KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation on Wednesday allocated 1,443 shops to the traders displaced during the anti-encroachment drive launched by the city municipal administration on Supreme Court orders.

The allocation of alternative place for business to the affected traders in the KMC markets began with the balloting of 1,443 shops for KMC tenants at the KMC Head Office in the presence of Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, Commissioner of Karachi Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif-ur-Rehman, Deputy Commissioner (South) Syed Salahuddin, traders’ representatives Jamil Ahmed Paracha and Ateeq Mir.

The Empress Market shopkeepers were accommodated in Ranchhore Line Market, Umar Farooq Market in Khadda Market, in Shahabuddin Market, Khori Garden Market and Mairaj Market in Furniture Market at the PIDC, Jinnah Frame Market in Soldier Bazaar Market, and Baloch Park in Nazimabad No. 2. The shopkeepers displaced in other parts of South district were given alternative places for business in the KMC’s Frere Market.

Over 1,300 traders to be allotted shops in next phase

Mayor Akhtar said a transparent procedure was adopted for providing 1,443 shops to the affected shopkeepers in the first phase and 1,311 remaining shopkeepers would also be accommodated soon.

He said the action against constructions and encroachments in parks, on drains, footpaths and amenity plots was carried out on SC orders, and besides the KMC, provincial government, district administration, Rangers, police and other civic organisations took part in it.

“The court’s orders have been implemented and now 50 per cent of the affected shopkeepers have been relocated”, he added.

The mayor said that the department concerned of the city municipal administration was assigned to work out allocation of the KMC tenants in other markets from the first day of the anti-encroachment operation so they could resume their business there.

He asked the shopkeepers to contact the KMC’s relevant department or him if they found any problem in the process of relocation.

“The change of shops is also possible and in this connection every support will be provided to the shopkeepers,” he said.

The mayor said the Sindh chief minister, minister for local government and the Karachi commissioner had given guidance to the municipal administration in the process.

He said the Supreme Court would be asked to stop the operation against encroachments with regard to residential buildings.

Earlier, Commissioner Shallwani called it a good omen that the affected shopkeepers were being given alternative places to run their shops. He also congratulated the mayor and his team for making hectic efforts for the relocation of the affected shopkeepers.

Traders’ representatives hailed the KMC’s efforts to ensure provision of alternative business places to thousands of affected shopkeepers.

Senior director of anti-encroachment Bashir Siddiqui, senior director for estate Tasnim Ahmed, director for land Kamal Ahmed, chairmen and chairperson of the KMC Council and different committees and other elected representatives and officers also attended the programme.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2019