Four arrested for resisting anti-encroachment action in Karachi

KMC conducted an operation on Friday morning and cleared illegal structures from areas near University Road

KARACHI: Four people were arrested on Friday for attempting to obstruct the anti-encroachment operation being carried out by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) near University Road in East District.

Following the directives of Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, to clear all main roads, service roads and green belts of encroachments in all six districts of the city, KMC officials conducted an anti-encroachment operation in areas surrounding University Road, near Civic Centre and Chandni Chowk, on Friday morning. During the operation, several roadside stalls, cabins, sugarcane juice machines, concrete walls and other illegal structures were removed.

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Reportedly, several notices had been served to the encroachers to refrain from setting up illegal structures in the area but the encroachments continued to exist. As a result, an anti-encroachment team, led by KMC's Anti-Encroachment Senior Director Bashir Siddiqui, conducted an operation on Friday morning and cleared all illegal structures from areas surrounding University Road.

East District Anti-Encroachment Additional Director Shakir Zaki, East District Anti-Encroachment Deputy Director Rehan Siddiqui, other relevant officials and police personnel were also present during the operation.

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Earlier, Akhtar had issued directives to continue action against encroachments, in all six districts of Karachi, on a daily basis. He had said that nobody could be allowed to do business on main roads or service roads, pavements and green belts, as these are not constructed for this purpose.

The mayor had said that encroachments marred the beauty of the city and disrupted traffic flow while appealing to the traders to cooperate in the removal of illegal structures.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2019.