New Delhi: The opening of Dream Bazar in Karachi on Friday was meant to be a grand affair, but it quickly spiralled into chaos. The day that started with the promise of items as low as PKR 50, ended with violence and vandalism.
Promoted aggressively on social media as Pakistan’s first mega thrift store, the event promised unbeatable prices on clothing, accessories, and homeware. As thousands of people gathered outside the mall, management struggled to control the swelling crowd.
When they attempted to close the doors to manage the situation, baton-wielding individuals forcibly broke through the glass entrance, ARY News reported.
The situation became so dire that city traffic came to a standstill, with visuals showing thousands stranded outside the mall. Eyewitnesses reported extensive damage to the property. Some alleged that there was no police presence, while others said that police were hitting bystanders.
A businessman of Pakistani origin living abroad opened a huge mall in Gulistan-e-Johar locality of Karachi, which he named Dream Bazaar. And today on the day of inauguration he had announced a special discount. A crowd of about one lakh Paki goths stormed the mall and looted the… pic.twitter.com/OmLvMn6kHF
— Politicspedia (@Politicspedia23) September 1, 2024
Amid the vandalism, people made videos of themselves stealing clothes. Another eyewitness said all of this happened within half an hour. They opened at 3pm and by 3:30pm it had been wiped clean.
Reportedly built by a Pakistani-origin man living abroad, the vandalism left the employees devastated.
“We brought this for the benefit of the people of Karachi,” lamented one distraught employee. “But instead of a smooth opening, we faced chaos. Very few investments happen in Karachi, and when they do, this is the result,” he added.
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A sign of the times
Pakistanis on social media were both critical and cynical.
“If people came out in these numbers to fight for their rights, the future of the country would be brighter. But instead, they prioritise a shirt for Rs 50,” one X user wrote in Urdu.
The incident underscores the deep economic struggles faced by the people of Karachi. With the federal government slashing the budget for development projects and inflation still making life difficult for the average citizen, the desperation for affordable goods is palpable, Dawn reported.
On the day of the opening, it was reported that Pakistan’s debt soared to $254 billion (PKR 71 trillion) as of June 2024. The federal government disclosed these figures to the National Assembly, revealing the nation’s increasing financial woes. Despite a slight improvement in foreign exchange reserves and a stabilised rupee, the public continues to suffer from high energy costs, housing rents, and the threat of rising inflation.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Their culture is also stolen (from us) landless cultureless Jewish people 😆😆😆. What did you expect from those who can’t do gharwapsi?
A country ruled by individuals and jihadists hell bent on attacking Bharath gets its share of turmoil in the same coin from within…. is this another Bangla like national riot on the making or was it just the greed of getting something cheap at the cost of looting and plunder…. the aggressive nature of the mughals still lies within…. however for weak and inconsequential targets.
Pathetic mob.