SLUMS IN KARACHI

Percentage of population in slums:

Year
1998
2013
2014

Urban Population in
Slums
50%
61%
62%

Major slums in Karachi:

Orangi Town
Akhtar Colony
Ashrafabad
Sherpao Colony
Manzoor Colony
Ayub Goth
Behar Colony
Golimaar Bazar
Gharib Nawaz Colny
Gharibabad
Ghousia Colony
Hazara Colony
Junejo Town
Kachi Para
Kohat Colony
Liaquat Basti
Pehlwan Goth
Pahar Gunj
Muslimabad
Nazimabad
Qasimabad

Living Standards in Slums:

Poverty
Majority of the slums population, as much as 80%, is employed in the informal sector which
leads to low income for such households and severe poverty. Slum population mainly lives
below the poverty line and is deprived of basic necessities of life.
Low Education Levels
As a consequence of poverty, children in such families are not encouraged to acquire education
due to unaffordability of school fees. Instead these children are trained to work as street beggars
or vendors, giving rise to high percentage of child labor being found in slum areas.
Illegal Activities
Severe poverty and lack of education leads slum people to get involved in illegal activities to
support their living, drugs dealing, smuggling and other criminal activities are commonly
conducted by slum residents to earn money. In addition to this, illegal means of obtaining basic
amenities of life is also common in katchi abadis, such as using Kunda system to get provision of
electricity.
Low Hygiene Levels and Diseases
Lack of proper sanitation facilities is the biggest reason behind poor hygiene conditions in slum
areas which leads to various diseases like cholera, dengue, typhoid and diarrhea commonly being
spread in such areas. Such infections transmits quickly that can prove fatal for the young children
especially. Another reason behind spread of these diseases is the lack of safe drinking water in
the slum areas.
High Infant Mortality Rates
Malnutrition, lack of safe drinking water and low hygiene levels leads to higher infant mortality
rates in the area. Moreover, slum areas are much exposed to pollution which leaves a harmful
impact on health of the young ones, hence adding to infant mortality rate.
Large Family Size
Lack of education and awareness in slum areas means that its residents doesnt understand the
hazardous effects of large families and having more children. This trend of large families has
also stemmed up from the desperate desire for sons, hoping that when they grow up and earn
they will lift the living standards of the entire family. Hence, female child is considered as a
burden on family and the family size in slum areas usually keeps on growing until a male child is
born.