Move to stop operation against encroachment

ISLAMABAD: The federal GOVERNMENTHASDECIDEDTOILEAREVIEW petition in the Supreme Court (SC) AGAINSTTHEONGOINGANTI-ENCROACHMENT operation in Karachi that has seen thousands of shops and commercial facilities razed within a month.

The move came amid criticism from the business community coupled with serious concerns raised lately by political parties — both in government and opposition in the Sindh Assembly.

THE DECISION to ile A review petition came from the top when Sindh Governor Imran Ismail lew to ISLAMABAD AND HELD A one-on-one MEETING with PRIME Minister Imran Khan and pleaded the case of the Karachi traders and political parties.

The meeting discussed the progress of THE Anti-encroachment operation LED by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and its repercussions.

Ismailarguedthattheoperationagainst encroachments has proved quite effective, but at the same time its modalities need to be reset. He referred to complaints of the traders who were tenants of the KMC and their business facilities were regularised over the years but since they wereraisedonencroachedland,theyfaced THE Demolition, SAID oficials.

Similarly, there are thousands of people, whose employment depended solely on the businesses demolished, thus LEAVING inancial Future of thousands of families in limbo.

THE oficials SAID THE prime minister agreed to the concerns raised by the Sindh governor and issued directives to THE Attorney GENERAL to ile A review petition in the Supreme Court, asking the apex court for new guidelines or rules that could cause minimum damage to people’s businesses and thousands of jobs attached to them.