KARACHI  -   The ongoing operation against encroachment shows a bright picture of the metropolis while affected around thousands of families as business of their beard earners were flash out in a drive against the illegal encroachments.

According to the KMC high officials, during the operation over 1048 illegal shops and stalls were removed from Empress Market and its surrounding areas during the ongoing anti-encroachment operation.

Before the orders of apex court to remove the all sort of encroachment from the city all concern authorities including Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, police, cantonment boards and other were patronised the illegal encroachments as per their capacity.

The traders have had alleged that the all concern departments participating in the drive against the encroachment were collecting their share by vendors and millions of rupees have weekly been distributed among the departments.

The victims of the drive while talking to The Nation revealed that not even a single pushcart holder got the place without paying money. They said that all the stalls and places were illegal but we all have had paid the handsome amount to buy the place.

The survey conducted The Nation revealed that sale purchase of all such stalls and pushcarts placed across the city was the common practice and concern authorities have patronised the business for their lucrative interest.

The shop owners whom shades and boards have been removed in the drive of anti-encroachment pointed out that it would be impossible for shop owners to fix a single board without paying.

He said that the concern authorities have charge rupees 50, Sq. ft for every board and shade and also provide the receipts but all such receipts were fake. The victims of the drive demanded to take action against all concern authorities made the encroachment legal and making money including police, KMC, DMC and other concern departments.

The anti-encroachment drive was carried out the with full force but on the other hand another apex court orders against illegal occupation on government land was delayed since long because high influence land grabbers.

The authorities has also removed the legal shops in the anti-encroachment drive, a large number of traders have complaint that they have rental agreement issued by the competent authority.

The indiscriminate operation has deprived the thousand of vendors from their business but concern state department has yet present and suggestion for resettlement of thousand of affected vendors but all stakeholder departments were benefited from the illegal shops and stalls in past on the name of ‘bhatta’ (daily illegal money collection).

The issue regarding resettlement of affected vendors were also been raised during Sindh Assembly session by a opposition party and ruling minister had also assured the session that efforts will be made for resettlement of vendors but no measure was witnessed for this.

The traders alleged that an agreement with the Karachi commissioner, which gave them a few days to remove their goods, furniture and others from their shops, had not been honoured.