Karachi: Clashes erupt between police, protesters as KMC launches anti- encroachment operation

According to details, the authorities began the anti-encroachment drive on the order of Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) to stop all commercial activities on the premises of the park.

Soon after, a large number of shop owners and their employees started protesting against the demolition of the shops and even blocked the entrance of the amusement park.

The protesters said that the apex court had not ordered demolition of their shops which were, according to them, legal as they were leased out to them by the KMC. Later, police launched baton charge to disperse the crowd.

On Monday, the top court had directed the local administration to stop all commercial activities on the premises of the Aladdin amusement park in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard the case pertaining to anti-encroachment drive and directed government to continue the operation along nullahs ahead of monsoon season.