Administrator Iftikhar Ali Shallwani on Friday said that modern shopping plaza should be established to provide alternate shops to affected shopkeepers of Light House and adjacent areas whose shop were razed during Anti-Encroachment operation. “We do understand difficulties of the business community but they would also be accommodated in resettlement of affected shopkeepers” the Administrator expressed these views while talking to a delegation of All Karachi TajirIttehad led by Hakim Shah at KMC building here. He said that encroachment around Lee Market should also be removed to restore the historical market as the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation restored Empress Market into its original position. The allotees of Lee Market would not be displaced until they are given alternate shops, he said. Senior Director Anti Encroachment BasheerSiddiqui, Director Land Shaikh Kamal, Director Estate Abdul Qayyum and other officials were also present on the occasion. Shallwani said that they wanted to provide every possible facility to the affected shopkeepers in a plaza at SiddiqueWahab Road. Besides, the people of Lyari would also get modern market to purchase essential commodities. He said that the unlike other shopping centers, the new plaza would also have underground parking facility. He directed that the plaza’s map should be formed under supervision of KMC engineers and no compromise be made on standard of the material. The Administrator said that encroachments were being removed from Lee Market in larger interest of Karachi as the market was amongst assets of the city. The delegation also apprised Shallwani about affectees of Mirza Adam Khan Baloch Market. He was informed that 500 shops were razed on directives of the apex court but no alternate places were given to the affected shopkeepers.
