Manora Fort, Karachi

Establishment

Manora Fort was built by the Talpur dynasty in 1797 in order to protect the port,^[2] which handled trade with Oman and Bahrain.^[3][4] The fort was built at the top of cliffs that were 90–100 feet (27–30 m) in height,^[5] with a small mosque and a round tower.^[2] The fort was used to repel attacks by Qasimi pirates who threatened and sometimes raided Karachi Harbor in the early 19th century.^[6] Accounts and extent of piracy have been contested, and it has been suggested that piracy might have been used as a casus belli for the East India Company to seize control of the Persian Gulf region.^[7]

Capture by the British

On 1 February 1839 a British ship, HMS Wellesley (1815), anchored off the island of Manora. On 3 February, the ship opened fire on the fort.^[2] When British troops stormed the fort, they reportedly found it guarded by 4 or 5 men, who had no guns to fire back with, and so the fort was quickly surrendered by Wussul Ben Butcha,^[3][8] and Karachi that is now part of Pakistan was captured.^[2]

After the fort was captured, the building was used as a residence for the Master-Attendant of the Karachi Port.^[9] St. Paul's church was built in the immediate vicinity in 1865.^[9] In 1888, the old fort was mostly removed, and the battery reinforced.^[10] A lighthouse was built by the British presence in 1889 to assist vessels approaching Karachi harbor.

Post-independence

After independence in 1947, Manora Fort became the main base of the Pakistan Navy, with berths for naval vessels located along the eastern edge of the island. The island has been governed as a military cantonment since then. The opening of the new Jinnah Naval Base at Ormara, 250 kilometers (160 mi) away, has meant that approximately half of the naval vessels have moved away from Manora. The fort now serves as the headquarters of the Pakistan Marines.^[11]