Protest in Urdu Bazaar ahead of anti-encroachment drive

A large number of publishers, booksellers and stationery shop owners of Urdu Bazaar protested on Monday against the ongoing anti-encroachment drive by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation which is heading to the famed market soon.

The protesters gathered at Urdu Bazaar around 4pm holding banners and placards carrying statements like “Stop economic murders of booksellers”. They also appealed to President Dr Arif Alvi, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar, Governor Imran Ismail and Mayor Wasim Akhtar through an open letter to stop the planned demolishment of the iconic Urdu Bazaar.

According to the letter, the KMC’s estate department has asked the owners of bookshops and book publishers to vacate offices and shops located in Urdu Bazaar as these would be demolished in the coming days.

“The announcement has given rise to concerns and agony among the academia, the literary circles and all those who are associated with the business of publication and sale of books, notebooks and other study material,” said Urdu Bazaar Market Association General Secretary Muhammad Aslam. He said due to its glorious history and contribution to society, the market should be declared a part of our cultural heritage. But the authorities have planned to erase the market, despite knowing there is no encroachment here.

Urdu Bazaar Market Association’s senior executive member Sayed Zafarul Hassan told The News that almost all bookshop owners have legal documents of ownership. He said the owners have paid the rent of these shops till December 2018. “After the interval of six months, booksellers regularly pay rent to the KMC.”