Homeless or opportunists?: Residents protest ‘outsiders’ bid to occupy park land

Claim squatters are not from Meherabadi; Christian leader insists the squatters’ lives are at risk.

ISLAMABAD: The residents of G-9 protested on Sunday against what they called an attempt by “opportunists” to occupy a piece of land. They warned of serious consequences if the “so-called displaced Christians” approached the site.

A large number of people from G-9 gathered and camped at a park in G-9/4, which some Christians tried to occupy soon after Rimsha Masih, a minor, was accused of blasphemy. The protesting residents were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the establishment of a kachi abadi there.

“These land grabbers have forced us to assemble here,” said Muhammad Babar Minhas, president of the Pakistan Peoples Party Islamabad chapter and also a resident of G-9/4.

He said that when the Rimsha Masih issue began, “a so-called Christian leader Waqar Gill” instigated Christians from outside of Islamabad to come, claiming that they could get a piece of land for only Rs20,000. This prompted a large number of Christians to come to the site and chop down trees to occupy the land, he said. Minhas added that the move was foiled by timely resistance from the residents of G-9/4.

But the Christians are now claiming that a church used to stand on the site in a bid to gain control of the plot, which is part of the public park, he said. He insisted that there was never a church at the location. In fact there were no Christians living at the plot “at any time in the past”.

He said they will not allow the establishment of a slum in the area, before adding that the people who tried to occupy the land were outsiders and not Christian residents of Meherabadi.

“It is time to abolish the remaining slums and build new buildings with planning; establishing yet another kachi abadi in a developed sector is astonishing,” he added.

Peshawar Mor Market Committee President Haji Nisar Ahmed Langa agreed with Minhas, saying the Christians were deceived by “some outsiders” who told them they would be offered plots for Rs20,000.

“The people who tried to grab the plot were not residents of Islamabad and were brought from outside,” he said, adding, “This land is part of the public park. We will not allow anyone to usurp the entertainment rights of the residents.”

A local Jamaat-e-Islami member, Muhammad Mansoor, said there would be serious consequences if the Capital Development Authority and Islamabad Administration did not remove squatters. “We accept they are citizens of the country, but this does not mean they can just occupy parks and roads. We won’t have any objection if the government were to build them houses in the new sectors,” he added.

‘Lives at risk’

Akram Waqar Gill, the Christian leader, refuted the impression that he had brought the people from outside.

“They all are the residents of Meherabadi, and their lives are at risk to due to false allegation against [Rimsha],” Gill said.

He reiterated his stance that they will protest on Monday to pressurise the authorities to fulfil their commitment of allotting them a separate plot.

He added, “The lives of Christians in Meherabadi are still at stake, despite the allegations being proven wrong.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2012.