Daily Times

Traders in Karachi have called on Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to take action against land grabbers and the parking mafia, which they claim are damaging the city’s infrastructure and economy.

According to media reports, the demand was made by the President of the Karachi Mobile and Electronics Dealers Association, Minhaj Gulfam, during a press conference on Monday. He was joined by General Secretary Abid Suria, Ismail Lailpuri, Altaf Lala, Zahid Amin, Sharjeel Goplani, and Jumma Khan Ahmed Shamsi.

Gulfam stated that leasing footpaths has led to the deterioration of Karachi’s trading hub. “The encroachment system is seizing citizens’ properties, while the Water Board is depriving the public of basic water services, forcing them to buy water tankers at inflated prices,” he said.

The traders expressed concern over the Sindh government’s silence on these issues, which has only heightened the public’s unease. They questioned Karachi’s mayor, asking under what law footpaths were being leased.

Gulfam criticised the rise of the ‘Hassan Brohi system’, which previously only targeted highway land but is now encroaching on properties across northern bypasses, the Korangi Industrial Area, and the SITE Industrial Area.

In another development, the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) has begun leasing footpaths in business districts of Lyari, where industrial plots exist. Gulfam claimed that gang wars had previously been used to eliminate industries in these areas, and now the footpaths themselves were being leased.

During the press conference, various trader leaders accused authorities of operating outside the law. “A manufactured water crisis is forcing citizens to buy water,” they said. The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board claims to supply water tankers at a cost of Rs2,200, with 550 tankers in their fleet.

The traders questioned why water is being delivered by tanker instead of through pipelines, noting that for 75 years, the city has lacked a reliable water distribution system.

Traders also pointed out that the water mafia and the Water Board appear to be running a joint operation, with water tankers being sold for Rs8,000 to Rs10,000 for 3,000-gallon capacity, and Rs16,000 to Rs18,000 for 6,000-gallon tankers.

The traders claimed that the water crisis was creating significant hardships, with neither homes nor mosques receiving water. “Water is a basic human need. The government must tell the people where to go with their complaints,” they said.

Furthermore, they raised concerns about the ongoing electricity issue, noting that both the provincial and federal governments are blocking new electricity supply companies from entering the market. “This shows that both governments have vested interests in the existing electric supply companies,” the traders said.

They urged the Army Chief and the Chief Justice of Pakistan to form a credible, empowered team to investigate these matters and take action. They also called for an inquiry into the leasing offices, questioning how individuals within these offices are causing damage to the national exchequer.

The traders concluded by appealing to the authorities to intervene, protect their properties and rights, and prevent further deterioration of the city’s infrastructure.