KARACHI - Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar vowed to bring back the old beauty of the metropolitan city.
While speaking to the media outside Empress Market on Sunday said that they will restore Karachi to its natural and historical beauty.
“We want to restore the city to its original beauty,” he said.
Speaking about the land given by the KMC to the markets around Empress Market the mayor said, “The 30-year-old contract between KMC and the markets have been terminated.”
“In the old plans for Empress Market there were parks all around the market, however, markets were made on that land,” Akhtar said.
He added, “We will make parks on that land and will restore Empress Market to its original state.”
Akhtar continued, “KMC gave this land 30 years ago and we have terminated the contracts. A list of those who have been affected by the operation will be made and they will be provided with an alternative place.”
“Prime Minister Imran Khan told me in Islamabad that illegal encroachments be removed. We are working on the Supreme Court and PM’s directive,” he added. Thanking all those involved in the operation, Akhtar assured that the encroachments on footpaths are being removed as well.
“We will not let anyone occupy any footpaths,” he asserted.
He added, “We do not want to affect anyone’s business and we will not repeat the mistakes of the past.”
Meanwhile, grand operation against encroachments in parts of Karachi continued for another day on Sunday.
According to the details, an anti-encroachment drive in the metropolis’ Saddar area entered its seventh day today (Sunday). During the operation, shops located in the bird market, cloth market and dried fruit market were removed using heavy machinery.
The Karachi Development Authority (KDA) team had halted the operation on Friday and then resumed it on Saturday. The KDA demolished illegal constructions outside the shops at Samama Shopping Complex and Rabia City by using heavy machinery.
The shop keepers were also allowed to remove their items from the footpaths ahead of the operation.
The authorities said that the drive was launched across the country on the directives of the court while the shop keepers complained that they were not informed prior to the action.