"The forced eviction would be gross injustice with traders who have been running these shops since 1962. We are going on a shutter-down strike from Saturday." Shujaat said. He said the notices caused severe distress among the shopkeepers and their families.
Meanwhile the representatives of Madina Market Korangi No-6 have approached the Executive Engineer KDA Korangi Division for the regularization of their shops instead of razing them. In an application, the Korangi Welfare Association (KWA) president Alimuddin Sheikh requested the KDA's officials concerned to review their decision to evict traders from shops saying a case has already been under process with the KDA regarding the regularization of the Market shops. Any demolition act, he said would cause severe financial hardships for the traders.
A notice, served to one of the shop occupants in Korangi Landhi Sector 44/A on January 29, 2018 said: "You are illegally occupying the shop, vested in this authority and thus committed encroachment upon public property (removal of encroachment act-2010 and defined under section-2 of the said act as such you are hereby directed to remove such encroachment together with the structure. If any and vacate the premises within a period of 30 days) from the date of receipt of this letter also you shall be evicted there from in accordance with the provision contained under section-5 of the Sindh Public Property Removal of encroachment act-2010."
The authority said notices are being served in compliance with the Supreme Court Orders. Reports suggest that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and KDA aided by the law enforcement agencies have removed over 4000 'illegal' shops and structures from the parts of metropolis as part of their ongoing anti-encroachment operation over the last two months. On the other hand, the affected traders said the government remained failed to ensure alternate places for thousands of shopkeepers to resume their business despite making promises and commitment.