Land grabbing

Every few days, stories emerge about the rights of citizens being trampled by encroachers and land grabbers. Apart from the property being stolen, these stories also often include injury or loss of life, all of which could be avoided if the state got its act together. A recent case in Karachi illustrates the extent of government apathy, as a court was told that despite city records showing that the occupants of a piece of land did not have any rights to it, they had been able to obtain power, water and gas connections. Meanwhile, the police and Rangers were accused of readily ignoring court orders to assist city authorities in cutting off these connections.

Unfortunately, the only people against whom anti-encroachment action is ever taken appear to be the ones that the state has already failed — homeless people. When it comes to slums, the police and city authorities around the country jump into action within minutes to evict people who have nothing. It is additionally disappointing that in cities such as Islamabad, the main reason the slums even exist is that the ruling elite, especially parliamentarians and city managers, have worked hand in glove to violate zoning rules that would have created low-income housing for low-paid workers. Meanwhile, several wealthy homeowners have encroached on city land, including public parks and green belts, without any real penalty. Failure to enforce and selective enforcement of land use rules in some areas often leads to encroachments or other illegalities.

It is high time for governments at every level to reformulate and enforce land use rules while addressing encroachment sternly but fairly. This would entail setting up some form of alternate affordable housing or regularisation and uplifting existing slum areas in the case of the poor, especially. Even amid the current cash crunch, financing it would not be a problem, if only wealthy violators were made to pay market value plus penalties which could finance uplift, instead of being given slaps on the wrist by friendly, and sometimes compromised, authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2023.

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