By our correspondent
KARACHI: MPA Muhammad Farooq has submitted a resolution in the Sindh Assembly calling for the withdrawal of orders to demolish over 1,100 shops situated along a nullah between Shafiq Mor in New Karachi and 7000 Road. These shops, which have been established for more than three decades, have become an integral part of the livelihood for many shopkeepers and their families.
The resolution urges the provincial government to halt the demolition orders and to provide the affected shopkeepers with alternative spaces in the same area before any demolition takes place. It also advocates for stern legal action against those responsible for selling the land and the shops to the shopkeepers, highlighting the long period during which no regulatory or legal action was taken despite the ongoing occupation of the land.
According to the resolution, the shopkeepers, many of whom are residents of surrounding neighborhoods, have been operating their businesses in the area for over 30 years. The order for demolition, which came after three decades of inaction by the authorities, has sparked considerable concern and frustration among the shopkeepers, as it threatens their livelihoods without providing an alternative. The document emphasizes that it is unfair to uproot these families from their sources of income, especially when the authorities did not act on the issue for such an extended period.
Furthermore, the resolution draws attention to the fact that several KMC (Karachi Metropolitan Corporation) markets, established in the past but now abandoned, have become havens for criminal activity and drug addiction. The resolution proposes that these vacant KMC markets could be renovated and repurposed to house the affected shopkeepers, providing them with a more secure and structured environment to continue their businesses.
