Land grabbers exchange fire, spread panic

Police say there is a long-running dispute between two groups over ownership of poultry farm land in the area

KARACHI:

Residents of the newly-developed suburb of the city stretching to the border of Balochistan spent night huddled close to walls, away from the windows and lights shut down as if they were in a battle zone. Rightly so, two groups of land grabbers exchanged fire for hours on Hazrat Abu Bakr Avenue near North Town Hub Dam Road in Manghopir on the night between Sunday and Monday.

The police claim that there has been a long-running dispute between two groups over the ownership of a poultry farm land in the area and added that the two groups have clashed several times.

A group arrived at the location with armed men last night as well to occupy it, and as soon as they did, the armed guards of the property opened fire on them.

According to locals, there are several land conflicts in the area, and fights and shootings over possession take place often. People from various political and religious parties are apparently involved in the takeover of lands, and the local police have been mysteriously silent for a very long time.

Furthermore, the police officers are tardy on their arrival, and the gunmen have the opportunity to complete their mission and flee the area unimpeded by the police. Mainly since the land-grabbing mafia is so high-powered that they can change the SHO and DSP in the event of a failure in their work or legal action against them.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2023.