An anti-encroachment drive of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) turned violent on Friday when the government officials and law enforcers entered the area outside Empress Market.
The vendors of the pushcarts around the historic market in Saddar became violent when the KMC’s anti-encroachment team started shutting down their stalls and demolishing the set-ups. The law enforcers beat up the vendors and even used tear gas.
A police official and two police constables sustained injuries during the scuffle along with two KMC officials, said Mazhar Khan, the director of KMC’s anti-encroachment cell. Khan said that they have removed the encroachment over 15 times before but every time the encroachers resume their businesses.
“We have machinery and we can forcefully remove encroachments,” said Khan. “But we don’t have forces for vigilance,” he added, explaining why they have been unable to end the menace completely. The anti-encroachment drive will continue for the next three days until Saddar, Jama Cloth and Light House markets are completely cleared.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2014.
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