KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday asked the Karachi mayor to involve heritage experts in the restoration of the historic Empress Market building to its original beauty.

Talking to Mayor Wasim Akhtar on phone, he appreciated that the Empress Market had emerged as a glorious and outstanding landmark of the city after the removal of encroachments.

“Now, its restoration is a most important and sensitive task which must be made in consultation and guidance of heritage experts,” he said, adding that sandblasting without proper guidance of experts could affect the building’s red stone.

Over 250 shops demolished in fresh anti-encroachment action in city

The chief minister recalled that after restoration of law and order in the city the removal of encroachments was another challenging job.

“The areas which have been cleared [from encroachments] must be made neat and clean,” he said.

He told the mayor that he had a plan to restore all the old buildings through a World Bank-sponsored project and the provincial government would also utilise its resources.

Mr Shah said: “Karachi belongs to each and every one of us and we have to keep it neat and clean and one of the best liveable cities of the world.”

“All the heritage buildings located in the old areas of the city will be restored to their original shape,” he said and added that a scheme to restore the old city from Pakistan Chowk to Saddar would be accelerated and other areas of the city would also be restored on the same pattern.

According to a spokesperson for the CM, Mayor Akhtar informed Mr Shah that he was involving leading experts in the restoration work of the Empress Market.

More ‘illegal’ shops razed in city

As many as 250 shops were razed in Frame market and Dupatta Gali in Arambagh and 20 others around Liaquatabad Supermarket by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation as the ongoing anti-encroachment operation in the city entered its 16th day, officials said.

They said that a total of 130 shops in the Frame market and Dupatta Gali had been registered by the KMC’s estate department, but the shopkeepers later bifurcated these into more shops and also extended the limit to the footpaths.

Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif-ur-Rehman while monitoring the anti-encroachment operation said that action against encroachments was being carried out on the directive of the Supreme Court.

“Shopkeepers are now taking care and putting their belongings within their limits which is good for the city,” he added.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2018