DHA residents worried about robbers, beggars

Residents of Defence discuss water, leasing, bifurcation and other plans with Commander Brig Anis Ahmed.

KARACHI:
Residents of Defence, Clifton and surrounding unplanned settlements that fall under the jurisdiction of Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) discussed water, leasing, bifurcation and other plans with Commander Brig Anis Ahmed, the CBC president at the station headquarters on Tuesday.

For people living in squatter settlements, the most pressing issues is leasing and the planning of colonies. Katchi abadis under the CBC are Delhi Colony, Madinabad, Punjab Colony, Chandio Village, Bakhshan Village, Khaliquz Zaman Colony, Pak Jumhoria Colony, Lower Gizri, Hazara Colony (Railway land), P&T Colony, MES Colony, Transit Camp, PNS Haider, PNS Shifa, and 494 FWO Engineering Group.

People with multistory houses or those who have constructed two houses on a single plot (designed for one house) aggravate the complexities of leasing and planning for both the residents and authorities. People have bifurcated 120 sq yard plots into two houses of 60 sq yards each and are not willing to get individual leases, Amir Arab of the CBC explained.

Other areas that fall under the CBC include Defense Phases I to VIII and Clifton Blocks 8 and 9.


Meanwhile DHA inhabitants said water shortage remains the most important issue. There is an extreme scarcity of water in most areas of DHA while several other parts are getting just hard water. Other main concerns include robberies as well as the growing number of beggars on the streets.

Lt Col Abrar Hussain, nominated member Aziz Suharwardy, general secretary ADR Asad Kazalbaksh, Hameed Maker, member Bazar Area Khalifa Anwar, Aslam Gujjar, and Anwar Khan Niazi attended the meeting to inform the authorities of their concerns.

Brig Anis Ahmed, who recently replaced DHA Administrator Brig Khalid Tirmizi as president of the CBC, said they are in close coordination with police and vigilance teams on beggars and security. He also assured them that their other concerns will be dealt with soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2010.
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