HYDERABAD, Nov 13: The only ladies club in the city which was set up in 1940 was sealed by the Evacuee and Auqaf departments on Saturday. Officials with the help of the Market police sealed the club and allegedly harassed and intimidated its staff.

The tenancy of the club was terminated on October 17 and the club had filed an appeal against departments concerned with the administrator of the Evacuee Trust, Karachi through leading lawyer, Mr Jhamatmal.

However, the club was sealed pending the decision on the appeal.

Mr Jhamatmal told Dawn that nobody had the right to seal the club pending the decision on appeal.

He said the action of the authorities was absolutely illegal.

He said that to level the ground for sealing the club, the department concerned had refused to accept the rent.

The general secretary of the Ladies Club, Apa Khursheed, criticized action of Evacuee and Auqaf departments for sealing the club.

She said the staff of the club was harassed, humiliated and even wrongfully confined.

She said the club was running a handicraft centre and a school for poor students and around 200 students were receiving education in the Ladies Club school.

Apa Khursheed said it was the only ladies club in the city and it was rendering community services.

She said the club had now been crucified at the altar of greedy builders who had been vying this building for years.

She said only recently a free medical camp was also held in the premises of the club for the poor people.

Police said they had gone there for the purpose of law and order and it had nothing to do with the sealing of the club.

Officials of the departments were not available for their comments.

The club was built in memory of a Hindu lady, Chattur Bai Advani, and her son had contributed a lion’s share in raising the building.

It was known as the Nari Sabha (Ladies Club) and the plot furniture and fixture were acquired through donations.

It became functional in 1941 and initially 153 members were enrolled.

A highly respected Hindu lady, educationist and classical singer, Dadi Leela, was one of the oldest members of the club.

Before the Partition, services of dance and music teachers were acquired and 40 girls had enrolled in dance and music classes.

The basic purpose of the club was to create awareness among women and to promote social, literary, cultural and educational activities among them.

After the Partition, it did not lose its main characteristics and women like Begum Tahira Agha, Apa Shams Abbasi, Apa Ayesha Shaikh and Dadi Leela played a pivotal role in keeping traditions alive.

At present, Dr Khursheed Memon is its general secretary and the club is also running a school for poor children and handicraft centre for women.

The historic club was first put on the block four years back when the Evacuee department decided to dispose it of to greedy builders.

However, due to the hue and cry in the press and stand taken by the then Sindh governor and secretary culture Hameed Akhund, the club was saved as a national heritage.