LAHORE: Security personnel of a housing society allegedly manhandled on Monday several people protesting against not being handed over possession of their plots even after several years.

The protesters faced the guards’ wrath after they gathered outside the main office of the housing project in Phase 5 to lodge their protest against the society’s management for not listening to them or resolving their issue.

When the affectees, who were carrying placards and shouting slogans against the DHA City administration, tried to stop some officials from entering through the main gate of the office, security staff of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) baton-charged them and allegedly manhandled women protesters.

“Everyone witnessed the brutality of the DHA that assaulted protesters for demanding their rights. Everyone saw how women security staff slapped protesting women and manhandled others. The male staff also thrashed men,” an affectee told Dawn.

DHA City had been launched in 2010 in Lahore. Thousands of applications gathered for allotment of plots of applicants’ choice; the applicants even paid the required installments.

“The public responded overwhelmingly only because of the guarantee by DHA since all of its projects remained successful in the past. The DHA was legally bound to start development as soon as the allocation letters were issued to the applicants, but the same has been pending till today,” a protester explained. “The number of affectees is over 12,000 so you can calculate the investment in billions,” he added.

“Nine years have passed since we have been waiting for our plots,” another protester deplored.

The protesters condemned the DHA management for allegedly assaulting them and demanded the chief justice of Pakistan take suo motu notice of the matter.

“Since the honourable chief justice of Pakistan is very kind and quickly takes notice of matters of public interest, we hope he will listen to us and resolve our issue,” he hoped.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2018