MyLifeDump

Karachi used to be the capital of Pakistan. Checkout this rare collection of Photos taken during 1900s of Karachi’s some of the famous and oldest attractions.

Napier Mole Bridge to Kemari

Photograph taken by an unknown photographer in Karachi, c.1900, with a general view along the iron Napier Mole bridge connecting Karachi with Kemari.

The Empress Market

Photograph of Empress Market in Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900.

The Empress Market was constructed between 1884 and 1889 and was named to commemorate Queen Victoria, Empress of India. It was designed by James Strachan, the foundations were completed by the English firm of A.J. Attfield, and the building constructed by the local firm of ‘Mahoomed Niwan and Dulloo Khejoo’. The building was arranged around a courtyard, 130 ft by 100 ft, with four galleries each 46 ft wide. The galleries provided accommodation for 280 shops and stall keepers; at the time of its construction it was one of seven markets in Karachi.

Sindh Arts College

Photograph of the D.J. Sindh Arts College (now known as the D. J. Government Science College) of Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled ‘Karachi Views’. Designed by James Strachan and considered this architect’s greatest achievement, the college was built between 1887 and 1893. Named after the Sindhi philanthropist Dayaram Jethmal, whose two family members contributed towards its cost, the building was constructed in the neoclassical, or ‘Italian architectural style’. A considerable amount of money was spent on the interior of the college; the floors comprised mosaic tiles imported from Belgium and the eight-foot wide main staircase was fitted with ornamental cast-iron work from McFarlane & Company of Glasgow. Karachi, once the capital of Pakistan, is now the capital of Sindh province and the major port and main commercial centre of the country. It was a strategically located small port at a protected natural harbour on the Arabian Sea north-west of the mouth of the Indus, and was developed and expanded by the British when they took over Sindh in the mid-19th century to serve the booming trade from the Punjab and the wheat and cotton regions of the sub-continent.

Karachi city street view

Photograph of a busy street scene in Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer.

Trans-Liyari Market

At the end of the nineteenth century the Trans-Liyari Quarter of the city was made up of a cluster of poor settlements mostly consisting of reed and mud plastered huts with some more permanent dwellings. At this time one-quarter of the population of Karachi lived in this area across the Liyari River.

Karachi Gymkhana

The British had also developed the concept of gymkhanas or sports-houses which provided facilities for all sorts of sports and games for the colonial population in the sub-continent. The Karachi Gymkhana Club, located on Scandal Point (later Club) Road, was a large Tudor-style building, constructed in 1886.

Bird’s eye view Victoria Road

Photograph with a view of Karachi looking in a northerly direction along Victoria Road, with St Andrew’s Church visible in the distance, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900

Bird’s eye view Saddar Bazaar

The Saddar Bazaar at Karachi followed a typical gridiron plan; all the major north-south streets of the Bazaar were laid out at right angles to Bander Road, Frere, Somerset and Elphinstone Streets which along with Victoria Road, linked the northern part of the cantonment to the southern part. The area soon developed into the most fashionable part of the city, supplying the needs of both its civilian and military parts.

Bird’s eye view, Clifton Road

Photograph with a view looking along Clifton Road in Karachi.

Islamabad — Pakistan has topped the list of abductions and killings of journalists in South Asia during 2006, according to a report released by the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).

Four Pakistani journalists were killed last year, reported Online news agency. One journalist, abducted in December 2005 allegedly by intelligence agencies in Waziristan for an expose, was found dead June 16.

Muneer Ahmed Sangi, a photographer of Sindhi-language daily Kawish and cameraman of TV channel KTN , was shot dead while covering a clash between two tribes in Larkana May 29.
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Just yesterday I completed watching the 5th season of Fox’s 24. I think it was the best season so far. 6th Season premieres on 14th January I think but I will have to wait until it comes out on the DVD.

I was hooked to 24 when I think I partially watched Disc 4 of the 1st Season at a friend’s place and then I was addicted to it. So yeah, if you don’t know what 24 is and have never watched it, you are missing alot!

I received this one email today and it got filtered across hotmail and landed in my inbox. This email looks pretty much like the Nigerian Scam email asking for money but has an Islamic touch added to it. It comes from a SO-CALLED muslimah who has a lot of money and is looking for someone who she can transfer the money to before she dies as she has paralyses and other conditions.

Let me first post the entire email here and then we can do some dissecting. Read it:

Assalamu Alaikum,

In the name of Allah the Beneficent; the Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment, I greet you in the name of Allah. I was born into a strong and devoted catholic Family. All through my life I have been doing business and I was into gold Mining and selling. I met our creator and the merciful one Almighty Allah When I was having a business deal with one of my partners from U.A.E And from the day I was given the Islamic bath (Taw heed) my name changed To Mohammad Aliman.

Two years ago, I and my family took a flight from Kish to Sharjah and we flew Kish airline. We had a crash and all members of my family lost their lives. I give thanks to Allah that I am one of the lucky ones that Survived the crash. The airline was under the management of one Mr.Shabab Attarzadeh who was later sacked after this incidence. I had to return to my home town in Cuba(though I have a Philipino nationality) and I am now left with my relatives to Take care of me.

Owing to the fact that my relatives knows I have reverted to Islam,they have left me to suffer in pain. What disturbs me most is stroke that I Have. I have developed paralyses from my waist region downward I am taking this bold step to let you know that I want to leave in your care the Sum of money for the enhancement and propagation of the word of Almighty Allah. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a Mosque, or an Islamic organization or better still a Moslem that will utilize these funds the way I am going to instruct here in.

My main aim of doing this is for the propagation and upholding of the Message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him). We are been criticized as the head of the Roman Catholic Church has said: I quote, “Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.’”

Also, I want these funds to be used for Zakah and for helping the poor in fasting in Ramadan and Performing pilgrimage. Also In the western world, you find out that the Message of Allah has not yet really gotten there. The message of Islam must Not only be proclaimed and upheld, but also our youths have to be called back to the right path and thereby reawaken their consciousness.

Allah didn’t send Muhammad (peace be upon him) to one particular tribe, but To mankind at large. Surah #2.254 “Allah commands His slaves to spend Out of what He has provided them in His way, in charity that they may accumulate their reward with their lord and proprietor. It is for this Reason they should hasten up to do in this world before the Day of Resurrection in which neither bargaining nor friendship nor intercession shall Avail. No one can bail himself out or can he ransom himself even if he Spent, for that purpose, and earth load of gold. Nor can kinship avail him. (#23.101) Please lets be corresponding by email because of the presence of my Relatives that are always around me I don’t want them to know my Plans. Do get back at me to my private mail address: (aliman_mohamad@yahoo.com)

Hoping to hear from you and even if you are not interested, please don’t stop praying for me. All praise is due to Allah who brought everything into existence and May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon our noble Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and His virtuous adorers till the Day of Judgment.
May Allah bless you as you respond to this call.

Ma-Salaam,
Mohammad Aliman.

She touches you first by telling you how she saw the light and accepted Islam. Good for her! Then talks about the plain crash of Kish Airlines which is amazingly true, it did happen in 2004. She is a Cuban who is Philippines national. She then uses the good old classic revert story that my family hates me. You kinda sympathize more there. Then she tells you she has some green that she needs you to take care of.

The funniest thing is the quote of the Pope that he recently made, it angered a lot of Muslims and she used it amazingly in her email. The stupid thing is that she is misquoting the Pope. She makes it sound like that’s what the Pope said but the Pope was quoting 14th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus.

After that it’s the usual Islamic stuff with Quranic ayats and plea for help. I think her target is people from Dubai and so I can understand why I got this email. If you still have problem believing this is not a scam then think about this, why would someone send mass email to people asking for help no matter what the circumstances are? The simple answer is, Nigerian Scam made some people very wealthy and that proves there are stupid people alive.

What to watch out for:
Email will have the from address as MOHAMMAD ALIMAN. Subject will be Assalamu Alaikum. Of course there will be variations but the content should be same I think in every email.

If you have received this email, let me know if you replied and if you got any response.

Wedding is a very joyous occasion and today is Salman and Sabika’s wedding. I have known Salman since quite sometime and if I can remember correctly we became friends because we were both into video games back in ancient time when SEGA game console was state of the art. He is a gadget geek and one of the first ones to have a wedding website SalmanAndSabika.com

I wish I could attend his Wedding or any of his ceremonies, of which he had quite a few, but I guess my luck wasn’t that good. Anywayz, from the bottom of my heart I wish both Salman and Sabika a very Happy Married Life.