The closure of a bazaar is a disappointment to shoppers and, of course, loss of trade for sellers of vegetables, cloth, second hand shoes and clothes and curtains, and old books, crockery and other petty businesses. This is because people are unaware of the great harm such bazaars, legal or illegal both, are doing to legitimate business of shops in the marketplaces.
In the first place, the vendors do not pay any tax. They pay the owner of the bazaar who is the only one who really profits and it is difficult to audit his accounts. In the second place land meant for housing schemes, or for parks and play grounds are encroached upon, throwing urban planning to the four winds. For years the bazaars owners occupy a place and do not fear eviction. If ever they are evicted, they simply find another spot to encroach upon.
For the municipal authority and the owners of residential plots of land the weekly bazaars have become a menace. Even in Defence, the very popular Sunday bazaar occupied valuable residential plots. The property owners litigated for ten years before the 'owner' agreed to vacate, but delayed closing down the bazaar for another two years after the court rulling. Just imagine the plight of property owners if they are unfortunate to have their land encroached upon. They cannot build. In the meantime cost of construction shoots up as price of cement, labour and other material increases. We the shoppers in these bazaars never realise we are in fact aiding and abetting what has rightly been described as a mafia operation.
If owners of bazaars do not fear the authority it is because they have influence in high places or are themselves influential, such as ex-army men, government functionaries and big names in political parties. The last named are often the patrons of illegal and even legal bazaars. The reality is that even legal bazaars are always on encroached land. There is no longer a legitimate space for weekly bazaars.
Karachi is known by many names: some good, like 'city of lights', 'commercial hub of the country' which make us proud; and some names like 'concrete jungle', 'most dangerous place' which shame us. A bad description of the city which can be added to the list of bad names is 'Mafia city' since there are countless corrupt and illegal activities run in gangsterish style. The most famouse being the land mafia, second is the tanker mafia which rob the masses of their rights and dignity and turn them into helpless victims. The bazaar mafia is simply first-cousin of the land mafia, which is blood brother of builder mafia.
All such operations flourish because there is no rule of law. Even the government does not respect law. Neither do the law enforcers, the Rangers and Police. But why point a fingure at them? We, the ordinary citizens of this city are as willing to break a law, if we can. We are willingly persuaded to be dishonest. So, let us face it, venality has become a characteristic of Karachi society.
If you just take the case of house building, you can note nobody, or very few, obey the law to leave open certain footage around a building; or the lack of parking space in high-rise buildings forcing the use of roads and footpaths, thus causing congestion on the roads. To get out of a tight spot we will pay a bribe. To expedite legitimate work we will grease the hand of some corrupt official. So this aiding and abetting of malpractice, as well as initiating some ourselves, goes on in the city. We cover our guilt by posing as victims. Sorry to say, but consciously or unconsciously: 'Hum sub chor hain'.