KARACHI: An anti-encroachment drive launched against illegal constructions in the city’s historic Empress Market area earlier this month has expanded to Dhoraji, Mohammad Ali Society and Tariq Road.
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) Anti-Encroachment cell began razing encroachments and illegal constructions to the ground in the residential areas of Mohammad Ali Society and Dhoraji on Thursday. During the operation, officials demolished sheds and pillars of a foreign restaurant chain located in the neighbourhood. The restaurant in question had encroached upon the pavement in front of it, KMC said.
An illegally constructed wedding hall in Tariq Road was also razed to the ground.
During the past week, over 1,000 shops in and around Empress Market were razed in the operation against land encroachments, which was launched on the directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
By Sunday, 1043 illegal shops had been demolished, KMC Anti-Encroachment Senior Director Bashir Ahmed Siddiqui said.
A cleanup operation to remove over 100,000 tonnes of rubble from the site was initiated following the demolishment.
Many shopkeepers have protested the anti-encroachment operation and also faced off with KMC officials, demanding that they be compensated with alternate land to set up their shops.