Anti-encroachment drive continues in various areas of Karachi

KARACHI: Anti-encroachment cell of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) has removed several illegal structures from different areas of Karachi on Wednesday, ARY News reported.

The KMC, in its latest anti-encroachment drive which started after Supreme Court’s orders in the metropolis, has razed several illegal shops and sunshades in Akbar Road and the Madison market.

In another, separate action that took place in Federal-B area, an illegally built office that was constructed in a park of the area, was demolished.

Yesterday, at least three Karachi Development Authority (KDA) officials were injured after they came under attack during an anti-encroachment operation in Korangi’s area of Mehran town.

As per details, the land grabbers and locals had pelted stones and opened fire on the anti-encroachment teams as they arrived to demolish illegal constructions.

Police had done aerial firing to disperse the enraged protesters and shifted the injured officials to hospital.

It is pertinent to mention here that Burns Road – an oldest and most popular street recognized for its ‘desi’eateries had also witnessed massive demolitions, on November 25.

The KMC on November 17 had submitted a report to the commissioner Karachi, apprising about implementation on the directives of the Supreme Court regarding anti-encroachment operation in the city.

According to the report, as many as 2500 shops were razed at Empress Market and its adjoining Daudpota Road during the anti-encroachment drive. Similarly 480 illegal shops were demolished in the city’s Sohrab Goth Area. While 150 shops at Sarmad Shaheed Road were also bulldozed.

The top court on October 27 had directed Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar to remove all encroachments from the city’s amenity plots and pavements with the help of law enforcement agencies, and granted a 15-day deadline to city authorities for compliance of its orders.