Billions in black money being collected from roadside vendors in Saddar

KARACHI: Severe traffic jams have become a routine affair in Saddar Town, the business hub of Karachi, with roadside vendors occupying entire footpaths in the market area. But did you know that these illegal roadside stalls generate billions of rupees in black money for corrupt officials every year?

An investigation by Geo News has revealed what may be the real reason why, even after hundreds of anti-encroachment operations, authorities have been unable to clear the streets of Saddar of these illegal shops and kiosks lining up the footpaths and blocking traffic in the downtown area.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior police official told Geo News that around 100,000 illegal shops and kiosks are present in Saddar, which includes Empress Market, Bolton Market, M.A. Jinnah road, Tower, Mobile Market, Regal Chowk, and other areas.

The district police and KMC officers collect around Rs150 in black money on a daily basis from each of these illegal shops. This leads to over Rs15million daily and Rs450 million on a monthly basis, said the senior superintendent of Traffic Police who wished not to be named.

"This amount is distributed top to bottom in both departments, and even we are not allowed to take action [against these illegal encroachment]," he said.

Shopkeepers confirmed the numbers.

According to the owners of these illegal shops, they pay around Rs150 daily, which protects them from any real anti-encroachment operation ever taking place. "Even the officers of anti-encroachment give information to us before an operation takes place," said one shopkeeper.

A senior KMC official admitted there were 'black sheep' in the government departments.

"KMC alone cannot do anything. We remove the encroachment but because of there is no support from the police, the shop-owners just come back in a few minutes," said Nazeer Lakhani, Senior Director Anti-Encroachment at the KMC.

"Black sheep are present in every department but KMC is the only department which is highlighted by everyone." Lakhani said the situation demanded collective efforts from all government departments and institutions.

He said that Commissioner Karachi Ejaz Ahmed Khan has constituted a committee with representatives from all departments, expressing the hope that this would soon help bring a positive change in the situation.