MQM-Pakistan advocates for displaced persons

Over 15,000 people will be rendered homeless due to anti-encroachment drive, says Farooq Sattar

KARACHI: Displaced persons should be allotted alternative land by the Sindh government, said Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – Pakistan Convener Dr Farooq Sattar.

He was speaking at a press conference held in support of residents evicted during the recent anti-encroachment drive carried out to clear amenity plots in Karachi.

Sattar said thousands of people were sold land by land grabbers and have therefore been affected by the drive. He believed that certain persons were taking advantage of the Supreme Court order to clear amenity plots of encroachments. He said that there were political motives behind complying with the order, which is what he has taken exception to. “We respect the decision of Supreme Court,” he clarified.

He said that 15,000 people are going to be left homeless due to the operation, which is a human rights issue. The court should review its decision or at least give a verdict so that government will provide alternative land to all those who have been affected, suggested Sattar.

“We have decided to be the political lawyers of those poor people who are facing threats of displacement due to the ongoing operation against encroachments. We will hold protests in their favour,” he maintained. However, he said that their protest would not be against the verdict of the Supreme Court.



A lot of infrastructure has been demolished in the city, he added, saying that much of it had previously been regularised by Karachi Development Authority and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation officials. MQM-Pakistan is against any kind of encroachments and has appealed to the court to take action against the land mafia, said Sattar.

He went on to say that the party will hire private lawyers and petition the apex court to provide alternative living space to the people whose houses will be demolished.
“We’ll organise camps in the settlements on today [Friday] and protest in front of the press club to show solidarity with the poor people who have been deceived by the land mafia,” he announced.  A protest will also be held tomorrow (Saturday), he said.

Sattar questioned why action was not taken against these people when the houses were being built. According to him, the government should also take action against the remaining encroachments in Karachi. He remarked that the people of Karachi should not be punished for voting MQM.