Bangladeshi-Origin Residents in Karachi Struggle Without Identity Cards

Karachi’s Machur and Musa colonies, often described as “open‑air drains,” house roughly three million people whose families originated from Bangladesh after the 1971 war. Despite three generations being born in Pakistan, the government has failed to issue them National Identity Cards – the cornerstone of civic participation.

The absence of this digital passport prevents residents from voting, accessing banking services, buying property or securing government jobs. Young men in the colonies describe the documentation gap as a “brick wall” that keeps them trapped in informal labor and sub‑standard housing.

While Islamabad and Dhaka exchange friendly gestures, the same officials who sign cooperation agreements have not addressed the plight of these migrants. The report stresses that the Bengali community contributes economically, speaks Urdu, and waves the Pakistani flag at cricket matches, yet they remain invisible in policy discussions.

Human‑rights advocates call for an urgent registration drive, arguing that legal recognition would unlock education, health care and economic opportunities for a population that has been marginalized for more than half a century.