KARACHI:
The Gul Plaza has reopened in the metropolis, bringing hope to affected shopkeepers as they set up stalls in a temporary market that has drawn a large number of Karachiites.
The market has been established at a banquet hall at the junction of Qayumabad and Defence, organised by the Karachi-based youth NGO Hamdard Haath. Nearly 140 shopkeepers from Gul Plaza are participating, offering a variety of items including wall clocks, crockery, home décor, bed sheets, children’s clothing, and kitchen electronics.
Families from across the city have flocked to the market to shop. A woman from Gulistan-e-Jauhar told The Express Tribune, “I have come from several kilometers away just to support the Gul Plaza victims this Eid. I am shopping here to help them in any way I can.”
Gul Plaza shopkeepers said that they cannot reclaim the lost Ramazan season nor their physical shops, and are now relying on online sales, which have not yielded the same response as the market.
They expressed determination to continue, saying that Hamdard Haath has provided the space free of cost. Some of their goods are from personal stock, while other items have been borrowed on credit to sell at the market.
The three-day market for Gul Plaza victims is scheduled to continue until late Sunday night, offering residents an opportunity to support the affected shopkeepers while shopping for Eid.
“Karachi’s future depends on democratic restructuring and collective political will,” he stated.
