KARACHI: With monsoon clouds looming over the city, the desperate affectees of Gujjar and Orangi Nullahs, Mujahid Colony, the Karachi Circular Railway and other areas, which saw swift and insensitive demolitions and forced evictions in the name of ‘clean-up operations’, are once again reminding the authorities of their plight, their basic right as human beings to having a roof over their heads.

The Ghar Bahali Rally organised by the Karachi Bachao Tehreek comprised thousands of affectees, including women, children, the elderly and the disabled, all demanding immediate resettlement and rehabilitation as they marched from the Arts Council of Pakistan to the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.

Roshan Ara of Orangi Town said that she had built her home on 120 square yards of land that was leased out to her but now after she was accused of encroaching on government land they had bulldozed most of her house. “I live in one small back room of my place, which is all that is left,” she complained.

Nighat Fatima, also of Orangi Town, said that she also had a 120-sq-yard house at Orangi Nullah of which not a single block remains now. “Me and my family are completely homeless. We live by the roadside under the open sky,” she cried.

Victims of multiple demolition drives say govt disregarded apex court’s order to provide residents alternative homes in two years

Syeda Hussain Fatima also said that she received two rent cheques for Rs90,000 each from the government after her house was demolished.

“I am paying Rs10,000 rent for a small room in which I live with my two daughters. The money we were promised by the government to pay for accommodation has also not come. After giving me two cheques there is no mention of the rest of the money,” she informed.

Shahid Saleem, who represents the Christian community of Kausar Niazi Colony and came to the rally using a walker as his left leg had been amputated, said that he was living with his wife and three daughters in what used to be a small back room of his home.

“Most of my place has been bulldozed by the authorities. Life is really difficult. We have to compromise by living in a very congested place but I can’t afford to move out and live on rent,” he said.

Abdul Jabbar of Gujjar Nullah at Lalukhet was a blind student. He

said that his father’s entire house was demolished and he was forced to live on rent. “We are paying Rs10,000 to rent a small place. We don’t even have enough to eat because we are paying so much rent,” he said.

M. Shabbir, also a resident of Kausar Niazi Colony, said that he also had built a house on 120-sq-yads of land of which only 40sq-yads had remained now. “My daughter asks me why our life has become so difficult, and I don’t know what to tell her because I don’t understand myself what I did to deserve this,” he said with tears in his eyes.

While providing a little history about his area, Zubair Siddiqui of Mujahid Colony said that it was one of the very first settlements in Karachi that was regularised in 1949.

“It had the earliest settlers from India soon after Partition. We were legal residents of Mujahid Colony,” he said, adding that the area had no collecting of rainwater or flooding issues and still it saw demolitions and evictions.

“We are here not to ask for an alternative place to live, we want our old homes back, because we were not illegal residents,” he said. “The state is like your mother but here after seeing how we were treated and thrown out of our homes, the state has turned into a stepmother.”

Laila Raza, of Awami Workers Party, demanded an independent commission to be led by an upright judge or a bureaucrat while including the affected residents to oversee the rehabilitation process while ensuring transparency and fairness.

Fizza Qureshi, of Karachi Bachao Tehreek, reminded that the Supreme Court had ruled in 2021 that all the affected residents should be provided alternative homes equipped with basic amenities within two years. “However the authorities blatantly disregard these orders,” she said.

Along with demanding rehabilitation of the affected residents, the rally also asked for an independent commission to do it fairly.

It also demanded issuing rightful compensation to the affectees along with giving them the third and fourth rent cheques. It was also said that the affectees must be resettled in their own districts in order to preserve their social connections, employment opportunities and children’s education.

Leader of the Gujjar Nullah affected residents Nisar Ahmed, leader of the Orangi Nullah affected residents Arsalan Anjum and leader of the Mujahid Colony affected residents Nasir Hussain also spoke.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2023