Anti-encroachment drive continues in full swing in Karachi

More than 6,500 shops have been demolished in the city so far, says KMC official

KARACHI: In its on-going anti-encroachment operation, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) on Saturday cleared encroachments on Burnes Road. Over 360 shops on footpaths and 66 illegal compounds of residential buildings were demolished on the biggest food street of the city. The operation at Burnes Road had to be halted mid-way on Friday as shopkeepers protested and blocked the traffic. The anti-encroachment team was held hostage by protesters for a while till the police arrived and rescued them. The operation however resumed again on Saturday.

The operation has been extended to almost all districts of the city. The campaign was also carried out in Liaquatabad, where 65 shops on the drain were demolished which included the shops constructed on the footpath of the bird market.



According to Anti-encroachment Director Bashir Siddiqui more than 6,500 shops and encroachments have been demolished in the operation as of yet. In some areas, shopkeepers are removing shops and shades which exceed the limit by themselves as the drive expands day by day.

Meanwhile traders' communities have expressed their concerns regarding the impact of this drive. The Sindh Traders Alliance has called for a convention on Monday and Karachi Chamber of Commerce has also started submitting documents for the shops that were demolished despite legal ownership so as to demand alternative places for business from the Sindh government.



Encroachments in Gulshan-e-Iqbal were razed on Friday. The operation was conducted by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) in different areas of Gulshan-e-Iqbal including Rashid Minhas Road. The anti-encroachment director said that all illegal shops will be razed after a proper survey. Many illegal stalls and cabins were also cleared from Hassan Square to Nipa as was an illegally constructed wedding lawn.

The debris however has not been removed by the anti-encroachment teams and has been causing trouble for citizens. The streets of Akbar Road which is nearby are also littered with debris which causes traffic jams and congestions. Citizens have requested concerned authorities to order the immediate removal of debris from streets following the pattern of the Empress Market operation.

Additional input from ppi 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2018.