Shamspir
{{Short description|Pakistani island}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Shamspir
| native_name = شمس پیر
| native_name_link =
| native_name_lang = Urdu
| sobriquet = Shamspeer
| image_name =
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| image_alt =
| image_map =
| image_map_alt =
| image_map_size =
| image_map_caption =
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|24|50|35|N|66|55|10|E|display=inline,title}}
| etymology =
| location = Keamari District, Karachi, Sindh
| grid_reference =
| archipelago = Kiamari archipelago
| waterbody = Arabian Sea
| total_islands =
| major_islands =
| area_km2 = 0.65
| rank =
| length_km =
| length_footnotes =
| width_km =
| width_footnotes =
| coastline_km =
| coastline_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 1
| highest_mount =
| country = {{flag|Pakistan}}
| country_admin_divisions_title =
| country_admin_divisions =
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 =
| country_admin_divisions_1 =
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 =
| country_admin_divisions_2 =
| country_capital_type =
| country_capital =
| country_largest_city_type =
| country_largest_city =
| country_capital_and_largest_city =
| country_largest_city_population =
| country_leader_title =
| country_leader_name =
| country_area_km2 =
| country1 =
| country1_admin_divisions_title =
| country1_admin_divisions =
| country1_admin_divisions_title_1 =
| country1_admin_divisions_1 =
| country1_capital_type =
| country1_capital =
| country1_largest_city_type =
| country1_largest_city =
| country1_capital_and_largest_city =
| country1_largest_city_population =
| country1_leader_title =
| country1_leader_name =
| country1_area_km2 =
| demonym =
| population = 5000
| population_as_of = 2008
| population_footnotes = {{cite news |title=Shams Pir Island gets |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/136114-shams-pir-island-gets |access-date=19 April 2020 |work=thenews.com.pk |publisher=The News International |date=22 September 2008 |language=en}}
| population_rank =
| population_rank_max =
| density_km2 =
| density_rank =
| density_footnotes =
| languages =
| ethnic_groups =
| timezone1 = PST
| utc_offset1 = +5
| timezone1_DST =
| utc_offset1_DST =
| website =
| additional_info =
| footnotes =
}}
Shamspir ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|شمس پیر}}}}) is a populated island off the coast of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The village on the island, administratively part of Keamari District, is home to approximately 5,000 residents.
Location
Located west of Karachi Harbour, north of Sandspit Beach, and west of Kakapir, the island was surrounded by dense mangrove forests until 2006. However, these forests have been significantly reduced over the past two decades within the harbour's ecosystem.{{cite news |title=Karachi: Mangroves disappearing off Shamspir Island |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/223282/karachi-mangroves-disappearing-off-shamspir-island |access-date=19 April 2020 |work=dawn.com |publisher=Dawn |date=14 December 2006 |language=en}}
History
Shamspir is named for the shrine of a saint, named Hazrat Sham Pir, located on the island. Shamspir is an old village which, like the nearby Baba and Bhit Islands, predates the formal establishment of Karachi.{{Cite book|last=Siddiqui|first=Ahmed Husain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CEc9AAAAMAAJ&q=Shams+Pir+Karachi|title=Karachi: The Pearl of Arabian Sea|date=1996|publisher=Mohammad Husain Academy|language=en}} Residents from Baba and Bhit islands helped settle Shamspir.{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1917090/1-forgotten-stories-karachis-coastal-islands-uncovered/|title=Forgotten stories of Karachi's coastal islands uncovered|last=Tribune.com.pk|date=2019-02-24|website=The Express Tribune|language=en|access-date=2020-04-19}} During the British era, some residents of Mithadar and Kharadar were settled in Shamspir during construction of the Port of Karachi.{{cite web |title=Study on Knowledge, Attitudes & Practices of Fisherfolk Communities about Fisheries and Mangrove Resources - Kaka Pir Village (Sandspit) |url=http://www.wwf.org.pk/pdf/tp_kap_kakapir_village.pdf |website=wwf.org.pk |publisher=WWF Pakistan |access-date=5 March 2025 |language=en |date=2005}} Some of those residents moved further west and established the fishing village of Kakapir.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
See also
{{Islands of Pakistan}}
{{Neighbourhoods of Karachi}}
Category:Neighbourhoods of Karachi
Category:Fishing communities in Pakistan
{{Karachi-geo-stub}}