Notwithstanding the tall claims of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) regarding anti-encroachment drive, encroachments have reappeared in Saddar and surrounding areas, exposing the effectiveness of the ongoing operation against encroachments in the city. Roads and footpaths in Saddar area have been highly encroached by vendors due to which even pedestrians faces difficulties.
Sources said that police and KMC administration receive heavy bribe for allowing vendors to setup their illegal stalls on roads and footpaths in the area. KMC has claimed of removing all encroachments in Saddar area last Saturday, but the very next day the illegal stalls and pushcarts reappear on the roads and pavements. The operation against illegal encroachments is being carried on the orders of Sindh High Court. "It is very difficult for KMC and police to remove encroachments in the city because area SHO and KMC official are patronising these illegal stalls. They received bribes from the vendors, besides political influence is also a major obstacle in making the city encroachment-free," a citizen said.
"It is very difficult for the anti-encroachment team to maintain Saddar area encroachment-free because area police help the vendors to setup their stalls," an official of KMC anti-encroachment taskforce told this correspondent. Sources said that the concerned department had engaged political workers in carrying out operation against encroachments instead of seeking help from law enforcement agencies.
"The anti-encroachment taskforce usually tasked the area's dominated political party to launch operation against encroachments," sources said, adding that these political activists plunder the stalls of vendors during the operation. Sources said staff members of anti-taskforce were not willing to take part in the operation due to lack of security. "The taskforce usually operate in the night, but the employees are not given overtime," they said.
Scores of employees got injured during operation against encroachments, while a Deputy Director Mohammad Ishaq was killed few months ago during anti-encroachment drive in the city. Sources said that corrupt officers of KMC have allowed the vendors to set up their stalls again. It is pertinent to mention here that Chairman Task Force Bilal Manzar had decided that the area, from where encroachments are removed, would be handed over to Police and Rangers to avoid re-emergence of encroachments.