Karachi (Urdu: کراچی) is an Arabian Sea port city located at the southern tip of the Indus River Valley. It's the largest city of Pakistan and symbolizes a Mega City and Boom Town all in one, being rapidly developing only in the second half of the 20th century to become the largest city proper and the 5th largest urban agglomeration in the world, with 28+ million people living within the area.
Unlike other big cities to the north, which had history dating back to antiquity, Karachi as a settlement only really popped up in the early 18th century, when a local Baloch chief built a fortress in the natural harbor, naming it Kalochi after a woman whose son's exploits were well-known within the locals. A century later, The Raj took over and repurposed it as a true port city, with the creation of colonial buildings that now form the primary component of heritage sites, communications and transportation being swiftly brought over (Karachi was the location of The Raj's first telegraph mission to the UK), and chic housing estates on the southeastern beach of Clifton.
However, Karachi only truly achieved its spotlight during and after the Partition of 1947. While it's not a center of independence movements or scenes of brutal inter-religious conflicts characterizing the northern region of Punjab, it did become the leading destination for Muslim refugees/Muhajirs fleeing India. The population ballooned during The '40s, up to 160% according to official estimates; approximately 500,000 Muhajirs were known to have immigrated to the city by 1951. While these refugees were oftentimes poor landless peasants, there were educated professionals as well, and these people helped bring about the growth of the city into a model for booming metropolis throughout Asia.
Regrettably, the boom of economic growth and urbanization also led to a boom in crime. While Karachi has been a generous receiver of refugees from conflict areas, including Afghanistan, it suffered from the spillover of the Soviet War of The '80s, as Pakistan was a major backer for the militants fighting the Soviets. Kidnappings, murders, gang clashes, and other horrible things became almost daily news, not to mention Right-Wing Militia Fanatic creeping up all over the place terrorizing natives and newcomers alike. There's also the attendant problem of ethnic unrest that has never been resolved since it first appeared during the Partition. Despite being indigenous, the native Sindhis got the short end of the stick since the arrival of the Muhajirs (who are mainly represented by the socialist semi-militant Muttahida Qaumi Movement), Punjabis, and Pashtuns, who got to be the top brass and worked in the best jobs. Karachi was rated as the fourth most violent city in the world in 2014, but since the crackdown on crime by Pakistani Rangers since 2013, crimes had significantly decreased, with its ranking being lowered to 31 in 2016.
In terms of tourism, Karachi doesn't offer much, other than some colonial and Indo-Mughal architecture that sometimes dot the Old City. In the minds of Pakistanis, Karachi is a suffocating palisades of skyscrapers with a terrible streak of breathable air and traffic jams; they would prefer tourists to visit cities further inland of the valley, like Lahore, Rawalpindi, or even Islamabad, which in spite of being even more artificial at least offers a breath of fresh air and Scenery Porn. Despite this, its status as the most cosmopolitan city of Pakistan does have charms to some.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's founding father, was born and died in the city. His mausoleum is also located within the city limits. For this reason, the city is also known as the City of the Quaid, an Affectionate Nickname that Jinnah is mostly known as.
Karachi in media
- A Mighty Heart
- The Bourne Legacy
- The city is name-dropped, though not depicted, in The Living Daylights. As Bond is preparing to drive away in a Jeep with Bond Girl Kara Milovy after he foils the villains' plot, he tells her "I know a great restaurant in Karachi."
