Liaquatabad Supermarket stuck in rack and ruin

Inaugurated in 1976, Karachi's famous Liaquatabad Supermarket is a 10-storey building based in the city's commercial center. Unfortunately, even after the passage of more than five decades, the market plaza has not served its true purpose since a large chunk of the building remains unoccupied due to the inattention of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

Reportedly, only five floors of the building have libraries and offices, while the remaining floors have not been in use for many years and are lying idle. Moreover, the master plan of the building has been changed several times after which shops have been illegally taken down and places of business left in disarray. To make matters worse, the elevators, fire safety arrangements, security systems and restrooms for women are also in shambles while incessant encroachments on the sides of the building have tarnished its reputation. Furthermore, the road on which the supermarket is located, SM Taufiq Road, is dilapidated at several places.

A KMC official revealed on the condition of anonymity that despite its modern construction, the Liaquatabad Supermarket had fallen into disrepair due to the indifference and greed of the KMC administration and the encroachment mafia. As per his claims, the higher officials of the KMC unnecessarily changed the building's master plan.

"Moreover, various item shops have been set up in the grocery section. The bank that was established in the past has been destroyed and shops have been set up there as well. Two decades ago, a girls' technical college had been set up on the sixth and seventh floors; however, several incidents of harassment led to its relocation to Karimabad. Due to these circumstances, no private entity is ready to set up its offices on the remaining floors of the building," said the official.

According to an on-ground survey conducted by the Express Tribune, shops are located on the ground and first floors of the Liaquatabad Supermarket, a library can be found on the second floor and the land registry office is on the third floor while various institutions are established on the fourth and fifth floors. From the sixth floor onwards, the building is in shambles, with all halls empty and heaps of garbage and construction material lying around. Overall, the state of cleanliness in the building is nauseating thanks to the betel leaf spitting that covers its walls and floors. Furthermore, although 90 per cent of the buyers frequenting the market are women, no separate restrooms are available for females, who have to use the ladies' room at the library, which is non-functional after 2pm.

Mohammad Mazhar, Coordination Secretary of the Supermarket Association, confirmed that there was no sanitation or security system installed at the building. "The guards who are appointed do not show up while the shopkeepers have to clean up on their own," said Mazhar.

Similarly, Mohammad Alam, a shopkeeper, revealed that rampant loadshedding plagued the supermarket. "If KMC restores its centralized system of electricity and installs a generator at the market, things can get better," predicted Alam.

According to Dr Asim Bashir Khan, an economist and faculty member at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), the revival of the Liaquatabad Supermarket necessitated the appointment of a consultant who could devise a new plan. "The new plan should prioritize cleanliness, elevators, security, and fire safety while alternative routes should also be arranged. The condition of the road should be improved and illegal encroachments should be removed. Only when this is achieved, will private companies show interest in establishing offices at the plaza," opined Dr Khan.

UC Counselor Nauman Shah claimed that cleaning inside the supermarket was the responsibility of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board.

On the other hand, Irshad Baig, Deputy Director of the Estate Department at the KMC revealed that a total of 744 shops were located at the Liaquatabad Supermarket. "The annual income generated from the building is Rs1 crore. There are no violations of the master plan at the building," said Baig.