KARACHI: The directives of the Sindh High Court (SHC) have been disregarded as the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) did not bother to take any concrete action against makeshift markets (Bachat Bazaars).
The SHC and Mayor Waseem Akhtar passed the directives of illegal Bachat Bazaars removal across the city but the same are set up in public parks, playgrounds, streets and also on service roads on weekly basis.
These Bazaars are operational due to the alleged patronage by Enterprise & Investment Promotion (E&IP) department of KMC, which allows these makeshift markets to continue in lieu of illegal gratification.
According to sources, at least 110 illegal Bachat Bazaars are presently operating in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulberg, Liaqatabad, Shah Faisal, Jamshed Town, North Karachi, Surjani Town, Korangi, Federal B Area and in many other localities of the city.
Sources told that several officers of the department had been serving in the same position for a long period of time despite frequent complaints against their illegal practices and corruption.
As per the claim of organisers, these markets are meant to provide relief to the common man by providing him or her easy access to all essential commodities under one roof as compared to local markets.
Sources said that the EIP department had allowed private organisers of 110 Bachat bazaars to acquire land at a rate of Rs6 per square yard. A small Bachat Bazaar nearly covered 1500 square yards of land.
When PPI contacted KMC’s E&IP Chairman Qaiser Imtiaz to acquire administration point of view, he did not attend the call.