Under its protection, a small town grew up, whose population had reached 13,000 by 1818.
Not much happened thereafter until 1st February 1839, when a British ship – the Wellesley – anchored off Manora. Two days later the little fort surrendered without a shot being fired on either side. The fickle finger of fate had suddenly shoved the sleepy back-water towards becoming a megalopolis, a world city.

WRESTED FROM THE SWAMPS: The settlement was remote and swampy, isolated by hundreds of miles of bleak desert in every direction but the sea. Nonetheless, within four years, the capital of Sind was transferred there and building began in earnest. By 1847 the Napier Barracks (now governinent offices) were completed. A census next year showed that the population had already reached 50,000.

The filth and squalor proliferated, everything became plastered with smelly black mud from the mangrove swamps, so a Municipal Committee was formed to levy funds and provide public utilities. In 1848 the municipality’s income was Rs.6,000; in 1849 it was Rs.18,000 and in 1850, Rs.27,000 – an increase reflecting the mind-boggling population explosion.

The committee laid out a whole network of roads, named after itself; in what is now Central Karachi. Preedy Street was named after the Revenue Commissioner; McLeod Road after the Collector of Customs and so on. Even in those days Karachi had a traffic problem. There were so many carts and carriages that the roads had to be paved with gravel chippings (an unheard of refinement, way ahead of London.)

The streets were watered daily by municipal bullock carts, to damp down the dust. As revenues increased, public works were undertaken on a grand scale. Frere Hall (a museum and library) was finished in 1865,
Mereweather Clock Tower in 1867, Boulton Market in 1883, Empress Market in 1889… The town turned into a city.

As people poured in, the drinking water problem, always difficult, became acute. There is no natural source of water in Karachi; all water consumed there must be fetched from somewhere else. Last century, water drawn from the Indus was brought by camel train to the cantonment. The wealthier merchants sent mule carts to the sweetwater springs in nearby Clifton.

Less fortunate people bought drinking water from municipal watercarriers until household pipes could be laid. Though provision proceeded apace, demand has always been ahead of supply. Karachi’s poor, in places like Korangi, are still waiting for safe drinking water. At the turn of the century a public tram service commenced from Saddar (the cantonment) to the new harbour at Kiamari.

The horses wore straw hats to avoid sunstroke and water for them was provided by the philanthropic “Drinking Trough Society of Karachi.” The troughs can still be seen here and there in the city. Modernising the harbour commenced in 1860, proceeding by fits and starts. By 1882 the Mereweather Pier was completed and pilgrims for Mecca no longer had to embark at Manora. By 1900, Karachi was one of the the biggest and best outfitted ports in the world.

Nonetheless, it continued to be troubled by the ague and the plague until the sanitation system was completed, just after the first World War. The war itself brought immense prosperity to Karachi’s merchants. Clifton’s promenade, pier and park were gifted to the city by Sir Jehangir H. Kothari OBE in 1919. The complex Cost Rs.300,000 to build, an absolute fortune in those days. Other public parks, including the Zoological Gardens on Garden Road were laid out at this time.

Even more new roads and buildings were constructed in the interwar period. As the population approached the quarter million mark, those who could moved out to the suburbs, building houses in a style best described as “South Asian Hollywood.” commuting arrived with a vengeance and one of the world’s first rapid transit systems was inaugurated.

Things to do in Karachi

Karachi, which lies on the southern coast of Pakistan, is a huge city and a thriving metropolis. With around 12 million people, this city provides plenty of things to see and do, and the chief danger may be being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of places to visit and things to see.

Karachi is located on the edge of the Arabian Sea, and enjoys a milder climate than you will find if you go inland. Summers are still hot, of course, since you are in the Middle East, and you should also be aware of the summer monsoon season. But whenever you go, you shouldn’t have to much trouble having a good time, as the vibrant city provides plenty to keep the traveler occupied and entertained.

The Mohatta Palace

This impressive building was built by Seth Shivrattan Mohatta, a businessman, in 1927. Its owner originally planned for it to be an opulent summer house. The Mohatta Palace was acquired in 1947 by the government of Pakistan for the ministry of Foreign Affairs, after which it was sealed off for over a decade, from 1980 to 1995. After the government of Sindh purchased it in 1995, the Mohatta was converted into a museum, and now is open for all to enjoy. The museum showcases the arts of Pakistan, from ancient calligraphy and textiles to modern arts and photography.

The Great Fiesta

The Great Fiesta is an outdoor water park, with pools and rides spread out over 55 acres of Karachi. Take the rainbow slide off of the Big Monster, or go down the 60 foot drop of the Free Fall slide. For a more relaxing ride, you can float down the Lazy River on a tube, and The Great Fiesta also has a kid’s pool, complete with its own mini-slides. Also on site is a quality restaurant serving Pakistani, Chinese, Barbecue and traditional Mughal food.

Wetland Centre

The World Wildlife Federation established this centre in 1996 to help conserve the natural wetlands of Pakistan. It is located west of Karachi, about 35 minutes away from the city by car. Located on theSandspit Beach, the Wetland Centre is a great place to see green turtles, flamingoes, Dalmatian Pelicans, gulls, terns and more. Also available is a half-day tour into the Mangrove forests, a natural envirorment of Pakistan. Tourists are shown the natural ecosystem of the forests and their inhabitants.