Imtiaz store to remain open

Earlier, police had ordered superstore to remain shut from 9:30am to 3:30pm

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday allowed Imtiaz Superstore in Gulshan-e-Iqbal to remain open through out the day, Express News reported.

Last week, police directed the store management to remain closed from 3:30pm to 9:30pm until further notice. The move came after Imtiaz Supermarket failed to come up with its own parking as promised in the undertaking given to the East deputy commissioner (DC) causing severe traffic gridlock in the area.



“The store hereby, has been ordered to remain closed from 3:30pm to 9:30pm,” an order issued to the store’s management reads.

During a hearing on Monday, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah directed authorities to manage traffic rather than getting the supermarket closed down.

The order served earlier stated the clientele of Imtiaz Superstore extended to 700 to 800 vehicles at a time. “Thus this is evident to believer that parking arrangement of that much requirement is not available to you,” reads the order. “Hence the disturbance /public nuisance to smooth flow of traffic on Rashid Minhas Road continues to exist.”



The order further stated there isn’t any other option but to order closure of the store until they give a comprehensive traffic management and parking plan duly approved by senior director, transport and communication, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

Confirming the closure, Assistance Commissioner Shoukat Ali Ujjan told The Express Tribune that if the superstore opens the store in violation of the order an FIR would be lodged against them.