Karachi Harbour

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Karachi Harbour
PK Manora near Karachi asv2020-02 img9.jpg
A view of the harbour with the Port of Karachi visible
Karachi, Pakistan 2010-01-08.jpg
Karachi Transport Network.png
Red pog.svg
Karachi Harbour
Location Karachi, Pakistan
Coordinates 24°48′55.2″N66°58′08.4″E / 24.815333°N 66.969000°E / 24.815333; 66.969000 Coordinates: 24°48′55.2″N66°58′08.4″E / 24.815333°N 66.969000°E / 24.815333; 66.969000
River sources Lyari River
Ocean/sea sources Arabian Sea
Basin  countriesPakistan
Islands Baba and Bhit Islands
Settlements Baba and Bhit villages
Karachi
Kakapir
Manora
Shamspir

Karachi Harbour is a narrow bay and river estuary located west of the Indus River Delta in Karachi, Pakistan. The harbour lies between the Lyari River delta and Chinna Creek to the north, and the Arabian Sea to the south. Since 1886, [1] sections of the harbour have been improved to form the Port of Karachi - Pakistan's busiest seaport. [2]

Contents

Geography

The harbour is divided into an Upper and Lower Harbour, which together have a length of 11.5 kilometers. [1] The Upper Harbour has been developed into the Port of Karachi, and is located between the East and West Wharfs of the port, [3] where it then goes on eastward to form a series of backwaters with thick mangrove forests known as Chinna Creek. Along the western edge of the West Wharf is a small local fishing harbour known as the Karachi Fish Harbour, built in 1958, [1] and the delta of the Lyari River. The Lower Harbour, also known as Baba Channel, stretches from Manora and Keamari to the port, [3] and serves as a shipping channel between the port and the Arabian Sea.

History

Nearchus, who commanded Alexander the Great's naval fleet, mentioned a hilly island by the name of Morontobara and an adjacent flat island named Bibakta, which colonial historians identified as Karachi's Manora and Keamari (or Clifton), respectively, based on Greek descriptions. [4] [5] [6] Both areas were island until well into the colonial era, when silting in led to them being connected to the mainland. [7]

In 711 CE, Muhammad bin Qasim conquered the Sindh and Indus Valley and the port of Debal, from where he launched his forces further into the Indus Valley in 712. [8] Some have identified the port with Karachi, though some argue the location was somewhere between Karachi and the nearby city of Thatta. [9] [10]

Under Mirza Ghazi Beg, the Mughal administrator of Sindh, the development of coastal Sindh and the Indus River Delta was encouraged. Under his rule, fortifications in the region acted as a bulwark against Portuguese incursions into Sindh. Karachi is also mentioned in the sixteenth century Turkish treatise Mir'ât ül Memâlik (Mirror of Countries, 1557) by the Ottoman captain Seydi Ali Reis, which warns sailors about whirlpools and advises them to seek safety in "Kaurashi" harbour if they found themselves drifting dangerously. [11] [12] [13]

In 1728 heavy rains silted up the harbour at Kharak, forcing merchants to relocate to the area of modern Karachi. 19th century Karachi historian Seth Naomal Hotchand recorded that a small settlement of 20–25 huts existed along the Karachi Harbour that was known as Dibro, which was situated along a pool of water known as Kolachi-jo-Kun. [14] In 1725, a band of Balochi settlers from Makran and Kalat had settled in the hamlet after fleeing droughts and tribal feuds. [15] A new settlement was built in 1729 at the site of Dibro, which came to be known as Kolachi-jo-Goth ("The village of Kolachi"), [16] which grew into the modern city. The gate facing the sea was called "Kharadar" (salt gate), and the gate facing the Lyari River [17] was called "Mithadar" (sweet gate). From 1729 to 1783 the strategic location of Kolachi saw the town change hands several times between the Khans of Kalat and the rulers of Sind. In 1783, after two prolonged sieges the town fell to the Talpur Mirs of Sind, who constructed a fort mounted with cannons on Manora island at the harbour entrance. [18]

The British East India Company captured Karachi on 3 February 1839 after HMS Wellesley opened fire and quickly destroyed Manora Fort, which guarded Karachi Harbour at Manora Point. [19] Karachi was recognized for its strategic importance, prompting the British to establish the Port of Karachi in 1854. Karachi rapidly became a transportation hub for British India owing to newly built port and rail infrastructure, as well as the increase in agricultural exports from the opening of productive tracts of newly irrigated land in Punjab and interior Sindh. [20] At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Karachi Harbour became an important cotton-exporting port, [21] with Indus Steam Flotilla and Orient Inland Steam Navigation Company established to transport cotton from interior Sindh to the harbour, and onwards to textile mills in England. [22]

With the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Karachi's position as a major port increased even further. [21] In 1878, the British Raj connected Karachi with the network of British India's vast railway system. In 1887, Karachi Port underwent radical improvements with connection to the railways, along with expansion and dredging of the port, and construction of a breakwater. [21]

Island settlements

Baba and Bhit Islands

Baba and Bhit are two small and densely populated islands located in the Karachi Harbor, near Karachi. [23] The approximate area of the islands is 4 km² and the population is about 25,000.[ citation needed ] The islands are connected to Karachi via a ferry service to Keamari. [24]

Kakapir

Kakapir is a fishing village in Karachi Harbour, 15 kilometers west of Karachi. [25] It is located at the western end of Sandspit Beach, near Hawke's Bay Beach. Mauripur lies to its north. Kakapir is named for a saint, whose shrine is located in the village, who reportedly was known for his brown hair. [26] The village is reportedly about 100 years old. [25] Residents of the village were originally from the Mithadar and Kharadar neighborhoods of Karachi, who were settled by the British in Shams Pir during the construction of the Port of Karachi. [26] Those residents migrated further west and established Kakapir. [26]

Shams Pir

Shams Pir is an island village near Karachi, Pakistan, along the western end of Karachi Harbour, close to Sandspit Beach and Kakapir. [27] The village is bordered by thick Mangrove forests which grow in the harbor. [28]

Related Research Articles

Karachi Metropolis in Sindh, Pakistan

Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan and the twelfth-largest city in the world. It is the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh. Ranked as a beta-global city, it is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre, with an estimated GDP of $164 billion (PPP) as of 2019. Karachi is Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city, linguistically, ethnically, and religiously diverse, as well as one of Pakistan's most secular and socially liberal cities. With its location on the Arabian Sea, Karachi serves as a transport hub, and is home to Pakistan's two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Bin Qasim, as well as Pakistan's busiest airport, the Jinnah International Airport.

Lyari River

Lyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Manora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long. As a seasonal river it carries the collected water after the rains in the catchment area.

Indus River Delta

The Indus River Delta, forms where the Indus River flows into the Arabian Sea, mostly in the southern Sindh province of Pakistan with a small portion in the Kutch Region of the western tip of India. The delta covers an area of about 41,440 km2, and is approximately 210 km (130 mi) across where it meets the sea. The active part of the delta is 6,000 km2 in area (2,300 sq mi). The climate is arid, the region only receives between 25 and 50 centimetres of rainfall in a normal year. The delta is home to the largest arid mangrove forests in the world, as well as many birds, fish and the Indus dolphin.

Keamari Town, Karachi Constituent Town of Karachi in Sindh, Pakistan

Keamari Town lies in the southern part of the city that was named after the historic seaside municipality of Keamari. Kemari Town was formed in 2001 as part of The Local Government Ordinance 2001, and was subdivided into 11 union councils. The town system was disbanded in 2011, and Kemari Town was re-organized as part of Karachi West District in 2015.

Bhutta Village is a village in Karachi, Pakistan, which is near Keamari and the Karachi Port.

Keamari (locality) Locality in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Keamari is a neighbourhood in Karachi, Pakistan. Keamari was originally an independent settlement that was built on a sandy ridge on the eastern side of Karachi Harbour.

Mithadar 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 what is regarded as the original core of Karachi.

Port of Karachi Deep-water seaport in Sindh, Pakistan

The Port of Karachi is one of South Asia's largest and busiest deep-water seaports, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo located in Karachi, Pakistan. It is located on the Karachi Harbour, between Kiamari, Manora, and Kakapir, and close to Karachi's main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the port places it in close proximity to major shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. The administration of the port is carried out by the Karachi Port Trust, which was established in 1857.

Baba and Bhit Islands are two small and densely populated islands located in the Karachi Harbour, in Karachi, Pakistan. The approximate area of the islands is 4 km² and the population is about 25,000. The islands are connected to Karachi via a ferry service to Keamari.

Debal

Debal was an ancient port located near modern Karachi, Pakistan. It is adjacent to the nearby Manora Island and was administered by Mansura, and later Thatta.

Kolachi (port)

Kolachi was also a port located at modern Karachi and the old name of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. According to legends, it was a port developed when an old fisherwoman by the name of Mai Kolachi settled near the delta of the Indus River to start a community. One of the main Flyover (overpass) in Karachi has been named after Mai Kolachi. This settlement was also known as "Kolachi jo Goth" or "the village of the Kolachi".

History of Karachi

The area of Karachi in Sindh, Karachi has a natural harbor and has been used as fishing port by local fisherman belonging to Sindhi tribes since [[prehistoryArchaeological excavations have uncovered a period going back to Indus valley civilization which shows the importance of the port since the Bronze Age. Port city of Banbhore was established before Christian era which served as an important trade hub in the region, the port was recorded by various names by the Greeks such as Krokola, Morontobara port, and Barbarikon, a sea port of the Indo-Greek Bactrian kingdom. and Ramya according to some Greek texts. The Arabs knew it as the port of Debal, from where Muhammad bin Qasim led his conquering force into Sindh in AD 712. Lahari Bandar or Lari Bandar succeeded Debal as a major port of the Indus it was located close to Banbhore, in modern Karachi. The first modern port city near Manora Island as established during British colonial Raj in the late 19th century.

Transport in Karachi

The city of Karachi is a major transport hub of Pakistan. The Karachi port and airport are major gateways to Pakistan. The Karachi Railway stations transports the major part of Pakistan's trade with other countries.

Morontobara was an ancient name for Manora Island, located In Karachi, Pakistan.

Shams Pir is an island village near Karachi, Pakistan, along the western end of Karachi Harbour, close to Sandspit Beach and Kakapir. It is administered as part of the Karachi West district. Approximately 5,000 people now live on the island. The village is bordered by thick Mangrove forests which grow in the harbor.

Kakapir is a fishing village in Karachi Harbour, 15 kilometers to the west of Karachi, Pakistan. It is located at the western end of Sandspit Beach, near Hawke's Bay Beach. Mauripur lies to its north. Kakapir is named for a saint, whose shrine is located in the village, who reportedly was known for his brown hair. "Kaka" is the local word for brown, while "Pir" means saint. The village is reportedly about 100 years old. Residents of the village were originally from the Mithadar and Kharadar neighborhoods of Karachi, who were settled by the British in Shams Pir during the construction of the Port of Karachi. Those residents migrated further west and established Kakapir.

Manora, Karachi Municipality in Sindh, Pakistan

Manora or Manoro is a small peninsula that forms a protective barrier between Karachi Harbour to the north and the Arabian Sea to the south. Manora was formerly an island, but due to silting is now connected to the mainland by a 12 kilometer long natural sandbridge known as Sandspit. The entrance to Karachi was once guarded against pirate raids by the Manora Fort built in the 1790s, which was later upgraded by the British, and then the Pakistan Navy.

Karachi West District District in Sindh, Pakistan

Karachi West District is an administrative district of Karachi Division in Sindh, Pakistan. It is located in the western part of Karachi.

Kharadar Neighbourhood in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Kharadar is a neighbourhood in District South of Karachi, Pakistan. Kharadar and the adjacent communities of Mithadar and Jodia Bazaar together form what is regarded as the original core of Karachi.

Demographic history of Karachi

The Demographic history of Karachi of Sindh, Pakistan. The city of Karachi grew from a small fishing village to a megacity in last 175 years.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ali, Mahvash Haider, ed. (2016). A Handbook on Pakistan's Coastal and Marine Resources (PDF). Mangroves for the Future, Pakistan. ISBN   978-969-643-019-3.
  2. ↑ Sánchez-Triana, Ernesto; Afzal, Javaid; Biller, Dan; Malik, Sohail (2013-07-18). Greening Growth in Pakistan through Transport Sector Reforms: A Strategic Environmental, Poverty, and Social Assessment. World Bank Publications. p. 33. ISBN   978-0-8213-9930-9.
  3. 1 2 Notice to Mariners. Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center. 2001.
  4. ↑ Vincent, William (1797). The Voyage of Nearchus from the Indus to the Euphrates, Collected from the Original Journal Preserved by Arrian ...: Containing an Account of the First Navigation Attempted by Europeans in the Indian Ocean. T. Cadell jun. and W. Davies. p. 180.
  5. ↑ Houtsma, M. Th (1993). E. J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913–1936. BRILL. ISBN   978-90-04-09790-2.
  6. ↑ Lambrick, H. T. (1975). Sind: A General Introduction. Sindhi Adabi Board.
  7. ↑ Pithawalla, Maneck B. (1950). An Introduction to Karachi: Its Environs and Hinterland. Times Press.
  8. ↑ Archived 24 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Cunningham, Alexander (28 March 2013). The Ancient Geography of India: The Buddhist Period, Including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-1-108-05645-8.
  10. ↑ Elliot, Henry Miers (1853). Appendix to the Arabs in Sind, Vol.III, Part 1, of the Historians of India [sic]. S. Solomon & Company. p. 222.
  11. ↑ Bloom, Jonathan; Blair, Sheila (2009). Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art & Architecture: Three-Volume Set. OUP USA. ISBN   978-0-19-530991-1.
  12. ↑ Baillie, Alexander Francis (1890). Kurrachee: (Karachi) Past, Present and Future. Thacker, Spink.
  13. ↑ Balocu, Nabī Bak̲h̲shu K̲h̲ānu (2002). Sindh, Studies Historical. Pakistan Study Centre, University of Sindh. ISBN   978-969-8135-13-3.
  14. ↑ Haider, Azimusshan (1974). History of Karachi: With Special Reference to Educational, Demographical, and Commercial Developments, 1839–1900. Haider.
  15. ↑ Gayer, Laurent (2014). Karachi: Ordered Disorder and the Struggle for the City. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-935444-3.
  16. ↑ Askari, Sabiah (2015). Studies on Karachi: Papers Presented at the Karachi Conference 2013. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4438-7744-2 . Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  17. ↑ 5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Lyari (info about Lyari River) hamaralyari.com website, Retrieved 5 January 2018
  18. ↑ "Ecologically destructive projects on Karachi coast". Dawn Group of Newspapers. 27 November 2006. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  19. ↑ Neill, John Martin Bladen (1846). Recollections of Four Years' Service in the East with H.M. Fortieth Regiment . Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  20. ↑ Blood, Peter R. (1996). Pakistan: A Country Study. DIANE Publishing. p. 96. ISBN   978-0-7881-3631-3.
  21. 1 2 3 Heitzman, James (31 March 2008). The City in South Asia . Routledge. p.  129. ISBN   978-1-134-28963-9.
  22. ↑ merchant.), S. H. Clarke (East India (1858). The Scinde Railway and Indus Flotilla Companies: Their Futility and Hollowness Demonstrated, Also an Exposure of the Delusion which Exists Respecting the Five Per Cent Guarantee, which Insures No Dividend Whatever to the Respective Shareholders. Richardson Brothers.
  23. ↑ Kiamari Town - Government of Karachi Archived 2006-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ Hasan, Shazia (2013-06-27). "Overloaded boats continue to ferry people between city and islands". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  25. 1 2 "Empowering Fisherfolk Women". www.mangrovesforthefuture.org. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  26. 1 2 3 "Study on Knowledge, Attitudes, & Practices of Fisherfolk Communities" (PDF). World Wildlife Foundation. 2005.
  27. ↑ "Shams Pir Island gets". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  28. ↑ "KARACHI: Mangroves disappearing off Shamspir Island". DAWN.COM. 2006-12-14. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
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