Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar said on Wednesday that they have identified six districts for the anti-encroachment operation in the metropolis which will be removed in a systematic manner and during which any illegal occupation of amenity plots will be finished.
Speaking to media outside the Supreme Court’s Karachi’s registry, Akhtar said, “Plans of what has been done and what we are going to do has been submitted in the court. The top court has issued clear orders after which operation against illegal wedding halls and buildings on drains will be conducted.”
“When the Supreme Court issues an order every institution comes under it,” he said.
Akhtar added that they do not want to cause trouble for anyone no matter what language they speak. “We do not want to finish anyone’s business,” he added.
“We will not let land grabbers return. We will make arrangements for those who were on rent and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is looking into compensation for those affected due to the operation,” he added.
Criticising opposition parties, the Karachi mayor questioned where all the seasoned politicians have gone. “Where are the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf politicians who sit on television screaming? Where is Farooq Sattar who was crying that Karachi mayor and KMC are being cruel?”
Akhtar continued, “Only encroachments were removed from Saddar and Empress Market. A request for Rs200 million has been made to remove rubble from footpaths. The court has ordered the Sindh government to release the funds as soon as possible.”
Turning to other political parties once again, Akhtar said that if any political party was sincere then the encroachments would not have reached this state today. “More than 90 per cent of the city has been encroached upon and 50 per cent of the encroachments has become kachi abadis.”
“All the political parties are involved in this,” he asserted
Akhtar added, “All politics aside, Karachi has been ruined. Everyone comes to Karachi and thinks it is okay to set up businesses on footpaths. Till when will this continue? We have to set our city right.”
Earlier today the Supreme Court issued orders to continue the anti-encroachment drive in the metropolis. During the hearing, the federal and provincial government and Akhtar submitted a report on the ongoing Supreme Court-mandated anti-encroachment operation in the city.
In the report, the federal, Sindh and civil government agreed to continue the operation in the city.
