ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: A group of poets, scholars, writers and lawyers criticized the authorities on Tuesday for evicting the family of eminent poet Ahmad Faraz from an official residence.

The intellectuals, most of them from Islamabad and Rawalpindi and some from Peshawar, said at a news conference that the forcible eviction of the family, when the poet himself was abroad for medical treatment, was a shameful act.

They demanded that the officials concerned take back to the house the belongings of Mr Faraz which had been thrown out on Monday by estate office personnel with the help of police.

They alleged that the action had been taken at the behest of the federal minister for housing, who wanted to accommodate a relative of another federal minister of his party.

Ironically, they said, the action had been taken at a time when Faraz was in the UK. The poet's wife, Rehana Gill, a retired Grade 21 officer, and his son were at home when employees of the estate office came and threw their belongings on the road.

After the retirement of his wife, Ahmed Faraz who himself is a grade 21 officer (managing director of the National Book Foundation), had applied for allotment of the house to him and the request is under process.

At the press conference, prominent lawyer Naeem Bokhari said that Ahmad Faraz was a pride of the country and the sad incident spoke volumes for the indifference to the society.

"We demand that the house be re-allotted to Mr Faraz and the government should publicly offer an unconditional apology to his family for this maltreatment," he said.

Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik, chairman of the Pakistan National Language Authority, said that the minister appeared to be unaware of Ahmad Faraz's stature. "It is a matter of shame for the government that the family of Mr Faraz is humiliated in broad daylight and no-one comes forward to help them," he said.

In a message read out on the occasion, National Assembly member and eminent lawyer Aitzaz Ehsan cited certain instances and said that the eviction of the family from an official residence was illegal. According to a press release, ARD Chairman Amin Fahim condemned the maltreatment of the family of Ahmad Faraz by the authorities.

Clarification