Suspend demolition drives during Ramazan: activists

Contend that the SC order stated that houses built on leased land were to be spared.

KARACHI:

With anti-encroachment operations under way along Karachi’s nullahs, activists and affected residents continue to denounce the move, terming it illegal.

In a recent development in this connection, Karachi Bachao Tehreek, an alliance of non-governmental organisations, issued a statement on Friday, calling for the immediate suspension of demolition drives along Gujjar and Orangi nullahs during Ramazan.

Activists contended in the letter that while authorities justified the demolitions citing a Supreme Court order, they overlooked that the order stated that houses built on leased land were to be spared.

Read: Building collapse during demolition drive leaves four injured in Karachi

Yet, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s anti-encroachment cell (AEC) continues to raze dwellings built on leased land, they decried.

It was also pointed out in the letter that the court order obliged the relevant authorities to provide alternative accommodation to families affected by demolitions.

However, the activists lamented, the authorities had paid a cheque worth just Rs90,000 to affected residents.

Karachi Bachao Tehreek members have demanded from the federal the federal and the Sindh government to suspend the anti-encroachment operation during Ramazan and until the pandemic situation improved.