Government House, Karachi [Bird Eye View]

گورنمنٹ ہاؤس ، کراچی

Photograph with a view looking south-west in Karachi, with Government House in the foreground, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Views 21-32 from this album join together to form a 360 degree panorama of the city from the tower of Trinity Church. Karachi, one of the world's largest metropolises, was once the capital of Pakistan. It is now the capital of the Sindh province in the lower Indus valley, and is the financial and commercial centre of Pakistan. This huge city was however developed only in the mid-19th century after the British conquest of Sindh. Karachi is built around a bay which is a natural harbour protected from storms by a group of small islands. Its history prior to the 18th century is sketchy but it is believed to be the ancient port of Krokala on the Arabian Sea, visited by Alexander's admirals in 326 BC. The small fishing village was known as Kolachi-jo-Goth in the 18th century, and then became a trading post under the Kalhoras and the Talpur rulers of Sindh, but the port remained small. With the British development of its harbour it grew into the large city of Karachi and an important centre of trade, particularly of cotton and wheat. Government House was built in the 1840s by Charles Napier (1782-1853), British general and first governor of Sindh (1843-47). Originally, it was a single storey building, the upper storey being added by John Jacob in 1856-57. Set in 40 acres of gardens overgrown with oleanders and tamarisks, the house was approached along an impressive driveway which led from Victoria Road.