Street crime in Karachi is about what you'd expect from a big city. Use common sense and avoid dangerous areas. Avoid going out alone, or walking by yourself on dark, empty streets. Never flash electronics or valuables in public; keep your cell phones, watches, and purses in a safe place. These things easily attract attention. There are also con men looking out for foreigners, so if someone you don't trust approaches you, just keep on walking. Beware of pickpockets when you are in any crowded areas.
If you are planning to see colonial public buildings, especially those that are located on MA Jinnah road or Preedy street, try to see them at late evening, after 10PM or at early morning, before 7AM because traffic in those streets are a nightmare during the day time.
The people of Karachi are very hospitable. They tend to welcome any foreigner very warmly, but regardless of how nice someone seems you should remain aware and alert at all times, and try to keep a low profile at all times.
Karachi has mostly been spared the attacks that have happened in the rest of the country, but "mostly" is a relative term. You should always keep the emergency telephone contact numbers of your country's consulate in Karachi.
There should be no serious danger in the affluent parts of the city. Defence and Clifton are regarded as safe at all times, as they are populated by the city's business and cultural elite. These districts offer the most "tourist-friendly" experience of Karachi, given that there will be no language barrier most Pakistanis can speak some English, and many people in these districts will be completely fluent. Most visitors will find there is a large degree of cultural understanding and compatibility between the residents of Karachi and western tourists.
Traffic jams are a major hassle in Karachi. Although the city government has recently built dozens of underpasses and flyovers to get rid of the overflow of the traffic, it is a good idea to keep a look for any rallies/protests and check out alternate routes while traveling in the city. Do not attempt to drive in Karachi if you are new to the city since drivers are aggressive and chaotic.
Pedestrians should be careful while crossing roads as some drivers will neither slow down nor sound a horn to warn of an impending accident. This also applies when getting out of the car on the traffic side; look both ways until you are off the road and don't hesitate to run if you sense a car barreling towards you. Minibus drivers are particularly notorious.
contact
The area code for Karachi is 21. Prefix +92 If you are calling from outside Pakistan. Phone numbers are eight digits long. All mobile numbers, however are 11 digits long and begin with "03", and should not be dialled with the city prefix. Omit the '0' when dialing a cell phone from outside Pakistan and prefix the '92' code.
Public Call Offices, can be found all over the city. You will find a PCO in nearly 50% of the general stores , there is usually someone who operates the phone and fax. Fees will be charged according to the time spent, and you will pay when you have finished your call.
Cybercafes, can be found on virtually every street corner and the rates are as low as Rs 15-20 per hr. They usually don't have a very fast operating system so don't be too impatient. They usually use 14" monitors, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows XP are usually installed on these operating systems. Most of the cafes have a decent speed internet connection.
Internet Access, can be obtained easily on notebook computers with the help of GRPS enabled mobile connections, supported by almost all of the 5 mobile operators. Mobilink provides EDGE based connection in very limited areas of Karachi, however Telenor's coverage of EDGE is wider. The standard cost of GPRS/EDGE usage is Rs 15-Rs 18/MB data transfer but Zong offers Rs 15/hr, however if you wish to download much more you may want to use unlimited packages, provided only by Mobilink and Telenor at this time. World Call offers USB internet.
Wifi, There are several wifi Hotspots in Karachi in hotels, malls and cafes/resturants. If you are in a business district like Shahra-e-Faisal or I.I.Chundrigar Road, then most of the area will have free wifi.
Cell phone, coverage in the city is pretty good. Cell phones were considered as a symbol of status a few years ago, but since 2002 the telecommunications industry has experienced a bit of a boom. These days you can hardly find a single person in the city without a personal cell phone. There are various service providers offering a huge variety of plans. Among them are Mobilink, Warid Telecom, Telenor, Ufone & Zong China Mobile. Its not a bad idea to buy a cell phone and use a prepaid plan to get yourself connected while you are in the city. The mobile phones and the prepaid plans are very cheap; you can usually get a new cheap cell phone just for Rs 2,000 and a prepaid connection for Rs 150-400.