The Garden area commercial building Jubilee Market is set to be demolished on Thursday (today) by the anti-encroachment force after the bid was resisted yesterday.

Jubilee Market was caved in twice since the past month due to being illegally constructed over a stormwater drain. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s anti-encroachment cell has said the operations would resume at 10 am today.

In its initial phase yesterday, the force brought down the entry gate of the market but it relaxed to the resistance put up by the protesting people opposing the operation.

The protestors have claimed they will not support the operation to continue if recovery of their shops is not ensured.

Earlier this month, after the invasion of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), KMC had postponed the demolition of Jubilee Market.

As the KMC team had reached the demolition site, MQM-P leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan came in along with the shop owners to hold a meeting with the commissioner and Karachi administrator.

Moreover, KMC Anti-Encroachment Department Senior Director Bashir Siddiqui said there are at least 164 shops located at Jubilee Market. These shops were constructed on stormwater drains 30 years ago.

Back on July 1, the floor of the market sunk, resulting in collapse of 11 shops. After the incident, the district administration sealed the market and eviction notices were served to the shopkeepers for further action.