KARACHI: Another round of the anti-encroachment operation was conducted in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Johar Friday night, the city’s authorities have confirmed.
The operation, being conducted under Karachi Development Authority’s (KDA) Anti-Encroachment Cell, is removing illegal construction in different parts of the city. The first round saw KDA’s heavy machinery, including bulldozers, dumper trucks and cranes, remove the small shops located near Safari Park on University Road.
“Illegal stalls” and vendors located on the green belt near the park were also demolished, in the presence of officials from the local police station as they monitored the operations.
Steadily, the heavy machinery moved through Gulistan-e-Johar and into the Rabia City neighbourhood where, according to officials present on site, the illegal furniture market would be removed.
Operations were also carried out near Kala Pul (Black Bridge) and Nursery market.
On Thursday, the anti-encroachment drive, in its fourth day, cleaned up the city’s Saddar area and demolished stalls and kiosks in and around Tibet Centre, Akbar Road, and Zaibunnisa Street.
The operation is being carried out rapidly after the Supreme Court ordered Mayor of Karachi to deliver on his promise. The apex court, on October 27, had ordered removal of illegal encroachments in the city within the next 15 days.
However, as the operation entered the fourth day, shop owners were seen protesting outside Empress Market against the demolishing of their shops. According to the shop owners, they have been paying the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and other departments for the past 50 years and despite the payment, their shops were demolished.