A huge economy is generated from Saddar, Karachi as a whole and provides thousands of jobs. Activities in Saddar and Empress Market have developed organically over a period of time. Shops and markets are an integral part of Saddar’s social life and economy but they are disorganized. In any rehabilitation plan, space has to be found for shopkeepers and hawkers in a manner that changes Saddar into a multi-class public space.

1. Saddar And Its Environs
Rudaina Siddiqi
Rizwan ul Haq
Karachi Conference, 28th October, 2017

2. SADDAR AREA AND FUNCTIONS

3. History – Important Land Marks
S. No The Buildings Established in
Year
1 Karachi’s First Church 1843
2 Parsi Dar-e-Meher or Agyari (Fire Temple) 1847
3 St. Patricks School 1861
4 Saint Joseph Convent 1862
5 Saint Andrews Church 1867
6 Khyber Hotel (Allah Ki Rahmat Ka Bismillah Hotel) Around 1880
7 St. Patricks Cathedral 1881
8 Edilshee Dinshaw Charitable Dispensary 1882
9 Jehangir Park 1883
10 Empress Market 1889/1890
11 Bai Virbaijee Soopariwala Boys High School (BVS
School)
1906

4. BIRDS’ MARKET – 1/5

5. BIRDS’ MARKET – 2/5

6. BIRDS’ MARKET – 3/5

7. BIRDS’ MARKET – 4/5

8. BIRDS’ MARKET – 5/5

9. BIRD FEEDING IN FRONT OF HIGH
COURT

10. FEED FOR BIRDS NEAR HIGH COURT

11. CRICKET NEARBY – 1/4

12. CRICKET NEARBY – 2/4

13. CRICKET NEARBY – 3/4

14. CRICKET NEARBY – 4/4

15. BOOK BAZAR – 1/3

16. BOOK BAZAR – 2/3

17. BOOK BAZAR – 3/3

18. BOOKS/MAGAZINES HAWKER

19. NEWSPAPER SELLER

20. HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

21. CLOTHES SELLER

22. COCONUT STAND

23. CHECKS WEIGHT FOR FIVE RUPEES

24. DRY FRUIT SELLER – ONE OF THE FEW WOMEN
AROUND EMPRESS MARKET

25. COIN EXCHANGE

26. CLOTHES FROM LUNDA – HAWKERS OPPOSITE
PARKING PLAZA

27. HOUSEHOLD ITEMS - HAWKERS OPPOSITE PARKING
PLAZA

28. SECOND HAND SHOES

29. SECOND HAND BAGS

30. SECOND HAND CAPS AND HOODIES

31. EMPRESS MARKET AND
ITS FUNCTIONS

32. LOCATION OF EMPRESS MARKET

33. VIEW FROM ABOVE 1/3

34. VIEW FROM ABOVE 2/3

35. VIEW FROM ABOVE 3/3

36. Location - History
• The area where Empress Market is located was
used as a punishment ground for the freedom
fighters of 1857 by blowing them up from the
mouth of canons termed, ‘Toap Dam’, by the
British.
• To Eradicate the memory of ‘Toap Dam’, the city
Municipal Government decided to build
something on its grounds.
• It was decided that a market will be constructed
to commemorate the Jubilee of Her Majesty,
Queen Victoria, Empress of British India then.

37. Empress Market – Historical Functions
• The structure was built as a market.
• Initially, it was used exclusively by the British
elite, but it was later open for everyone.
• The courtyard was used as a common meeting
space for all shoppers and shop owners.
• There used to be a fountain in the courtyards
which does not exist anymore.

38. Present Day Empress Market - Shops
1. Meat shops
2. Chicken shops
3. General store
4. Vegetable shops
5. Steel utensils shops
6. Oil shops
7. Tea shops
8. Chemical shops (rat
kills, soaps, bleach)
9. Dry fruit shops
10.Plastic utensils
(disposable things,
plastics shopping bags
etc.)

39. Present Day Empress Market – Shop
Owners
• Market has 250 shops of various
sizes.
• Shop owners come from all
districts of Karachi.
• There are also third generation
Parsi shopkeepers in the
Market.
• Vendors have occupied the
courtyards as well.
• There are around 120 vendors
all along the (outside) boundary
of Empress Market. The only
women here are 6 Hindu
women selling dry fruits by the
roadside.
7.55 0.63 3.77
0.63
86.16
1.26
Stall Cabin
Cart Peripatetic Vendors
Shop Theela
TYPOLOGY OF SHOPS (%age)

40. Present Day Empress Market – Customers
• On any given day there are 20,000 customers on an
average: 600,000 in a month.
• Around 80% of them are male and 20% female.
• Mornings and Sundays are family days (tacit) and in
the afternoons and evenings, mostly male customers
are found.
• A significant amount of visitors (43%) are between 30-
50 years of age.

41. Associations and Interest Groups in Saddar and
Empress Market
• Umar Farooque Cloth Market Union
• Preedy Hawkers Association (Registered)
• Anjuman-e-Imdad-e-Akhbar Farosha (Registered)
• Anjuman Tajiran All Empress Market (Registered)
• Karachi Eggs Dealer Welfare Association (Empress Market –
Registered)
• All markets have an Association including Rainbow Centre,
Bohri Bazaar, and Electronics Market.

42. We were told that… (1/5)
• These are generation to
generation family businesses
(40-70 years); and they
provide direct employment to
others as well.
• Shopkeepers strongly feel they
should be given lease for their
shops as they have been at
the market for decades.
• Right now, they pay 6 monthly
rent to KMC, which depends
on their shop size and length
of time at the Market.
28.30
33.33
17.61
6.29
6.29
8.1
1 2 3 4 5 Six and Above
Number of Workers in a shop (%age)

43. We were told that… (2/5)
• Market has private cleaners and security guards who
shopkeepers collectively pay for. KMC does not provide
any facilities.
• There is significant organic waste scattered around shops
which creates hygiene issues in the market.
• Roofs are broken and during rainfall, water seeps through
and stagnates in the market. They have to shut shops
down when this happens.
• Due to old wiring, short circuits are common place which
at times, result in fires. The shopkeepers help each other
in such cases. There is no help from KMC.

44. We were told that… (3/5)
• Shopkeepers give “extortion money” and the
amount of bhatta lies between Rs. 500 to Rs.
1000. Shopkeepers association states that the
Saddar area as a whole gives 1.25 crore rupees as
bhatta daily.
• Within Empress Market, there is no arrangement
to oversee/stop the activities of political parties
who impose payment of extortion money on
shopkeepers.

45. We were told that… (4/5)
• The shopkeepers said that the parking area was restricted
near Empress Market. Customers have to park in ways that
block traffic flow making it impossible for vehicles to leave
the parking area.
• They also reported that general traffic and parking
problems, along with hygiene conditions have greatly
reduced the flow of customers over the years.
• Whereas previously, people from all walks of life came to
the Market, enjoying a collective public space; now, the
upper classes avoid the hassle of Saddar and go to malls
instead.

46. We were told that… (5/5)
• Fifty five percent of shopkeepers
and hawkers feel that there is a plan
to evict them from the Market and
Saddar area. Other shopkeepers
(44%) feel it is not possible to evict
them.
• Most people said that it is a
heritage building and the
government cannot change its
functions.
• All shopkeepers are aware about
the incident of Shahabuddin
market. This has made them weary
of government promises of
temporary relocation, as well as,
resolute in not leaving their space at
the Market.
44.65
55.35
Don't Know Have an opinion
KNOW ABOUT THE PLAN?
(%age)

47. RUMOURS
1. The Saddar area is going to be developed as
an entertainment area for an 83 story
building which will be constructed.
2. Some shopkeepers heard that the Empress
Market will be a food street or a high end
dining facility.

48. CONCLUSION (1/2)
1. A huge economy is generated from Saddar as a whole
and provides thousands of jobs.
2. Activities in Saddar and Empress Market have
developed organically over a period of time.
3. Shops and markets are an integral part of Saddar’s
social life and economy but they are disorganized.
4. In any rehabilitation plan, space has to be found for
shopkeepers and hawkers in a manner that changes
Saddar into a multi-class public space.

49. CONCLUSION (2/2)
5. So far, most plans for Saddar have meant gentrification and
displacement of people, leading to a loss of jobs for the
enterprises, and a major damage to the economy of Karachi.
6. Activities such as the birds’ market, dry fruit market, book
binders, and many more, must be given an appropriate
space if evicted.
7. There can be no pre-planning of Saddar without traffic
management, and traffic engineering plans.
8. In doing all this, it must be understood that hawkers,
commuters, and the lower income classes, are inseparable.

50. CREDITS AND SOURCES
• Urban Resource Centre.
• NED University students. (Dissertation and Surveys)
• Shopkeepers and hawkers of Saddar and Empress Market.
• Associations/Unions in and around Empress Market.
• KMC Officials.
• Hasan, A., Polak, A.S., Polak, C., The Hawkers of Saddar Bazaar. A plan
for the revitalisation of Saddar Bazaar Karachi through traffic rerouting
and the rehabilitation of its Hawkers, Karachi: Ushba Publishing
International.
• Web Sources.