Saddar Town is a small densely populated town in the central part of old Karachi. The word Saddar generally means the “centre” (of a settlement) and also “head” (of a group of people or an organisation). In Urdu, Saddar means “president” as in Saddar-e-Pakistan—the President of Pakistan. The town is bordered by Jamshed Town and Clifton Cantonment to the east, Kiamari Town and the Arabian Sea to the south and Lyari Town to the west. The population of Saddar Town was estimated to be about 620,000 at the 1998 census, of which 99% are Muslim. There are several ethnic groups including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras and Ismailis.

 

Saddar Town is the main business area of Karachi, with the central shopping area found in the historic Empress Market as well as the Central Bus Station and the Central Railway Station and the nearby Port of Karachi. A major bustling street in Saddar is named Zaib-un-nissa Street, after the influential author and journalist, Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah. The neighbourhood of Clifton has a long sandy beach popular with both locals and tourists and includes several tiny islands offshore in Karachi Bay.