Another 100 illegal shops razed around Karachi zoo

Over 100 illegal shops around the Garden zoo and Akbar Road market were demolished on Tuesday by the anti-encroachment staff of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). Officials said the shopkeepers held a demonstration against the operation and said they were not given prior notice.

KMC Senior Director Anti-Encroachments Bashir Siddiqi said the shopkeepers had been duly intimated in advance about the anti-encroachment operation. So far more than 500 illegal shops had been demolished during the last four days of the operation in the area. Heavy machinery was used during the operation in the presence of law-enforcement agencies.

He said the shopkeepers had been warned to prevent future encroachments or else action would be taken against them. The operation had been extended to various parts of the city, including North Nazimabad, Shadman Town, Korangi.

Zaman voices concern

Expressing concern over eviction notices sent by the authorities to around 400 shopkeepers in Urdu Bazaar stating that their shops were illegal and would be demolished, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Karachi President Khurram Sher Zaman said on Tuesday that the shops’ occupancy was legal as the Karachi Municipal Corporation itself built the market.

MPA Zaman, who is critical of the ongoing KMC-led anti-encroachment drive in the city, said that the PTI would not keep quiet on the injustice done to the public and commented that it seems that the authority was rendering people jobless in the guise of carrying out the Supreme Court’s orders.

A massive anti-encroachment campaign has been underway across the city in which “illegal establishments” are being taken down and occupied public spaces are being freed. However, this is also causing resentment as affectees claim they were maltreated as they rightfully owned the now demolished properties.

“We will raise our voice against this on the Sindh Assembly floor,” said Zaman, taking a jibe at Mayor Wasim Akhtar who belongs to the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan which is PTI’s ally at in the Centre.

Referring to a defamation notice served on him by Akhtar, he said: “My comments hurt the non-existing reputation of the mayor.”

The PTI leader suggested that the instead of demolishing the shops, the KMC could raise the rent because that seems a better approach of handling this issue. He added that the mayor and the Sindh government through their “inappropriate” actions have created a mess in the city.

Pointing out the other problems in the city, Zaman said, “We can see a joke in the name of schools where students exist but the school is without staff. There is no safe drinking water available, the air is polluted and due to no check on hygiene, people are dying due to food poisoning.”

Speaking of the money laundering investigation against Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and those close to him, he said that the Omni Group, which is owned by Anwar Majeed, who is said to be an aide of Zardari, looted public money and its corruption is unprecedented.

Zaman added that Zardari could not escape accountability. He said he was heading to Islamabad today where he will meet the central leadership of PTI.

“We will talk to senior leadership about the case as on January 10 the case has a crucial hearing in which people will receive some good news,” he said. “The National Assembly seat of Zardari is in danger due to the crime of hiding his assets. We request the PPP leaders to advise him to face his cases instead of criticising PTI.”