Govt launches anti-encroachment drive along Karachi's Gujjar nullah

KARACHI: The government on Wednesday initiated an anti-encroachment drive along the city's Gujjar nullah, a week after record-breaking torrential rains triggered urban flooding in the metropolis.

The KMC director anti-encroachment spoke to Geo News, saying that the operations commenced at 8am at three locations in the city. He said that two anti-encroachment operations were being conducted in the area between Cafe Pyala to Teen Hatti and one at a nullah in New Karachi.

Police and Rangers personnel will also take part in the operation. K-Electric and Sui Gas teams arrived near Cafe Pyala before the operation began.

Residents of Liaquatabad FC area had earlier protested when the deputy commissioner central urged residents to vacate their homes by 7am for the operation.

Protesters blocked roads, affecting traffic between Nazimabad and Liaquatabad. However, they ended their protest when police and Sindh government officials reassured them that the operation was being conducted against commercial encroachments and not residential ones.

The Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) said that it had been decided by the Centre and provincial government that residents of the areas will be provided homes before their encroachments were razed to the ground.

The Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) also demanded the government provide money or other accommodation to the people living in encroachments before clearing them.

Murtaza Wahab clarified, however, that the operation was being conducted against commercial encroachments only.