KARACHI: People living along the Gujjar Nullah have demanded the Sindh government to provide alternative residences and compensation as the authorities demolished their leased houses during the anti-encroachment drive.
People living in the surroundings of the Gujjar Nullah claimed that they were living in the surroundings of the Gujjar Nullah for many years and no government official had stopped them when they were constructing their homes.
They said before the starting anti-encroachment drive the government officials promised them to provide compassion or alternate place however, the Sindh government has not taken any steps for the victims so far.
The victims have become homeless after their houses were demolished and the people were displaced due to the anti-encroachment drive.
Despite providing relief, the residents were picked up by police and detained during a protest at Orangi Town, who were later released; however, they have not yet been paid.
A senior citizen Saeed living along Gujjar Nala in Liaqatabad No. 4 said, “We have been living here for 35 years and our house was leased, but the administration demolished it and so far we have not received compensation.”
He also accused officials of taking bribes from them when they were building their homes and said that now the same officials were claiming that those houses were illegal and should be demolished.
Another resident from Nazimabad Mujahid Colony said, “Our houses were demolished but we did not get a check for compensation. We are poor people. Where did we get the money to buy a house?” he asked.
The people demanded that alternative residences and compensation be given to the affected residents and strict action be taken against the government officials who had allowed the construction of those houses in the first place.
Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had directed the Karachi administration to start an anti-encroachment drive along the Gujjar nullah.
Naveed Shaikh, Karachi Commissioner while briefing a meeting said that 3,957 structures along the Gujjar nullah had been identified for removal.
The meeting decided that 12.6 kilometers on both sides of the nullah would be cleared so that a road on both sides of the channel could be constructed for vehicular traffic.
The chief minister directed the commissioner and Karachi Administrator Laeeq Ahmed to start removing soft encroachment from Feb 3 to 13 and then from Feb 14 launch a full-scale drive.
