Traders to stage protest against land grabbing

KARACHI: The traders have announced to stage a protest at 4pm at Babar market Landhi, against the unlawful encroachment activities being carried out with the support of authorities, an official said on Tuesday.

While speaking to a delegation comprising of Babar Market President Shaheen Siddiqui, Vice President Waqar Ahmed, General Secretary Muhammad Uzair, Israr Ahmed and Nihal Siddiqui, All Pakistan Organisation of Small Traders and Cottage Industries (APSTCI) Karachi President Mahmood Hamid called for quick response to counter such criminal activities.

APSTCI Karachi Senior Vice President Syed Liaqat Ali, Vice President Haji Abdullah and General Secretary Usman Sharif were also present at the meeting.

The delegation apprised the APSTCI Karachi officials that the land of Babar market 2-B is under the jurisdiction of the KDA. The mafia members are using the KMC built Shah Khalid Colony’s paperwork to encroach land in the area.

The market body’s petition is under hearing at the High Court and Lower Court, while the management and local police are in support of the mafia, instead of solving the traders’ problems.

Various individuals are involved in the fraudulent activities including Umair, Jahanzaib and Imran, who have fabricated documents.

The APSTCI Karachi president urged the government to stop the unlawful activities of land mafia in Babar market, Landhi. He blasted the illegal activities of the land mafia, saying that the local police and management have been also working as accomplices in these unlawful actions.

The traders will be forced to protest against such actions, if the government fails to act on the demands of the traders and put an end to such activities, he said.

He showed dismay at the silence of the government authorities over the land grabbing. The land mafia making false documentation of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for the land belonging to Karachi Development Authority (KDA) raises questions over the performance of government officials, Hamid added.

The APSTCI Karachi president retreated his full support to the Babar market traders, saying that the association will take every possible measure to stop such criminal activities.

The land grabbers are using the name Zardari house in carrying out their activities, whereas Ihtesham Rao is leading the unlawful action of encroachment.