Security of tenure: Slum dwellers protest CDA eviction drive
Demonstrate against authorities’ attitude towards katchi abadi residents.
They raised slogans against the PML-N government and the city administration for keeping them from holding a rally last Wednesday. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Hundreds of slum dwellers on Sunday held a protest demonstration near police lines against the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) plans to bulldoze illegal katchi abadis in the capital.
They raised slogans against the PML-N government and the city administration for keeping them from holding a rally last Wednesday.
On June 4, scores of katchi abadi dwellers tried to march to the Supreme Court building to record their protest against eviction drives of the CDA, but the move was thwarted by the administration. Approximately 1,500 residents of kachi abadis in sectors I-11, I-10, H-11, and H-9 were stopped from reaching the protest site at Saudi-Pak Tower. Earlier the same day, a protest by government clerks at D-Chowk — about three kilometres from Saudi-Pak Tower — was ‘subdued’ using tear gas and batons.
On Sunday, they rallied against the administration for what they called snatching their right to protest.
Awami Workers Party (AWP) Punjab president and Katchi Abadi Alliance Chairperson Aasim Sajjad Akhtar said Islamabad’s slum dwellers have peacefully resisted the eviction drive for almost six months.
He said parliament should take up the issue during the ongoing budget session, demanding that the state first regularise the existing katchi abadis and then cater to the long-term housing needs of the poor.
Akhtar said the elected government is treating katchi abadi dwellers as second class citizens and denying them their fundamental right to permanent shelter, which is guaranteed by the constitution.
AWP Information Secretary Ammar Rashid said the use of force by the government is an indicator of weakness rather than strength. He noted that hundreds of rally participants still succeeded in reaching the National Press Club despite of intense efforts by the administration to stop them.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2014.
Hundreds of slum dwellers on Sunday held a protest demonstration near police lines against the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) plans to bulldoze illegal katchi abadis in the capital.
They raised slogans against the PML-N government and the city administration for keeping them from holding a rally last Wednesday.
On June 4, scores of katchi abadi dwellers tried to march to the Supreme Court building to record their protest against eviction drives of the CDA, but the move was thwarted by the administration. Approximately 1,500 residents of kachi abadis in sectors I-11, I-10, H-11, and H-9 were stopped from reaching the protest site at Saudi-Pak Tower. Earlier the same day, a protest by government clerks at D-Chowk — about three kilometres from Saudi-Pak Tower — was ‘subdued’ using tear gas and batons.
On Sunday, they rallied against the administration for what they called snatching their right to protest.
Awami Workers Party (AWP) Punjab president and Katchi Abadi Alliance Chairperson Aasim Sajjad Akhtar said Islamabad’s slum dwellers have peacefully resisted the eviction drive for almost six months.
He said parliament should take up the issue during the ongoing budget session, demanding that the state first regularise the existing katchi abadis and then cater to the long-term housing needs of the poor.
Akhtar said the elected government is treating katchi abadi dwellers as second class citizens and denying them their fundamental right to permanent shelter, which is guaranteed by the constitution.
AWP Information Secretary Ammar Rashid said the use of force by the government is an indicator of weakness rather than strength. He noted that hundreds of rally participants still succeeded in reaching the National Press Club despite of intense efforts by the administration to stop them.
A number of representatives of katchi abadi dwellers noted that on the one hand the administration is using strong-arm tactics to weaken the resistance movement, while on the other, touts are trying to divide the movement along religious and ethnic lines.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2014.