Karachi Capital Territory

Infobox Former Pakistan subdivision
subdivision = Karachi Capital Territory


capital = Karachi
area =
Official languages = Bengali
Urdu
English
languages= Sindhi
Balochi
established = 14th August 1947 (defacto)
abolished = 1964

Karachi Capital Territory was a former territory of Pakistan. It encompassed Pakistan's then Federal Capital, Karachi, and a few other surrounding areas.

History

Upon the Partition of India in 1947 the area that is now Pakistan was one of the least developed areas of the erstwhile British India. Only a few cities existed at the time, chiefly Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar, which could be considered for the site of the national capital. Lahore was too close to the Indian border and was considered unacceptably exposed in case of war (a fear which would be bourne out in 1965 with the Battle of Lahore; although that battle was successful for Pakistan), while Peshawar was near the Afghan Frontier and the new state had rather strained relations with Afghanistan in its early years. Karachi on the other had been booming for several decades as the western most Indian port, was thus almost by default given the status of national capital. A few months after partition, this was given legal cover with the secession of Karachi from the province of Sindh. This was very controversial as the Sindh Government and Sindhi nationalists protested this action. In 1955 with the creation of the province of West Pakistan Karachi Capital Territory became one of three subdivisions of Pakistan.

Area

The area of the territory encompassed the city of Karachi and surrounding areas. Since the abolition of this territoy, the city of Karachi has grown severalfold in population and area and is now larger than the old Karachi Capital Territory. The territory was growing at an astounding rate anyway due to the influx of migrants and refugees from India.

Demographics and Population

The population of the territory was about one million in 1947, but with the huge influx of migrants and refugees from India the population grew at a huge and (for the planners) alarming pace. Pre-partition the majority of people would have been Sindhi or Baloch, though other minoritys such as Parsis and Gujratis were also present. After partition, peoples from all over India came to Karachi, and since it would be Pakistan's only port, they came from other parts of Pakistan as well. The new refugees were mostly Muslim. Pre-partitions there was a significant population of Hindus and Parsis in what would become the territory, many of the Hindus would migrate to India, but many would also stay, giving the territory its vibrant, diverse and multiethnic colour.

Languages

The official languages were Bengali, Urdu and English which were Pakistan's official languages at the time. Pre-partition the main languages were Sindhi and Balochi. The Indian Migrants (who later coalesced into Muhajir) spoke nearly all the languages of India.

Dissolution

Karachi had been chosen hurriedly, and it was not a popular choice by any means. MAny in government were against the concentration of power and resources in Karachi, and furthermore it was open to attack from the sea. In 1958 a commission reccomemnded that the capital be moved from Karachi to the North of the country. Many other places were proposed, but the two main contenders were areas near Mardan and Rawalpindi respectively. In the event, area between Rawalpindi and Haripur was chosen, an area in the Himalayas, thus far more protected than Karachi. It would be named; Islamabad. The Government and diplomatic machinery began moving to the new capital in 1960, and the move was completed in 1964. A new federal territory, Islamabad Capital Territory was created in Karachi Capital Territorys place in 1964, and in the same year, the latter was abolished and its area retroceded to Sindh.

ee also

Karachi District
Karachi
Islamabad Capital Territory
Islamabad
Pakistan.
Capital City