Hindu former govt employees keep homes, for now

Provincial administration served notices to them to vacate houses by June 28

LAHORE: The Hindu community managed to obtain a stay order from a civil court against notices issued to them by the Punjab government to vacate their houses.

They had alleged some influential people in the area established a new colony called Zabardast Town and were in cahoots with the government. They said they had been living on Jarnaili Sarak Road in Haroonabad for the last 30 years and now the government was asking them to vacate their houses.

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The Punjab government served notices to the residents to vacate their houses by June 28. However, the Hindu community protested and held a rally, demanding that the government allow them to remain in the area.



Society of Hindu Balmiki Mandar (SHBM) President Harbans Lal Sultani, while talking to The Express Tribune, said the families had been living in the area for the last 30 years after the Bahawalnagar commissioner allowed them to construct their houses on the government's land in 1987. The property is known as 'Jurnaili Murabba'

“The then Bahawalnagar commissioner allowed us, in writing, to construct houses on the land after an application was moved by 69 Hindu families who were employed by the local government on a contractual basis,” he said.

“Some of the five marlas plots were allotted to Hindu families during Pakistan People's Party (PPP)’s tenure in 1995 when a 'misl' (revenue record of land and property) was prepared in their favour,” Harbans added.

After the allotment of land located in Chak Number 724/R, members of the Hindu community constructed their houses. However, after three decades, the Haroonabad assistant commissioner issued notices to all Hindu families to vacate their houses.

The SHBM president said Hindus tried to approach MNA Ejazul Haq and an MPA, both from Pakistan Muslim League-Ziaul Haque (PML-Z), and complain. However, their efforts were to no avail.

He said the federal government and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif should take strict action against those responsible and restrain the move to vacate the residents.

Rao Naeem, the counsel of ‘Zabardast Town’, said some residents had sold a few houses to the owners of Zabardast Town. When the builders erected a gate there, the inhabitants objected, stressing the construction was illegal.

Haroonabad Assistant Commissioner Anjum Zahra said notices were issued to residents and the administration of ‘Zabardast Town’. “The community has been living there illegally as the land is owned by the government.”



She confirmed residents had sold some houses to the town administration and later raised objections when the gate was built. They submitted an application with the assistant commissioner’s office, but later the respondents (administration of Zabardast Town) also submitted an application, alleging that Hindus were living there illegally.



Anjum said if the pillars constructed on the land by Zabardast Town were illegal, so was the occupation of residents. She added notices were served to them and the land would be vacated from their possession.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2017.