Clifton, Karachi

Clifton

کلفٹن‬
Municipality
The famous Mohatta Palace is a museum in Clifton.
Coordinates: 24°49′N 67°02′E / 24.817°N 67.033°E / 24.817; 67.033Coordinates: 24°49′N 67°02′E / 24.817°N 67.033°E / 24.817; 67.033
Country  Pakistan
Province Sindh
City Karachi

Clifton (Urdu: کلفٹن‬‎, Sindhi: ڪليفٽن‎) is an affluent seaside municipality in Karachi, Pakistan.[1] Clifton remains one of the most affluent parts of the city, with some of Karachi’s most expensive real estate.[2] Clifton is home to several foreign consulates, while its commercial centres are amongst the most high-end in Pakistan, with a strong presence of international brands.

History

The shrine of Karachi’s patron saint, Abdullah Shah Ghazi, is located in Clifton.
Clifton’s Bahria Icon Tower, here pictured in March 2016, will be Pakistan’s tallest building.

The area around Clifton was a largely barren seashore until British rule, and was previously known to locals as "Hawa Bandar,"[3] or "Wind Port." Prior to the establishment of the area as a suburb of Karachi, Clifton's shoreline had been home to a shrine of 8th century Abdullah Shah Ghazi - widely regarded as the city's patron saint.[4] The shrine is immediately adjacent to the 150 year old Sri Ratneswar Mahadev Hindu Temple.

Clifton was initially developed in the late 19th century under British colonial rule, and initially served as the location for homes belonging to the city's British elite as an escape from the city. In the early 20th century, Parsis began moving to the area, and were soon followed by Muslims and Hindus.[2] The Jehangir Kothari Parade, bestowed to the city by Parsi businessman Seth Jehangir Hormusji Kothari, was built in Clifton in 1919-20.[2] The Mohatta Palace was built in Clifton in 1927 by a wealthy Hindu businessman, and now serves as a museum.

Clifton Bridge was built in the 1930s to connect the suburb to central Karachi. By the 1950s, camel owners began offering rides to local tourists on the beach. The area remained a residential area characterized by bungalows until the 1970s, when the area began to develop as one of Karachi's prime commercial and retail centres.[2]

Teen Talwar, the sign of Faith, Unity and Discipline

In 1973, Clifton's famous Three Sword and Two Sword monuments were erected as part of a beautification programme launched by Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and was built in the shape of his political parties election symbol at the time.[5] Despite a breakdown of law and order in Karachi in the 1980s and 1990s, Clifton was one of the localities in Karachi where real estate activity remained strong.[6]

Economy

Clifton's beachfront has seen the construction of several skyscrapers begin since 2015.

Clifton is emerging as another Central Business District of Karachi along with Saddar Town the main Central Business District of Karachi. Today it headquarters the corporate office of Pakistan's largest energy company, Pakistan State Oil (PSO)[7] as well several other large local and foreign companies such as Nestle Pakistan Limited,[8] Dolmen Group[9] and Muller and Philips[10] among other corporate and regional offices. Increased business activity and real estate construction boom[11] has resulted in Clifton altering the city skyline with the two tallest buildings in Pakistan namely The Bahria Icon Tower and the Ocean Towers now located here. It also houses the headquarters of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan [12]

Foreign missions

There are also several international consulates and high commission offices based in Clifton such as British Deputy High Commission,[13] The Chinese consulate,[14] The Italian Consulate,[15] The Russian Consulate [16] The Iranian Consulate,[17] Consulate General of Switzerland [18] as well as the Kuwaiti consulate[19] among others.

Educational institutions

Visitor attractions

Chinatown

Clifton has many Chinese restaurants and small businesses owned by the Chinese community in Pakistan. Many Pakistani Chinese families used to live in the PECHS and Tariq Road area but have since moved to the higher end Clifton and Defense areas. Many Chinese restaurants can be found in these areas.[25]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Saddar Town - Government of Karachi". Archived from the original on 13 June 2006.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Karachi won't be Karachi without the seat". Dawn. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  3. ↑ Haig, Malcom (1894). The Indus Delta Country: A Memoir, Chiefly on Its Ancient Geography and History. K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & Company, Limited. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Hasan, Arif (27 April 2014). "Karachi's Densification". Dawn. Retrieved 6 December 2016. The other site is the over 1,200-year-old tomb of Ghazi Abdullah Shah, a descendant of Imam Hasan. He has become the patron saint of Karachi and his urs is an important event for the city and its inhabitants.
  5. ↑ "Smokers' Corner: The swords of Karachi". Dawn. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  6. ↑ "Clifton apartments, the most promising property investment: Report". Archived from the original on 5 July 2014.
  7. ↑ "Head & Divisional Offices - Pakistan State Oil". www.psopk.com.
  8. ↑ "Offices & Factories". Nestle Pakistan.
  9. ↑ "Contact Us - Dolmen Group". www.dolmengroup.com.
  10. ↑ "Contact - Muller & Phipps". 10 May 2015.
  11. ↑ Wilkes, Tommy. "Karachi property prices soar after Pakistan crime crackdown".
  12. ↑ "The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan » Communication with Institute". www.icap.org.pk.
  13. ↑ "British Deputy High Commission Karachi - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk.
  14. ↑ "Chinese Consulate-General in Karachi (Pakistan)". china.org.cn.
  15. ↑ "Consolato - Karachi". www.conskarachi.esteri.it.
  16. ↑ "Russian Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan". www.russianconsulates.com.
  17. ↑ PakistanBusinessJournal.com. "Iran Consulate General, Karachi". PakistanBusinessJournal.com.
  18. ↑ "Consulate General of Switzerland in Karachi". www.eda.admin.ch.
  19. ↑ "Contact Us". 22 October 2008.
  20. ↑ "Home - Karachi Grammar School". KGS.
  21. ↑ "Ermine Schools - Ermine".
  22. ↑ "Head Start School System :: Official Website". www.hs.edu.pk.
  23. ↑ "Port Fountain - Projects - Karachi Port Trust". kpt.gov.pk.
  24. ↑ toot. "Bahria Town ICON - Bahria Town - Your Lifestyle Destination". bahriatown.com.
  25. ↑ "Karachi Chinatown". www.chinatownology.com.
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