# Malir District

Malir District (Urdu: ضلع ملير) is an administrative district of Karachi Division in Sindh, Pakistan created in 1996 by bifurcation of District Karachi East. According to the 2023 Pakistani census, District Malir had a population of 2,419,736 (2.4 million).

## History

Malir is a Sindhi word which means "greenery". Before the independence of Pakistan, there were small villages of Sindhi and Kalmati Baloch in Gadap Town and Malir Town of modern Karachi. Now both towns have developed as the suburbs of the city because of the urban sprawl.

### Countryside

Malir has been regarded in history as the countryside of Karachi City due to its open atmosphere and lush green farms, but now these are no more.

### Agriculture land

Malir was once famous for its fruit and vegetable farms; but, now due to severe scarcity of groundwater, these farmlands are being converted into residential areas, thus increasing urbanization and environmental degradation. The Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE) has been concerned about drought and desertification in Malir district and has launched a campaign against illegal sand and gravel mining in the dry river beds of the Malir and its tributaries. Sand and gravel mining cause lowering of ground water, as rainwater cannot percolate in the aquifer. SCOPE is developing rainwater reservoirs in drought affected rural areas.

## Administrative status

Malir District was established in 1996.
Malir District was abolished in 2000 and divided into three towns namely:
* Malir Town,
* Bin-Qasim Town
* and Gadap Town.
On 11 July 2011, Sindh Government restored again Malir District.
In 2022, a/c to Local Election Act -2022 (amended), Malir District was divided into three "Town Municipal Corporation" namely:
* Malir Town
* Gadap Town
* Ibrahim Hyderi Town
Headed by its elected chairman and a vice-chairman.
and also 6 subdivisions namely:
* Airport
* Bin-Qasim
* Gadap Town
* Ibrahim Hyderi Town
* Shah Mureed
* Murad Memon Goth
Each subdivision's headed by an Assistant Commissioner.

## Demographics

As of the 2023 census, Malir district has 421,426 households and a population of 2,432,248. The district has a sex ratio of 112.70 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 63.14%: 67.74% for males and 57.84% for females. 624,172 (25.8% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age. 1,166,340 (47.95%) live in urban areas.
Religions in Malir district (2023) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 96.45% | 96.45% |
| Christianity | Christianity | 1.82% | 1.82% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 1.66% | 1.66% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.07% | 0.07% |
The majority religion is Islam, with 96.45% of the population. Christianity is practiced by 1.82% and Hinduism (including Scheduled Castes) is practiced by 1.66% of the population.

### Languages

* Sindhi (34.98%)
* Pashto (17.71%)
* Balochi (7.88%)
* Punjabi (9.94%)
* Urdu (15.79%)
* Hindko (5.69%)
* Saraiki (3.22%)
* Others (4.79%)
At the time of the 2023 census, 34.98% of the population spoke Sindhi, 17.71% Pashto, 15.79% Urdu, 9.94% Punjabi, 7.88% Balochi, 5.69% Hindko and 3.22% Saraiki as their first language.