KARACHI, July 31: Residents of Gabopat Union Council, Keamari Town, have complained that land-grabbing in the area has assumed an alarming level with highly-influential figures running the 'business' in connivance with concerned officials.

The unscrupulous elements have now been eyeing private lands also, according to local social workers.

The local residents claimed that private lands were being leased out to owners of mines and the families settled on these lands much before the Partition were being forced to vacate their ancestral abodes.

They maintained that many of the uprooted families possessed, and could produce, the valid documents pertaining to the ownership of the lands as the same had been issued to them by the then British rulers.

"We never opposed mining or exploration of mineral resources. However, this should not be done by dislodging the legitimate owners of the lands to be brought under the exploration."

They urged the competent authorities to take notice of the situation and action against those taking undue advantage of their official status by issuing fake property documents.Meanwhile, the Nazim of Gabopat Union Council, Mubarak Baloch, along with a delegation comprising elite of the area called on the Keamari Town Nazim, Zulfikar Yunis, to discuss the situation arising out of rampant land-grabbing in the UC limits.

Mr Yunis said the problem could be solved only with the active support and and assistance by the CDGK and provincial governments.

Besides land-grabbing and ejectment, the delegation took up the matter of illegal lifting of reti-bajri by a government agency from the area.

The town nazim assured the delegation that he would convey the local residents' concern and problems to the higher authorities. He noted that the town's resources were being taken away a government agency for consumption in the construction of the Northern By-pass and Lyari Expressway without contributing any revenues to the town or union council.

Mr Yunis said he did consider both the projects being in national interests and would not create any hindrance in the way of their accomplishment. However, he added, that the matter of due rights of the town on its resources should be settled with the concerned administration.

He pointed out that the town's population consisted of poor and low-income group people living in undeveloped coastal area and kutchi abadis. As such, the town administration could not generate revenues required for public welfare, development and other projects.