KARACH: Illegally built marriage halls on amenity plots in the city were razed to the ground on Saturday as an anti-encroachment drive by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) continued on the sixth day, Geo News reported. According to KDA officials, they faced resistance while demolishing the reportedly illegally constructed marriage halls. They added that the authorities also received threats from those involved in encroaching on the amenity land. However, the officials said they would not come under any pressure during their drive against structures illegally constructed on amenity plots. A marriage hall called Lalazar in Gulshan-e-Iqbal was being demolished over orders by the Supreme Court, KDA officials said. Another such structure, Sara Lawn, was also razed to the ground. Sara Lawn, situated on University Road in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, was demolished earlier, but since it was being reconstructed, KDA teams had to take action again. According to the KDA additional director, they will file cases against owners who are getting their demolished buildings reconstructed illegally. He added that orders from the apex court would be followed at all costs. On the other hand, the municipal commissioner of Korangi and Landhi has written to the director general of the KDA against marriage halls constructed on 17 amenity plots in these areas. According to the authorities concerned, marriage halls have been constructed in their areas through China-cutting, a practice in which plots allocated for public amenities are occupied to construct commercial and residential properties that are sold off for huge profits.
