Akbari Mandi to be preserved

LAHORE: The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCS-P).

The agreement was signed during an official meeting held at AKCS-P’s office in Zaman Park. The MoU laid out a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate selected structures of Lahore’s iconic spice market.

Located at the Akbari Gate in the Old City, the site was considered one of the largest spice markets in Asia. Named after the Mughal emperor Akbar, the wholesale spice market was around 500 years-old, making it one of the oldest centres which trade in hundreds of different spices.

Present on the occasion, Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) DG Kamran Lashari, reaffirmed his commitment to preserving the city’s cultural heritage. The roadmap for revamping the market presents an exciting and ambitious prospect, he said. ‘We look forward to our continued partnership with AKCS-P. Together we have achieved significant milestones in the preservation of some of Lahore’s most celebrated historic sites.’ For almost two decades, WCLA and AKCS-P have undertaken joint efforts to restore Lahore’s historical buildings, including the Lahore Fort, Shahi Hammam and Wazir Khan Masjid.

A presentation was shared during the meeting, which marked the areas of the market that were going to be conserved and contained illustrations of the planned structures. Furthermore, case studies of ancient spice markets located in Morocco and Turkiye were discussed.

The CEO of AKCS-P Tausif Ahmad, stated that the longstanding strategic partnership of AKCS-P and WCLA had led to seamless restoration activities which used the expertise of skilled craftsmen, artists and architects. He said, ‘We hope to restore the market to its past glory, which would allow both tourists and nearby residents to experience the historical site in its full splendor.’