KARACHI: As the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) continued its anti-encroachment operation and demolition of multistorey structures in line with Supreme Court orders, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) on Thursday came up with its reaction and called the civic body’s action “politically motivated”, demanding the government compensate those “affectees” who had been deprived of their properties due to the operation.

The estate and enforcement department of the KDA was demolishing various structures, including marriage halls and residential buildings raised illegally on amenity plots in Korangi under its ongoing operation. However MQM-P chief Dr Farooq Sattar expressed his serious concerns over the authority’s operation, which he alleged had been politicised.

A statement said the KDA demolition team, using heavy-duty machinery, first demolished the marriage halls that had been illegally constructed on amenity plots in Landhi 36-B that was reserved for a playground. Afterwards, the demolition team, it said, accompanied by the area police and Rangers, demolished the commercial plazas constructed illegally on amenity plots in Korangi’s Sectors 43-B and 44-B.

Demolition of illegal structures to continue, says KDA

“KDA director general Samiuddin Siddiqui has directed EED director Raza Khan to expedite the demolition and all illegal structures be demolished without any discrimination and [to] follow the orders of the Supreme Court in letter and spirit,” said a statement, adding that the demolition of the illegal structures would continue till all the illegal constructions were razed to the ground, said the statement.

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) also took up the task and demolished a marriage hall constructed illegally on an amenity plot, No. ST 5/A in Block-3 of Federal B Area. Boundary walls, stage, kitchen and other related constructions were razed during the operation, said a separate statement.

“Another anti-encroachment team of the SBCA, working on the orders of the high court, demolished the RCC structure that had been constructed illegally on plot No. B-1, ST 17, Sector B, industrial area,” it said. “Other teams of the SBCA carried out the demolitions of illegal structures located in different parts of the metropolis, including in Federal B Area, North Nazimabad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, PIB Colony, Korangi, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad and Saddar areas.”

The demolition of structures that included residential facilities purchased by hundreds of Karachiites in ignorance of the fact that those buildings were raised illegally — attracted serious reaction from the MQM-P.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad, Dr Sattar said his party was against all kind of encroachments as well as the builders’ mafia.

“But you need to see whether this operation, apparently on orders of the apex court, is being used for a political agenda or not,” he said. “In fact it’s being carried out to get political mileage in the name of court orders. We appreciate the court orders and demand removal of all illegal structures, but at the same time we demand shelter and compensation for those who are being deprived of their homes and properties. They are not responsible for any crime as they trusted the government institutions years ago [when they bought] these homes or properties.”

He also “condemned” the demolition of the community centre of the Memon community in FB Area earlier this week in the name of illegal construction, saying that the building was not raised illegally and the action by the local government institutions defied the set rules.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2017