Karachi
(Urdu: ßÑÇì, Sindhi: ڪÑÇí) is the largest city in Pakistan and is the provincial capital of Sindh province. Located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, north-west of the Indus River Delta, the megacity is the largest city, original capital and cultural, economical, philantropic, educational, and political hub, as well as the largest port of the country.
As Pakistan's economic capital, its leading economic sectors include finance, business services, transportation, media, television production, publishing, software production, medical research, education and tourism.
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 (ÑæÔäیæŸ ˜Ç ÔÀÑ) for its liveliness and the City of The Quaid (ÔÀÑö ÞÇÆÏ), for not only being both the birth and death place of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah the founder of Pakistan but also his home after 1947. Residents and those born in the city are called "Karachiites".
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.
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Karachi temperatures |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Avg. high (in °C) |
25 |
26 |
29 |
35 |
35-40 |
35-40 |
33 |
31 |
31 |
38-42 |
31 |
27 |
|
Avg. low (in °C) |
13 |
14 |
19 |
23 |
26 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
30 |
18 |
14 |
Government
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 designed a new devolution ;' financial resources and responsibilities. This plan abolished the earlier second-level division and merged the five districts of Karachi into a Karachi District. When the devolution plan was implemented in 2001, this district officially became a City District, with the City District Government of Karachi handling its government. Karachi now has a three-tier federated system, formed by:
The City District Government (CDG)
Town Municipal Administrations
Union Council Administrations
The City-District of Karachi is divided into eighteen towns 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 CDG.
The towns are sub-divided into 178 localities governed by elected union councils (UC's), which are the core element of the local government system. Each UC is a body 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 local body elections of 2005, Syed Mustafa Kamal was elected City Nazim of Karachi
to succeed Naimatullah Khan & Nasreen Jalil was elected as the City Naib Nazim. Mustafa Kamal was the provincial minister for information technology in Sindh before assuming office as the city's mayor. His predecessor, Naimatullah Khan was chosen as one of the best mayors in Asia.[1] 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.[2]
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Economy
Karachi is the financial capital of Pakistan; it accounts for the lion's share of GDP and revenue. It generates approximately 65% (as of 1999) of the total national revenue (federal and provincial taxes, customs and surcharges) [2]. On the Gross regional product (GRP) front, Sindh's share almost comprising 28% of the total GDP [3]. 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.[4]
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 modeled 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 higher 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
DevelopmentThere 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 (593 m) high, the height indicating the Independence of Pakistan (14 August 1947), and is slated for completion within six years.[7]HYPERLINK \l "_note-dawn"[8] 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), Sugarland City (approved), 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, IT Tower (approved), Dolmen Mall (Hyderi) (under construction), City Centre (proposed), Malir Expressway (proposed),Northern Bypass Industrial Area (under construction).
[
edit] CultureSee also Cinema in Karachi
FPRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=Mohatta Palace"
Mohatta Palace
Karachi is home to some of Pakistan's important cultural institutions. The National Academy of Performing Arts, [9] 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.[citation needed]
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 educational institutions 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.
Karachi is also host to the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), one of the most sought after business school of Pakistan. IBA, founded in 1955, is the oldest business school outside North America. Pakistan's Prime Minister, Mr. Shaukat Aziz, is an MBA from this institute.
