Kennedy Market
John F. Kennedy Market, commonly known as Kennedy Market, is a marketplace in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan.[1][2]
History
[edit]Kennedy Market was developed as a modern shopping center following a fire in Shahi Bazar in August 1961.[3] The fire, occurring in the hometown of then Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, led to a fundraising effort for reconstruction.[3] This initiative, led by Bhutto, raised funds from various sources including the government of Pakistan, local municipalities, [ndustrialists, traders, and the US embassy, with a notable contribution of 300,000 rupees from the latter.[3]
Constructed on a 28,080 square feet plot on Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Road, the market was named after John F. Kennedy, reflecting the substantial aid received from the United States.[3] It featured 38 shops and flats and was managed by a Public Charitable Trust formed by Bhutto on August 14, 1964.[3] The trust was responsible for the market's administration and used the surplus funds for community welfare projects.[3]
The market's management changed following Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's martial law in 1977, transferring control from the trust to the municipal authorities.[3]
In 1988, under the primership of Benazir Bhutto, the trust briefly regained control, and efforts were made to revitalize the market, including establishing a free dispensary for women.[3]
The market also served as a political hub, hosting offices for the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto), formed after Murtaza Bhutto's assassination.[3] However, over the years, the market's commercial activity diminished, with many shops closing or being repurposed for storage and parking.[3]
The decline of the market was compounded by the loss of historical documents and photographs in the events of December 27, 2007.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Historical Kennedy Market Tower in Larkana being destroyed". Daily Times. March 7, 2017.
- ^ "Sindhishaan – Larkana". Sindhishaan.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "پاکستان میں امریکی صدر کے نام پر مارکیٹ کیسے بنی؟". Independent Urdu. December 6, 2020.
