportunities, has also somewhat fired back at the city in certain ways, setting the standards at a new high in some fields and thus complicating job opportunities for some of the less skilled lower-income workers, who thrive on cottage industries - not all of which operate under legal or permissible practices. Another very notable change brought by the economic boom was the rapid monetary surge in landowning, making it very difficult for people who didn't already own land plots to purchase them in the city.
Shortage of clean drinking water and regular supply of electricity are not up to the needed standard. As in any developing country, Karachi has its share of problems and challenges. The peopleo f Karachi and the government is trying to improve the situation and a number of projects are under development in both sectors. The Karachi residents love their city and their country and are hardy people. They face these problems with courage and positive frame of mind. Now they can see the things are improving and moving in the right direction.
City Partnership
Karachi is a sister city with:
External links
;Official
;Others
;Related articles/news
See also
