M A Jinnah Road
This is the most important road running through the city. Originally known as ‘Bander Road’ (meaning Port Road), it is the central road which connects all major parts of the city, and the road around which the city of Karachi gradually emerged. It starts at the seaport of Karachi, at Kemari and leading through the city ends at the Super Highway which connects Karachi to the neighboring city of Hyderabad. After the Partition of India, Bander Road was renamed after the founder of the nation and is now known as M.A.Jinnah Road though many people still refer to it as ‘Bander Road’, primarily because it is easier on the tongue.
M.A.Jinnah Road houses many famous and old buildings of Karachi, most of them reminiscent of Colonial times. Among them are the Radio Pakistan Building, the NJV School Khaliqdina Hall, the historic Memon Masjid, Customs House, the majestic Karachi Municipal Corporation Building, and the enigmatic Merewether Tower.
Consequently, the M.A.Jinnah Road is a tourist’s and sightseer’s paradise. The best time to go exploring is probably early morning, at around 8 – 9 am, before the road gets really crowded with the usual traffic and pollution. Sundays would be preferable when traffic is very little but you won’t be able to go inside many of the closed buildings and markets. The road is dense with commercial buildings and plazas on both sides. Most commercial areas open up for business quite late, usually well after 11 am.
Some of the commercial centers and offices built inside the dilapidated Colonial buildings have become a sight of sheer neglect due to the carelessness of the concerned authorities.
