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THE BRITISH ERA

 

    On February 1st, 1839, a British ship, the Wellesley, anchored off the island of Manora. By 3rd February, the fort at Kolachi had surrendered without firing a single shot and this small fishing village crossed a turning point in its life. Three years later in 1843, upon the annexation of  Sindh into the British empire, the regional capital was transferred from Hyderabad to Karachi by Charles Napier, the first governor of Sindh. The British made the town an Army Headquarters and military cantonments were established outside the town limits. A municipal committee was formed to provide basic facilities and municipal limits were expanded to 74 square miles to allow for expansion, even though the town occupied only 4 square miles. Napier also started a water supply to the town from Malir and established a basic police and judicial system.

 

Charles Napier, conquerer of Sindh

 

An early picture of rifle practice near Karachi

 

   
Napier Barracks - constructed in 1847

 

Barracks at Manora

 

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EARLY DAYS