The cost of glory

The anti-encroachment drive in Karachi is in full swing. The operation in Saddar, especially around the Empress Market, has caught the attention of a large number of Karachi’s residents. It was, undoubtedly, sad to learn that thousands of shops around the market have been razed to the ground. While it is true that many shops were not running under a valid lease, almost all shopkeepers were paying monthly rent to the municipal staff. What is even more tragic is the fact that shopkeepers weren’t allowed to collect their merchandise. As a result, stock worth millions of rupees was also destroyed.

Even though the relevant authorities have expressed that the government has a clear plan to compensate the shopkeepers, neither compensation nor alternative location has been offered by the authorities so far. By razing thousands of shops to the ground, the government has destroyed the livelihood of hundreds of families. With no source of income, how will these people meet their daily expenses?

Owais Khalid ( Karachi )