2,500 shops reportedly demolished in Karachi’s Saddar area

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KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), in a report sent to the commissioner Saturday, stated that 2,500 shops were demolished in the metropolis’ Saddar area in the anti-encroachment operation.

Following the directives of the Supreme Court, the KMC prepared a report on the anti-encroachment operation in Karachi’s Saddar and surrounding areas which was conducted from November 5 to 15. The report also included pictures of the area cleared.

As per the report, 2,500 illegal shops including six RCC basements and a two-storey building, were demolished to “restore Empress Market”.

“480 illegal shops on Sohrab Khattak Road, 150 encroachments on Sarmad Shaheed Road and 450 stalls at Shahrah-e-Iraq were demolished during the drive,” the report informed, adding that 7,500 sun shades at Akbar Road and surrounding areas were also removed.

“Encroachments on Zaibunnisa Street, Magazine Line, Abdullah Haroon Road, Raja Ghazanfar Ali Road and Mir Karam Ali Talpur Road were also removed.”

The report also informed of anti-encroachment operations under way in six other zones of the city.

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar while speaking to media outside an anti-terrorism court said, “We had told the Supreme Court that matters will have to be resolved after taking all stakeholders on-board.”

“People are clearing encroachments themselves. Footpaths are for people to walk on and not for stalls but in Karachi people do as they please,” he added. “The Supreme Court had directed that Saddar be cleared of encroachments to set a model. Now, KMC will increase the scope of the anti-encroachment operation.”