SUPREMACY OF LAW, EXTINGUISHED POOR'S STOVES

(ALEEM QURAISHI, Karachi)

In the wake of speedy removal of encroachment against occupied KMC's/KDA's land by shops, cabins, carts on pavement and also including shop's shelter, shops keeper and labors have tremendously been jolted . After destroying well settled business, were being run since decades, victims are feeling like to chop their own thumb themselves, which was used to vote in recent general election mostly in favor of present ruling party. With hoping of change, masses had bring changes the general election scenario this time by their votes but their dreams of change came true a nightmare. Due to execution on court's order and get implementation by all executives, non- stop anti encroachment drive has been scheduled, does not matter how many stoves be extinguished. Frankly, it cannot be denied, such campaign is fully fallen in legal jurisdiction but could have taken some breath and maybe gradually conducted after some alternatives/compensation to victims. Why there is dire need of such anti encroachment drives, and so far businesses with allegation of illegal occupation have been bulldozed, actually had been run since 2/3 decades. Why previous governments did not take action against such occupation and why let them to well settled, illegally? why KMC & KDA did not show their such competency? why judiciary was taking sound sleep?. Just after electing new government all of them have awaken and active, which shows incompetency of previous governments. Now, day by day grand anti encroachment drives are being conducted in different areas of Karachi city, a such grand operation was also conducted at around the renowned market of Karachi city as named Empress Market situated at Saddar Karachi, which was built between 1884 to 1889 in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth, in British era, to clear the surrounding occupied area from shops and carts, due to cause of concealing the beauty of the Queen Elizabeth's building, resulting which all exist shops & fixed carts and pushcarts have been removed from all nooks of the building. Now the Queen's building can distinctly see from far but aftermath of this is that a large number of labors have been jobless. Being jobless, they are lamenting but there is no ear to hear, unfortunately. Was there really dire need to remove pushcarts to attire the beauty of the Queen Elizabeth's building? Did it not do matter to bereave the labor's jobs for just getting fresh of Queen's commemoration. In order to get vacant said KMC/KDA's land, some appropriate measures could have taken to settle/shift the shops and carts to somewhere, prior to take action in consideration, the carts are only way to run labor’s home, financially. In future such operation will also be conducted, even schedule have been planned, due to which masses (having well settled small business on pavement since decades i.e. cabins, stalls, carts etc) are in anxiety. Many of them have already skipped themselves, due to non option except this. In order to supremacy of law in this way, masses are being mashed and poverty is increasing. Now question is also being desperately raised, is it change? Where poor is getting more downed, who is already affected from poverty and inflation.

Was previous government sincere with victims of said operation unlawfully or present ruling party have no care about such victimization except supremacy of law. It seems that ruling party is bent on for getting change at any cost. But the supremacy of law in such way is not going in favor of middle/lower class, who were promised to be uplift after coming new government. The vows to prosperity are contrary to itself. Initially masses have been annoyed from government policies, due to there is grave resentment in them. Now they want to another change, not that’s change which was promised by ruling party but this government. In this context, a noise has echoed from somewhere.

However, the supremacy of law obviously be exampled but in smooth way not only such aggressive way. The court’s order must be implemented but may take some rest on humanitarian ground especially in such case of Empress Market, which is caused of poverty. It is true that no one can challenge government’s writ but in such aggressive act of government prevails grave resentment in masses, which creates severe law & order situation. Hence, government should scrutinize policies regarding anti encroachment drive, prior to take any legal action make ensure alternative places to run well settled small business and also make ensure that no poverty be created in just the supremacy of law.

ALEEM QURAISHI
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