The Walled City has always been romanticised among locals and foreign tourists for its history and culture. Efforts continue to be made to retain its character amid increasing population however what’s hampering any progress is the burgeoning commercial activity deep inside the high walls.

With around 21 markets catering not only to the city, but the entire Pakistan as well as the South Asian region, the Walled City of Lahore is often touted as the biggest wholesale marketplace in the continent; each of the 12 gates housing a different market all linked with each other.

The Azam Cloth Market with approximately 12,000 shops inside Delhi Gate is considered one of the largest wholesale cloth markets of Asia supplying to Afghanistan, Iran, India and China. Other renowned markets are Kashmiri Bazaar, Kasera Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Rang Mehal and Shah Alam – popularly known as Shahalmi, which is over a century old, as are a few others, and was even burned down during the Partition riots and later rebuilt.

Over-commercialisation in the area has virtually eaten up residences over decades through which have stemmed other issues like persistent traffic jams, congestion and hindrance to tourism. Construction of multi-storey plazas by traders or acquisition of residences to convert them into warehouses has destroyed life and infrastructure. Over the last few years, ambitious efforts by provincial governments to shift the markets to much-open spaces have failed to bear any fruit, and traders and local authorities also believe that won’t be possible.

Rafique Siddiqui, a trader in the Dabbi Bazaar since 1972, says government efforts to shift the Rim Market, Akbari Mandi and Chemical Market on the congested Circular Road have not gone beyond the planning stage for over five years, adding that some businessmen won’t agree to shift either.

“Transportation is a major issue in Chemical Market, which can also be hazardous. Akbari Mandi can also be shifted, but its dealers aren’t ready. Places like Azam and Shah Alam markets are too spread out to be easily shifted and the worth of each shop there, some of which are as tiny as 8x8 feet, is around Rs50-60 million, so traders won’t settle for anything less. Plus, they’re well-settled with a customer base, safe, their recoveries are easy here. The traders that have shifted to larger areas, for example some from Moti Bazaar to Ravi Road, have complained of dacoities.”

Siddiqui, who has 13 shops of his own in both Dabbi and Kinari bazaars, maintains the authorities have failed to manage the decades-long traffic issue and should also eradicate wrong parking. “But more importantly, even if traders are ready, the government lacks financial or infrastructural resources to execute such an extensive plan,” he feels.

Another trader agrees with the lack of resources, saying there was a plan to shift the markets to Ring Road, but it’s yet to be implemented. “The plans only remain in the pipeline. It’ll be good for customers if the markets are shifted on the outskirts, but wholesalers don’t want to. The main problem is a lack of parking space that causes traffic jams and eventually affects business. The footfall in Shah Alam has decreased because of traffic,” says Ashfaq Butt, who has been dealing in readymade garments in Shah Alam Market for over 50 years. He believes construction of parking plazas, especially in Delhi Gate, Kashmiri, Shah Alam markets, will end all the issues.

He also blames the dwindling trade activity on inflation and price hike after Imran Khan’s government took over. “Encroachments in these markets haven’t been eliminated as the corporation officials take bribes from the encroachers.”

The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), which is mandated with conservation and development of the Walled City, has made efforts to conserve what’s left of the area, but the wholesale activity is creating hurdles. “We need to create a balance between national heritage and market culture, but right now it’s lopsided towards high commercialisation that’s happened over many many years. We have had FIRs filed, run from pillar to post, but shifting markets like Akbari Mandi, the shoe, leather, chemical and Azam Cloth markets requires a deep, wholesome solution. When we rehabilitated Gali Surjan Singh, we found basements of many small houses turned into storages,” bemoans Kamran Lashari, the WCLA director general.

He says they got a master plan created with the help of Aga Khan Trust and international input to mark commercial and residential areas to save the quarters that can be saved, limit heights and basements under building bylaws, “but any big action is few and far between because it requires a lot of intervention by police and local authorities”. “We asked LDA officials to appoint a new place for these markets only then will there be any breathing space and traffic will be easier to manage. But this needs huge political will and commitment for a sustainable solution otherwise we can’t promote tourism,” Mr Lashari suggested.

Lahore Deputy Commissioner Umer Sher Chattha is of the view that internationally, old markets are uplifted and rehabilitated and not shifted outside.

“We need to do so too. It’s doable and can be done by municipal services, the WCLA, Punjab government. We need to restrict commercial activities further,” he believed.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2022