The present study explores the elemental concentrations (and their ratios) in halophytes and their associated soils. The elemental composition of rocks have also been evaluated in this research to find out the influence of rock on the composition of soils. The study area embraces a coastal strip of the southwestern border of Karachi–a part of Sindh coast, located in the southern part of Pakistan. The results of the coastal site were compared with the findings of the inland site which was located in Karachi University campus. The coastal lithological units of Nari and Gaj formations showed a distinct influence on the chemical composition of soils over which the halophytes grow. The geochemistry, petrography and X–ray diffraction analyses of the rock samples revealed that most likely the sands, clay minerals, Fe, K, Ca and Mg in the soils were attributed from the coastal lithologies of the aforementioned formations. However, Na and Cl ions in the coastal soils were mainly contributed from the sea (revealed through both SEM-EDS and wet chemical analyses). A Significant negative correlation between sand and chloride (Cl−) content in both inland and coastal soils revealed that as expected sands do not possess cation exchange capacity. However, clays showed a strong positive correlation with exchangeable Na compared with other cations (K, Ca and Mg) in coastal soils. The soil’s pH represented negative correlation with electrical conductivity (EC) and chloride (Cl−) in both types of soils. The inorganic cations (Na, K, Ca and Mg) were accumulated in different amounts in plant parts (roots, stems and leaves) of the selected halophytes. Both inland and coastal populations of Atriplex griffithii, Haloxylon recurvum, Salsola imbricata and Suaeda fruticosa while coastal populations of Avicennia marina, Cyperus conglomeratus, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Tamarix indica, Trianthema triquetra showed an increase in Na from roots to stems to leaves. Most of these aforementioned halophytes displayed decrease in K and Ca concentrations from roots to stems to leaves as the Na amount increased. Generally, the roots of both inland and coastal halophytes displayed Ca > Na > K > Mg accumulation, whereas, stems and leaves exhibited Na > Ca > K > Mg sequence for both types of populations. The mutual interaction between Na, K, Ca and Mg in soils and in roots, stems and leaves of xvi halophytes showed interesting results. The coastal soils represented a strong positive relationship between Na vs. K and Na vs. Ca. Plant parts (roots, stems and leaves) revealed positive correlations between Na vs. K and negative correlations between Na vs. Ca in majority of the halophytes. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) for inland soil variables revealed that presumably Cl−, Na, and Mg ions were responsible for soil salinity at inland site. The NO3–N concentration in inland soil samples showed positive correlation with K in the second component which might be due to sewage influx in inland soils. The positively related Ca and SO4 in third component were possibly due to gypsiferous shale from Mulri hills exposed opposite to the inland site (the University of Karachi Campus area). The PCA of coastal soils represented high positive loads of Ca and Mg in the first component which indicated the influence of calcareous rocks of Nari and Gaj formations. The second component followed available P > SO4 > K > Cl > Na trend, whereas, the third component showed a high positive load for NO3–N while negative load for Cl ions. On the basis of bioconcentration factor (BCF) for Na (BCFNa), inland populations of Cressa cretica, Haloxylon recurvum and Suaeda fruticosa while coastal populations of Arthrocnemum macrostachyum and Trianthema triquetra were more salt tolerant halophytes. However, inland populations of Atriplex griffithii while coastal populations of Heliotropium currassavicum and Trianthema portulacastrum were relatively less salt tolerant halophytes; these plants possessed the more bioconcentration factor for K (BCFK). The results of cluster analysis were found to be congruent with the results of bioconcentration factor (BCF) of elements. Two Factor ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) revealed that Na content for plant parts and species differed markedly for both inland and coastal data across all stations. Magnesium amount represented remarkable differences for species and interactions (parts × species) for all inland and coastal stations. Through one-way MANOVA (multivariate analysis of variance) it was found that inland and coastal populations of Atriplex griffithii, Ipomoea pes-caprae exhibited significant difference in the accrual of all elements (Na, K, Ca and Mg). However, both populations of Salsola imbricata and Suaeda fruticosa possessed strong significant effect of parts on the accumulation xvii of Na, K, and Ca. Among micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn), Cu and Zn were deficient while Fe and Mn were ample in almost all soils. However, the concentrations of these micronutrients were found to be greater in inland plants than coastal populations. Coastal populations represented increasing trends for Cu and Fe from roots to stems to leaves.