KARACHI: City Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Sunday formally opened the meat-selling section of the historic Empress Market, marking the completion of the restoration and renovation of the colonial-era heritage structure.

This is the second such restoration of historical buildings in the city in less than a month, as only last month the mayor inaugurated the restored historic Denso Hall.

Talking to the reporters after the opening ceremony of the meat-selling section of the Empress Market, the mayor said that six more historic and colonial-era structures were undergoing similar restoration and would soon be opened to the public, one after another.

“The meat market located in the historic Empress Market was in a terrible condition,” he said. “We have restored it and provided a clean and hygienic environment for meat sellers. A total of 29 stalls have been set up here, benefiting those involved in the meat trade. To resolve the parking issue around Empress Market, a new parking facility has also been arranged, which can accommodate 400 cars and 150 motorcycles.”

He said that after renovating the vacant part of Empress Market, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) would now beautify and restore the remaining section as well.

“The iconic clock of the Empress Market will also be fixed,” he vowed. “Over the past two years, we have had to make some very difficult decisions, but with the support of Karachi’s citizens, we have achieved a lot. As per Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s vision, the journey of development will continue,” he said.

Accompanied by Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, Municipal Commissioner Syed Afzal Zaidi, he said that Frere Hall, Khaliq Dina Hall and Denso Hall had already been opened to the public after restoration.

“Now the restoration work is ongoing at Hasan Ali Hoti Market, and this year, six more KMC markets will be renovated and opened to the public,” he said.

He referred to the Sindh government’s decision to ban the use of plastic bags with effect from June 16 (today) and said “From today [Monday], we are banning plastic bags. We spend millions of rupees cleaning the stormwater drains, only to find them clogged with plastic bags.”

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2025