Moving to Karachi

[ibserenity]

Re: Moving to Karachi

@ziggy

My family are also considering moving to Karachi this year. We’ve been frequently visiting Karachi every 2 years, but Half my family spent a couple of years out there back in 2008. They enjoyed it tremendously, albeit they were living in the cosy defence area in rented accommodation. They actually regret coming back, including my Brother who was born in the UK. My Brothers and I were born here, but we all seem to have a soft spot for the country, and in particular for Karachi.

The cost of living in the UK is so damn expensive now, even for people with decent salaries. I mean by the time you’ve paid for your Mortgage, taxes, insurance, bills, groceries, fuel , transport expenditures, you’re really left with some basic spending money. Even having a night out on the town and you can expect to spend a lot of money, particularly if you have a family. I understand the cost of living is rising everywhere including Pakistan, but you can really feel the pinch in your pocket now. Also yes, it may be secure to live in the west, but I’ve seen instances where the British public have turned out in anger against Muslims in the UK, especially after the awful London bombings back in 2005. Yes we don’t face political crisis every other day, but we too experience unsettling times now and then.

I think if you’re lucky enough to finance yourself through means from abroad and bring your currency to Pakistan, it definitely goes a long way. I’ve heard of people who have placed their accommodation in the UK on rent and using that money as well as finding jobs in Pakistan to live on. They say they have a great lifestyle, plus they can always head back home since they’re only renting out their accommodation back in the UK, and would only consider leaving if the situation were extremely dire in Karachi.

In my own dealings with people from high profile designers to your average Pakistani, all of them have made it clear that they could never leave the city. Those who have travelled abroad for their vacations always say that these places are great as holiday destinations, but they normally feel homesick if they’re out of Pakistan for too long. The other plus point is that Pakistan is in reach of great holiday destinations nearby and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg like travelling from London to Paris!

I also love the night life out there, it’s more vibrant and colourful, and more importantly, AFFORDABLE to people like us. I think I would agree with most people here in that you should visit the city first and see if it meets your expectations.

I definitely agree. If you are settled there with an outside income (or a decent inside income), you shouldn’t have any problems. I bet it’s probably even safer if you live in one of those gated colonies. I think I’m going to check out places in Defence since it seems that everyone agrees that it’s the safest place right now. Your replies makes me feel more sane because I’m not the only one who wants to go back lol. I’m definitely home sick! The social life, the food, the culture, everything is just so alive. Whereas, here, everyone wakes up, goes to work/school, maybe sees some friends after work/school and then goes home to sleep (at least for me and my family that’s how it is). There’s no connection to anything. The values of people here are so different. In Karachi, it’s like no one ever sleeps. If you ever need anything, you can knock on your neighbor’s door in the middle of the night (unless they hate you…in which case, I wouldn’t do that lol). There’s just a sense of belonging.

Anyway, thank you for the insight! I hope your family has a safe trip if they decide to move back!