KBT demands 'justice' for affectees of nullahs demolition

KARACHI:

The Karachi Bachao Tehreek (KBT) on Saturday said that thousands of families displaced by demolitions around Gujjar, Orangi, and Mehmoodabad nullahs have still not received their due rights, despite clear orders from the Supreme Court. The civil society group called upon the apex court to take urgent notice of "government negligence, bureaucratic corruption, and the ongoing denial of justice."

Speaking at a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club, KBT leaders Khurram Nayyar, Arif Shah, Erum Yasmeen, and Raza Bukhari said that following the devastating rains and floods of 2020, the resulting damage in Karachi was blamed on informal settlements, which were already among the most marginalised communities in the metropolis.

However, they said the city's flooding again in 2025 confirms that such disasters are caused by systemic government incompetence and corruption, rather than the mere presence of poor communities. The leaders alleged that the demolition of homes around the nullahs was driven by profiteering motives rather than public welfare.

In 2021, thousands of houses around the Gujjar, Orangi, and Mehmoodabad nullahs were razed, displacing over 50,000 people and destroying more than 9,000 homes. The KBT leaders said that both federal and provincial governments were complicit in rendering the affected families homeless.

The leaders recalled that the Supreme Court's final order in the matter had directed that each affected family be allotted an 80-square-yard plot, along with construction funds to rebuild their homes. Despite this, the Sindh government has failed to comply.

During a major protest staged by the movement in January, only a minimal amount of construction aid was released — insufficient even to build a single room. The government has reportedly indicated that plots will not be allotted before 2027.

The KBT leaders said that the affectees of Gujjar nullah belong to the working class, and in the current inflationary climate, survival has become extremely difficult. Reports show a rising incidence of suicides within these communities. The leaders said the Sindh government should be held accountable for this neglect.

The KBT leaders demanded that each affected family be provided with Rs30,000 per month as temporary rent support until plots are allotted and construction becomes feasible. They also called for Rs3 million per family to enable the construction of a home.

The leaders further demanded that the government issue a clear schedule for the allotment of plots within 90 days, and provide alternative land where necessary. If these demands are not met within seven days, the KBT will launch a forceful public protest, including sit-ins and street demonstrations.