The ongoing anti-encroachment operation of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) turned violent on Wednesday as the law enforcers faced resistance from a group of enraged people on Shahra-e-Iraq in Saddar Town of the metropolis.
The law enforcement officials, however, controlled over the situation by dispersing the resisting persons, paving ways for the officials to continue the anti-encroachment operation in the area. "Some miscreants tried to disturb the anti-encroachment work with pelting stones towards the operation squad. Meanwhile, the police intervened and dispersed the crowd," said a KMC spokesman.
The third phase of the operation was conducted at Bhori Bazar, Shahra-e-Iraq, New Preedi Street, Mobile Market, Parking Plaza, Cooperative Market, Rainbow Center, Impress Market, and the adjoining streets of Passport Office wherefrom encroachments such as cabins, shades of shops, pushcarts and large size signboards etc were removed.
He said that the mobile market area of Saddar has been cleared from all kinds of encroachments. Heavy signboards, billboards etc were caved in from the walls of high-rise buildings. Heavy contingent of police and other law enforcers also assisted the operation that is being supervised by Metropolitan Commissioner. Heavy machinery such as bulldozers trucks, lifters, loaders etc were used in the operation.
The business activities remain thin around the busy Saddar area due to operation. It also caused massive gridlock on roads around Impress Market and nearby areas, including M A Jinnah Road, creating hardships for motorists, students, and general public to make their ways. It must be mentioned here that this operation has become the source of information for the citizens particularly for the youth as construction heritage of colonial era revealed to them after signboards caved in from the face of pre-partition built structures. One can see clearly a number of such buildings bearing their original construction date of British era, on their walls, now. The city's authorities have initiated the ongoing anti-encroachment operation compliance with the Supreme Court (SC) orders after Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has given a 15-day deadline to the local administration and the law enforcement agencies to clear all encroachments from the city. Prior to this operation, the Metropolitan Commissioner said the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had informed all the shopkeepers and roadside venders to vacate footpaths, and remove sheds from shops or else ready for the crackdown in light of the Supreme Court's orders.
Comments
Comments are closed.