August 31, 2008	Sunday	Sha'aban 28, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 30: All sorts of encroachments have re-emerged around Lea Market just a few days before Ramazan.

Almost every inch of the area surrounding the market has been occupied by vendors, hawkers, transporters and their booking agents.

Despite repeated anti-encroachment drives launched by the relevant authorities, these encroachers always managed to stage a comeback and continued with their businesses as usual reportedly after greasing the palms of the relevant officials.

“It is a multi-million business involving lower-level municipal or police officials to the high-ups,” a shopkeeper said who regularly pay ‘protection’ money.

According to a survey conducted by the Urban Resource Centre (URC), hawkers at the Saddar and Lea markets area pay around Rs25 million per month to the relevant officials to carry on with their activities illegally.

A number of shopkeepers alleged that the amount collected from hawkers, shopkeepers, traders and other land grabbers etc was then distributed among the top officials and their subordinates. In return, they are allowed to function smoothly.

Due to massive encroachments, pedestrians, commuters and motorists face great hardship while driving between Lea Market and Denso Hall and other link roads.

Most of the roads have been converted into parking lots.