Anti-encroachment operation in Karachi’s Saddar enters its fourth day

As the anti-encroachment operation continued in Saddar on Thursday, many illegal shops were demolished while the shopkeepers protested.  The illegal shops and their extensions which exceeded the legal limit were cleared at the electronic market and motorcycle shops near Regal. The operation was conducted successfully in different areas. The KMC, however, faced resistance from shopkeepers on Thursday at Empress Market. Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar reviewed the operation. “We have terminated the tenancy agreements of the shops which were rented out by the KMC. The K-electric has cut their connections too,” he said. Related: Traffic disruption expected as anti-encroachment operation continues in Karachi However, the shopkeepers say that they are still paying the rent. The KMC owns around 1,000 shops outside Empress Market which it had rented out.  The authority has the right to take back the shops anytime it wants. Meanwhile, the people of Karachi are satisfied with the anti-encroachment operation. The people said it’s easier for them to pass through Saddar now, as there is more space on the roads. The shopkeepers resisted the operation on Wednesday and the administration gave them a day's time to shift their goods and belongings. On October 27, the Supreme Court ordered that all encroachments be removed from Karachi in 15 days. The Karachi mayor and commissioner devised a plan to clear encroachments from Saddar.