After my first two reviews about Islamabad and Peshawar, two cities of Pakistan, now comes this third review of another beautiful city of Pakistan. The city whose review I am adding to my list of reviews is none other that Karachi. The review is written with the same perspective of tourists with a little history of the city. Hope you will like it as well. So.....
KARACHI
’’One day she will be the Queen of the East’’, said Charles Napier a hundred year ago about Karachi. At that time it was a small village.
Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan and the capital of Sindh province, situated on the eastern coast of the Arabian Sea and to the north-west of the Indus River. Its population is nearly 8 million consisting people of different origins.
From 1947 to 1959, Karachi served as Pakistan’s capital. The headquarters of Pakistan Navy is also situated in this big city. Karachi is the most busiest city with great activity in the trade, industry, education and other fields of life. With the passage of time the city has gone through a tremendous change and development. With enormous rise in the population, several residential colonies have emerged in Karachi accommodating the influx of people from other provinces as well. Due to this reason Karachi quickly expanded within a short span of time.
Karachi is the centre of education and other cultural and social activities. A great number of prestigious educational institutions are functioning here. It is an ultra-modern city, with most modern cinemas, recreational clubs, hotels and restaurants. There are beautiful beaches at Sandspit, Sommiani and Hawks Bay. These places are excellent picnic resorts with their beautiful surroundings and provide an atmosphere to rest and relax. The opportunities for yachting, water-skiing and cruising are also available here.
The presence of huge and tall buildings has given Karachi a grandeur and majestic appearance.
Karachi has a state-of-the-art international airport where flights from all over the world land and take off. It has thus become the ’’Gateway to Pakistan’’. Karachi airport is one of the busiest in Asia. An old settlement, Karachi was developed as a port and trading center by Hindu merchants in the early 18th cent. In 1843 it passed to the British, who made it the seat of the Sind government.
Karachi is a seaport, which is the source of conducting international trade and business. Steady improvements in harbor facilities made Karachi a leading Indian port by the late 19th cent. while agricultural development of the hinterland gave it a large export trade.
Karachi is considered as commercial and industrial capital of Pakistan. It has played a vital and dominant role in erecting Pakistan¹s economy on firm basis. Karachi is a Cosmopolitan city with people coming from different parts of the world. It is a mingling of old and new, east and west. It has absorbed the charm and beauty of modern and conventional way of life.
Karachi enjoys great importance because the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born here. He received his early education in this great city. Quaid-i-Azam is buried here. The Quaid¹s mausoleum is the most important monument in Karachi. It stands in the heart of the city with its splendor combining classical oriental architecture with modern way of designing. His birthplace, the Wazir Mansion, has been preserved as a national archive.