Civil Lines ( ur, سول لاینز ) is an upmarket neighbourhood in
Karachi, Pakistan
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
that was where much of Karachi's British officials and local elite resided during the colonial era.
are located in the locality, including civic administration buildings, churches, mansions, and social clubs.
History
Civil Lines formed part of the "New Town" established during the colonial era, and developed shortly after the British gained control of Karachi from the
Talpurs in 1839. It was built to the east of the densely-populated "Native Town" (made up of
Mithadar
Mithadar ( ur, میٹھادر ) is one of the neighbourhoods of Saddar Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, and comprises the oldest part of Karachi that was once encircled by a wall. Mithadar and the adjacent community of Kharadar together form wha ...
and Jodia Bazaar), and was specifically designed to be spacious area, in contrast to the densely populated Native Town. It was primarily residential, and was where much of the British officials and local elite resided in Karachi during the colonial era.
To the north of Civil Lines was the European commercial district of
Saddar
Saddar ( ur, ), also known as Saddar Bazaar, is a neighbourhood in Karachi, Pakistan. The locality was developed as the primary commercial district during the period of British-era rule in Karachi. As a result, Saddar contains the large concentr ...
, and to the south the affluent seaside municipality of
Clifton.
Following independence, the residential patterns established by the British continued, with Karachi's wealthy residents establishing affluent neighbourhoods in the southern and eastern parts of the city,
with poorer areas in the north and west.
There are several ethnic groups including
Muhajirs,
Punjabis
The Punjabis ( Punjabi: ; ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ; romanised as Panjābīs), are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group associated with the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The ...
,
Sindhis
Sindhis ( sd, سنڌي Perso-Arabic: सिन्धी Devanagari; ) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group who speak the Sindhi language and are native to the province of Sindh in Pakistan. After the partition of British Indian empire in 1947, man ...
,
Kashmiris
Kashmiris are an Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group speaking the Kashmiri language, living mostly, but not exclusively, in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India.(a) (subscriptio ...
,
Seraikis,
Pakhtuns
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
,
Balochis
The Baloch or Baluch ( bal, بلۏچ, Balòc) are an Iranian people who live mainly in the Balochistan region, located at the southeasternmost edge of the Iranian plateau, encompassing the countries of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. There ar ...
,
Memons
The Memon are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group that originated in the Sindh region of Pakistan. The majority of the Memon people around the world follow the Hanafi fiqh of Sunni Islam. The Memon people have cultural similarities with the Khoja, Khat ...
,
Bohras and
Ismailis
Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (imām) to Ja'far al-Sa ...
.
Main areas
* PIDC
* Bagh-i-Quaid-i-Azam
* Chief Minister House
* Governor House
* Sindh Secretariat
* Shafi Court
* Hotel Metropolis
*Pearl Continental Hotel
*Move n Pick
*Marriot Hotel
*
Hijrat Colony Hijrat Colony ( ur, ھجرت کالونی ) is one of the neighbourhoods of Lyari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
There are several ethnic groups in Hijrat Colony including Muhajirs, Sindhis, Punjabis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochi ...
* Court of Law
* Dehli Colony
* Panjab Colony
* Hashmi Colony
* Kashmir Mujahid colony
* Frere Hall
* Artlary Madan
Gallery
File:Green lawns and Pakistani Flag at the magnificent Quaid e Azam House.jpg, Quaid-e-Azam House
The Quaid-e-Azam House, also known as Flagstaff House, is a house museum dedicated to the personal life of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, it was designed by British architect Moses Somake.
T ...
is the former home of Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...
File:Trinity church Karachi.JPG, Holy Trinity Cathedral
File:Victoria Museum (now Supreme Court of Pakistan Building).jpg, Victoria Museum building
File:Lost Heritage of the British Raj - Edward House.jpg, Edward House - one of several colonial-era commercial centres
File:The British Raj has come and gone , the monsoon remains.jpg, Victoria Mansion commercial building
References
External links
Karachi Website
Neighbourhoods of Karachi
Saddar Town
{{Karachi-geo-stub