KARACHI: City Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Saturday announced that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had decided to use the historic Empress Market as a cultural centre and public space.
He said this at the inauguration of a book fair titled ‘Kitabon Ka Jahan’ at the iconic colonial-era building.
He visited various book stalls and purchased books. He said the book fair would provide citizens, particularly young people, easy access to books on different subjects and help promote a culture of reading in Karachi.
Talking to the media, he said encroachments had been removed from Empress Market, and the heritage site had been restored. He announced that more cultural activities would be organised at the venue.
‘Books are an important source of knowledge. They promote positive thinking andtolerance in society. At the same time, the habit of reading lays the foundation for an educated, aware and capable society’, he said, stressing that encouraging young people to read was a collective responsibility.
He said the book fair would provide citizens with easy access to books on a wide range of subjects.
About the Empress Market, he said that in the past, due to encroachments, citizens, particularly children, young people and senior citizens, were unable to visit the area freely. ‘Through the efforts of the KMC, encroachments have now been removed from Empress Market, and the historic heritage site has been restored’, he noted.
He said people often construct buildings and other facilities but fail to put them to proper use, allowing land-grabbing groups to take advantage of the situation.
Therefore, a decision has been made to use Empress Market not merely as a historic building but also as a cultural centre and public space.
‘Even 500 provinces could not resolve problems’ Talking about the new provinces, the mayorsaid that even if 500 provinces were created within Pakistan, problems would not be resolved if the mindset remained negative. He emphasised that positive thinking and a serious approach were necessary to resolve issues.
Responding to statements made by former City Nazim Karachi Mustafa Kamal, Mr Wahab said that political statements should be based on facts and documentary evidence.
He said that during Mustafa Kamal’s tenure, marriage halls were established at the NIPA area and shops were constructed over drains, while the condition of hospitals and parks during that period was also known to everyone.
He said he respects Mustafa Kamal because he served as the city’s Nazim, but mentioned that the budget record of the City District Government Karachi did not show that a budget of Rs300 billion had been spent on the city.
‘If Rs300bn were actually spent, the relevant documents should be presented, and it should be explained where the budget was approved and where the money was spent’, he asked.
He said that people should visit Baldia Town and Orangi Town and see whose mar-riage halls were located there and who owned hydrants.
‘If Rs300bn was spent in the city, the relevant documents should be produced, and it should also be clarified whether the budgethad actually been approved’.
He also called for positive and constructive politics, saying Karachi needed serious efforts to achieve development and prosperity.