UMERKOT: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Lal Malhi on Tuesday led scores of shopkeepers posing a stiff resistance to the execution of the Aug 6, 2007 Supreme Court order for the removal of encroachments around the historical Umerkot fort resumed on an initiative of his own party colleague.

Describing the operation as being ‘discriminatory against PTI supporters’, MNA Malhi and the agitating shopkeepers did not allow the demolition squad to go ahead with it until they were assured of an even-handed drive. The operation was, however, suspended for a fortnight to allow time to encroachers to vacate the space voluntarily.

The Supreme Court had ordered removal of all structures, falling within a radius of 200 square feet, blocking the view of historical sites. The order was complied with in some cities and towns housing such sites, but in the case of the Umerkot Fort, only a few shops were partially demolished in 2007. The operation remained suspended until the former SC chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, stepped down and during the period, the demolished structures were rebuilt and more encroachments surfaced.

There are some 200 shops and 10 houses, as well as the DC office and the district nazim’s secretariat, falling within a radius of 200 square feet around the fort and all of them have to be demolished under the SC ruling.

A PTI activist, Advocate Zulfiquar Ali Gaju, filed a petition in the Umerkot district and sessions court about a couple of years back praying for the compliance of the SC order. In his petition, he sought demolition of all offices, houses and shops, and setting up of a tourism office and information desk at the site, besides the repair, renovation and beautification of the fort.

Appearing as respondents in court, officials of the archaeological and revenue departments and the Umerkot police undertook to comply with the SC order. Speaking to the agitators, the MNA described the operation as victimisation of PTI supporters and discriminatory against them. “Only the shops of PTI workers and supporters are being demolished while the DC office, district nazim’s secretariat and shops and houses belonging to non-PTI people are not being touched,” he claimed.

Notices were served on all concerned accordingly and a plan to carry out the demolition operation was chalked out.

On Tuesday, relevant officials accompanied by the a civil judge and the Umerkot curator came to the fort to supervise the demolition operation.

However, as soon as the operation began, scores of shopkeepers led by MNA Malhi put up a stiff resistance to it. They raised slogans against the government, relevant departments and the officials concerned and staged a noisy demonstration at Allah Wala Chowk blocking the main thoroughfare of the area for about an hour.

Mr Malhi threatened to widen the scope of the protest if the operation was carried out according to what he described as a dubious plan. “We will have no objection to the demolition of our structures if the others are demolished first,” he declared.

Amid a tense situation, MNA Malhi, Umerkot Curator Gul Hassan Burdi and the DSP held a meeting in the chamber of the district and sessions judge to sort out the issue. Mr Burdi explained to the participants that the shops built without any authority in front of the fort’s main entrance were being demolished. He said the structures built after obtaining an allotment letters would also be demolished as the process of cancelling the allotments in the light of the SC order was under way, he said, adding that a reference to this effect had already been sent to the culture department and the Mirpurkhas commissioner.

After the meeting, it was announced that on the request of MNA Lal Malhi, the judge allowed 15 more days to the occupants of the specified area to remove their encroachments voluntarily.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2014