MQM-P alleges Muhajir areas being selected for anti-encroachment operations

Supporting the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in the city on the orders of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have, however, said the party has reservations on the procedure adopted for the demolitions of illegal structures and the selections of areas for the anti-encroachment drive.

Addressing a press conference on Friday at the party’s secretariat, MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi demanded an empowered commission on the illegal occupations and encroachments in the city, and said the occupation and selling of land in the metropolis in the name of Gothabad schemes constituted a fraud of billions.

Siddiqi demanded of the provincial government to provide homes to the affected families before demolishing encroachments and illegal structures. He said that since Ayub Khan’s government, encroachments were made in the city with a special mind.

He maintained that the MQM-P had always looked to the courts for justice. “Now questions are being raised over the method of implementation of decisions and selection of areas for the anti-encroachment drive,” he said.

The MQM-P convener called for strict action against all those who were responsible for the illegal sale and purchase of land, as well as those who had been instrumental in establishing encroachments.

He alleged that 70 to 90 per cent of the people currently serving in the government institutions in Karachi did not belong to the city. “Those who allowed the encroachments are now tearing them apart and they should have been arrested first,” he said. He added that the residents of Karachi had been deceived for 35 years.

Amir Khan, the MQM-P’s senior deputy convener, said the last mayor of Karachi, MQM-P’s Wasim Akhtar, had demolished illegal marriage halls and shops during his tenure.

“It was the MQM mayor who carried out the operation against the encroachments but simultaneously also provided alternative accommodation for the affectees,” said Khan. “The MQM-P feels the pain of Karachi,” he remarked as he lamented that the Sindh government had not provided alternative places to the affected families before demolishing their houses.

He said there were many other orders of the Supreme Court that should also be implemented. Khan alleged that in the anti-encroachment operations, the government’s priority had been only those areas where the Muhajir community lived.

Former mayor Akhtar said that during his mayorship, he had demolished shops on the orders of the Supreme Court. “But firstly, all of these businesses were shifted to alternative places provided by the city government,” he claimed. He appealed to the CJP to also look into other issues of the city, such as water shortage, power outages and dilapidated sewerage system.

Fourth day

On the fourth day of an ongoing anti-encroachment in Karachi’s Aladin Park in District East on Friday, the Aladin Shopping Plaza was demolished to a great extent.

On June 14, the Supreme Court had declared the plaza and the Pavilion End Club illegal and ordered their demolition within two days. Then, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) sprang into action and complied with the order.

According to details shared by the KMC’s senior director of anti-encroachment, Bashir Siddiqui, heavy machinery was used in the demolition of the shopping mall and the Pavilion End Club. The operation is being supported by Rangers, police and other civic agencies. Along with the shopping mall and the club, a food complex is also being brought down.

In Friday’s operation, Siddiqui said that the corridor of the shopping mall was destroyed. “The central gate of the Pavilion End Club, a security check post and walls have already been demolished,” he said, adding that the demolition process could take several months.

Meanwhile, another anti-encroachment operation took place at the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) Officers Club on Kashmir Road. Several wedding halls inside the club, according to Siddiqui, were demolished. Kitchen, shops, dining hall and other encroachment inside the club were removed.

On plot ST-14 in FB Area Block 15 in District Central, the anti-encroachment operation was underway on Friday. Several constructed and under construction houses were razed at the amenity plot. Before this several shops, godown and other encroachments had already been removed from the plot.

On Friday, the anti-encroachment operation took place along Gujjar Nullah at the Choona Depot point, Liaquatabad and Haji Mureed Goth. At Orangi Nullah, Siddiqui said, the anti-encroachment operation was underway at three different points.