The Malir Cantonment () is a cantonment town of the city of Karachi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It serves as a military base and residential establishment.
History Declared a cantonment by the Royal British Government as POW Camp by Muhammad Irfan Malik and Ismail Sherwani on 11 October 1941, in the exigencies of World War II, this cantonment was taken over by the Pakistan Army in 1947. This cantonment serves as the main cantonment of Southern areas of Sindh province. It houses civil residences like the Cantonment Bazar Area, DOHS l & 2, Askari-5 and Falcon Complex, Army Cantonment is stretched over an area of 12 square kilometers. On 21 February 1948, Quaid-e-Azam visited a Pakistani Military unit for the first time, 5 Heavy Anti-Aircraft regiment (later 5 Light Army Air defence) in Malir Cantonment.
Malir Cantonment is administratively governed through Cantonment Board Malir, a local body by its charter, under the jurisdiction of the Station Headquarters Malir, headed by the Station Commander, who also serves as its President. The governance of the Cantonment Board derives authority from the Cantonment Act, 1924 and rules made thereunder. The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government Karachi. The following is a list of ex Station Commanders/Presidents: Brigadier Name Tenure Start Tenure End Hasnat Ahmed Mirza, SI(M) August 2024 August 2026 Amjad Mahmood ~2022 August 2024 Saqib Janjua June 2019 2022 Talat Mahmood Janjua September 2013 September 2014 Nuzhat Hayat 2007 ~July 2009 Dilshad Hussain Malik ~2003 ~2005
Military Structure Malir Garrison is the largest military setup in Karachi. It houses different military formations, including various Brigades and Divisions. These formations report to the V Corps (Pakistan) and Army Air Defence Command (Pakistan). The following formations are located in Malir:
25 Mechanized Division (25 MECH DIV) 4 Air Defense Division (4 AD DIV) School of Army Air Defense (SAAD) Army Air Defense Centre (AADC) Ordnance Centre (ORD CENTRE) Central Ordnance Depot (COD MLR) 2 Armoured Brigade (2 ARMOURED BDE) 103 Air Defense Brigade (103 AD BDE) Station Headquarters (STA HQ MLR) Combined Military Hospital (CMH MLR) Pakistan Air Force Base (PAF BASE MLR)
Population Roughly it is around 220,000 and includes all the ethnic and linguistic groups of Pakistan. Majority of its population consists of serving and retired armed services personnel along with notable civilian businessmen and bureaucrats.
Landmarks Fazaia Inter College Army Public School North Army public school South Defence Officers Club Combined Military Hospital CMH Malir Cantt Askari Star Mall Indus Project CP6 PAF Base Malir Ordnance Center Headquarters Mechanized Division Headquarters Air Defence Division Station Headquarters SAAD (School of Army Air Defence) Inter Services Selection Board Centre, Malir (ISSB Centre Malir) DOHS 1 & 2 Tipu Sultan Co-operative Housing Society Gulshan-e-Roomi Air Defence Brigade AFOHS Complex, New Malir (Falcon Housing Scheme Phase II, Chota Malir) Saadi Town Falcon Complex (AFOHS) Phase I Scheme Capital Cooperative Housing Society ASKARI-V Housing Scheme. KESC Society Sumaira Bungalows Gulshan-e-Umair Encroached Kachhi Aabadi Rizwan Pakwan House. Cantt Bazaar Area. Check Post 1 to Check Post 6 Askari 5 Sector J
Colleges and schools
Karachi Institute Of Medical Sciences, CMH Malir Cantt Fazaia Intermediate College, Malir Cantt (previously named as PAF Intermediate College & School, Malir Cantt) Army Public Schools & Colleges System Cantonment Board Montessori, Model School & College Government Degree Science College, Malir Cantt F G Public School & College Malir Cantt Karachi
See also Army Cantonment Board, Pakistan Malir River Malir Town Malir District Cantonment Saadi Town Gulshan-e-Osman Saadi Town
References
External links