Restoration efforts: Committee formed to restore Empress Market to former glory.

KARACHI -- With the late 19th century structure of the iconic Empress Market finally free of the haphazardly-erected commercial centres built around it, the city administration has devised a plan to restore the heritage site to its former glory.

This time, however, the authorities are trying to do it right. They have even constituted a committee, comprising architects, horticulturists and civil engineers for the task.

The first meeting of the said committee was held at the Commissioner House on Tuesday. The meeting was jointly chaired by Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and Commissioner Iftikhar Shalwani and was attended by Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif-ur-Rehman, Liaquat Ali Khan - an expert on horticulture and construction, Shahid Feroz, Yawar Abbas, Shahid Abdullah, Tariq Huda, Muhammad Asim, Komal Perwaiz, Durriya Qazi, Marvi Mazhar and Parks Director Afaq Mirza.

Planning with care

As the meeting started, the participants voiced their opinions about the port-city and how its heritage buildings and planned development lend to its beauty. According to the experts, Karachi was developed as a new city by the British and must be restored to its glory through all possible measures.

Doing so would require planning for the next 200 years, they agreed, adding that the Empress Market, being one of the most iconic buildings of the city, would have to be restored with great care.

Metropolitan Commissio-ner Dr Saif-ur-Rehman briefed the meeting about plans for the restoration of the area surrounding the Empress Market. He was aided by horticulture expert Liaquat Ali Khan, who shared details of the plan to establish parks around the main market building.

Mayor Akhtar said that the city administration would do its homework and consult various experts and stakeholders to come up with a comprehensive plan to beautify the area surrounding the Empress Market. The final plan, according to the mayor, would be printed out on two large panaflexes and put up in front of the main building for public...