Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar on Tuesday said that his mandate is to remove encroachments lining the roads and drains and not to demolish houses.
Speaking to reporters outside Supreme Court’s Karachi’s registry, Akhtar said, “We have not demolished any houses and neither will we let anyone raze them. This is a wrong impression. ”
He added that a report regarding the anti-encroachment drive in Saddar and adjoining areas has been submitted in the court.
“A report regarding the encroachments on drains, parks and roads has been submitted in the court,” he said.
Akhtar continued, “Court has given time to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), federal and Sindh government to sit together and submit a report by 8:30 tomorrow so that more instructions can be issued,”
“An appeal was made by the government to demolish houses. My mandate is to remove encroachments from drains and roads, not to demolish houses,” he added.
“Our campaign against encroachments will continue. We will eliminate land mafia from Karachi and restore the city to its original state,” he asserted.
Akhtar further said, “We are trying to find an alternative place for shopkeepers. KMC has been given the task of removing encroachments.”
He added, “Parks are a public place not a place for business. Encroachments should be removed from roads, footpaths and parks.”
