Eviction turns ugly as squatter shot dead
The men were resisting eviction by the police and municipality. There are reportedly 35 to 40 illegal houses in the area.
The land is being reclaimed by Zeal Pak Cement Factory which wrote to the district administration for help. Aziz Solangi, speaking on behalf of the Jatoi family who own the factory, told The Express Tribune that around 20 acres was illegally occupied. “The people of Chandio, Sarki, Brohi and Pathan communities have illegally settled there over a period of time,” alleged Solangi, adding that notices were already served, asking them to leave.
The land is used by the factory to dig for limestone which is used to make cement. Over 3,600 acres was leased to the factory by the mines department in 1956 when it was established by the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation. The factory was privatised in 1992 when the Jatoi family bought it.
Strong resistance
Armed with guns, the men confronted over a hundred policemen and officers of the Anti-Encroachment Cell at a small distance away from their settlements. Both sides claimed that the other was the first to open fire, however, only the Chandios bore the brunt.
“We didn’t attack the police but only the bodyguards of Sikandar Jatoi, Khadim Jatoi and Aijaz Jatoi who had opened fire on us,” said Deedar Chandio.
The deceased, identified as 50-year-old Ahmed Khan Chandio, was shot in the chest. The injured were identified as 30-year-old Shamman Chandio, 60-year-old Manzoor Ali Chandio, 28-year-old Abdul Majeed Chandio, and 30-year-old Sadiq Ali Chandio. They were taken to Civil hospital.
As the law enforcers fled the scene after the exchange of fire, the Chandios set ablaze a bulldozer which took them more than an hour to destroy, along with a double-cabin pickup which carried a government number plate.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2012.
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Good, its about time someone taught the pakistani natives that you can't keep what doesn't belong to you, and if you borrow money, it isnt a gift, its a LOAN, which means you PAY it BACK.