ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Thousands of people, mostly Christians, are living in Kutcha Abadis scattered across the federal capital in subhuman conditions, according to a data collected by Dawn.

A stinking smell greets you the moment you enter these sketchy houses with gaping holes in them. Woes and worries seem to be their only possession. Lack of basic amenities coupled with unsympathetic attitude of the government have made their life miserable. Niceties and luxuries are the things they can never dream of.

They are scraping an existence. Some of them are newspaper hawkers, pop corn-sellers and sweepers washing the toilets in sophisticated offices and bungalows. Some frustrated youths have taken refuge in drugs like charas, heroin and drinking.Here no one tells you a different tale. All their tales revolve round gloom and doom.

Out of the total 41 Kutcha Abadis, only 11 have been recognized by the Capital Development Authority.

These 11 Katchi Abadis are Hansa & Charles Colony of G-8/1, 100 quarters of F-6/2, France Colony of F-7/4, Muslim Colony of Noor Pur Shahan village, Tent colony of G-7/1,66 Quarters of G-7/2 , 48 quarters of G-7/3, Essa Nagri of I- 9/1, Dhoke Najju of I-10/4, Haq Bahu of I-11/2 and Afghan Basti of I-11/1.

These slum settlements were established about three to four decades ago. Every Kutcha Abadi has a 300 to 500 houses with average 9 persons living in each house. So the population runs in thousands.

They seem to be unaware of the significance of cleanliness. Malnourished children with pale faces, plagued teeth and unkempt hair have nothing to engage themselves with. Their sunken eyes and thin skeletons tell a lot about their miserable plight. Infested with various fatal diseases and unprotected from the chilling cold of the inclement weather, their lives are in grave peril.

Education and health facilities are almost missing. Education ratio is shockingly low. The school-going children are few. When asked why they were not interested in educating their children, a resident of F-6/2 Kutcha Abadi said: “Our children are not given admission in schools under various pretexts. Our four-year-old kids are asked to appear in admission test. How can the children of illiterate parents pass the tests. So 3/4 fail and the next year they are overage.”

Even those who could get admission are eventually dropped from the schools, as they lag behind in their studies for want of electricity. Moreover, the poor parents could not afford the exorbitant fees of schools.

Barsati Nullahs, the breeding ground of germs, run across these mud-walled settlements, and the dwellers remain in perpetual fear of being washed away by the flood in the rainy season.

They also feel that they are deliberately being marginalized. Cradling his baby girl in his arms and cursing his lot, a widower Neil complained: “ We are treated as untouchables, the outcasts. We also are the citizens of Pakistan and deserve equal rights, he said. He also complained that their children were not allowed to play in public parks.

Their other nightmare is that the government may displace them any time and bulldoze their houses without giving them any compensation. However, it is encouraging that despite being the adherents of different sects of Christianity, these Baptists, Catholics, Evangelists and Protestants are living in complete harmony. — Junaid Bahadur