KARACHI:
Gul Square has reopened in the metropolis, bringing hope to affected traders as they set up stalls in a temporary market that has attracted a large number of Karachiites.
The market was set up in a banquet hall at the Qayumabad and Defense junction, organized by Karachi-based youth NGO Hamdard Haath. Nearly 140 Gul Plaza merchants are participating, offering a variety of items including wall clocks, tableware, home decor, bed sheets, children’s clothing and kitchen electronics.
Families from all over the city have flocked to the market to shop. A woman from Gulistan-e-Jauhar told The Express PAkGazette: “I have come from several kilometers away just to support the victims of Gul Plaza this Eid. I am shopping here to help them in any way I can.”
Merchants at Gul Plaza said they cannot recover from the lost Ramadan season or their physical stores, and now rely on online sales, which have not given the same response as the market.
They expressed their determination to continue and said that Hamdard Haath provided the space free of charge. Some of their goods come from personal stock, while other items they have borrowed on credit to sell on the market.
The three-day market for Gul Plaza victims is scheduled to continue until Sunday evening, offering residents the opportunity to support affected merchants while shopping for Eid.
“Karachi’s future depends on democratic restructuring and collective political will,” he said.
