Sind Club in Karachi

Sind Club

Sind Club

The Sind Club in the center of Karachi was built by the British in the 1860s, and the local inhabitants (of what is now Pakistan) were not allowed to become members until after Pakistan's Independence in 1947.

The Sind Club was exclusively a men's club. Women were only allowed in to attend a ladies' dinner held every two months.  The sign "Natives and dogs not allowed" was removed only a day after Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah took his oath as Governor-General of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

Facilities at the Sind Club include a swimming pool; tennis and squash courts, a walking track; a billiards room; an outdoor barbecue, a full bakery, a sauna, guest rooms and a newly built fitness centre.

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Karachi Gymkhana

Karachi GymKhana

Karachi Gymkhana

Karachi gymkhana was founded in 1886 exclusively for its members. It offers the variety of facilities and services to its members daily from 6.A.M to midnight. It never closes even on festivals/ Gazette holidays rather colorful programs are arranged on such occasions. The club enrolled over 9000 members along-with their families.

Karachi Gymkhana specifically rated as one of the largest in Asia in view of its membership and  sports facilities The multiple facilities like Tennis, Badminton, Squash, Cricket and other sports, Swimming pool, Sauna bath, T.V Room, Jogging Track, Car Parking, Catering, Library Entertainments, Gymnasium, Physical Fitness are available for members and their families.

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Agha khan Gymkhana

Agha Khan GymKhana

The Aga Khan Gymkhana

The Aga Khan Gymkhana is located in one of the oldest residential neighborhood of Karachi, dating back to the late 19th century. November 2, 1940 the Aga Khan Gymkhana opened its doors to all Ismaili sports enthusiast. The area developed as an exclusive residential suburb for the city of Karachi due to its proximity to the port and the central business district of Karachi. The area has large residences with its share of unique Victorian and Art Deco style architecture surrounded by green garden.

Today the Aga Khan Gymkhana offers its members a walking track, cricket ground, football fields, indoor gymnasium and indoor games facility. 

               

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Parsi GymKhana Karachi

Parsi GymKhana

Parsi Gymkhana

The Parsi Gymkhana was established in 1893 by two Parsi gentlemen eager to encourage sports in their community. Cricket, billiards and other popular games were encouraged. It was originally built for men. In 1899, women were given the permission to enter the Karachi Parsi GymKhana and dine there.

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Hindu GymKhanna Karachi

Hindu GymKhanna

The Hindu Gymkhana was a center for the Hindu top class people who formed powerful financial elite in Karachi in the years before Independence in 1947. The Hindu community and Seth Ramgopal Gourdhanandh Mohatta assisted cash for its construction. It was Designed by the  well reputed and known Muslim architect Agha Ahmed Hussain in 1925.

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Lakes of Azad Kashmir annex to Pakistan

Banjosa Lake is Situated 20 kilometers from Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir,  at an altitude of 1981 meters. Its scenic beauty and impressive surrounding is compelling and attracts tourists to reach here to enjoy the nature for a possible comeback. Amidst the captivating beauty of Banjosa the artificial lake reflects the dense forest standing along the surrounding of the resting calm waters of Banjosa lake.

Banjosa Lake Rawalkot

Ansoo Lake

Ansoo Lake is a high-altitude lake (elevation 16,492 feet ) in the Kaghan Valley of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province (NWFP)of Pakistan. It can be reached by a difficult trek from Saiful Mulook Lake and requires physical and mental fitness. The name “Ansoo” comes from its tear-like shape (the Urdu word Ansoo means teardrop). The lake is said to have been discovered in 1993 by Pakistan Air Force pilots who were flying low above the area.

Chitta Katha Lake

The Chitta Katha Lake is a lake in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan in the Shonter Valley.It is located at an altitude of 3,800 meters (12,467 ft). Chitta Katha Lake is only accessible in the months of July and August. Common route followed by the tourists is through Kel. 

Lake Saif-ul-Malook

Lake Saif-ul-Malook is a lake located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley near Naran. It is in the north east of Mansehra District in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, (NWFP)Pakistan. A fairy tale called Saif-ul-Malook, written by the famous sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, is associated with the lake. It is the story of prince of Persia who fell in love with a fairy princess at the lake. The impact of the lake beauty is of such extent that people believe that fairies come down to lake in full moon. 

Satpara Lake

Satpara Lake is an important lake in Skardu Valley which supplies water for the town of Skardu, which is located at 2,636 meters (8,650 ft). It is one of the most picturesque lakes in Pakistan. A story is attached with this lake by local people that there is gold mine in the bottom of this lake, due to which its water seems shining in the day time. It is the highest in Pakistan and most beautiful lake of Asia covered with peaks over 7000 meters above the sea level, Nagar valley in Pakistan. 

Rama Lake

Rama Lake is a lake near Astore in Pakistan. It is on the top of the beautiful Astore Valley, covered with oak trees and greenery.

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Beaches in Karachi Pakistan

Tushan beach

This beach is situated near French Beach which is closed for general public only people having huts they can visit. It is between Karachi Atomic Nuclear Power Plant and French Beach.

Tushan Beach

French Beach

The beautiful French Beach, is about 40km from  Karachi. It's relatively private, and is pretty much the reserve for Karachi's upper classes and expatriates. French Beach is located between Hawkesbay and Paradise Point. It has 95 Huts for the visitors and power supply is available in their respective huts. 

French beach is one of the finest beach in karachi. Here water is clean and the air is fresh. The magnificient rock embedded in the sea making it view more attrative to its visitors. Lots of foreigners visit this beach for enjoyment with their families.

French Beach

Russian Beach

Russian beach is located near Karachi Steel Mills. Russian Beach was specially prepared for Russian  who came to Pakistan for construction of Pakistan largest Steel Mills. Russian beach is situated far form city and very calm and quite place only few people visit this beach because of far location. You can enjoy amazing sunset with cold breeze in winter season.

Sunhera Beach

Sunhera beach is situated in Baluchistan and about one hour drive form Karachi. Sunhera Beach is very famous for natural beauty and golden sand .

Cape Monz Beach

Cape monz is beach is on Arabian sea located in Karachi. Cape monz  is also famous for its natural beauty and sandy beach. Large number of people most of are from Karachi visited Cape Monz specially on holidays. Near by hills and top location you can see top view of sea line and amazing sunset  too.

Hawks Bay Beach

Hawksbay beach in Karachi  is very famous tourist resort.It has a sandy beach with crystal blue water. Every day large number of people visit with their families. Due to ideal location and low sea currents Hawks Bay beach is best location for bathing and enjoyment.

Sandspit Beach

Sandspit beach is situated south west of Pakistan largest city Karachi. Sandspit is very famous tourist spot and large number of people visit every day with their families.Beach is ideal location for enjoying low sea currents, Sandspit beach is also breeding place for green turtles. Government has special program for turtles breeding.

Islands in Karachi Pakistan

 Bhit Shah island:

It is located 7 kilometres from Karachi and has around 12,000 katchi abadi residents whose livelihood is fishing.

Bhundhar (Bundal island) and Dingi (Buddo island)

These twin islands belong to Port Qasim Authority. Bhundhar is the largest. They are located about 1.5 kilometres from Defence Phase 8, between Phitti and Korangi creeks. During the fishing season fisherman folks  swarm the area to clean their nets and dry their fish. There are plans to build two island resorts and a bridge to link Phase 8 with the islands. The islands will be renamed Diamond Bar City. A Dubai based construction company, is working on the estimated 12,000 acres through reclamation of the mangrove forests, which connect the two islands. Construction is currently being carried out on Bhundhar Island. 15,000 houses will be sold to the public.

Mubarak Village

 Churna Rock:

It is one of the biggest and frequent fishing spots for fishing enthusiasts and fishermen alike in their powerboats from Karachi’s boating clubs. Many people drive to nearby villages such as the beautiful Mubarak village and hire boats from there. Divers of all levels get a chance to on their diving skills here as diving activities are also undertaken at 0 – 30 feet depth. 

  Oyster rocks:

A clear view can be obtained of these picturesque rocks from Clifton. They can be reached via KPT boats from Keamari. An underwater cave into which boats can sail is reachable during low tide. Once inside, the visitor is treated to a display of crystallized rocks that twinkle in torchlight.  These rocks are now the home of one of the worlds tallest man made fountains.

Baba island:

Inhabited by fishermen, it is situated 1 kilometre from Keamari. Recent inauguration of a 12-bed dispensary, 24-hour emergency and maternity health facilities from a multinational concern make it the first island to have modern health amenities. Facilitation of fresh water supply is also available very soon.

Manora island:

The island  has now become connected to the mainland via the 12 kilometres long causeway of Sandspit beach. Technically it is now a peninsula and has a population of approximately 10,000 people. It can be reached easily by boat from Keamari. Tourist attractions include the 91 feet high Manora lighthouse with its colourful and traditional tiled flooring, a  exotic mandir with the smell of incense inside, colonial style churches, and a thin strip of the Manora beach.

The shoreline curves from Manora, which is the breakwater to Cape Monz, an exotic Beach very near to the French Beach.

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A Garden call Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim

The Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim has been developed around the Jehangir Kothari Parade and was inaugurated on February 27, 2007. It is the Pakistan’s biggest park constructed under Clifton Beach Development Project on 130 acres of land, replacing the old Toyland Theme Park. Before the project was launched, more than half of the park area was encroached.

The Bagh cost Rs. 600 million in total and ten thousand eight hundred trees have been transplanted in the garden. Stone benches and twenty canopies erected. There are  dustbins to keep the lawns clean. One hopes visitors to the park use them and keep this garden clean.

While visiting the beautiful and well-maintained park provides one with a sense of ease and tranquility but it is the historical monuments in foreground that gives it a greater degree of significance. The Jahangir Kotari Parade, the Bagh e Ibn e Qasim Mosque, the pink Jodhpur stone, Hindu temple of Lord Shiva and obviously the lush green as well as flowering capacity of the Park itself are just few things to name.    

As a whole Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim together with adjacent monuments and sea view create such a fine setting that it surely will cast a spell on anyone who relishes a combination of history and nature. 

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Port Grand near Karachi Sea Port

Port Grand Front View

Karachi's food street and entertainment complex 'Port Grand' is inaugurated on Saturday May 28th 2011. The complex offers visitors a world of its own in an enclosed area cut off from city life. The 13-acre world-class facility has been designed & built in collaboration with top international architects and designers, who employed latest technology and building techniques to deliver a state of the art facility. Some 40 outlets are being made operational.

The food enclave runs along the port where you can view the sea while sitting on green benches lined across the fresh green turf. The three spaced-apart metal barriers from the water could, however, be tempting for adventurous children.The food street ends close to a point where you can see ships harboured at the KPT Boat Wharf.

 The Native Jetty Bridge has been entirely rebuilt to ensure a world-class tourist destination and source of pride for Karachiites that would ultimately attract millions of people from all over the country and beyond.

The area underneath the Native Jetty bridge has been cleaned up and rehabilitated. The few trees that existed at the site have been preserved. The 150-year-old banyan tree, for example, has been untouched. The Napier Mole Bridge has been repaired and the corporation installed an irrigation system for the tree to give it an even longer life.

Parking for over 800 cars with complimentary valet service, pristine public rest rooms, plenty of pedestrian friendly walkways are additional attractions. The entry fee for the Port Grand is Rs. 300 per person out of which Rs. 200 is redeemable at different food outlets and shops inside the project.

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Karachi's Magnificient Structures

It is a prominent and impressive landmark of Karachi located at the City Center. Designed by Architect Yahya Merchant, this white marble Mausoleum with its curved arches, copper grills and a four-tiered crystal chandelier gifted by the peoples Republic of China is a must see. There is also a large park surrounding the mausoleum.

It is on Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar Rd. A business landmark of the city. Also visit the nearby Stock Exchange building.

It is located in Phase 5 Zamzama Market. It has a total area of 26 acres. It is open from 6pm to 11:30pm on week days and till 12:00am on holidays. It provides various facilities such as skating rings, walking paths,jogging tracks,bonsai gardens,gymnasium, canteen and beverages area, kido fido rides and play. It also has Karachi's only Modern Arts Museum.

It was built keeping acoustics in mind. A person speaking inside one end of the dome can be heard at the other end. This mosque was designed by Pakistani architect Dr Babar Hamid Chauhan and the engineer was Zaheer Haider Naqvi.

Masjid e Tooba was built in 1969 in Defence Housing Society Karachi, Karachi. It is just off main Korangi Road. Masjid e Tooba is often claimed to be the largest single-dome mosque in the world. It is also major tourist attraction in Karachi. Masjid e Tooba is built with pure white marble. The dome is 72 meters (236 feet) in diameter and is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. Masjid e Tooba has a single minaret standing 70 meters high. The mosque is the 18th largest in the world with the central prayer hall having a capacity of 5,000 people.

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Frere Hall Karachi

Historical Building Built Under British Rule

Built in recollection of Sir Bartle Frere (Commissioner of Sind 1851-1859) who was renowned for encouraging financial development in Karachi, this Venetian Gothic style construction was designed by Colonel Clair Wilkins whose suggestion was chosen from 12 entries; in what was possibly the first noted architectural design competition for a public construction in Sind. Completed in 1865 at a cost of Rs.1,80,000 out of which Rs. 22,500 was collected for the memorial through public donations, the construction was formally inaugurated by Commissioner Mansfield on 10th Oct. 1865

The gardens round the construction were constructed in 1887-88 by Mr. Benjamin Flinch. Originally the statues of Queen Victoria and King Edward (both of which have now been removed), adorned the garden. The top floor of this two storied yellowish Karachi limestone construction comprises of a 70 ft x 24 ft auditorium and an orchestral gallery. In past years this construction was the center of Karachi’s socio-cultural undertakings and furthermore assisted as a Town Hall with normal public meetings, live performances and theatrical performances. The ground floor is now used by the Liaquat Municipal Library.

The Hall is located between Abdullah Haroon Road (formerly Victoria Road) and Fatima Jinnah Road (formerly Bonus Road) in the middle of two lawns which extended till the roads. It is located in Civil Lines locality of the town. In the vicinity are the Marriott Hotel, US Consul General’s house, the Japanese Consulate and the Sind Club.

It was used as a Town Hall during the Raj. During the same period it housed a number of busts including King Edward VII’s which a gift from Seth Edulji Dinshaw was. It also housed oil paintings of former Commissioners in Sind including Sir Charles Pritchard and Sir Evan James.

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