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Karachi
on the Eve of Partition On the eve of partition, in spatial
terms, Karachi consisted of four distinct areas. One, the old pre-British
city and its post-British suburbs which consisted of narrow winding lanes,
high densities and wholesale markets. These areas were occupied by the
"native" merchant classes and the proletariat that worked for
them. The area had a large number of mosques, dharmshalas and Hindu
temples. Collectively, this area was known as the "native" city
and celebrated Hindu and Muslim festivals with fervour. Two, Saddar
Bazaar, which was the Europeanised shopping area, consisting of wide roads
on a grid iron plan. This Bazaar also had residential areas dominated by
Goans, Parsis and Europeans, who owned much of the businesses in the
Bazaar. The Bazaar was dominated by churches, mission schools, community
halls and civic buildings owned and operated by trusts belonging to
Christians (local and Europeans) and Parsis. To the south-east of Saddar
Bazaar were the Civil Lines and military cantonment where the British
officers lived and worked and where their clubs were located. Saddar
Bazaar and its surrounding areas were known as the European city and here
New Year and Easter were celebrated and balls were held. Three, the area
between these two "cities" consisted of administrative and civic
buildings and educational institutions of higher learning. And four, the
area of Lyari and Machi Miani where the working classes lived. A diesel
operated tramway linked these areas to each other and to the port. The population of Karachi at that
time was 450,000 of which 61.2 per cent was Sindhi speaking, 6.3 per cent
was Urdu-Hindi speaking, 51 per cent was Hindu and 42 per cent was Muslim.
By 1951 all this had changed and Karachi’s population had increased to
1.137 million because of the influx of 600,000 refugees from India. In
1951 the Sindhi speaking population was 8.6 per cent, the Urdu speaking
population was 50 per cent, the Muslim population was 96 per cent and the
Hindu population was 2 per cent1. These changes have had a
major effect on the culture, politics and development of Karachi and its
relationship to the politics of Sindh and Pakistan. For an understanding
of the present situation in the city and the province, an understanding of
the repercussions of these demographic changes is essential. The
Physical and Social Repercussions of Migration on Karachi Karachi was made the capital of
Pakistan in 1947. It was separated from Sindh and was known as the Federal
Capital Area. Sindhi politicians and intellectuals objected to this
separation since it also involved the taking over by the federal
authorities of various civic buildings and institutions that previously
belonged to the province. This was the first Karachi-Sindh conflict. The 600,000 refugees who invaded
the city occupied all open land and the empty buildings that the fleeing
Hindus had left behind. These refugee settlements were multi-class and
multi-ethnic. Intellectuals, artists, poets, performers and the working
classes all lived together and in walking distance from Saddar Bazaar.
Also, walking distance from the Bazaar a university was established in
1952 and the federal secretariat was constructed adjacent to the Bazaar.
Embassies were established in the Civil Lines quarters, also walking
distance from the Bazaar. The older educational institutions and the
Courts of Law were already within walking distance of Saddar. Thus, within
four years of the creation of Pakistan, Saddar Bazaar became the centre of
the city with a cosmopolitan culture and Karachi became a high density
multi-class city. Saddar’s old institutional buildings began to be used
for civic functions, entertainment, musical programmes and professional
conferences. Bookshops, eating places, bars and billiard rooms and night
clubs developed. Politicians, students, diplomats, intellectuals and the
working classes all shared this space. Cinemas increased and film
festivals were held regularly. Note: Source : Arif Hasan, Akbar Zaidi , Muhammad Younus, "Understanding Karachi" A publication of URC
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