Transport in Karachi

Karachi is a major transport hub of Pakistan. The Karachi port and airport are major gateways to Pakistan. The Karachi Railway stations transports the major part of Pakistan's trade with other countries.

Local transport

Minibuses, coaches and large buses (all with a separate compartment for women) typically provide the cheapest way to commute across the city. Rickshaws, chinchis and taxis cater to the travelling needs of upper middle class, while radio cabs or white cabs are frequently used by upper class travellers. This makes it possible for people without their own vehicles to access remote areas of the city.

Auto Rickshaws

A Pakistani auto rickshaw in Karachi

Taxi cabs

Karachi has three types of taxis: Yellow Taxi, Black Cabs and the Taxi Cab companies. These cab companies are;

Metro Cab (Corolla) Radio Cab (Nhhn) White Cab (Corolla) Red Top (Liana) Pearl Cab (Corolla) Star Cab (Corolla) Pak Cab These cabs are mostly used in airports.

Buses

The people of Karachi use minibuses, coaches, and large buses. They are often cramped and filled to the brim. They are often operated by reckless drivers who do not follow the rules of the road, endangering many. In 2008, the city mayor ordered fifty CNG buses for usage instead of the old minibuses with no fixed routes.

Cars

Many wealthier Karachiites own private cars, Suzuki's Mehran is the most commonly used car followed by Toyota's Corolla.

Railways

Karachi is linked by rail to the rest of the country by the Pakistan Railways. The Karachi City Station and Karachi Cantonment Railway Station are the city's two major railway stations. The railway system handles a large amount of freight to and from the Karachi port apart from providing passenger services to people travelling up country. Plans are underway to extend the intra-city railway system to play a part in the city's mass transit through Karachi Circular Railway system. Currently, primarily motorists and minibuses handle commuter traffic, but there are plans to construct a light-rail based mass transit system in the city to decongest the roads and provide quick service to commuters.

A number of urban tramway systems used to operate in Karachi before 1960's.

Streets, Motorways and highways

Lyari Expressway

Lyari Expressway is a highway currently under construction along the Lyari River in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Lyari Expressway's North bound section is currently under construction, While the South bound corridor is now completed and it was inaugurated for traffic. This toll highway is designed to relieve congestion in the city of Karachi. It will be a 16.5 km expressway that will consist of four lanes on both sides, with two interchanges, five overpasses and five underpasses. Moreover, two lanes each will be constructed on either bank of the Lyari River. Once completed, traffic volume is estimated at 34,000 vehicles. The expressway will have toll plazas at four locations.

Karachi Northern Bypass

Karachi Northern Bypass (M10) begins north of Karachi at the end of Mohammad Ali Jinnah Road, near the junction of the M9. It then continues north for a few kilometers before turning west, where it forms an interchange with the N25. After this interchange it eventually turns south back towards Karachi and merges onto the KPT Flyover at Karachi Port.

Super Highway

The Super Highway (M9) begins north of Karachi at the end of Mohammad Ali Jinnah Road, near junction of Karachi Northern Bypass (also known as M10). It is connected with the Karachi Northern Bypass with a trumpet interchange. Then it continues out of the city. From there it continues on a northeast track and forms a junction with the N5 via a link road. Once out of Karachi it enters the desert of Thar. The motorway ends outside of Hyderabad, in the suburban town of Kotri with a coverleaf interchange. From there it merges onto the N5.

Makran Coastal Highway

The Makran Coastal Highway connect Karachi with Gwadar. Makran Coastal Highway is located primarily in Balochistan, Pakistan. It follows the Arabian Sea coast from Karachi to Gwadar. It is also referred to as National Highway 10 or N10.

Pipelines

White Oil Pipeline

The White Oil Pipeline (White Oil Pipeline Project (WOP)) carries imported oil from Port Qasim to Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO) at Mehmood Kot, Multan, Punjab

Sui Gas Pipeline

The Sui Gas Pipeline carries natural gas from Sui gas fields in Sui, Balochitan to Karachi, Sindh.

Ports and harbours

The largest shipping ports in Pakistan are the Port of Karachi and the nearby Port Qasim. These seaports have modern facilities and not only handle trade for Pakistan, but also serve as ports for Afghanistan and the land-locked Central Asian countries. Plans have been announced for new passenger facilities at the Port of Karachi.

Port of Karachi

The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo (25 million tons per annum). The port is located between the towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the heart of old Karachi, the main business district, and several industrial areas. The geographic position of Karachi places the port close to major shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. The administration of the port is carried out by the Karachi Port Trust which was established in the nineteenth century.

Port Qasim

The Port Muhammad Bin Qasim is a port in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan on the coastline of the Arabian Sea. It was constructed in the late 1970s to relieve congestion at Karachi Port. The port was developed close to the Pakistan Steel Mills complex near the Indus River delta. Port Qasim's residential area is a neighbourhood of Bin Qasim Town of Karachi.

Air transport

The Jinnah International Airport of Karachi is the largest and busiest airport of the country. It handles 10 million passengers a year. The airport also receives the largest number of foreign airlines, a total of 27 airlines fly to Jinnah International predominantly from the Middle East and South East Asia. All of Pakistan's airlines use Karachi as their primary hub including Pakistan International Airlines, airblue and Shaheen Air.

The city's old airport terminals are now used for Hajj flights, cargo facilities, and ceremonial visits from heads of state. U.S. Coalition forces used the old terminals for their logistic supply operations as well. The city also has two other airstrips used primarily by the armed forces.

Altaf Hussain, الطاف حسین

Altaf Hussain, الطاف حسین, born 17 September 1953 in Karachi is the founder and leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM). The MQM emerged as the third largest political party in the national assembly of Pakistan during 1988 and 1990 elections. The MQM secured representation in the parliamentary elections held in the northern areas of Pakistan comprising Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan. Since 1992 he has lived in the United Kingdom in self exile after surviving an assassination attempt in Pakistan.

Education

By 1969 Altaf Hussain got his early education from Govt Comprehensive School, Azizabad No. 8 Karachi and had completed his matriculation from Government Boys School at Jail Road Karachi and Intermediate (Pre-Medical/Science) from City College, Karachi. After that he went on to complete his Bachelors of Science from Islamia Science College (Karachi) in 1974 apart from completing his Bachelor of Pharmacy by 1979 from the University of Karachi. After completion of his Bachelor of Pharmacy he later enrolled for his Master’s degree.

Early career

Hussain began his career as a trainee at Karachi’s Seventh Day Advent Hospital. At the same time, he also worked for a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Between 1970 and 1971, Hussain joined the National Service Cadet Scheme. Soon afterwards, he also joined the Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army.

Political Involvement

Altaf Hussain was politically active from a very young age. While attending Karachi University, on June 11, 1978, Hussain founded the “All Pakistan Mohajir Student Organization” (APMSO). The APMSO was formed as a student rights group campaigning for the rights of Muhajir students at Karachi University. It later gave birth to the Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM), which transformed into Muttahida Qaumi Movement in 1997. Before creating the APMSO, Hussain served as General Secretary and later as President of the National Student’s Action Committee at Karachi University.

The Pakistani government launched Operation Clean-up in 1992 and sent the military into Karachi to crack down on the MQM. Hussain escaped Karachi one month before the operation began because of an attack on his life on December 21, 1991. Hussain fled to London and applied for political asylum.

Ideology/Philosophy

Altaf Hussain and his party, MQM, follow the philosophy of Realism and Practicalism.

Talking about his party MQM, Hussain stated that “We stand for equal rights and opportunities for all irrespective of colour, creed, cast, sect, gender, ethnicity or religion. We strive tirelessly for tolerance, religious or otherwise and oppose fanaticism, terrorism and violence in all their manifestations.” 

In the last few years, Hussain has warned against the growing influence of the Taliban in Karachi. Hussain stated that the “advocates of Jihad, a medieval concept to tame the infidel, are wantonly killing followers of the faith as they level places of worship. In 2008, he stated that a “well planned conspiracy to intensify sectarian violence in the city, was being hatched.

Views on Pak-Indo Relations

Hussain has stated on numerous occasions that the “division of the subcontinent was the biggest blunder in the history of mankind.” He believes that the partition divided the Muslims of the subcontinent and made them weaker as a result. Hussain favors peace between India and Pakistan and stated in his 2004 address in India that “India and Pakistan being the two largest in the region, need to demonstrate magnanimity and the necessary political wisdom and desire to truly seek peace. The Confidence Building Measures contemplated to bring the people of both countries closer must be implemented vigorously. On the issue of Kashmir, Hussain stated that Indo-Pak dialogue should be allowed to “proceed on the basis of mutual adjustment and agreement…[and] It should be clear to all concerned that there can be no military solution to any of the contentious issues, let alone the issue of Kashmir.

National Reconciliation Ordinance

In November 2009, Hussain was a beneficiary when the Government of Pakistan enabled a legal act (in December 2009 it was repealed) called National Reconciliation Ordinance which granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of crimes between 1986 and October 1999, the time between two occurrences of Martial law.

Background

Altaf Hussain’s parents were immigrants from India. Hussain’s grand-father, Mohammad Mufti Ramazan, was Grand Mufti of the town of Agra, UP, India and his maternal grand-father Haji Hafiz Raheem Bhux was a reputed religious scholar in India.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement, متحدہ قومی موومنٹ

Muttahida Qaumi Movement, متحدہ قومی موومنٹ, United National Movement generally known as MQM, is the 3rd largest political party and the largest liberal and secular political party of Pakistan. It is generally known as a party which holds immense mobilizing potential in province of Sindh. The student organization, All Pakistan Muhajir Student Organization (APMSO), was founded in 1978 by Altaf Hussain which subsequently gave birth to the Muhajir Quami Movement in 1984. The organization maintains liberal, progressive and secular stances on many political and social issues.

From 1992 to 1999, the MQM was the alleged target of the Pakistan Army's Operation Clean-up leaving thousands of Urdu-speaking civilians dead.

In 1997, the MQM officially removed the term Muhajir (which denotes the party's roots of Urdu-speaking Muslims) from its name, and replaced it with Muttahida ("United"). The MQM is one of few socially liberal political parties in Pakistan and organized the largest rallies in Pakistan in protest of the actions of al-Qaeda on September 11, 2001 demonstrating sympathy with the victims of the terrorist attacks.

Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is the second largest party in Sindh and the traditionally the third largest in the country, however it currently holds fourth highest number of seats in the National Assembly while maintaining its second position in the Sindh Assembly.

Founding

The MQM is the third largest political party in Pakistan, and the dominant party in Karachi. It was founded in 1984 by Altaf Hussain. At the time of inception, MQM represented only the Muhajir community but by after several years, the Muhajir Quami Movement turned its name into Muttahida Quami Movement, thus welcoming all ethnic groups of Pakistan into its folds.

The first political organization of Muhajirs, called All Pakistan Muhajir Student Organization (APMSO), was founded on 11 June 1978 by Altaf Hussain in Karachi University. On March 18, 1984, the APMSO evolved into a proper political organization—Muhajir Qaumi Movement. It was launched to protect the Muhajir community who perceived themselves as the victims of discrimination and repression by the quota system that gave preference to certain ethnicities for admissions in educational institutions and employment in civil services. In 1997, MQM replaced the term Muhajir in its name with Muttahida (Urdu for "United").

Late 1986–1990

In its early years, MQM drew enormous crowds, the epitome of which was the rally of August 8, 1986 at Nishtar Park, Karachi. Three years into its existence, MQM won the November 1987 local body elections in Karachi and Hyderabad and had several mayors win unopposed. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won the highest number of seats in the general election of 1988 and formed a coalition government in the Sindh Province with the help of MQM, which then had a larger mandate in urban Sindh in comparison to PPP whose majority of support came from rural areas of Sindh. A 59-point agreement, called the Karachi Accord, was signed which included statements about protection of the democratic system and political rights, urban development goals, and creating objective criteria for admission to universities and colleges. Within a few months of the agreement, differences surfaced and MQM ministers in the Sindh Cabinet resigned because the agreement was not implemented. Thus, the alliance broke up in October 1989 and MQM joined hands with PPP's opponents. During these times MQM a made mark not only for violence and intimidation of political opponents, but also for public benefit initiatives. Khidmat-e-Khalq Committee, a social welfare initiative, was founded in 1978 which in 1998 transformed into Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF).

1990–1999

In the elections of October 1990, MQM emerged as the third strongest party in the country. This time, it made its alliance with Pakistan Muslim League (PML) to establish a provincial government in Sindh whereas PML formed the federal government.

During these times, small factions of MQM separated themselves from the main body of the party. The largest among these factions is MQM Haqiqi (English: Real MQM), which was formed by Afaq Ahmad and Amir Khan. It is generally believed that MQM Haqiqi was formed by the Pakistani government/ISI to weaken MQM and was supported by successive federal governments and the military. In the years to come, federal governments switched between forming alliance with MQM and fighting against it to establish greater control over Karachi.

The political violence that started in 1990 gradually gained momentum in 1992 and culminated in a full-fledged military operation run by the federal government. The federal government gave the reasoning behind this operation known as "Operation Clean-up" as the government's attempt to end terrorism in Karachi and to seize unauthorized arms. Operation Clean-Up began in June 1992 and, by objective, sought to eliminate all terrorists irrespective of their political affiliation. MQM perceived this operation as an attempt to wipe out the party altogether. Political violence erupted while MQM organized protests and strikes. The lawlessness prevailed in this largest metropolitan city of Pakistan which led to the president dissolving the National Assembly.

During the 1992 violence, Altaf Hussain, left the country when a warrant was issued for him in connection with a murder. Since then, party is being run on autopilot by Hussain from London. In 1997, MQM boycotted the general elections and officially changed the previously maintained name 'Muhajir' to 'Mutahida'(English: "United").

MQM boycotted the subsequent 1993 general elections claiming organized military intimidation but participated in provincial elections. MQM secured 27 seats in provincial assembly, in comparison to its political rival PPP which won 56 seats. Thus PPP formed both the provincial and federal government. Whereas, MQM Haqiqi failed to gain any seats at federal or provincial level.

Political violence gained momentum in 1993 and 1994. During the 1994 fighting among MQM, MQM factions, and Sindhi nationalist groups, heavily political killings were reported. By July 1995, more than 1800 people had been assassinated in Karachi.

2000–present

In 2001, MQM boycotted the local body elections but in the 2002 general elections, MQM won 17 out of 272 seats in national assembly.

Party structure

The party is led by Altaf Hussain under whose supervision, members of the Rabita Committee (also known as Central Coordination Committee) formulates political general stances. It consists of 24 members from Pakistan and 10 from London, United Kingdom.

MQM has several chapters across the world including United States, Canada, South Africa, several in Europe, and Japan. Currently, the heads of MQM North America are former Federal Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Ibad ur-Rehman.

MQM currently holds 25 seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan and 38 seats in the Provincial Assembly of Sindh. MQM also has 6 Senators and 2 Federal Ministers.

Accusation of Violence

In the mid-1990s, the MQM was heavily involved in the widespread political violence that wracked Pakistan's southern Sindh province, particularly Karachi, the port city that is the country's commercial capital. MQM Kaarkunaan fought government forces, breakaway MQM factions, and militants from other ethnic-based movements. In the mid-1990s, the U.S. State Department, Amnesty International, and others accused the MQM and a rival faction, MQM Haqiqi, of summary killings, torture, and other abuses. The MQM-A routinely denied involvement in violence.

The MQM along with its other factions also have been accused of trying to intimidate journalists. In one of the most flagrant cases, in 1990 MQM leader Hussain publicly threatened the editor of the monthly NEWSLINE magazine after he published an article on the MQM's alleged use of torture against dissident members (U.S. DOS Feb 1991). The following year, a prominent journalist, Zafar Abbas, was severely beaten in Karachi in an attack that was widely blamed on MQM leaders angered over articles by Abbas describing the party's factions. The same year, MQM activists assaulted scores of vendors selling DAWN, Pakistan's largest English-language newspaper, and other periodicals owned by Herald Publications (U.S. DOS Feb 1992). The MQM has also frequently called strikes in Karachi and other cities in Sindh province and used killings and other violence to keep shops closed and people off the streets. During strikes, MQM-A activists have ransacked businesses that remained open and attacked motorists and pedestrians who ventured outside (U.S. DOS Feb 1996; Jane's 14 Feb 2003).

The MQM allegedly raises funds through extortion, narcotics smuggling, and other criminal activities. In addition, Mohajirs in Pakistan and overseas provide funds to the MQM through charitable foundations (Jane's 14 Feb 2003).

From 1992 to 1999, the MQM was the target of the Pakistan Army's Operation Cleanup leaving hundreds of civilians dead. Torture cells allegedly maintained by MQM were discovered in 1992. These cells were allegedly used to torture the abducted members of MQM-Haqiqi and other political rivals.

History

Muhajirs were the Urdu-speaking Muslims who migrated to Pakistan when the country emerged independent from British India in 1947. Karachi was then home to a very diverse set of ethnicities including Urdu and Gujarati speaking immigrants, Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Baluchis and foreigners from several South Asian countries. In those times, Muhajirs were advancing in business and bureaucracy but many resented the quota system which facilitated Sindhis in gaining university slots and civil service jobs. It was this very ethnic rivalry that led to Muhajir political mobilizaton, which was further provoked by the stagnant economy and the condition of Biharis in Bangladesh concentration camps.