• Dispute over ownership of colonial-era building is still pending before SHC
• Mohsin Naqvi announces grand facilitation centre during visit to ‘interior ministry office on I.I. Chundrigar Road’

KARACHI: The historic Karachi Cotton Exchange building, which has been at the centre of an ownership dispute between the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), has now emerged as the proposed site for a major interior ministry project, raising fresh questions over the fate of the colonial-era property.

In December 2025, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the ETPB, acting on the orders of the apex court, had claimed to have “recovered” and “vacated” the Karachi Cotton Exchange building situated on I.I. Chundrigar Road, declaring it a federal trust property.

The KMC, Karachi Cotton Association, its many members and tenants of the subject building had moved the Sindh High Court (SHC), impugning the sealing order and eviction notice as well as the FIR.

As the matter regarding ownership of the building is currently pending adjudication, the FIA, which falls within the administrative control of the interior ministry, had in April relocated its different sections to the building after reaching an agreement with the ETPB under which the agency would pay rent to the latter for use of the premises.

On Tuesday, according to an official statement, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the “interior ministry office on I.I. Chundrigar Road” and announced that the country’s largest public facilitation centre under his ministry would be established there, with counters for passports, computerised national identity cards (CNICs), arms licences and various no-objection certificates (NOCs) under one roof.

While the statement did not identify the premises, FIA’s Karachi Director Muntazir Mehdi, in a brief reply to Dawn, confirmed that the centre would be established in the Karachi Cotton Exchange building on I.I. Chundrigar Road.

During his visit, the interior minister said: “The counters of all departments and organisations under the Ministry of Interior would be available at the Grand Facilitation Centre. The citizens will be able to access passport, CNIC, arms licence, various NOCs and other services under one roof.”

The interior minister directed that the master plan for the “Grand Facilitation Centre” be prepared and submitted within 10 days, the statement said.

Mr Naqvi said the master plan would be prepared while taking into account all requirements. He directed the authorities to ensure all necessary measures for the establishment of the “Facilitation Centre”.

The development comes against the backdrop of an ongoing legal dispute over ownership and possession of the historic building. The Sindh High Court had earlier this month directed the ETPB to unseal the historic building.

Rescue vehicles for Islamabad arrive at port

Separately, the interior minister visited Karachi Port and inspected the new vehicles that have arrived from China for Islamabad Rescue 1122 and fire department.

The statement said that a total of 21 new vehicles for Islamabad Rescue 1122 and the Fire Brigade arrived at Karachi Port after a gap of 17 years.

“The arrival of the new vehicles for Islamabad Rescue and the Fire Brigade is a welcome development. The addition of new vehicles to Islamabad Rescue is the biggest expansion since 2009. We are grateful to the government of China for expediting the supply of these new vehicles,” Mr Naqvi said.

The officials at the port briefed the minister that the rescue vehicles would remain available round-the-clock at six stations across Islamabad and that they were capable of conducting operations at heights of up to 78 metres.

“The new fleet includes aerial fire trucks, fire towers and fire tenders. The new rescue vehicles are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment,” added the statement.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026