KARACHI: More than two months after a huge fire destroyed around 500 shops on its ground floor, Cooperative Market in Saddar is set to reopen on Saturday (today) after undergoing a complete overhaul.

According to a statement of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail would attend the reopening ceremony of the market with other party leaders and legislators.

On Nov 14, 2021 a fire broke out in the Saddar’s Cooperative Market that completely destroyed some 500 shops situated on the ground floor. After consistent protest from the traders backed by PTI leaders, an FIR was lodged for mischief by fire or explosive substance but nothing credible was found by investigators that could strength the suspicions of sabotage behind the blaze.

Amid promises from local and provincial governments, PTI MNA Aftab Siddiqi with party MPAs Khurram Sher Zaman, Shahzad Qureshi and others took up the restoration work of the market that took nearly two month to complete.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2022