Orangi Town
Encyclopedia
Orangi Town is a town in the northwestern part of Karachi
, Sindh
, Pakistan
. It is bordered by New Karachi Town
to the north across the Shahrah-e-Zahid Hussain, Gulberg Town to the east across the Gujjar Nala
stream, Liaquatabad Town
to the south, and SITE Town
to the west. The township is currently the largest slum in South Asia
, after surpassing the size of Dharavi
in Mumbai
, India
, although while Orangi is approximately 22 square miles (57 km²) in area, Dharavi is less than one square mile with approximately one million inhabitants , making Orangi far less dense. Further, Orangi comprises several new developed middle class areas and housing-societies which are still considered slums for statistical purposes, although strictly speaking, they are not slums.
, Sindhis
, Kashmiris
, Seraikis
, Pakhtuns
, Balochis
, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. A significant population of these Muhajirs are Biharis
who migrated from Bihar
in 1947
and East Pakistan
in 1971
.
Over 99% of the population is Muslim
and 75% of the population is Muhajir
. Orangi town has an population of approximately 2.5 million although government records report that it had 700,000 inhabitants. In last 15 years the Orangi Town's demography has substantially changed as Pakhtun fleeing the Taliban conflict in northern Pakistan have settled in this town in large numbers.
(SITE). Orangi became famous in the 1980s when local inhabitants became frustrated at the lack of development in the area by the municipal administration and launched the Orangi Pilot Project
under the guidance of Akhtar Hameed Khan
. The Orangi area was the largest squatter settlement in Karachi
at the time, so the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) did not extend services to the Orangi community. The first action of the project was to demand that the KMC should install a sewerage system free of charge but this was refused because KMC did not recognise Orangi. The population mostly comprises blue-collar worker (factory workers) including a substantial Rohingya
Muslim refugee community
mainly from Burma.
The local community financed, designed and built their own low-cost sewerage system. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) refused to allow the sewer system to be connected to the existing city sewers because of Orangi's unauthorised status. However, KMC was forced to cooperate when the project attracted worldwide attention and similar projects were set up in three squatter settlements in the city of Sukkur
in northern Sindh
.
The federal government introduced local government reforms in the year 2000, which eliminated the previous third-tier of government (administrative divisions
) and raised the fourth tier (districts
) to become the new third tier. The effect in Karachi was the dissolution of the former Karachi Division and the merger of its five districts to form a new Karachi City-District with eighteen autonomous constituent towns including Orangi Town; a move which helped to better administer the area.
and Paposh Nagar
towards the northern parts of Karachi
. The Khasa Hills forms a natural boundary between Orangi Town and North Nazimabad Town
. The City District Government has constructed a road through the Khasa Hills connecting Orangi Town with North Nazimabad Town
.
, OPP) was initiated by Akhtar Hameed Khan
in 1980. The project was aimed at socio-economic development of the population of the vast Orangi area of Karachi. As the project director, Khan proved to be its dynamic and innovative leader. The project comprises a number of programs, including a people's financed and managed Low-Cost Sanitation
Program; a Housing
Program; a Basic Health and Family Planning
Program; a Program of Supervised Credit
for Small Family Enterprise Units; an education
Program; and a Rural development
Program in the nearby villages.
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It is bordered by New Karachi Town
New Karachi Town
New Karachi Town is a town in the northern part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. New Karachi Town is located between the Lyari River, the Manghopir Hills and two major roads - Surjani Road to the north and Shahrah-e-Zahid Hussain to the south. To the north and west lies Gadap Town, and to the south...
to the north across the Shahrah-e-Zahid Hussain, Gulberg Town to the east across the Gujjar Nala
Gujjar Nala
Gujjar Nala or Gujjar Stream is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and merges with Lyari River before draining into the Arabian Sea....
stream, Liaquatabad Town
Liaquatabad Town
Liaquatabad Town is a town in the central part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan named after Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. It is bordered by the towns of North Nazimabad to the north, Gulberg Town and Gulshan to the east, Jamshed to the south across the Lyari River, and SITE...
to the south, and SITE Town
SITE Town
SITE Town is a town in western part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan and is named after the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate , which forms the heart of the town. The town is bordered by Gadap Town to the north, Liaquatabad and North Nazimabad to the east across the Orangi Nala stream, Lyari and...
to the west. The township is currently the largest slum in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, after surpassing the size of Dharavi
Dharavi
Dharavi is a slum and administrative ward, over parts of Sion, Bandra, Kurla and Kalina suburbs of Mumbai, India. It is sandwiched between Mahim in the west and Sion in the east, and spread over an area of 175 hectares, or...
in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, although while Orangi is approximately 22 square miles (57 km²) in area, Dharavi is less than one square mile with approximately one million inhabitants , making Orangi far less dense. Further, Orangi comprises several new developed middle class areas and housing-societies which are still considered slums for statistical purposes, although strictly speaking, they are not slums.
Demography
There are several ethnic groups in Orangi Town including Muhajirs, PunjabisPunjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
, Sindhis
Sindhi people
Sindhis are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh, a province Formerly of British India, now in Pakistan. Today Sindhis that live in Pakistan belong to various religious denominations including Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity...
, Kashmiris
Kashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
, Seraikis
Saraiki people
The Saraiki people or Multani people are an ethnic group from the central and south-eastern areas of Pakistan, especially the former princely state of Bahawalpur and the districts of Multan, Lodhran, Vehari, Khanewal, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh,...
, Pakhtuns
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, Balochis
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. A significant population of these Muhajirs are Biharis
Bihari people
The Biharis are an ethnic group originating from the present state of Bihar with a history going back three millennia...
who migrated from Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
in 1947
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
and East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
in 1971
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
.
Over 99% of the population is Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and 75% of the population is Muhajir
Muhajir
Muhajir or Mohajir is an Arabic word meaning immigrant. The Islamic calendar Hejira starts when Muhammad and his companions left Mecca for Medina in what is known as Hijra. They were called Muhajirun...
. Orangi town has an population of approximately 2.5 million although government records report that it had 700,000 inhabitants. In last 15 years the Orangi Town's demography has substantially changed as Pakhtun fleeing the Taliban conflict in northern Pakistan have settled in this town in large numbers.
History
The pupulation began to grow from 1965 onwards as a residential extension to the Sindh Industrial and Trading EstateSindh Industrial and Trading Estate
Sindh Industrial Trading Estates Limited aka SITE Limited, is a Government guaranteed company established in November 1947 by Government of Sindh, on the pattern of the Trading Estates in the United Kingdom.-History:...
(SITE). Orangi became famous in the 1980s when local inhabitants became frustrated at the lack of development in the area by the municipal administration and launched the Orangi Pilot Project
Orangi Pilot Project
The Orangi Pilot Project refers to a socially innovative project carried out in 1980s in the squatter areas of Orangi Town, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It was initiated by Akhtar Hameed Khan, and involved the local residents solving their own sanitation problems...
under the guidance of Akhtar Hameed Khan
Akhtar Hameed Khan
Akhtar Hameed Khan was a Pakistani development activist and social scientist credited for pioneering microcredit and microfinance initiatives, farmers' cooperatives, and rural training programmes in the developing world. He promoted participatory rural development in Pakistan and other developing...
. The Orangi area was the largest squatter settlement in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
at the time, so the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) did not extend services to the Orangi community. The first action of the project was to demand that the KMC should install a sewerage system free of charge but this was refused because KMC did not recognise Orangi. The population mostly comprises blue-collar worker (factory workers) including a substantial Rohingya
Rohingya people
The Rohingya is a predominantly Muslim ethnic group of disputed origin who live in Arakan State, western Burma. The Rohingya population is mostly concentrated to the cities of Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Akyab, Rathedaung and Kyauktaw.-Etymology:...
Muslim refugee community
Burmese people in Pakistan
The Burmese people in Pakistan are a Muslim community based in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. They are Rohingya Muslims from western Burma, who claim to have fled their homeland of Arakan State under the persecution of Muslim citizens by the Burmese junta...
mainly from Burma.
The local community financed, designed and built their own low-cost sewerage system. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) refused to allow the sewer system to be connected to the existing city sewers because of Orangi's unauthorised status. However, KMC was forced to cooperate when the project attracted worldwide attention and similar projects were set up in three squatter settlements in the city of Sukkur
Sukkur
Sukkur, or Sakharu , formerly Aror and Bakar, is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River in Pakistan in Sukkur District. However, the word Sakharu in Sindhi means "superior", which the spelling of the city's name in Sindhi suggests is the origin of the...
in northern Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
.
The federal government introduced local government reforms in the year 2000, which eliminated the previous third-tier of government (administrative divisions
Divisions of Pakistan
Divisions are the third tier of government in Pakistan, between the provinces and districts. They were abolished in 2000 by the government of former president Pervez Musharraf to make way for local governance via district governments...
) and raised the fourth tier (districts
Districts of Pakistan
The Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
) to become the new third tier. The effect in Karachi was the dissolution of the former Karachi Division and the merger of its five districts to form a new Karachi City-District with eighteen autonomous constituent towns including Orangi Town; a move which helped to better administer the area.
Development
The City District Government has initiated the Shahrah-e-Orangi project to rehabilitate the dilapidated road that connects the town with other parts of the city. In addition, the K-III water supply project will supply potable water to Orangi residents.Geography
Orangi stretches out from the Khasa Hills, North NazimabadNorth Nazimabad
North Nazimabad is a suburb of North Nazimabad Town, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. North Nazimabad was developed in early 1950s to settle Muslim refugees in Pakistan.-History:...
and Paposh Nagar
Paposh Nagar
Paposh Nagar or Paposhnagar is one of the neighbourhoods of North Nazimabad Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.Paposhnagar was named due to footwear and leather workshops and boutiques in the 1950-1970s...
towards the northern parts of Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. The Khasa Hills forms a natural boundary between Orangi Town and North Nazimabad Town
North Nazimabad Town
North Nazimabad Town is a town in the northern part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. North Nazimabad named as such in reference to it being north of the suburb of Nazimabad...
. The City District Government has constructed a road through the Khasa Hills connecting Orangi Town with North Nazimabad Town
North Nazimabad Town
North Nazimabad Town is a town in the northern part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. North Nazimabad named as such in reference to it being north of the suburb of Nazimabad...
.
Neighbourhoods of Orangi Town
|
Iqbal Baloch Colony Iqbal Baloch Colony is one of the neighbourhoods of Orangi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Iqbal Baloch Colony including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim... Mohammad Nagar Mohammad Nagar is one of the neighbourhoods of Orangi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Mohammad Nagar including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim. The... Mominabad Mominabad is one of the neighbourhoods of Orangi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Moinabad including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim... Mujahidabad Mujahidabad is one of the neighbourhoods of Orangi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Mujahidabad including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim. The population of... |
Orangi Pilot Project
Orangi poverty alleviation project (Orangi Pilot ProjectOrangi Pilot Project
The Orangi Pilot Project refers to a socially innovative project carried out in 1980s in the squatter areas of Orangi Town, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It was initiated by Akhtar Hameed Khan, and involved the local residents solving their own sanitation problems...
, OPP) was initiated by Akhtar Hameed Khan
Akhtar Hameed Khan
Akhtar Hameed Khan was a Pakistani development activist and social scientist credited for pioneering microcredit and microfinance initiatives, farmers' cooperatives, and rural training programmes in the developing world. He promoted participatory rural development in Pakistan and other developing...
in 1980. The project was aimed at socio-economic development of the population of the vast Orangi area of Karachi. As the project director, Khan proved to be its dynamic and innovative leader. The project comprises a number of programs, including a people's financed and managed Low-Cost Sanitation
Sanitation
Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
Program; a Housing
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
Program; a Basic Health and Family Planning
Family planning
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and...
Program; a Program of Supervised Credit
Microcredit
Microcredit is the extension of very small loans to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneurship. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit...
for Small Family Enterprise Units; an education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
Program; and a Rural development
Rural development
Rural development in general denotes economic development and community development actions and initiatives taken to improve the standard of living in non-urban neighbourhoods, remote villages and the countryside...
Program in the nearby villages.
See also
- Akhtar Hameed KhanAkhtar Hameed KhanAkhtar Hameed Khan was a Pakistani development activist and social scientist credited for pioneering microcredit and microfinance initiatives, farmers' cooperatives, and rural training programmes in the developing world. He promoted participatory rural development in Pakistan and other developing...
- City District Government Karachi
- Karachi Health and Social Development Association
- Orangi Charitable Trust
- Orangi Cottage Industrial ZoneOrangi Cottage Industrial ZoneOrangi Cottage Industrial Zone, is located in Orangi Town, in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.The Orangi Town Cottage Industrial Zone, spread over an area of , was inaugurated in 1994...
- Khasa Hills
- Orangi NalaOrangi NalaOrangi Nala is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and flows into the Arabian Sea....
- Orangi Pilot Project Society
- Orangi Pilot ProjectOrangi Pilot ProjectThe Orangi Pilot Project refers to a socially innovative project carried out in 1980s in the squatter areas of Orangi Town, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It was initiated by Akhtar Hameed Khan, and involved the local residents solving their own sanitation problems...
- Orangi Research and Training Institute