Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan, is a city in terms of population, in which people of every race, religion and language live, so every area in this city has its own identity and characteristics. However, the reason for many areas are their names attributed to famous celebrities. One such area located in the east of Karachi is “Gulshan Iqbal Township”, which is one of the few beautiful residential projects of former President Ayub Khan. .
The scheme of Karachi Development Corporation was approved in 1960 for residential purposes but the implementation of the project started in August 1965, while on 16 April 1966 the then Commissioner and Chairman Karachi Development Corporation Syed Darbar Ali Shah under the aegis of Old Ravens Association In connection with Iqbal, the establishment of this new residential scheme Gulshan Iqbal, which is called Scheme 24 in the terminology of the Karachi Development Authority, was announced in a ceremony held at the National Museum Bagh Jinnah Friar Hall, named after the poet of the East, Hakeem-ul-Ummat Allama. Named after Muhammad Iqbal.
The event at Bagh Jinnah was organised by the Old Ravens Association. Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s letters and books were also put on display in the two-day event. This event was inaugurated by the Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, Mumtaz Hasan Hoshing Ansari. The delegates of Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Russia and the relatives and friends of Allama Muhammad Iqbal participated in the exhibition. Advertisements were made and national newspapers published special numbers.
The area of Gulshan Iqbal consists of 12 thousand 664 acres which goes to Sui Gas Terminal on both sides of University Road, formerly Country Club Road. To its east is the Miller Cantonment. Federal B Area in the West. Lyari River (Gadap) is located in the north and Jamshed Road in the south. The Karachi Development Authority (KDA) had purchased the land for settlement of Gulshan Iqbal by paying cash prices from the revenue department and old landlords. This scheme of Karachi Development Authority was approved in 1960, but the development work started in 1965. The construction cost of the scheme was allocated 4 crore 30 lakh 76 thousand rupees.
This residential area has been divided into 19 blocks with a minimum land area of 200 square yards and a maximum of 2000 square yards. The Karachi Development Authority has also allotted land for housing schemes here. In the 1970s, residential plots were allotted to prominent journalists of Karachi in Block 4A by the government.
The 2017 census estimated the population of Gulshan Iqbal Town to be around 841,800 of which 99.5% are Muslims. There are 433,347 males, 408,298 females and 155 eunuchs while the current population is more than eleven lakhs according to a conservative estimate. Many linguistic units are inhabited here. They include Muhajir, Sindhi, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Saraiki, Pashtun, Balochi and Hazarawal etc. Gulshan Iqbal is administratively divided into the boundaries of Gulshan Iqbal Police Station, Aziz Bhatti Police Station, Meba Town Police Station, PIB Police Station and Newtown Police Station.
Gulshan Iqbal Block 1 starts from the Lyari Expressway. In the 1960s, Block 1 and 2 consisted of rural lands along the Lyari River where agriculture was practised while there was also a recreational club called the Country Club. Because of this club, the old name of University Road was called Country Club Road, but now residential bungalows and multi-storied flats have been built on this land under the name of Abid Town. With the introduction of the local government system during the tenure of former President General Musharraf, Karachi Division and its districts were abolished and Karachi Urban District Government was established.
As a result of this system, the city was divided into 18 towns. Gulshan Iqbal Town level administratively consisted of 13 Union Councils, including Delhi Society. Civic Centre. Piralhi Bakhsh Colony (PIB Colony), Isa Nagri, Gulshan Iqbal, Gilani Railway Station, Shanti Nagar, Jamali Colony, Gulshan Iqbal 2 Pehlwan Goth, Metroval Colony, Gulzar Hijri and Safora Goth were included. This system was abolished in 2011 during the regime of former President Asif Ali Zardari, but in 2015, when the system of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation was reintroduced, Gulshan Town was reorganised as part of Karachi District East. Gulshan Iqbal has six main roads of Karachi. Among them, University Road starts from Central Jail and goes beyond Safora Chowrangi towards Malir Cantt.
Sir Shah Suleman Road starts from Liaquatabad No. 10 and ends at National Stadium. Rashid Minhas Road starts from Sohrab Goth (Superhighway) and goes to Shariah Faisal, Shabbir Ahmad Osmani Road starts from Yasinabad (Lyari Expressway) and goes to Maskan Apartment Chowrangi. Sehba Akhtar Road starts from Sir Shah Suleman Road and passes through Gulshan Iqbal Block 13D to Mochi Mor stop. Abul Hasan Isfahani Road starts from Superhighway (Sohrab Goth) and ends at Safari Park Flyover. Chow Rings of some roads have been removed and made signal-free and flyovers and underpasses have been constructed in place of chowrings, but most places are still identified by the name of chowringhee. Like Gulshan Chowrangi and Nipa Chowrangi etc.
The water supply and drainage system in the township is much better than other areas, in most areas, water is supplied through the pipeline of the water board at intervals of three days, electricity delivery is also better than other areas, however The load shedding of needle gas is increasing day by day. In posh areas the drainage system is better, while in many areas the sewage lines are dilapidated. Sewage water is standing in the roads and streets. The apartments look very dilapidated due to lack of proper maintenance. Due to the poor sewage system of most of the old flats, the flats are becoming unsightly and dirty.
The traffic problems here are more than other areas, the main reason is the large number of shopping centres, entertainment places, schools, universities and private educational institutions, while the service roads and footpaths and the green belt have been taken over by the mafia to open hotels and restaurants. are taken, where there is immense rush in the evening and night hours. The condition of the roads is also sad. Traffic problems are getting worse day by day due to dilapidated roads and lack of proper parking arrangements. There is a rush of vans and private vehicles during school and university hours.
Gulshan Iqbal is home to the magnificent National Stadium, which is one of the most important sports grounds in the country. National Stadium Karachi was built on February 26, 1955 in the style of Cricket Club of India Bombay. Its map was prepared by the architect of Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, while in 1984, the former President of the country, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, directed the construction of the planetarium through a presidential order. The government had constructed the PIA Planetarium (Information Planetarium) on University Road keeping in mind the important educational institutions in Gulshan Iqbal and the central and convenient aspects of the city, so that a large number of students could see it, but due to the negligence of the competent institutions. Since the planetarium is in a state of disrepair.
On entering this museum, an old PIA plane will be seen standing in front. Adjacent to the planetarium is the Expo Center Karachi building, which is mainly reserved for exhibitions. In 2000, the International Exhibition of Defense Equipment Ideas was started for the first time. The defence exhibition is held every two years, in which companies and organisations that manufacture arms and defence products participate.
In the 1980s, the residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal had a clean and excellent travel facility in the form of a circular railway, later this project was closed on the grounds of loss. The abandoned Gilani Railway Station is a reminder of this excellent service. Among the important places of Gulshan Iqbal is the building of Radio Pakistan Karachi. Head Office Sui Southern Gas.PIA Planetarium Museum. National Institute of Public Administration. Office of the Central Board of Revenue. Nilat. Accountant General Sindh. Head Office Sindh Employees Social Security Institutions – AGPR. Mutmar Islamic Scholar – Ibn Sina Hospital. Cancer Foundation Hospital.Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Resurgence Centre. Aga Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital, Rab Medical Center, Ashfaq Memorial Hospital, Al Mustafa Medical Center, Sir Syed University, Federal Urdu University, Osman Institute of Technology Women Islamic University, while the entertainment places are Ilha Deen Park, Aziz Bhatti Park, Safari Park, Sindbad, Jamshed Ansari Park, Women’s Football Stadium and others are included. Among the important mosques here are Jamia Baitul Mukarram, Jamia Ashraf Madaris, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah Mosque, Jama Masjid Farooq Azam, Sadiq Akbar Masjid, Madani Masjid Jama Ahsan Uloom, Geelani Masjid and Huda Mosque is included.
Shanti Nagar is a famous area in Gulshan Iqbal, apart from Muslims, Hindus and Christians also live here, similarly there is a population called Isa Nagri, the majority of residents here belong to the Christian religion in this area. I am 90% Christian and 10% Muslim. There is also a Roman Catholic church and a Christian cemetery, while there are many other churches and places of worship of the minority community. Buses and wagons go to all areas of Karachi from Gulshan Iqbal.
