Navigation:
THE 1940's and ONWARDS
The two major events of the 1940's were the second World War and the freedom struggle for Indian Independence. In 1947, independence was finally granted to the subcontinent and Pakistan came into being as a new country made by the partition of British India. Karachi became the capital city and premier port of the newly formed state. It was the most built up city in Pakistan at the time and accommodated a huge influx of migrants to the newly formed state, which made it expand at a rapid rate. Pakistan's first civil and military bureaucracy was housed in the city and Karachi served as the capital city of Pakistan until 1958 when a new capital was made at Islamabad.
Afterwards, the city went through a period of governmental neglect and ethnic strife that greatly marred its character. Also, rampant commercialization, rejection of the past, lack of knowledge and disregard of its heritage largely resulted in the loss of its past in the mists of time. The city took on a very different character but the spirit of Karachi always lived on. Currently, Karachi is Pakistan's largest city and its financial and economic center. It still retains a diverse mix of people, its inhabitants hailing from all corners of Pakistan, India and other countries. The Karachi port continues to handle a major volume of Pakistani and Central Asian trade and the city that was once a village still keeps on growing at a phenomenal rate accommodating people well past the capacity of its creaking infrastructure. Currently it is counted as one of the world's biggest cities. Fortunately, after a long period of neglect, the City District Government of Karachi under the direction of President Musharraf has finally embarked on an ambitious plan to revitalize Karachi, and it holds big promise for the 'City by the Sea' in the future.
Karachi Airport in 1943 during World War II
Testament to Karachi's growth: Views of Bundar Road (now M. A. Jinnah Rd.)
second picture is from 1953
Independence Day celebrations in 1947
