S.Y.A
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2008
- Messages
- 4,058
- Reaction score
- 2
- Country
- Location
I found some old maps of Karachi over the internet, and decided to share them here. They depict Karachi's transformation, from pre-partition to now. Also, included is a KWSB map of planning of North Nazimabad Town.
A map of an era when no one even knew if Karachi existed or not, it is not even marked on the map.
A pre-partition map. Keamari was actually an island, the sea reached till Jahangir Kothari parade and Gizri. Certainly no DHA(which incidentally was developed by cutting down mangroves and reclaiming land from the sea.) There is nothing beyond Soldier bazaar, and old Race Course(both areas are now in the center of the city).
1953 map of Karachi, North nazimabad forms the northern limit, SITE the western limit and Jail and PECHS, the Eastern and North Eastern limits. Still no DHA. South eastern limit is Gizri. Shahrah E Faisal is Drigh road, there is no development along side it, just Drigh cantonment(re-named Faisal Cantt.) Even taht consisted of empty areas.
Areas of Gulshan e Iqbal, Bahadurabad, Gulistan e Jauhar, KDA-1, Karsaz, North Karachi etc were not developed until later. There used to be an Aero club where Gulshan e Iqbal is situated right now, with a runway and hangars, where citizens can learn to fly, or take recreational rides(according to my grand father).
Although recovered in the 2000s, the map most probably dates back to the time that North Nazimabad town was planned. Here we can see land set aside for Parks and Hospitals. Unfortunately that is not how it took place. The area marked for Bagh e Babar has been taken over by MQM, and a colony for the families of their "shuhada" has been established there illegally. The place marked for Hospital north of Baghe Babar has been turned into a illegal squatter settlement and is a source of criminal activities in the area. Going along the same road, there are more corner plots set aside for Parks, but a very small park exists there, apartment buildings have been built on rest of the land illegally. The area marked for flats was taken over by the rangers and flats for their own people and a commercial area established there.
This the analysis of just one block of one town in Karachi, same thing has happened all over the city. A city that was properly planned has been turned into a dumpster due the greed of all of the parties involved(rangers included).
Karachi had a proper natural drainage system, drained by Lyari naddi and Malir naddi, each fed by smaller drains or nalaas. Properly utilization of this system may never caused the problems Karachi faces now in terms of sewage disposal. Most of the nalaas have been blocked due to mis-management or encroachments over their land, by not just squatter settlements, but also by govt sanctioned housing societies.
A map of an era when no one even knew if Karachi existed or not, it is not even marked on the map.
A pre-partition map. Keamari was actually an island, the sea reached till Jahangir Kothari parade and Gizri. Certainly no DHA(which incidentally was developed by cutting down mangroves and reclaiming land from the sea.) There is nothing beyond Soldier bazaar, and old Race Course(both areas are now in the center of the city).
1953 map of Karachi, North nazimabad forms the northern limit, SITE the western limit and Jail and PECHS, the Eastern and North Eastern limits. Still no DHA. South eastern limit is Gizri. Shahrah E Faisal is Drigh road, there is no development along side it, just Drigh cantonment(re-named Faisal Cantt.) Even taht consisted of empty areas.
Areas of Gulshan e Iqbal, Bahadurabad, Gulistan e Jauhar, KDA-1, Karsaz, North Karachi etc were not developed until later. There used to be an Aero club where Gulshan e Iqbal is situated right now, with a runway and hangars, where citizens can learn to fly, or take recreational rides(according to my grand father).
Although recovered in the 2000s, the map most probably dates back to the time that North Nazimabad town was planned. Here we can see land set aside for Parks and Hospitals. Unfortunately that is not how it took place. The area marked for Bagh e Babar has been taken over by MQM, and a colony for the families of their "shuhada" has been established there illegally. The place marked for Hospital north of Baghe Babar has been turned into a illegal squatter settlement and is a source of criminal activities in the area. Going along the same road, there are more corner plots set aside for Parks, but a very small park exists there, apartment buildings have been built on rest of the land illegally. The area marked for flats was taken over by the rangers and flats for their own people and a commercial area established there.
This the analysis of just one block of one town in Karachi, same thing has happened all over the city. A city that was properly planned has been turned into a dumpster due the greed of all of the parties involved(rangers included).
Karachi had a proper natural drainage system, drained by Lyari naddi and Malir naddi, each fed by smaller drains or nalaas. Properly utilization of this system may never caused the problems Karachi faces now in terms of sewage disposal. Most of the nalaas have been blocked due to mis-management or encroachments over their land, by not just squatter settlements, but also by govt sanctioned housing societies.
Last edited:
