KARACHI, Sept 1: More than 200 workshops set up by goldsmiths in the residential areas of Saddar were sealed off by the Saddar Town administration through the demolition squad of the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) on Wednesday.

According to a press release, the action aimed at ensuring public health would continue. The demolition squad, escorted by a strong contingent of police, took the action under an order by the Sindh ombudsman on complaints that the workshops were causing pollution. The sealed workshops are located along Raja Ghazanfar Ali Road, Dr Dawoodpota Road and Zaibunnisa Street.

The affected people raised hue and cry and some of them took to the streets in protest against the action. They set old tyres on fire to block vehicular traffic but police dispersed them and removed the tyres.

Talking to PPI, President of the Pak Gold Association Akhlaq Mirza maintained that the owners of the workshops had paid millions of rupees to set up their business. He contested the complainants' claim that the workshop had been causing pollution.

Criticizing the KBCA action of sealing off the workshops, he claimed the action had been taken without serving any notice to the affected people. Mr Mirza recalled that the goldsmiths had been offered an alternative place of work in Landhi/Korangi area but the same was located far away from the business centre.

In fact, he added, their business would be destroyed if they moved to such a place. He said that the goldsmiths operating in the city would be meeting soon to discuss the action and resultant situation. -PPI