LAHORE: Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of Lahore High Court on Monday issued a notice to district coordination officer (DCO) to file by for Tuesday (today) his reply on the demolition and possession of Gosha-i-Aman by the Lahore Development Authority on January 10.
The action was taken on a petition by the Lahore Charitable Association, an affiliate of the Catholic Church, and the administration of a number of churches against DCO Ahad Khan Cheema for demolishing the building allegedly despite a stay order against the action.
Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, director of the National Commission on Justice and Peace, said that the demolished building was a property of the Catholic Church and they had a restraining order from the court against demolition.
Tariq Zaman, a city government officer, told The Express Tribune that the land was government property, however, in possession of a land-grab mafia. He said the group was led by a woman, who had deployed armed men around the property to resist demolition by the LDA officials. He said despite several attempts, the church had not been able to oust her. However, he said, now she had mysteriously disappeared.
Former residents of the demolished compound, however, said the woman had left the compound several days before it was bulldosed. One of them said, “Her possessions were not damaged. The DCO had allowed her to take them along.”
Protest against LDA
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters from the Christian community protested against the demolition on Monday.
They said that the LDA officials had not informed them before demolishing the building.
“I have nowhere to go to. My home of 25 years was razed in front of my eyes and I could not do anything about it,” Zanobia Richards, 61, said.
Mariam Augustine, a teacher who had been living at Gosha-i-Aman for 14 years with her husband and two daughters, said, “Everything we owned is under the rubble. We have lost everything.”
Bishop of Lahore Rt Rev Dr Alexander John Malik said that despite announcement by Finance Minister Kamran Michael that the government will the land to a church in Garhi Shahu, church administration had not been contacted.
Father Morris Jalal of the Saint Francis Church in Kot Lakhpat told The Tribune, “Our protest is not just a matter of land. It is about a violation of minority rights in the country.” Some of the protesters accused the government of colluding with the land grabbers. The protesters included representatives from 20 churches administration in the city.
Sisters from several convents also joined the three-hour demonstration.
The protesters reiterated that the minority communities continued to feel vulnerable in Pakistan. Activist Shahtaj Qizalbash of the Women Action Forum and Neelum Hussain of Simorgh also addressed the protest.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2012.
COMMENTS (10)
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Very shameful Act of Govt.and LDA.Kamran Michael should resign in protest.
I DONT understand why we always talk about other countries, think as pakistani and talk about. justice.what you guys think this is right to demolish religious properties and isult.christian in pakistan suffring from 64 years. we been called minorties why. pakistan is not for muslims. pakistan is for every body.when muslims lived in overses they want place for pray and want all rights.but when christian ask in pakistan for rights they agnored why.
@SalSal:
There in lies the problem. Non-Muslims in a Muslim majority land are so weakened by the socio-political system that they are incapable of taking care of themselves or their places of worship.
And STILL the Sharif Brothers are silent. When they could score political points by taking part in Arfa Karim's funeral, they did. Vote bank politics will destroy the minorities and then all of you will wonder why we left the 'land of the pure'.
very sad. ashamed of these acts against minorities. the general attitude of Punjab PML N govt and the ethos it has fostered is viciously sectarian and anti minority
@SalSal: Brother, clean up your house before you comment on Palestinians! It is not Israelis who have demolished the church property but the LDA! Are you bringing up Palestinian oppression as a justification?! Shame on you! These poor people have nothing to do with Palestinians!
There is a big difference. Palestinians are killing innocent civilians in their struggle while these Christians are totally peaceful and hence more deserving of our sympathy. I wonder, howver, if these Christians started a violent struggle for their rights on par with Palestinians against the Pakistani state; would you be as sympathetic to them as you are to violent Palestinians?
Sad. Islam commands Muslims to take care of non Muslims and their religious places. Plus, the Palestinians are going through the same thing for 60 years. It's just oppression
Today you lost property , tomorrow you may lose your lives in the hands of fanatics, who are protected and showered with rose petals by the lawyers.
"Discretion is the better part of valour." My humble suggestion to my christian friends is, migrate to a more tolerant country while you can.Time is not on your side.