Way back in 2015 a few hundred residents of Moon
Garden in Gulistan e Jauhar spent two nights in open during chilling winters as
protest when they were forced evacuation from their homes. As their flat site had
been termed illegal by the Sindh High Court, allotments of apartments were
declared malicious and the Court ordered the Karachi Development Authority
(KDA) to demolish the building. The protesting residents blamed the Sindh
government and their builder responsible for the crime, as the builder not only
built more storeys than permitted by the law but also on a land that belonged
to Pakistan Railways.
That protest got widespread coverage across the
country persuading the Supreme Court of Pakistan to annul the verdict of Sindh
High Court and fined the builder of Rs. 50 million which the builder willingly agreed
to pay for violating the law. Although, the Supreme Court saved the residents
from going homeless but this judgment also raised eyebrows as it was meant to
set a bitter precedent of regularization of illegal construction on amenity
lands by paying some financial penalties.
If at that time
the Supreme Court’ verdict came as to demolish illegal construction along with
financially compensate the residents or providing homes of equivalent standard
or even sentence of the builder and authorities involved in the scam, it would
have been much better which outright discouraged illegal construction in the
city. But with this verdict the fear of punishment was vanished among greedy builders,
who sped up their illegal constructions, china-cuttings and land-grabbing
across the Karachi city.
Today, the consequences of that judgment are reflecting
again. As the issue of illegal construction has resurfaced and an ongoing
demolition drive by the KDA on the orders of Supreme Court is a subject of
civic concern among the Karachites. The Supreme Court had on Nov 30, 2017
directed the KDA and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to clear 35,000
amenity plots of the city of encroachments within two months. The SC’s two-member
bench headed by the Justice Gulzar Ahmed issued directives to the KDA and the
KMC on the petition of a civilian. Thus, the estate and enforcement department
of the KDA is, under its ongoing operation, demolishing various structures
including marriage halls and residential building raised illegally on amenity
plots in areas like Korangi, F.B. Ara, Gulshan e Iqbal, Gulistan e Jauhar,
North Nazimabad, PIB Colony, Laiquatabad, Nazimabad and Saddar. In a statement
Sindh Local Government Minister has asserted that in line with the Supreme
Court directives, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and Karachi
Development Authority would continue their anti-encroachment drive on amenity
plots “till all the illegal constructions are razed to the ground.”
On the other hand, the demolition of structures that
included residential facilities purchased by hundreds of Karachites in
ignorance of the fact that those buildings were raised illegally attracted
serious reactions from MQM-Pakistan which termed it a “politically motivated”
drive by Sindh Government. The KMC’ City Council also passed unanimous
resolution to comply with the orders of the country’ top court from removing
encroachments, but requested consideration for people living on occupied
properties.
Housing and accommodations have always been an undomesticated
issue in Karachi city. With a population of over 20 million, uncontrolled
growth rate and unchecked magnitude of migration from rural and tribal areas, the
problem of sheltering is getting worsened with each passing day. That ignited a
web of encroachments via unregistered Katchi
Abadis throughout metropolitan and also illegal construction by grabbing
amenity lands like parks, playgrounds, welfare centres and etc.
The present Supreme Court judgment must be welcome
without doubt but it should have also been accompanied with serious punishments
to land grabbers and concerned land authorities. Also, commercial constructions
on amenity plots like wedding halls, madarssahs,
private schools and private clubs mustn’t be spared but the residential
constructions should be reviewed again and alternate shelters for displaced people
need to be sought.
Mayor Waseem Akhtar rightly said encroachments at
parks and amenity plots should never be allowed but if the people were to be
displaced, they be provided with alternative living spaces with approval of the
City Council. That’s the reason not only protests are continued in
affected areas but also the City Council – the elected representative body of
the metropolitan -- has requested the apex court to review its decision.
Members of the City Council also questioned the regularization
of Katachi Abadis by the Sindh
Government. It is estimated there are presently more than 5000 Katachi Abadis, Goth or slum areas in
Karachi’ vicinity, while 10 years back their quantity was less than 2000. The
Federal Government together with the Sindh Government cannot spare from blame because
both have not launched any low cost public housing scheme in Karachi since
decades. The prices of land of Karachi is so up today that a poor or even a
middleclass family cannot afford now any home of their own here.
The housing and shelter is a massive problem of the
day in Karachi and the governments have no intentions to solve this basic human
need. The result -- might be temporary stopped -- but illegal construction will
remain in full swing in the city and the poor residents remain the victims of
land grabbing mafia in the city.
By
Editorial, Infocus
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