KARACHI, March 29: The President of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Sindh chapter, MNA Asadullah Bhutto, has asked the Sindh governor and the city nazim that instead of demolishing goths and katchi abadis from the city, the unit- and sector offices of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and its occupation of parks, playgrounds and public buildings should be done away with.

Mr Bhutto, who is also convener of the “Goth and Katchi Abadi Bachao Tehreek”, was briefing journalists on Wednesday after a meeting of the body’s steering committee in the chamber of the leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly.

He said a meeting held with President Pervez Musharraf over the issue had failed to provide protection to the poor of the goths and katchi abadis.

Rejecting the government committees formed by the governor and chief minister over the issue, Mr Bhutto said the statements of the chief minister were just to cool down the sentiments of the enraged people, because the demolition of Yousuf Goth, even after his statement, negated his assertion.

He said that in addition to raising the issue in the Senate, National Assembly, provincial assembly and the City Council, the Tehreek will stage a token hunger strike on Friday outside the Karachi Press Club from 3pm to 7pm in which representatives of opposition parties including legislators will participate.

In reply to a question, he said there were three demands of the Tehreek: demolition of goths and katchi abadis and flats should be stopped; the affectees of the settlements, so far demolished, should be resettled in the same place and compensation be paid to them; and all goths and katchi abadis should be leased and ownership rights be given to their residents.

Mr Bhutto said the demolition of goths and katchi abadis was only to favour the builder mafia, which deserved utmost condemnation.

He said the MQM by pursuing this policy wanted to create harassment in the city on one hand and get monetary benefits on the other hand.

He announced that on April 12, a public meeting will be organized by the tehreek’s steering committee in Ghazi Abdullah Shah Goth, near Safoora Goth.

The MMA leader said there was also unrest among people regarding the Taiser Town allotments, which called for immediate resolution.