KARACHI, Feb 6: Speakers at a demonstration on Tuesday condemned the town administration for first burning and then demolishing the Umer Jogi Goth in Gulshan-i-Iqbal and demanded stern action against the officials involved in the act.

They were speaking at the demonstration organised by the Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party at the University Road against the burning and demolition of the old village. They demanded that the poor villagers whose houses had been demolished be given compensation.

They said that the villagers had a tough time in saving their women and children as the fire, set on by demolishers, suddenly engulfed the village and they had to run for their lives owing to which they failed to save their belongings.

They said that an ethnic organisation was using the town and city administrations to take action against the native population and was systematically demolishing their centuries old villages.

The STPP leaders Ijaz Samitio, Sattar Abro and others spoke at the demonstration participated by a large number of villagers whose homes had been demolished. They were chanting slogans against the town administration and police officials.