The slums of Emporium Mall Lahore: An epitome of class difference

Lahore is the second largest city in Pakistan and is definitely the economic center of the country. What makes the city wonderful? For me, part of the power and appeal of big cities is that she can raise both past and present. Anyone who has walked in the city of Lahore will know that past and present integration will make Lahore very striking. But the past can not be too much. The future Lahore must be a place to take care of the citizens more than ever.

We are shopping and eating at the Emporium shopping mall, but many people are sleeping on the hunger outside. Slums outside the Emporium Mall live in a poor community living in a harsh environment

Lahore was called "crispy" by the authorities, but there is an ugly aspect of this large-scale development, namely the addition of a slum street in and around Joir. Affordable housing is a big problem in cities such as Lahore

Therefore, people are forced to live in a temporary shelter. These people move from Punjab's rural areas and aim to improve the standard of living. The reality is very serious, and many people entering the city have difficulty in obtaining employment opportunities.

Most of these people are stalls, fruit selling, and day laborers. They have little income and can not afford to buy dinner during the day. It is ironic that these citizens are forced to live in disappointing conditions such as bad hygiene, lack of access to clean drinking water, serious health conditions, etc.

While talking with the residents of some slums, I was shocked to learn that they paid rent for these temporary solutions. They dare not reveal the name of the group. They are also concerned about the government's role in rehabilitation. Government representatives are not interested in bringing them out of the field or giving them ownership.

The most vulnerable group in this temporary placement is a child. Most people gave up education to feed their families.

Slums are by-products of overpopulation, political, economic and social inequality. This brought about disorder of social problems. Because there is no equal opportunity and they can not be integrated into society, problems such as crime and drug poisoning are occurring in these communities.

Pakistan is a member of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), specifically states that its 11 target states "will build safe, resilient and sustainable cities and people settlements". The first concrete goal of this global goal is to "make everyone available to adequate safety and affordable housing and basic services, upgrade slum by 2030". The new state government should develop a plan for temporary relocation of these people. The greater responsibility lies in those living nearby

Emporium Mall is a shopping center located in the town of Johar in Lahore, southwest of Lahore International Expo Center. The eleven storey shopping mall covers over 8 million square feet and has more than 200 stores and 5 star hotels. Opened in 2016, this hotel is the second largest shopping mall in Pakistan, following one of the world's largest shopping centers, following Karachi's Lucky One Mall. The mall is operated by the Nishat group. According to Mall's website, they estimate an estimated 44,000 visitors per day.

In 2016, Emporium Mall became Pakistan's largest shopping mall. After the completion of the Lucky One shopping center in Karachi in 2017, Emporium Shopping Center became the second largest shopping mall. Emporium Mall is also one of the world's largest shopping centers. Emporium Mall has more than 200 international and local brands. We also have Universal Cinema, Hyperstar Supermarket and Large Food Court. Emporium Mall is a 13 storey building that has a 3-storey parking lot under the shopping mall and can accommodate up to 2,000 cars. Emporium Mall occupies an area of ​​2.7 million square feet (about 250,000 square meters), which is about half of Mall of America, about half of Vatican City. The mall has an almost symmetrical and rectangular floor plan. Over more than 200 overseas and local stores along a 5-story walkway

Interestingly, I spent three years in Lahore, but I could not visit the shopping center. When I saw the shopping center, I was shocked that it was in Lahore because of the beauty of the shopping center. There are various bookstores at shopping malls and various stores. There is also a cafeteria for edible use. There is a place of prayer. To my surprise, this was my first time to watch a movie at a movie theater. After the movie, we were eating ice cream there, then we wanted to go home safely, we left the shopping center and began to go to UET.