r/Ancient_Pak

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Karachi, 1953. 🇵🇰

Just a few years after independence, Karachi was the young nation’s capital, its main port and one of its most important commercial centres. The streets were a mix of horse carts, camel carts, cars and trucks, while Karachi’s port and airport connected Pakistan to the wider world.

The city was growing rapidly. Its population had risen dramatically after 1947, reaching over 1 million by 1951. Yet despite the enormous pressure created by migration, Karachi was still known for its relatively clean streets, active commercial life and growing importance as Pakistan’s economic hub. (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics)

Over the following decades, the population exploded while housing, transport, water, sanitation and infrastructure struggled to keep pace. By 1961, Karachi’s population had reached around 1.9 million, and by 1972 it had passed 3.5 million. (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics)

The Karachi seen in these 1953 streets would slowly disappear — replaced by a much larger, more crowded and increasingly difficult city.

A glimpse of the Karachi that once was. ❤️

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