LAHORE, Dec 2: As many as 45 vendors protesting what they claimed was the loss of their livelihood made their way to Edhi Home in Gulberg on Tuesday saying they would leave their 27 children behind at the orphanage until they were given the right to re-open their stalls in Model Town.

Shakir Husain Khan, president of the Model Town Sunday Bazaar Convener Committee, told Dawn that the vendors used to operate in G-Block for the past seven years, but the Model Town Society (MTS) had recently forced them to shift after the property was returned to society. He claimed the vendors had gotten approval from DCO Sajjad Bhutta to continue to operate in K-Block – a claim Bhutta denied.

Shakir Khan said the City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) had the stalls removed from the area at midnight on Sunday.

MTS president Col Tahir Kardar (retired) stated that the stall keepers had only been given permission by the CDGL to move to a new locality some 500 yards outside Model Town, not to K-Block, and were now creating a ‘drama’ to serve some vested interests. He said the land on which the bazaar was established had earlier been leased to the CDGL but the lease had expired.

“We have 200 signatures of MTS residents who don’t want this bazaar to be here in the middle of Model Town,” Kardar added.

DCO Bhutta confirmed that, after initially suggesting the bazaar be moved to K-Block, the CDGL had been forced to backtrack after the MTS had withdrawn permission for holding Sunday bazaar on its premises and, as such, the Gulberg town municipal officer would need to find a new site in a “less problematic” neighbourhood.

At the Edhi home, the families gathered on the lawn where they spread mats and had a meal provided by the home.

Ghulam Mustafa, a stall holder for the previous 10 years, said: “I have two children and a wife to provide for. Without this job, we have nothing.”

Another worker, Nazir Ahmad, chipped in: “I have eight dependants and I work at the PEL factory also just to make both ends meet. I can’t afford to pay the rent; I’m very worried about what happens next.”

Despite their pleas, the workers and their families did not display the outward signs of poverty generally linked with those who seek refuge at Edhi homes. The boys were smartly dressed in school uniform while the men appeared well-clothed and fed.

Edhi Home in-charge Shahbaz Mirza said that he had received instructions from Abdul Sattar Edhi to take all the families in if the government could not provide for them.