Abandoned: Clifton Aquarium-a sombre remnant of its former glory

After numerous empty promises of reopening, the crumbling façade tells the gloomy story of its neglect

KARACHI: If words can paint a picture, the older of Karachi’s citizenry pleasantly recall the weekends they’d spend by the Clifton beach. The evening sun anchoring into the lapsing sea as scores of people thronged the beachfront to find refuge from the roaring city - some in pursuits of entertainment, some for relaxation and some in their devotion to the beloved.

The city’s coastline offered citizens of Karachi a multi-class space with Abdullah Shahghazi’s shrine, a temple, a park and in its prime, the city’s only public aquarium, all on the same stretch. However today, after remaining shut to the public for over two decades, the once-popular Clifton Aquarium tells a ghastly story of neglect and abuse which haunts its crumbling façade.



A tale of apathy

Inaugurated in 1965, under president Ayub Khan’s government, Clifton Aquarium offered the citizens of Karachi and those who came to the city, a unique experience to view and interact with a variety of marine life ranging from schools of vividly coloured fish and those one could only imagine seeing on NatGeo Wild.

The 1,500 square-feet facilities housed 47 aquariums for salt and freshwater fish, along with spacious pools for sea turtles, a workshop, a breeding section and a laboratory to test water quality.



The aquarium, which was frequented by hoards of people of all ages, generated millions in revenue for Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and generated employment and paid for the hundreds of its employees. However, over the years of untended coastal erosion, the shoreline structure began to diminish and lose shape until 1998, when a part of the building collapsed and the facility was sealed on the basis of being a public safety hazard.

With the aquarium closed to the public, much of its marine life was dumped back into the sea and the facility was transferred to the Works And Services Department of the KMC, with empty promises of repair and re-opening. Though under president Musharraf’s regime and the supervision of Parks and Horticulture Department, the building’s exterior did see some repair works with the renovation of Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim, much of Clifton Aquarium remains nonfunctional.

A ghastly sight

The faded walls, the crumbling pillars, and the numerous irons rods which ominously dangle from the ceiling are enough to send chills down the spine. But in its prime, the place was frequented by people of all ages. Although in the last 20 years, multiple governments have expressed thoughts of reopening the aquarium to the public but owing to the lack of funds, Clifton Aquarium has only but remained inaccessible.

“Clifton aquarium is a big project for which a large amount of fund is required,” shared Metropolitan Commissioner of KMC, Dr Saifur Rehman while speaking to The Express Tribune.



Whereas Senior Taxonomist and in charge of marine reference collection and resource center at the University of Karachi, Dr Abdul Qadeer Muhammad Ali, believes there is an entire world of botanical creatures hidden in the sea. “Awareness about marine life is highly important to understand the ecosystem and it is unfortunate that despite being located on the extensive coastal strip of the Arabia Sea, we do not have any aquarium for the marine life. There should be numerous aquariums in Sindh and Balochistan,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2019.