17 October 2004	Sunday	02 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Oct 16: The newly renovated aquarium was opened for general public by the zoo department of city district government at Karachi Zoo on Saturday.

Dr A.A. Qureshi, founding director of Karachi Zoo, inaugurated the aquarium. DDO Muhammad Ismail Shakir, Khalid Rafi, Dr Kazim Hussain and other officers were also present at the opening ceremony.

Entry into the aquarium will be free so that maximum number of people could visit. Over 200 colourful and beautiful fish of more than 40 species from Japan, Thailand, China, Mexico and other countries have been kept at the aquarium.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Nazim's coordinator Dr Fayaz Alam said that City Nazim Naimatullah Khan was to inaugurate the aquarium but he could not make it up as he was busy in a high-level meeting.

He said that the city government had decided to have fish aquariums at Safari Park and Korangi Zoo. He said that tender had been issued for the aquarium at Korangi Zoo. In the whole of Pakistan, he said, there were only two aquariums and both were in Karachi. One of them after renovation had been inaugurated, he added.

He further said that the city government was also working to open Clifton Fish Aquarium on priority basis.

Dr A.A. Qureshy said that the Karachi Municipal Garden was constructed in 1882. It was named as Gandhi Garden in 1918 and as Zoological Garden in 1956. -APP/PPI