Karachi:Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor has welcomed the decision of the apex court to get razed the illegal building of Foundation Public School on the land of the Kidney Hill Park Karachi and requested the honorable judiciary to order removal of all sorts of encroachments – residential and commercial- from all amenity plots of the megacity.
Lauding the directive of the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued to the commissioner Karachi for razing the building of this private school as well as others houses built on the Kidney Hill Park land, Altaf Shakoor said that different powerful mafias have established schools, marriage halls, shopping centers, houses, garages, parking lots, bungalows and other residential and commercial structures on dozens of the amenity plots in the megacity. He said for this purpose, public parks including the Kidney Hill Park, Aziz Bhatti Park, Gutter Bagecha Park and other parks are encroached upon. He said even roads and footpaths are occupied under notorious China-cutting method. He said encroachments over the KCR track are a shame for Karachi and its administration.
He said Foundation Public School erected its building illegally in 1996 on the land of Kidney Hill Park and despite several complaints of residents and civil society, it continued its illegal occupation over this amenity land. He said such powerful mafias working under the banners of schools and other such businesses are violating the laws of land with impunity. He said main political parties of Karachi back and support these mafias and in return these mafias funds the political activities of these parties.
Altaf Shakoor, welcoming the operation of removal of encroachments from the Nullahs, said removing shanties and slums of the poor is any easy task for administration, but the administration becomes weak and impotent when it is the matter of removal of encroachments of powerful politically-backed people. He said it is being said that still dozens of illegal marriage halls of political leaders and their relatives are present over amenity lands and parks and no one dares to touch them.
PDP chairman also expressed concern that the government has not introduced new low-cost housing schemes for the Karachiites. He said it is natural that people would occupy lands when they are not given chances to buy plots and apartments introduced through legal schemes. He asked why the KMC, KDA, Lyari and Malir development authorities have not introduced new housing schemes for last many years.
Altaf Shakoor demanded urgent relief and settlement of the affected poor slum dwellers, besides continuing the removal of encroachments from the Nullahs, KCR lands and other amenity plots. He said dozens of lives could have been saved if the operation to clear Nullahs from encroachments was initiated and completed before the monsoon rains in the megacity. He asked the government to reject all sorts of pressure and complete the task of removal of encroachments till its logical end.