Gizri | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Gizri | |
| Coordinates:24°49′03″N67°02′57″E / 24.8174°N 67.0493°E /24.8174; 67.0493 | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province | Sindh |
| City District | Karachi |
| Government | |
| • Constituency | NA-247 (Karachi South-II) |
| • National Assembly Member | Aftab Siddiqui (PTI) |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.343 km2 (0.132 sq mi) |
| Population (2007) | |
• Total | 25,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+05:00 (PKT) |
| Postal code | 75600 |
Gizri, (Urdu:گزری), is a fishing village close toClifton Beach, on theArabian Sea, inKarachi,Pakistan.
Gizri, a 250-year-old fishing village now part of Clifton and administered by the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC), has a rich cultural and historical legacy. Originally home toSindhi-speaking fisherfolk since 1760. These Sindhi fishermen still reside in a neighborhood named ‘Machhi Para’ and they are the oldest inhabitants of this locality.[1] The area has evolved into a neighborhood known for its intellectuals and scholars.
The name "Gizri" is believed to have evolved from theUrdu word "Guzz," meaning "courtyard." Many 19th-century buildings in Karachi were constructed using the renownedGizri stone - a historical hallmark that endures.[2] This distinctive stone, alimestone, also widely used forgravestones, inspired the notion of a "Guzz" - a courtyard of stone.[1]
Like most areas in urban Karachi there are also severalethnic groups living in Gizri including,Sindhis,Pashtuns,Punjabis,Brahuis,Kashmiris,Seraikis,Balochs,Memons andGujaratis.
Gizri is located near theGizri Creek close to the famousClifton Beach on theArabian Sea coast.[citation needed]
Gizri Flyover (also known as the Gizri Bypass) was developed merely to connect the vehicular traffic of an upper-class residential area vizDHA Karachi to the rest of the city by flying over a low-income or ‘informal settlement’ viz Gizri that falls in between. Gizri Flyover was built so thatDHA Karachi residents could ‘escape’ the traffic congestion in the Gizri Market area. Gizri Flyover length is 1.2 km, and was built for Rs 600 million in the year 2009.[3]
