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Friday March 29, 2024

‘Karachi’s diversity is its strength’

By our correspondents
January 08, 2018

After a successful operation against terrorists and law-breakers, Karachi has become a peaceful city once again and is the economic backbone of the country, Mayor Waseem Akhtar told visiting foreign journalists on Saturday.

Speaking through a video link to the participants of the International Media Conference at a reception held in their honour by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in Gulshan-e-Jinnah, Akhtar welcomed the visitors and said that he was pleased to know that journalists from the world over were visiting and staying in his city.

The conference organised by the Pakistan Media Development Foundation brought journalists from China, USA, England, Italy, Uganda, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia and Afghanistan to the city.

The mayor told the foreign journalists that with a population of over 20 million, Karachi is the largest city of the country and its economic hub. “The second important feature of the city is its diversity in people and walks of life,” he said. “People belonging to different religions, sects, ethnicities and racial background are the part of its social life.”

He added that like all megacities in the world, Karachi has also seen its share of ups of downs as well as unrest for the past few decades, however, after the security operation, it has returned to the peaceful state it used to be in before.

Apprising them of the city’s history, Akhtar said Karachi was developed as a mercantile city by the British government in the 19th century. At the time of Pakistan’s creation, it was a small city with only 400 thousand dwellers. It was named the capital, however, a number of issues surfaced after Independence, he said.

“The first one was the pressure of population due to the migration of Muslims from the Muslim minority provinces of India. As a result, its population increased rapidly and touched the figure of one million in the census of 1951,” Akhtar said. “After the start of industrialisation, the flow of working class and manpower started from all over the country. Now, the population has reached well over 20 million.”

The mayor told the visitors that Karachi had a rich history and many sites of historical significance. He urged them to visit the KMC building, Frere Hall, Merewether Tower, NJV School, Empress Market and Jinnah’s mausoleum.