Clifton (Urdu: کلفٹن ) is one of the neighbourhoods of Saddar Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.[1]
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There are several ethnic groups in Clifton including Pakhtuns, Muhajirs, Sindhis, Punjabis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Balochs, Memons, Tanolis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim. The population of Saddar Town is estimated to be nearly one million.
Clifton lies in the southern area of Saddar Town. Clifton has been reputed to be a residential place of the rich and famous people of Karachi since the independence of Pakistan. South of Clifton lies Clifton Beach, Pakistan's most popular beach.
Located in Clifton are many schools of great repute. Karachi Grammar School also known as KGS is located between Boat Basin and Bilawal Roundabout. Avicenna School is located in Block 2 Clifton. Convent of Jesus and Mary also known as CJM is an all girls school located near 2 swords roundabout. The Lyceum School is also located near 2 swords roundabout. The International School also known as TIS is Pakistan's first and only school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme.
SZABIST is one of Karachi's leading Universities offering a variety of degrees.
Nixor College is also located in Karachi Defense area, and is one of the leading Alevel institutes.
A number of consulates are located in this areas. These are:
Clifton is dotted with numerous shopping malls most of which are frequently crowded with shoppers throughout the year.
Located near Teen Talwar, the Gulf Shopping Mall is one of the many famous malls located in the town. It mostly specializes in clothing for women and traditional shoes and bangles. Located right next to it is Uzma Center which also provides and caters the same variety of items. Ashiana shopping mall is located between the KPT underpass and Punjab roundabout and offers the same items as the above mentioned malls.
Near Ashiana is The Forum, a recently built modern mall and office building, is a two-storey mall which caters to a small but wealthy percentage of the population due to it housing many international clothing and accessories chains such as NIKE, ADIDAS, DIOR, etc. Park Towers, also known as The Point, is one of the most sophisticated malls of Clifton. Opposite the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, this mall provides a range of amenities, including brand outlets, international chain restaurants, supermarkets, mobile shops, ice cream parlours and fashion line clothing shops. It has escalators and 2 small capsule elevators. Local brands like Sputnik Footwear, Amir Adnan, Khaadi and English Boot House are also present here.
Clifton Road has become a commercial centre, known for its availability of high-quality goods. Wealthy people from all around Karachi and Pakistan come to shop here while vacationing.
Another addition on the main Clifton Road is the KPT underpass, which is located between the two monuments mentioned above. The underpass was completed in 2006 with the main purpose of giving drivers a non-stop pass through. It has created several problems:
The freedom of religious practice enjoyed by different sects in Karachi is demonstrated by the fact that the Ismaili Jamat Khana is located in open view on Khayban-E-Roomi. There is also a rather large Hindu temple at Clifton Promenade that is quite visible due to its large red flag. The temple is also holy to Karachi's Sikh community, which numbers around 2000 to 3000. There are numerous mosques in the area as well.