Karachi is considered to be a financial nerve centre of Pakistan. The city is an attractive blend of the old and the new with the narrow lanes of the old city reflecting the virility of the past and the wide roads showing its current prosperity.
Karachi is not a very old habitation. It started taking shape only in the 18th century. Up till then, it was a sleepy fishing village known as Kolachi-jo-Goth.
Karachi houses the birthplace of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah known as Wazir Mansion, a balconied, three-storied building located in Kharadar, one of the oldest residential areas of the city. Karachi is also the final resting place of the great leader.
Karachi is full of places of interest that bear historical connotations, including the Bagh-e-Jinnah, Empress Market, Merewether Tower, Sindh High Court, etc.
Karachi also has its patron saint interred in the Mausoleum of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, the most revered of the Sufi saints.
Located 16 km north of Karachi is the shrine of Saint Mangho Pir standing below a mosque built on a rocky hillock. There are numerous legends connected with the saint and the crocodiles inhabiting a shallow pool near it. Devotees of the saint often make offerings of sacrificial meat to them.
Karachi has a rich presence of museums and art galleries reflecting the artistic ventures of its residents. Its most popular sightseeing attractions are:
i. Quaid-e-Azam House (Flag Staff House); ii. National Museum of Pakistan; iii. Maritime Naval Museum; iv. Pakistan Air Force Museum; v. The Fayazee Rehamin Art Gallery; vi. Reference Library of Fine Art (Aiwan-e-Rifat).
Karachi is rich in culinary delights offering a variety of Pakistani, oriental and western cuisines. Karachi is especially famous for its fresh seafood. Prawns from Karachi are sent towards upcountry.
Karachi is, indeed, a shopping paradise comprising traditional Eastern markets and modern shopping malls.
The city’s well-stocked markets and bazaars offer an endless variety of goods including indigenous handicrafts particularly rugs and carpets of rare designs and beauty.
Traditional gold can be found at the Sarafa Bazaar, local goods — at the Zainab Market, handicrafts from onyx, wood, and brass, as well as leather goods at the Saddar Co-operative Market and Bohri Bazaar.
Modern shopping centres are located on the other side of the city, including Clifton, Zaib-un-Nisa Street, Abdullah Haroon Road, and Mohammad Ali Jinnah Road.
Karachi is made fanciful due to its access to the Arabian Sea. Clifton Beach is a popular seaside venue located on the far corners of the south of the city. There is also an amusement park with a bowling alley and an aquarium.
Karachi is very rich in sea beaches. Sandspit, Paradise Point and Hawkes Bay serve as attractive propositions to visit and enjoy.