- Clifton, Karachi
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Tin Talwar Chowrangi (three Swords roundabout), Clifton
Clifton (Urdu: کلفٹن ) is one of the neighbourhoods of Saddar Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.[1]
Contents
Demographics
There are several ethnic groups in Clifton including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, Tanoli, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim. The population of Saddar Town is estimated to be nearly one million.
Location
Clifton lies in the southern area of Saddar Town. Clifton has been reputed to be a residential place of the rich and famous people of Karachi since the independence of Pakistan although this claim is disputed by many. South of Clifton lies Clifton Beach, Pakistan's most popular and polluted beach.
Sites of interest and landmarks
- Shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi
- Jehangir Kothari Parade (1922), along with the Katrak Bandstand and Lady Lloyd Pier. The Pier enabled people to walk towards the sea, but over the years the sea has retreated.
- Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim
- Mohatta Palace was the last residence of sisters Fatima Jinnah and Shireen Jinnah. It has now been converted into a museum.
- Constructed in the 1970s, the Do (two) and Teen (three) Talwar (swords) monuments on main Clifton Road are important landmarks.
- Boat Basin Park
- Park Towers
Houses
- 70 Clifton is a famous residence, belonging to late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, President of Pakistan in the early 1970s which was later used as a sub-jail for his daughter Benazir Bhutto, who later became a prime minister of Pakistan in the late eighties and in the mid-nineties for a second time. Mir Murtaza Bhutto, the elder son of Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, also lived there and was assassinated near the main gate of 70 Clifton Road in the late 1990s.
Educational Institutes
Located in Clifton are many schools of great repute. Karachi Grammar School also known as KGS is located between Boat Basin and Bilawal Roundabout. Avicenna School is located in Block 2 Clifton. Convent of Jesus and Mary also known as CJM is an all girls school located near 2 swords roundabout. The Lyceum School is also located near 2 swords roundabout. The International School also known as TIS is Pakistan's first and only school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme.
SZABIST is one of Karachi's leading Universities offering a variety of degrees.
Nixor College is also located in Karachi Defense area, and is one of the leading Alevel institutes.
Consulates
A number of consulates are located in this areas. These are:
- Consulate of Germany
- Consulate of Islamic Republic of Iran
- Consulate of Italy
- Consulate of Russia
- Deputy High Commission of the United Kingdom
Shopping centres
Clifton is dotted with numerous shopping malls most of which are frequently crowded with shoppers throughout the year.
Located near Teen Talwar, the Gulf Shopping Mall is one of the many famous malls located in the town. It mostly specializes in clothing for women and traditional shoes and bangles. Located right next to it is Uzma Center which also provides and caters the same variety of items. Ashiana shopping mall is located between the KPT underpass and Punjab roundabout and offers the same items as the above mentioned malls.
Near Ashiana is The Forum, a recently built modern mall and office building, is a two-storey mall which caters to a small but wealthy percentage of the population due to it housing many international clothing and accessories chains such as NIKE, ADIDAS, DIOR, etc. Park Towers, also known as The Point, is one of the most sophisticated malls of Clifton. Opposite the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, this mall provides a range of amenities, including brand outlets, international chain restaurants, supermarkets, mobile shops, ice cream parlours and fashion line clothing shops. It has escalators and 2 small capsule elevators. Local brands like Sputnik Footwear, Amir Adnan, Khaadi and English Boot House are also present here.
Clifton Road has become a commercial centre, known for its availability of high-quality goods. Wealthy people from all around Karachi and Pakistan come to shop here while vacationing.
Karachi Port Trust (KPT) underpass
Another addition on the main Clifton Road is the KPT underpass, which is located between the two monuments mentioned above. The underpass was completed in 2006 with the main purpose of giving drivers a non-stop pass through. It has created several problems:
- No right turns are possible.
- Public transport vehicles cannot access it due to the low height; thus, those using buses or coaches suffer long, circuitous travel routes.
- In the monsoon season, the underpass was often flooded although with the recent addition of better pumps and storm drains in all of Clifton the danger of it flooding has fallen.
Places of worship
The freedom of religious practice enjoyed by different sects in Karachi is demonstrated by the fact that the Ismaili Jamat Khana is located in open view on Khayban-E-Roomi. There is also a rather large Hindu temple at Clifton Promenade that is quite visible due to its large red flag. The temple is also holy to Karachi's Sikh community, which numbers around 2000 to 3000. There are numerous mosques in the area as well.
Main areas of Clifton
- Boat Basin
- G.O.R.
- Frere Town
- Tikri Colony
- Railway Quarters
- Kehkashan
- Clifton Blocks 1-9
- Old Clifton
- Reti Lane
- Shah Rasool Colony
See also
- Clifton Beach
- Seaview
- Clifton Cantonment
- Shah Rasool Colony
References
External links
Categories:- Neighbourhoods of Karachi
- Chinatowns in Asia
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