The Karachi Discussion!

[Sultan]

Karachi Joining The Club Of Modern Cities

As a metropolitan city alongwith social, economic and industrial hub of Pakistan, Karachi continues to attain the height where it has come at par with other mega cosmopolitan societies and has reached the level where it is about to join the club of the emerging modern cities around the globe.

Karachi which is known as mini-Pakistan has started giving an absolutely different look with the fast emerging high rises, wide and clean roads, attractive traffic intersections, over-head bridges and flyovers. In fact the entire city is virtually being rebuilt on the modern lines.

A preliminary look at the ongoing projects gives a feeling to the onlookers that Karachi will have the most attractive infrastructure in conformity to the other modern and industrial cities of the world within next two years, which would induce a home-like comforts to the foreign investors besides giving a sense of pride to the local investors.

The year 2003 and 2004 can be described as a historic chapter in Karachi's history during which over 156 huge projects of economic significance including Mass Transit Program, flyovers, bridges, elevated and underpass roads, water supply schemes, sewerage system, bypass and highways were launched.

"President General Pervez Musharraf is taking his personal interest in the development projects of Karachi," said Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, EDO City District Government Karachi, (CDGK) while talking to PAGE.

He said that one can foresee the future of Karachi in the shadows of the coming events. These worthwhile efforts for rebuilding infrastructure for the neglected Karachi also comprised of more than 24 small and medium dams being developed in the suburbs of Karachi with the financial and technical assistance of the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"No stone was left unturned to make the dream of a modern Karachi into a reality. Apart from WB, ADB, the multi-national companies doing business in Karachi were also approached to assist the city government in carrying out Ta'ameer-e-Karachi Program, Annual Development Plan and Drought Emergency Relief Assistance Program (DERAP) successfully. The government entities which are spending billions of rupees and extending assistance of their professional skill to accomplish the task are including Pakistan Steel Mills (PASMIC), Port Qasim Authority (PQA), Export Promotion Zone Authority (EPZA), Pakistan International Airlines, (PIA), National Logistic Cell (NLC), Military Land and Cantonment Boards (MLCB), Sindh Industrial Trade Estate (SITE), Pakistan Railway (PR), Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Defense Housing Authority (DHA), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Muslim Commercial Bank, (MCB), Ministry of Works, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and National Highway Authority.

On top of that, the CDGK has first time in the history of Karachi, awarded a Master Plan of Karachi project to a world class consultants group.

The master plan will meet all the requirements of growing population till 2030. For this purpose, the CDGK has established a separate department which is operating in close association of the highly professional consultants. Among these pre-qualified consultants 27 are of world repute, 44 "A" category contractors qualified for the projects.

Following are the ongoing projects under Ta'ameer-e-Karachi Program which would give new blood to the Karachi's infrastructure. FTC flyover at Shahra-e-Faisal is being constructed with the cost of Rs. 109.41 million and 94% work has been completed. Another flyover being constructed at the Shahra-e-Faisal to Shahra-e-Quaideen with the cost of Rs. 109.67 million and 52% work has been completed. Tenders have been invited for the construction of a biggest ever flyover at Sohrab Goth with the cost of Rs. 413.24 million. Moreover tenders for PIDC Bridge have been opened and are under scrutiny for the widening of the bridge. Tenders have been invited for FTC underpass. Hawksbay Road from Grex village to Nazim Office Gubaput is being constructed and widened with the cost of Rs. 21.26 million. Within a week or so tenders would be awarded for Karsaz flyover at the main Shahra-e-Faisal. Mauripur Road, Allama Rashid, Turabi Road, Nazimabad Road from Dawood Chowrangi to Gulberg Chowrangi, Malir and Landhi are also being constructed with the cost of Rs. 48.00 million. Shahra-e-Orangi which connects the larges residential township of the Asia to the center of city is also being constructed with the cost of Rs. 173.00 million Nishtar, "Road 5000" in Surjani Town, Jahangir Road, Siddique Wahab Road, Rashid Minhas Road, Korangi Road are being constructed and improved within the city with the cost of Rs. 960.060 million.

One of the most important flyover connecting the hub of business center I. I. Chundrigar Road to Molvi Tameezuddin Khan Road PIDC is also underway. Whereas a projet of a signal free flyover from Metropole intersection to FTC flyover has been awarded to the AA Associate for designing.

Designing process is now on final touches of overpass/underpass PIDC intersection on Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road. There are 19 other flyovers in Malir, Orangi Township, Mahmoodabad, Chanesar Goth.

There are 723 more schemes from 18 Union councils of roads, water management, sewerage and treatment plants. These projects will cost Rs. 10710.080 million.

SITE union council has proposed 46 projects, Shah Faisal town has 19, Saddar Town 21, Orangi Town 24, North Nazimabad 28, Malir 24, North Karachi 61, Lyari 89, Liaquatabad 16, Landhi 89, Korangi 61, Keamari 85, Jamshed Town 31, Gulberg 33, Gadap 7, Bin Qasim 18 and Baldia Township 62.

http://www.pakistaneconomist.com/page/c-issue/i&e5.htm

[zees]

Karachi, that was declared the capital of the state upon creation of Pakistan, used to be neat, clean, quite and a place of interest for tourists. There was a time when the downtown of Karachi like Sadar, Tower and then Bohri Bazar reflected a wonderful image of an international city as the market places were found to be busy with foreign tourists. Even Iranis, Bahais, Chinese and Afghanis were running the businesses side by side with locals. The environment, transport, roads and other basic necessities were incredible. The neat and clean parks, dirt-free water, uninterrupted electricity, wide gleaming roads, excellent public transport facilities like trams, beautifully decorated buggies, old style American & European taxis, colourful double-decker buses had kept this city at par with any modern city in the world. The friendly and pleasant shop-keepers, drivers and workers communicating in local and English languages found serving locals and tourists in a well professional manner. Even weather used to be cloudy like Europe. No political fighting, no ethnic violence, no sectarian killings, no bomb blasts, no looting and shooting. Thus, Karachi used to be a best and beautiful place to live in Asia.

Today, Karachi possesses a depressing disposition in the world. No international celebrity, artists or players willing to visit Karachi. A city that produced world-class superstar cricketers like Hanif brothers, Asif Iqbal, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miadad, Mohsin Khan is now thrusting to have a single game. Most of the Western teams refuse to play in Karachi.

As the time passed by; the other metro and cosmopolitan cities in the region like Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur - which at one stage following Karachi are now far ahead of Karachi. Today, these cities possess all sorts of modern facilities for their citizens and visitors are the central attraction for local and foreign investors and are the symbols of pride for their respective states, whereas Karachi instead of moving forward went backward.

The current ruler of Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in fact belongs to this unfortunate city. So, one expects that President Musharraf would understand and would be aware of all sorts of ignorance, misconducts and problems this city has seen in the last 4 decades.

[HasanB]

Originally Posted by zees

Karachi, that was declared the capital of the state upon creation of Pakistan, used to be neat, clean, quite and a place of interest for tourists. There was a time when the downtown of Karachi like Sadar, Tower and then Bohri Bazar reflected a wonderful image of an international city as the market places were found to be busy with foreign tourists. Even Iranis, Bahais, Chinese and Afghanis were running the businesses side by side with locals. The environment, transport, roads and other basic necessities were incredible. The neat and clean parks, dirt-free water, uninterrupted electricity, wide gleaming roads, excellent public transport facilities like trams, beautifully decorated buggies, old style American & European taxis, colourful double-decker buses had kept this city at par with any modern city in the world. The friendly and pleasant shop-keepers, drivers and workers communicating in local and English languages found serving locals and tourists in a well professional manner. Even weather used to be cloudy like Europe. No political fighting, no ethnic violence, no sectarian killings, no bomb blasts, no looting and shooting. Thus, Karachi used to be a best and beautiful place to live in Asia.

Today, Karachi possesses a depressing disposition in the world. No international celebrity, artists or players willing to visit Karachi. A city that produced world-class superstar cricketers like Hanif brothers, Asif Iqbal, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miadad, Mohsin Khan is now thrusting to have a single game. Most of the Western teams refuse to play in Karachi.

As the time passed by; the other metro and cosmopolitan cities in the region like Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur - which at one stage following Karachi are now far ahead of Karachi. Today, these cities possess all sorts of modern facilities for their citizens and visitors are the central attraction for local and foreign investors and are the symbols of pride for their respective states, whereas Karachi instead of moving forward went backward.

The current ruler of Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in fact belongs to this unfortunate city. So, one expects that President Musharraf would understand and would be aware of all sorts of ignorance, misconducts and problems this city has seen in the last 4 decades.

that is indeed a rather sad story. on the flipside, things are very slowly but surely moving in the right direction now i think.

[pakboy]

if zia didnt become priesident karachi would have been were honk kong is now.

[Aziz M]

Zees, where's the rest of the article?

I read the same article (I think it was printed in an Israeli Daily) and it also mentioned that in the past alcohol was freely available in the top hotels as well lap dancers.

Aziz

[HasanB]

Originally Posted by Aziz M

Zees, where's the rest of the article?

I read the same article (I think it was printed in an Israeli Daily) and it also mentioned that in the past alcohol was freely available in the top hotels as well lap dancers.

Aziz

alcohol is still freely available in the top hotels ... dont think the lap dancers ever were.

[pakboy]

alcohol is freely availble in top stores in karachi and lahore now is well.

[Unregistered]

alchohol is freely available just abt every where, if you're a determined man. Over 48 people died in Multan within a week from consuming poisonous alcohol, for cryin' out loud. And they were all un-skilled poor labour. What does that tell you?

[Aziz M]

Well the original article clearly states that lapdancers or alike used to attend hotels.

Aziz

[zees]

Originally Posted by Aziz M

Well the original article clearly states that lapdancers or alike used to attend hotels.

Well, Aziz first of all this article is not published in israel daily and in this article there is nothing such written about Alcohol and lap dancers, and i didn't wrote the whole article because i dont think it is important here for this topic. Click here for complete articlehttp://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/3820

[cntower]

Historic Karachi

The area that now consists of Karachi was originally a group of small villages including Kalachi-jo-Kun and the fort of Manora. Any history of Karachi prior to the 19th century is sketchy. It is said that the city called Krokola from which one of Alexander the Great's admirals sailed at the end of his conquests was the same as Karachi. When Muhammad bin Qasim came to India in the year 712 he captured the city of Debul. It has been said that Debal was the ancestral village of present day Karachi. However, this has neither been proven or disproven.

It was in 1729 that Kolachi-jo-Goth was transformed from a fishing village to a trading post when it was selected as a port for trade with Muscat and Bahrain. In the following years a fort was built and cannons brought in from Muscat were mounted on it. The fort had two doorways, one facing the sea called the Khara Darwaza or Brackish Gate and one facing the River Lyari called the Meetha Darwaza or Sweet Gate. In 1795 the city passed from the Khan of Kalat to the Talpur rulers of Sindh.

Karachi gained in position as a major port and rapidly developed as an important city. The importance of the Indus and Sindh led the British to capture the city on the 3rd of February 1839 starting an era of foreign rule and colonial subjugation that was to end in 1947. A famous quote about Karachi attributed to Charles Napier is "Would that I could come again to see you in your grandeur!". Napier's quote proved almost prophetic as it was under the British raj that Karachi would grow as its harbour was developed. On the 10th of September 1857 the 21st Native Infantry stationed in Karachi declared allegiance to the Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and joined the cause of the War of Independence of 1857. The uprising was defeated by the British who reasserted their control within a matter of days.

In 1876, the founder of Pakistan Muhammed Ali Jinnah was born in the city, and he would later be buried there. By this time Karachi was a city with railroads, churches, paved streets, courts and many commercial centres as well as a magnificent harbour built by the British. Many of the buildings were built in classical British colonial style, contrasting significantly with the "Mughal Gothic" of Lahore. Many of these old buildings exist today and provide interesting destinations for visitors.

Karachi continued to grow in size as well as importance due to its position as a major port. A railroad connected Karachi to the rest of British India in the 1880s. In 1899 Karachi was said to be the largest wheat exporting port in the East (Feldman 1970:57). In 1911 when the capital was shifted to Delhi, Karachi became closer to being a Gateway to India. Karachi was declared the capital of the newly formed Sindh province in 1936, chosen over the traditional capital of Hyderabad.

In 1947, Karachi was made the capital of the new nation of Pakistan. At that time Karachi was a city of only 400,000 people, and its growth accelerated as a result of its new status. Being the capital, Karachi became a focal point for the new nation and this added to its status as a cultural centre in this part of the world. Although the capital later moved to Rawalpindi and then Islamabad, Karachi remains the economic centre of Pakistan, accounting for a large portion of the GNP of the nation and a large chunk of the nations white collar workers.


DJ Science College, Karachi (1930)


Keamari, Karachi (1930)


Elphinstone Street, Karachi (1930)


Frere Hall, Karachi (1918)


Karachi Port Trust (1918)


Clifton, Karachi (1930)


Elphinstone Street, Karachi (1930)


Gandhi Gardens, Karachi (1930)


City Tram, Karachi (1930)


Karachi Airport (1930)


Sindh Club, Karachi (1930)


Bohree Bazaar, Karachi (1918)


Empress Market, Karachi (1918)


Star Cinema House, Karachi (1918)


Independence Day (August 14th 1947)


Manora Barracks, Karachi (Date Not Known)

[pak2000]

An interesting link - A great city as its always been.

[cntower]

I wish they had kept the tram alive...

[FK]

I wish they kept it like this! I mean seriously look at it, perfect roads, perfect transport system .. recretional facilities ETC.

Damn Karachi was good.

[huit]

< sigh > I miss those days

[cntower]

Karachi Project Websites

http://www.karachicity.gov.pk (City of Karachi)
http://www.dhakarachi.com.pk (Defence Housing)
http://www.creekcity.net (Creek City)

[cntower]

Karachi was going to become something big...what happened?

[UnitedPakistan]

yeah but Karachi had a much smaller population then

[UnitedPakistan]

Then



Now

[cntower]

Add this to KARACHI!