ACCORDING to Dawn the Commissioner of Karachi believes street vendors do not constitute encroachments (Oct 5). Yes, he is right when he says that street vending with formal permission is legal. However, at least I am not aware of any law under which somebody is authorised to obstruct vehicular traffic or pedestrian movement.

Legal street vendors are supposed to be moving hawkers on foot, pushcart or any other vehicle assigned by competent authority for particular residential or pedestrian streets.

I hope the district/municipal administration and other relevant agencies perform their functions strictly according to law rather than act upon their whims or expediency. They are supposed to protect the rights of citizens in the larger public interest instead of creating illegal employment opportunities at the cost of public inconvenience.

S. M. Sibtain

Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2019