Heritage sites

There are many colonial-era heritage buildings in Karachi and most of them are in a neglected state. Many aesthetically beautiful structures have disappeared altogether and multi-storey ugly monsters have sprung up in their place. Shafqat House, a three-storey building located in the Civil Lines area of Karachi just a few hundred metres away from the Sindh Assembly, is one such building crying out for the attention of the authorities and city residents for preservation. The attractive building houses around 40 apartments and three dozen shops. Now it is almost empty. Only one family lives on the first floor while a tailoring shop functions on the second. The building’s occupants described the third floor as ‘no-go’ zone for reasons they are not familiar with. The building is denuded of most its doors, windows and balcony fencing. The back portion of the building is being used as a cattle market for the past two years. It is difficult to say whether the authorities are ignorant of the existence of cattle market or they are simply feigning.

As is the case with old buildings there are speculations that the owners, if there are any, plan to demolish the building and construct a plaza in its place. A Sindh archaeology department official confirmed that a few years ago an attempt was made to demolish the building, but this could not be done because it is a protected heritage site. He says the government provides free consultation on architecture on such buildings. Yasmeen Lari, renowned architect, blames lack of ownership for the neglect of heritage sites on the authorities, saying finances were not much of an issue in protecting such sites. In the West historical buildings, homes of scientists and writers and of other such personages are preserved with utmost care, and places are mentioned as located in the vicinity of heritage sites. Ironically, in most developing countries heritage sites and buildings are mentioned as located close to cinema halls and other suchlike places.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2020.

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