The high-handedness of pushcart vendors in Saddar, one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs, has reached an alarming level.
A traffic police officer was physically assaulted by vendors, an incident caught on camera and widely shared on social media. Following the incident, Saddar Police registered a case and arrested one suspect.
Street Vendor Atta@cks Uniformed Traffic Police Officer in Karachi#Karachi #Saddar #TrafficPolice #StreetVendors #LawAndOrder #ViralVideo #Newspost #Newspostpk pic.twitter.com/DicGuwbBuD
— Newspost.pk (@thenewspostpk) January 14, 2026
The altercation began when the traffic officer approached a vendor to move his stall, which was obstructing the flow of traffic. In response, the vendor attacked the officer.
The viral footage shows the vendor physically manhandling the traffic officer. At one point, the officer was shoved so forcefully that he fell to the ground. Other stall owners and traffic police personnel eventually intervened to break up the scuffle.
Saddar Police have registered a formal complaint and arrested the primary suspect, identified as Abdul Qadir. A search is currently underway for his accomplice, who fled the scene.
For decades, the Saddar area has been plagued by an overabundance of pushcarts and illegal encroachments, causing chronic traffic congestion.
Despite the long-standing nature of the problem, the administration appears unable to find a permanent solution.
