Shelter homes spring up amid cold snap

While Karachi continues to experience a long and intense winter, so much so that the temperature hit a new low, dropping to a record-breaking level on Friday, the city administration has begun establishing temporary shelters for the homeless and needy, most of whom would otherwise spend the night sleeping on rock-hard footpaths, under the bridges and on concrete benches under the open sky.

The metropolis, which is a home away from home for scores of daily wagers who flock to it throughout the year in search of better earning opportunities and survive its fast-pace life without any roof over their heads, ironically, doesn’t have a single government-run shelter home.

Consequently, with Karachi and other cities in Sindh facing a rare severe winter season, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed divisional commissioners across the province on Tuesday to provide shelter to the needy and homeless.

As a result, the first shelter home was established in Manghopir late on Thursday evening.

The maiden makeshift shelter home has been set up in a community hall, where around 100 charpoys have been placed. However, at the time of the filing of this report, just 35 persons had moved there.

Besides, another shelter home has been set up in Mominabad, assistant deputy commissioner Nasrullah Abbasi told The Express Tribune.

“We have been providing blankets to needy persons and our teams visit different areas late at night. They are out on the roads extending support to the vulnerable,” he added.

And so, blankets were distributed among the homeless in Lyari, Garden and old city areas on Friday.

Besides, South deputy commissioner Irshad Ahmed Sodhar said another two shelter homes, which could accommodate 200 persons, were set up in Narayan Jagannath Vaidya High School in Lyari. He added that similar arrangements were made in January last year.

“More such shelter homes will be established if needed,” he said.

According to Keamari deputy commissioner Mukhtiar Abro, another three shelter camps will be established today (Sunday) in his jurisdiction.

In this regard, Karachi commissioner Navid Ahmed Shaikh said all relevant officials had been directed to set up shelter camps and distribute blankets among homeless and needy persons.

“We are making all necessary arrangements to help needy people battling the cold weather,” he assured.

No count

While there is no official record of homeless persons residing on the metropolis’ footpaths, it is roughly estimated that thousands have been living in the city’s two districts, South and West, without any shelter for years.

Confirming the lack of official record, a senior official of the Sindh Social Welfare Department said, “There is no data of homeless persons in Karachi, as we never conducted any survey for the purpose.”

According to Edhi Foundation spokesperson Muhammad Bilal, there are over 6,000 homeless persons in the welfare organisation’s shelter homes in the city.

He said the majority of homeless persons in the metropolis were concentrated in South and West districts, and explained that it was so because South district had more employment opportunities and West was the choice of those coming to the city from elsewhere, mostly in search of work.

Showing compassion

Citizens too have risen to the occasion, coming to the aid of those needing protection against the harsh weather.

One such family, which was distributing sweaters and warm clothes in old city areas on Saturday, appealed to others to help the poor as well.

“There are so many people and organisations that provide food, but none provides shelter and clothes,” pointed out one among them, acknowledging that the situation was particularly difficult for those living under the open sky.

An elder memeber of the family, who requested anonymity, noted, “Karachi hardly sees such weather.”

He urged the government, non-governmental organisations and the affluent to look after children, elderly persons and labroures sleeping by roadsides in various areas of the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2021.