Advertising banners sprout up in Karachi’s District East

KARACHI: Billboards, placards and advertising banners have mushroomed across Karachi in violation of Supreme Court directives.

In District East, banners can be seen on every street corner while District Municipal Corporation (DMC) East Chairman Moeed Yusuf Anwar, Municipal Commissioner Waseem Mustafa, and Additional Director Waqas Soomro have been unable to take any action.

Sources informed that this illegal permission has been granted to set up advertising banners in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Zone and Jamshed Town area. DMC East officials receives Rs2 million per week, a major share of which goes to Chairman Moeed Yusuf.

The illegal fees for one banner on a pole have been fixed at Rs200 per day. There are more than 1,500 advertising banners in the area which implies that Rs100,000 are being collected per day. The banners are placed usually for 10-15 days.

Large companies place up to 500 banners. DMC East officials receive between Rs1-1.5 million for these payments, which have no record and all amounts are pocketed by municipal officials.

Supreme Court has imposed a blanket ban on all forms of outdoor advertising and billboards. However, DMC officials do not impose any fines and rather receive bribes to allow these banners.