The 'clean-up' of Empress Market doesn't have to be this way

[CriticalThought]

The PTI government needs to take concerns in this article seriously. This mismanagement casts a bad light on them and calls to question their claims of service to poor people.



Noman AhmedUpdated November 16, 2018

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Neither compensation nor any alternative location has been offered by the authorities so far.—Urban Resource Center

Removal of illegal construction has been ongoing in Karachisince the past few weeks under the directives of the Supreme Court.

The most prominent and visible exercise in this respect was carried out in Saddar. Shops, hawker stalls, extensions of commercial spaces, semi-mobile enactments along the roads and footpaths were demolished.

According to municipal officers, information related to the demolitions was extended in advance to all the prospective affectees in a bid to minimise losses.

Related: Encroach if rich

Evicted hawkers at Empress Market.—Urban Resource Center


'Economic genocide'
Amjad (all names have been changed) had a kite and accessories shop along the backyard of the Empress Market. He had been paying rent to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) since 1988.

He told me that shopkeepers were confident they would be given enough time to pack their goods and dismantle the fixtures.

But he got no clear answer from KMC officials, the ones who used to come collect the rent. Contrary to official line, the ‘clean-up’ began without any prior notice, during the dead of the night.

Also read: Where’s Empress Market?

Heavy machinery was used to remove an illegal signboard in Saddar on Friday November 2.—White Star


Amjad’s shop was bulldozed; he lost fixtures worth one million rupees and merchandise to the tune of Rs0.6 million. He hasn’t been allowed to retrieve whatever remains from the rubble.

Arshad, who also used to sell kites, recounted to me how the shovel operator wouldn’t even stop for 30 minutes to allow him to salvage his belongings despite repeated pleas.

Neither compensation nor any alternative location has been offered by the authorities so far.

Rajab, a tea seller, had to lay off four young men who worked at his shop. For Arshad, this is an “economic genocide” of Karachi’s poor.

A tale of official incompetence
What has happened in and around the Empress Market is a tale of incompetent city management. It needs a careful review on many counts.

Around 1,800 shops that existed were, in fact, illegal since they did not operate under any valid lease. Despite that, all the previous mayors expanded the breadth of the market.

The municipal staff were charging rents (between Rs5,000 to Rs8,000 from each shop) without any legal authority.

Read more: The lament of a heritage manager in Pakistan

KMC authorities backed by heavy contingents of police and Rangers brought heavy machinery to the Empress Market on Saturday night.—Urban Resource Center


But since they were being charged and even provided with receipts in certain cases, the shopkeepers considered their installations as ‘legal’.

There is an Empress Market precinct development plan, which will now be implemented. Not only the building shall be renovated, but there will be a new commercial complex and multi-story car park. KMC will put out a call for allotments for these commercial spaces.

Rehabilitate and revitalise
The shops lost recently constituted the collective life of Saddar. The demolitions have come at a time when employment and livelihoods for the poor and lower-middle classes are hard to come by.

KMC would do well by constituting a rehabilitation committee to examine the scale of the loss and devise solutions.

Many professionals and support groups can be invited to join the effort in order to address the grievances of the affected communities

Explore: Karachi — a case study of an unsustainable city

Hawkers at Empress Market during the ongoing operation against encroachments.—Urban Resource Center


As a long-term measure, support can be extended to street hawkers and small shopkeepers, who do not possess the means to purchase or rent expensive spaces in upscale markets.

Insight can be drawn from laws such as the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act of 2014 in India which attempts to safeguard street vendors.

The Empress Market and its precincts still have an important status in the city centre as well as the overall urban space.

Demolished encroachments near Empress Market.—Urban Resource Center


The area needs to be upgraded through an integrated approach. Its use should be retained as a traditional market place with all the necessary frills that made it vibrant and lively.

The structure and space of the market must be restored under the guidance of qualified restoration architects.

Revitalisation of bus terminal space along Preedy Street, parking lots in assorted locations at single/multiple levels, organisation of properly earmarked hawker zones in the front and backyard of the Empress Market should be considered.

Are you an urban planner? Share your insights with us at blog@dawn.com


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The writer is chairman, Department of Architecture & Planning, NED University, Karachi.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1445973/the-clean-up-of-empress-market-doesnt-have-to-be-this-way

 

[CriticalThought]

Another article discussing the same issue.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1445939/encroach-if-rich

Encroach if rich
Aasim Sajjad AkhtarNovember 16, 2018

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The writer teaches at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

WHEN images of the extensive clear-up operation in Karachi’s historical Empress Market hit our TV screens and social media platforms last week, a set of fairly typical reactions followed. The most vociferous was the one proclaiming a victory for the proverbial rule of law and the imperative of protecting public property from encroachers. This refrain generally emanates from ‘cultured’ circles, betraying a heavy class bias that makes a mockery of the principle that all citizens are indeed equal before the law.

‘Encroachers’ hailing from the lower orders of society — which include small vendors but more prominently tens of millions of poor households — only make claims to public property via the connivance of state functionaries. Put simply, state functionaries (and small-time land dealers) receive regular payments from ‘encroachers’ in exchange for occupation of public property which, strictly speaking, is illegal.

If and when high-ups in the bureaucracy, or in the superior judiciary, order that the land be reclaimed, all under-the-table payments are forgotten and the law is dramatically enforced. No policymaker or politician stands in the way, despite the fact that they otherwise spend a lot of time pontificating about the needs of all segments of the population, particularly the poor.

Indeed, during such operations no one seems concerned with the very basic matter of where the displaced vendors and katchi abadi dwellers will go. After all, they still have livelihood and residential needs and will inevitably find a way to rehabilitate themselves in the city — which in turn needs them to supply labour for a host of tasks that no other class in the urban environment is willing to provide.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD
The illegality of the rich is almost always glossed over.

In effect, such ad hoc operations reinforce a persistent long-term anti-poor bias in our planning and development paradigm, which means that the underlying structural crises — in our cities in particular — are exacerbated. The population of dispossessed people is, after all, increasing, whereas our policies and actions are becoming progressively less responsive to this very population.

This ugly reality can only be understood in its entirety when one acknowledges that the most flagrant violations of the law in terms of encroachments are committed by the rich and powerful. Take the case of the sitting prime minister’s Banigala bungalow; the Supreme Court has also taken up this matter but has granted relief to the prime minister by simply asking him to pay for his property to be regularised. There are similar cases in which no authority even bothers to take notice of encroachments, or illegal land acquisitions, most notably those undertaken by elite property developers.

In sum, the poor are penalised for sitting on small plots of government land, whereas the illegality of the rich is almost always glossed over. Over the course of Pakistan’s history, there have been occasions when governments have made promises to the poor to regularise katchi abadis, or provide formal licences to small-time vendors. But these promises are never kept in their entirety, and all the while the anti-poor bias in our planning paradigm becomes more entrenched, while the rich continue to encroach at will.

This ingrained elitism not only plays out in reproducing our gaping class divide, but also vis-à-vis the natural environment. Land, forests, water, mineral resources — all are being pillaged at rates that are simply unsustainable. The often desperate attempts of poorer segments to survive the daily travails of life certainly contribute to the problem, but the primary responsibility for this growing ecological crisis lies with the rich and powerful, along with our planners who are generally unconcerned with the fate of future generations.

In my experience, the poor are willing to contribute for whatever public resources they use. Katchi abadi dwellers would happily pay the government (or private sector) for affordable housing rather than stuffing the pockets of low-level state functionaries. The same applies to small-time vendors who would prefer security of tenure over personalised under-the-table transactions. The burden of responsibility again falls on those whose very job it is to make formal arrangements to facilitate the livelihood and residential needs of all segments of the population.

While the Empress Market operation was operationalised by the KMC, the sitting government’s silence speaks louder than words. The prime minister recently constituted a task force for housing to build five million homes. But even a layperson observing developments in the process can gauge the absence of serious planning, and there is every reason to believe that unless on-ground realities are acknowledged and political will generated, this project will also fall prey to speculators and rent-seeking state functionaries.

Moral of the story: encroach if you are rich and expect more of the same if you are poor.

The writer teaches at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2018

 

[LeGenD]

Poverty alleviation at its finest.

 

[CriticalThought]

I believe Imran Khan has lost moral legitimacy for the encroachment campaign when irregularities are found in his own home. The hypocrisy of taking away livelihood from the poor while regularizing his own residence by payment of a fee is stark. As Mr. Aasim says, encroach if rich. At the very least, these poor people should also be given the option of regularizing their businesses, or alternates must be provided.

 

[Dubious]

Tenancy agreements with Empress Market shopkeepers stand cancelled: mayor

All tenancy agreements signed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) with shopkeepers of Empress Market and its adjacent markets stand cancelled.

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar said this while speaking to protesting shopkeepers of Empress Market on Thursday which was the fourth day of the operation against encroachments in the Saddar area. However, the mayor announced that the KMC will provide the tenant shopkeepers alternative shops at its markets.

The mayor told the protesters that in order to provide alternative shops to them, the Karachi commissioner will constitute a committee which will hold dialogues with the tenants and decide the course of action.

Akhtar also made it clear that the operation against encroachments would continue. He claimed that all the political leadership, administration and KMC were united to implement the orders of the Supreme Court.

The mayor also warned that all those who were trying to create lawlessness to avert the operation would be dealt with an iron fist. The supremacy of law will be maintained by all means, he said, adding that all kinds of encroachments would be removed on the orders of the apex court.

The mayor also called for beautifying the city and said removing encroachments on footpaths was a must to give a beautiful look to Karachi. According to Akhtar, the removed encroachments will not be allowed to re-emerge. Those who are thinking that they will again grab the public land are living in a fool’s paradise as it will not be allowed to happen, he stated.

The mayor advised shopkeepers doing business on encroached upon land around Empress Market to take out all their valuables from their shops or else they would be responsible for their losses.

To the stance of the protesting shopkeepers that they paid rent regularly to the KMC, the mayor said all tenancy agreements made with the shopkeepers in the past had been cancelled. He asked the shopkeepers not to create any kind of hurdle in the demolition of illegal shops.

We want pedestrians to use footpath for walking who are forced to walk on roads by encroachers, Akhtar said, adding that encroachments of any kind made the city ugly. The mayor maintained that he wanted to see Karachi in the same shape as it was during the times of his forefathers. We are determined to bring Karachi to its original shape, he said.

During Thursday’s operation, encroachments were completely removed from Zeenat Market, Abdullah Haroon Road, Raja Ghazanfar Ali Road and Akbar Road. The adjoining alleys were also cleared of encroachments. The operation was being carried out at Bohri Bazaar when the story was filed.

A heavy contingent of police had been deployed in the Saddar area to provide security to the anti-encroachment team. Speaking to The News, KMC Municipal Commissioner Dr Saif Ur Rehman said a strategy had been prepared to ensure that the encroachments do not emerge again and task forces had been constituted for this purpose.

Vehicles were not allowed to go from M. A. Jinnah Road towards Empress Market, due to which commuters had to suffer traffic jam on M. A. Jinnah Road and surrounding thoroughfares.

The mayor said he was fully aware of problems being faced by people due to the anti-encroachment drive but such temporary problems could not be avoided as the city administration had to implement the Supreme Court order.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/39...ress-market-shopkeepers-stand-cancelled-mayor

Please think before blaming everything on PTI!

The courts gave an order ....

Anti-encroachment drive: Shopkeepers vacate Empress Market to avoid further loss
Last Updated On 16 November,2018 01:07 pm

Land mafia is getting weaken in city and owners of illegal building are vacating shops and banks.

KARACHI (Dunya News) – As the grand anti-encroachment operation of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) against land mafia, is underway, the shopkeepers have started vacating the illegal constructions in Empress Market and Kabari market, Jahangirabad to avoid any further loss.

The positive outcomes of grand anti-encroachment operation are apparent and KDA remained successful to weaken the land mafia in the city.

On the other hand, Commissioner of Karachi Mr. Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui disclosed on Friday the maintenance plan for Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) after the positive outcomes of anti-encroachment operation.

Commissioner Karachi informed that anti-encroachment operation will be expanded to execute the long-awaited transport project.

He asserted that the Sindh government has approved the construction of Karachi Circular Railway and all illegal buildings in the surrounding of the Railway track will be demolished to accomplish the task.

Earlier, KDA kicked off second phase of anti-encroachments operation to remove the illegal constructions inside the Empress Market and expanded the operation to demolish unplanned buildings in Kabari market, Jahangirabad.

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar had assured that the plan will be executed after a notice and authorities will give a sufficient time to shopkeepers to empty the shops.

Mayor Waseem Akhtar had also said that anti-encroachment operation will restore Karachi to its natural and historical beauty.

Akhtar informed that affectees of operation will be provided with an alternative place and a committee has been formed for this purpose.

He added, “We do not want to affect anyone’s business and we will not repeat the mistakes of the past.”

https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/46...-Shopkeepers-vacate-Empress-Market-avoid-loss

So, a notice was issued but SOME chose to ignore it....
MOST were illegal constructions on PUBLIC PROPERTY!

 

[CriticalThought]

Tenancy agreements with Empress Market shopkeepers stand cancelled: mayor

All tenancy agreements signed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) with shopkeepers of Empress Market and its adjacent markets stand cancelled.

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar said this while speaking to protesting shopkeepers of Empress Market on Thursday which was the fourth day of the operation against encroachments in the Saddar area. However, the mayor announced that the KMC will provide the tenant shopkeepers alternative shops at its markets.

The mayor told the protesters that in order to provide alternative shops to them, the Karachi commissioner will constitute a committee which will hold dialogues with the tenants and decide the course of action.

Akhtar also made it clear that the operation against encroachments would continue. He claimed that all the political leadership, administration and KMC were united to implement the orders of the Supreme Court.

The mayor also warned that all those who were trying to create lawlessness to avert the operation would be dealt with an iron fist. The supremacy of law will be maintained by all means, he said, adding that all kinds of encroachments would be removed on the orders of the apex court.

The mayor also called for beautifying the city and said removing encroachments on footpaths was a must to give a beautiful look to Karachi. According to Akhtar, the removed encroachments will not be allowed to re-emerge. Those who are thinking that they will again grab the public land are living in a fool’s paradise as it will not be allowed to happen, he stated.

The mayor advised shopkeepers doing business on encroached upon land around Empress Market to take out all their valuables from their shops or else they would be responsible for their losses.

To the stance of the protesting shopkeepers that they paid rent regularly to the KMC, the mayor said all tenancy agreements made with the shopkeepers in the past had been cancelled. He asked the shopkeepers not to create any kind of hurdle in the demolition of illegal shops.

We want pedestrians to use footpath for walking who are forced to walk on roads by encroachers, Akhtar said, adding that encroachments of any kind made the city ugly. The mayor maintained that he wanted to see Karachi in the same shape as it was during the times of his forefathers. We are determined to bring Karachi to its original shape, he said.

During Thursday’s operation, encroachments were completely removed from Zeenat Market, Abdullah Haroon Road, Raja Ghazanfar Ali Road and Akbar Road. The adjoining alleys were also cleared of encroachments. The operation was being carried out at Bohri Bazaar when the story was filed.

A heavy contingent of police had been deployed in the Saddar area to provide security to the anti-encroachment team. Speaking to The News, KMC Municipal Commissioner Dr Saif Ur Rehman said a strategy had been prepared to ensure that the encroachments do not emerge again and task forces had been constituted for this purpose.

Vehicles were not allowed to go from M. A. Jinnah Road towards Empress Market, due to which commuters had to suffer traffic jam on M. A. Jinnah Road and surrounding thoroughfares.

The mayor said he was fully aware of problems being faced by people due to the anti-encroachment drive but such temporary problems could not be avoided as the city administration had to implement the Supreme Court order.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/39...ress-market-shopkeepers-stand-cancelled-mayor

Please think before blaming everything on PTI!

The courts gave an order ....

The courts gave an order to destroy livelihood of the poor and the court allows Imran Khan to keep his irregular residence. Moral bankruptcy.

 

[Menace2Society]

This is how it is. Enough of these shanty shops looks disgusting.

 

[Dubious]

The courts gave an order to destroy livelihood of the poor and the court allows Imran Khan to keep his irregular residence. Moral bankruptcy.

Go fight in the court crusader!

May the one on the right path win!

 

[CriticalThought]

Tenancy agreements with Empress Market shopkeepers stand cancelled: mayor

All tenancy agreements signed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) with shopkeepers of Empress Market and its adjacent markets stand cancelled.

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar said this while speaking to protesting shopkeepers of Empress Market on Thursday which was the fourth day of the operation against encroachments in the Saddar area. However, the mayor announced that the KMC will provide the tenant shopkeepers alternative shops at its markets.

The mayor told the protesters that in order to provide alternative shops to them, the Karachi commissioner will constitute a committee which will hold dialogues with the tenants and decide the course of action.

Akhtar also made it clear that the operation against encroachments would continue. He claimed that all the political leadership, administration and KMC were united to implement the orders of the Supreme Court.

The mayor also warned that all those who were trying to create lawlessness to avert the operation would be dealt with an iron fist. The supremacy of law will be maintained by all means, he said, adding that all kinds of encroachments would be removed on the orders of the apex court.

The mayor also called for beautifying the city and said removing encroachments on footpaths was a must to give a beautiful look to Karachi. According to Akhtar, the removed encroachments will not be allowed to re-emerge. Those who are thinking that they will again grab the public land are living in a fool’s paradise as it will not be allowed to happen, he stated.

The mayor advised shopkeepers doing business on encroached upon land around Empress Market to take out all their valuables from their shops or else they would be responsible for their losses.

To the stance of the protesting shopkeepers that they paid rent regularly to the KMC, the mayor said all tenancy agreements made with the shopkeepers in the past had been cancelled. He asked the shopkeepers not to create any kind of hurdle in the demolition of illegal shops.

We want pedestrians to use footpath for walking who are forced to walk on roads by encroachers, Akhtar said, adding that encroachments of any kind made the city ugly. The mayor maintained that he wanted to see Karachi in the same shape as it was during the times of his forefathers. We are determined to bring Karachi to its original shape, he said.

During Thursday’s operation, encroachments were completely removed from Zeenat Market, Abdullah Haroon Road, Raja Ghazanfar Ali Road and Akbar Road. The adjoining alleys were also cleared of encroachments. The operation was being carried out at Bohri Bazaar when the story was filed.

A heavy contingent of police had been deployed in the Saddar area to provide security to the anti-encroachment team. Speaking to The News, KMC Municipal Commissioner Dr Saif Ur Rehman said a strategy had been prepared to ensure that the encroachments do not emerge again and task forces had been constituted for this purpose.

Vehicles were not allowed to go from M. A. Jinnah Road towards Empress Market, due to which commuters had to suffer traffic jam on M. A. Jinnah Road and surrounding thoroughfares.

The mayor said he was fully aware of problems being faced by people due to the anti-encroachment drive but such temporary problems could not be avoided as the city administration had to implement the Supreme Court order.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/39...ress-market-shopkeepers-stand-cancelled-mayor

Please think before blaming everything on PTI!

The courts gave an order ....

Anti-encroachment drive: Shopkeepers vacate Empress Market to avoid further loss
Last Updated On 16 November,2018 01:07 pm

Land mafia is getting weaken in city and owners of illegal building are vacating shops and banks.

KARACHI (Dunya News) – As the grand anti-encroachment operation of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) against land mafia, is underway, the shopkeepers have started vacating the illegal constructions in Empress Market and Kabari market, Jahangirabad to avoid any further loss.

The positive outcomes of grand anti-encroachment operation are apparent and KDA remained successful to weaken the land mafia in the city.

On the other hand, Commissioner of Karachi Mr. Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui disclosed on Friday the maintenance plan for Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) after the positive outcomes of anti-encroachment operation.

Commissioner Karachi informed that anti-encroachment operation will be expanded to execute the long-awaited transport project.

He asserted that the Sindh government has approved the construction of Karachi Circular Railway and all illegal buildings in the surrounding of the Railway track will be demolished to accomplish the task.

Earlier, KDA kicked off second phase of anti-encroachments operation to remove the illegal constructions inside the Empress Market and expanded the operation to demolish unplanned buildings in Kabari market, Jahangirabad.

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar had assured that the plan will be executed after a notice and authorities will give a sufficient time to shopkeepers to empty the shops.

Mayor Waseem Akhtar had also said that anti-encroachment operation will restore Karachi to its natural and historical beauty.

Akhtar informed that affectees of operation will be provided with an alternative place and a committee has been formed for this purpose.

He added, “We do not want to affect anyone’s business and we will not repeat the mistakes of the past.”

https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/46...-Shopkeepers-vacate-Empress-Market-avoid-loss

So, a notice was issued but SOME chose to ignore it....
MOST were illegal constructions on PUBLIC PROPERTY!

Yes, Waseem Akhtar says something and you readily agree. If he could get away with it, he would be following orders from London, rather than Supreme Court.

I would not be surprised if one day you advise the poor to eat cake if there is no bread. Bravo!

Go fight in the court crusader!

May the one on the right path win!

Keep acting like an ostrich. Meanwhile a mass of poor, downtrodden people is accumulating who can see the city being beautified at the cost of their livelihood

There comes a time when pride causes a man to become his own worst enemy. This is the case for the pseudo-elites who think the world is their playground. Blinded by position and drunk on power.

 

[Dubious]

I would not be surprised if one day you advise the poor to eat cake if there is no bread. Bravo!

My only advice to them is not try avoiding the law....no one is above it not the poor not the ultra rich ...EVEN IF they manage to save themselves on this earth, they wont in hereafter

Keep acting like an ostrich. Meanwhile a mass of poor, downtrodden people is accumulating who can see the city being beautified at the cost of their livelihood

The mass poor in Sindh have been in the ditches from PPP and MQM...I dont see your crusades against those 2 who literally destroyed 99% of Sindh!....few months of PTI is for whole nation and you living abroad are in pain?! Where was your pain when PPP is allowing the deaths of Thar and PTI and army sent assistance while Bhutto only nit picked garbage to appear on tv?

Where were your tears when MQM did bhatta khori?

Your fake tears for allowing people to live and earn in haram (yes taking public property is no different from taking someone's haq coz it is not theirs) just coz they are rich?!

And it is also haram to purposefully be deaf to law and order! The courts issued an order and they ignored it till last min and the Mayor also said that if you dont move it is on you! So they were warned! It isnt like it happened suddenly! Notice + warning ....still ignorant then they have themselves to blame! IF neither notice nor warning was issued THAN THE WHOLE NATION WOULD have pointed to harshness!

If he could get away with it, he would be following orders from London, rather than Supreme Court.

lastly, Thank you for admitting he cant get away with it!

 

[Indus Pakistan]

• Do your damned.
• Don't do your damned

 

[SQ8]

It had to be done and could have been done better; but knowing the attitude of local officials and political interference for corruption purpose, this was the only way.

 

[Dubious]

Karachi anti-encroachment drive: People whose shops were demolished will be allotted space in Parking Plaza
November 16, 2018

As many as 150 shopkeepers, whose shops were razed during an anti-encroachment operation around Karachi’s Empress Market, will be given shops in Saddar’s Parking Plaza in the first phase.

The shopkeepers will be given shops in three phases, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar and Commissioner Iftikhar Ahmed Shalwani decided on Friday. They will get place in nearest KMC markets in the second phase. The government will give shopkeepers land to build shops in the third phase.

The authorities have also decided to remove encroachments from drains, footpaths, parks, and roundabouts.

An anti-encroachment operation will soon be launched in areas around MA Jinnah Road, Aram Bagh, Jama Cloth Market, Khori Garde, and Lee Market.

Later, the mayor and the commissioner visited the Parking Plaza.

Akhtar said that the local government will soon start cleaning work in the Parking Plaza.


https://www.samaa.tv/news/2018/11/k...-allotted-space-in-parking-plaza-kmc-markets/

• Do your damned.

• Don't do your damned

you're

 

[Indus Pakistan]

you're

When I visit Pakistan one of the most visual display that I have arrived in a third world country is the fact that all roads are literally almost blocked by the spill of vendors or establishments on to the road. Pavements are practically non existent, if they existed they have long been occupied by vendors or the adjoining shops have just seized them and now are inching on to the road. This presents a scence of choas, overcrowded madness with extreme effects on a polluted environment. There are countries with far higher density and populations like Belguim or China but they don't suffer from this problem. The reason of course for this is the encroachment. It needs a stern action and even stronger enforcement.

 

[CriticalThought]

My only advice to them is not try avoiding the law....no one is above it not the poor not the ultra rich ...EVEN IF they manage to save themselves on this earth, they wont in hereafter

The only incontrovertible law that should be observed for the hereafter is the law of Shariah. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'aala did not explicitly order whether there should be encroachments around Empress Market or not. So we need to look with justice at the situation.

So answer this: where should these poor people go? Every space belongs to the government. Should they put up their stalls outside the city limits?

The mass poor in Sindh have been in the ditches from PPP and MQM...I dont see your crusades against those 2 who literally destroyed 99% of Sindh!....few months of PTI is for whole nation and you living abroad are in pain?! Where was your pain when PPP is allowing the deaths of Thar and PTI and army sent assistance while Bhutto only nit picked garbage to appear on tv?

Where were your tears when MQM did bhatta khori?

Your fake tears for allowing people to live and earn in haram (yes taking public property is no different from taking someone's haq coz it is not theirs) just coz they are rich?!

Utterly baseless insinuations when you don't even know me. I have never been in favor of PPP/PML.

Secondly, you are no religious scholar to label this haram. These shop keepers are some of the poorest of society. In extreme poverty, even begging is allowed. These people found a way to earn by following the guidance of KMC. If you read what you posted, Waseem Akhtar is admitting that previous agreements are cancelled. The mayor is acknowledging there was an agreement. So how can you call their earning haram?

And it is also haram to purposefully be deaf to law and order! The courts issued an order and they ignored it till last min and the Mayor also said that if you dont move it is on you! So they were warned! It isnt like it happened suddenly! Notice + warning ....still ignorant then they have themselves to blame! IF neither notice nor warning was issued THAN THE WHOLE NATION WOULD have pointed to harshness!

If you care to read the original articles, they are saying that demolishing started before they expected. So on the one hand you have their word, on the other hand Waseem Akhtar's word. So what's so special about Waseem Akhter?

lastly, Thank you for admitting he cant get away with it!

He can't get away with following orders from London, but he sure can get away with misrepresentation. After all, it's his word against theirs.