Kakapir کاکاپیر | |
|---|---|
 | |
| District | Keamari District |
| City | Karachi |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
Kakapir (Sindhi:ڪڪو پير), (Urdu:کاکاپیر) is afishing village and former island inKarachi Harbour, 15 km (9.3 mi) to the west of centralKarachi,Pakistan.[1] It is located nearHawke's Bay Beach, at the western end ofSandspit Beach, which now connects the island to the mainland.Mauripur lies to its north. Kakapir is named for a saint, whose shrine is located in the village, who reportedly was known for his brown hair.[2] "Kaka" is theSindhi word forblond, while "Pir" means saint.[2] The village is reportedly about 100 years old.[1] Residents of the village were originally from theMithadar andKharadar neighborhoods of Karachi, who were settled by the British inShams Pir during the construction of thePort of Karachi.[2] Those residents migrated further west and established Kakapir.[2]
Ethnically, the population is mostlySindhiLasi,[2] who claim to be descendants of the original indigenous inhabitants ofKarachi and theSindh coast. The village had an estimated 600 residents in 2005.[2] Prior to the construction of Manora Road in 1952, men from other villages could settle in Kakapir only if they married within the village.[3] The village is in the midst ofmangrove forests, which locals report are being cut down by criminal groups, who fill up the mangrove creeks and sell the land.[4]
24°50′42.59″N66°54′0.16″E / 24.8451639°N 66.9000444°E /24.8451639; 66.9000444
