In a fight for leftover space, 22 cabins for hawkers are mowed down despite sanction

Hawkers’ association accuses Land EDO of asking for money in return for letting them keep their kiosks.

KARACHI: When the city government demolished the 22 cabins set up for the Hawkers Zone, they also mowed down a livelihood for more than 1,000 men, said the association representing them at a press conference on Monday.

Cabins were constructed on land below the Quaidabad Flyover as part of a scheme outlined by the City Council (resolution No. 514). The idea was to build 500 cabins for Rs600,000 each after encroachments were removed from under the flyover, a space that attracted drug users and squatters. These cabins would be given to vendors and hawkers.

It was believed that it would be a win-win situation. A tender was published and a private contractor was assigned the task of building the cabins. However, the structures were flattened mid-construction in an operation last Sunday.

The hawkers’ association accuses the Land Enforcement district officer of asking for Rs15 million and 50 cabins in return for letting them keep their kiosks. The official has denied the allegation.

Hawkers Association Bin Qasim Town chairman Amanullah told The Express Tribune that the cabins were removed after negotiations failed between them and some of the City District Government Karachi’s (CDGK) land-enforcement officers. The officials had allegedly demanded a monetary share.

The association’s Khursheed Batgrami said that DO KMC Land Abdul Malik had persuaded them to meet him at the Anwar Baloch Hotel near Quaidabad. They met four times but the talks did not move forward.

“The DO demanded Rs15 million and 50 cabins,” alleged Batgrami. “He threatened us with dire consequences if we did not agree to his demands.” He said that another DO had also asked for money. “Nothing could be done without his approval and support,” Batgrami quoted the Veterinary Services DO as saying.

An EDO also met the association representatives and urged they make a deal with the CDGK officials.

These claims are backed by contractor Malik Muhammad Ali of Universal Constructions, (who was given the job). He said that DO Abdul Malik had demanded Rs3,000 for each cabin in addition to Rs3 million, with the overall demand exceeding Rs15 million.

“The DO said that nobody would be able to interfere with the project [if the money was given],” claimed Ali. When the ‘talks’ failed, the CDGK bulldozed 22 cabins and took his machinery, which was worth around Rs6 million, he added.

Amanullah said that around 200 people had deposited pay orders worth Rs 30,000 (for one cabin). According to the schedule of payment, 15 days after the pay order, they had to pay Rs20,000 and another Rs100,000 would have to be paid when they took possession.

Anjuman Tajiran Quaidabad’s (Bin Qasim Town) Shoukat Rabbani said that the demolition was the result of political pressure on the DCO. He said that earlier the DCO had visited vendors, telling them how the project was good for the poor. On the day of the demolition, the DCO had asked them to come to his office but had not been able to give a reason for the operation, said Rabbani.

However, DO Abdul Malik and DDO Shakir Zaki refuted claims that they had ever met the hawkers or demanded money. Gadap Town Administrator Nadir Ali Wasan said that the project was in line with a resolution passed by the former city council, and that other towns were doing similar projects.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Municipal Services EDO Masood Alam said that the CDGK Enterprises and Investment Promotions Group of Offices had drafted the resolution which was for other purposes and the Bin Qasim Town administration had misused it to set up the Hawkers Zone. Bin Qasim Town would never get the empty land beneath the flyover because the CDGK plans to use it to set up emergency resources centres, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2011.