EMPRESS Market was constructed during the British Raj and named after Queen Victoria, the Empress of India, to commemorate the site of the ‘Sepoy mutiny’ of 1857 — which we now call Jang-i-Azadi (freedom struggle).

A number of brave warriors were executed on this spot in a ruthless fashion for opposing the British rule. This memorial was constructed to create a deterrent for future generations as a symbol of imperial supremacy.

Now that Empress Market is in the limelight and is being redone, I suggest that in memory of those brave men who fought for independence, the place should be renamed Azaadi Market.

Dr Irfan Ahmed Khan
Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2018