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.

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.

The cantonment maintains its own infrastructure of water supply, electricity and is outside the jurisdiction of City District Government Karachi.

Majority of its population consists of serving and retired armed services personnel along with notable civilian businessmen and bureaucrats.