Zaibunnisa Street

Zaibunnisa Street or Elphinstone Street (former name) (Urdu: زیب النساء اسٹریٹ), is a thoroughfare and a shopping center in central Karachi, Pakistan that courses through Saddar, the city's colonial-era commercial centre.[1]

Zaibunnisa Street
زیب النساء اسٹریٹ
The street is lined by several heritage buildings
Former name(s)Elphinstone Street
NamesakeZaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah
Length1.1 km (0.68 mi)
LocationSaddar in central Karachi, Pakistan
North endGarden Square (intersection with MA Jinnah Road
South endInverarity Road

It is believed to have been renamed after Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah, Pakistan's first woman editor and publisher,[2] in 1970. However, some historians argue it was renamed after the Mughal princess Zeb-un-Nissa.[3]

History

The road was founded as Elphinstone Street and was named after Mountstuart Elphinstone, the first British ambassador to Afghanistan who also played a vital role in defeating the Maratha Empire.[4] It used to be one of the most prestigious shopping areas in Karachi before the newly built shopping malls in the suburban areas of Karachi were built from the 1980s onwards. Zaibunnisa Street now is known for having a huge number of watch, clock and jewelry shops, large clothing stores for women and men, as well as shoe stores.[5][6]

Route

Zaibunnisa Street begins at Garden Square - the point at which it intersects with Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road (former name is Bunder Road). From there, it courses south, first intersecting with Castle Street near the Brooks Memorial Church. From there, it passes Price Street near Jahangir Park and intersects with Preedy Street. It then enters the central part of Saddar, where it is lined with several heritage buildings. Going south, it intersects with Hale Street in Bohri Bazaar, Albert Street, Woodburn Street, Parr Street, Shahrah-e-Iraq, Dundass Street, Blenken Street, before ending at Sarwar Shaheed Street. From there, it continues south as Fatima Jinnah Street towards Civil Lines.

  • The historic Mohammad Ali Building
    The historic Mohammad Ali Building
  • The historic Khyber Hotel, at the intersection of Zaibunnisa Street and Preedy Street
    The historic Khyber Hotel, at the intersection of Zaibunnisa Street and Preedy Street
  • St. Andrews Church, at the intersection with Preedy Street
    St. Andrews Church, at the intersection with Preedy Street
  • The street in 2009
    The street in 2009
  • Salih Mosque, near Khyber Hotel
    Salih Mosque, near Khyber Hotel

See also

References
  1. "الفی بن گئی زیبی اسٹریٹ". Daily Jang newspaper.
  2. "Pakistan's female journalists who bulldozed their way through!". The News International newspaper. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  3. "Find a different, more diverse Karachi in a new hardback". The News International newspaper. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  4. Baillie, Alexander Francis (1890). Kurrachee: (Karachi) Past, Present and Future. via Google Books website.
  5. Zaibunnisa Street, Karachi on hamariweb.com website Retrieved 18 September 2023
  6. "This week 50 years ago: Parking on Elphinstone Street made punishable". Dawn newspaper. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2023.

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