A fire broke out in the Nauman Shopping Center located in Karachi’s Saddar area this morning. Meanwhile, in the same area, KMC officials have been accused of demanding bribes from shopkeepers in Empress Market. When the shopkeepers refused to pay, the officials launched an operation against encroachments, leading to protests from the shopkeepers.

Details reveal that the fire in the Nauman Shopping Center is yet to be brought under control. Rescue teams are currently working to extinguish the fire, which has been burning for three hours.

On the other hand, shopkeepers in Empress Market, Saddar, have termed the KMC’s anti-encroachment operation as retaliatory.

Shopkeepers claim that KMC personnel resorted to underhanded tactics in the name of encroachments after they refused to pay bribes. This sparked protests, with shopkeepers blocking the road.

Protesters alleged that the DMC encroachment team came to their shops demanding bribes, and those who refused were targeted. They claimed that the DMC encroachment team conducted an operation on a hotel this morning.