Another settlement of local people demolished

Another settlement of local people demolished
The officials of KDA and Karachi city district government with the help of 20 police mobiles attacked 300 years old settlement of Juma Goth in Ibrahim Haidri, Karachi and demolished some 50 houses. One villager was killed while 10 others were injured in police firing when the villagers tried to protect their shelters.…. The action of district city government is deplorable as it has touched a very sensitive issue, which may once again flare up linguistic riots in the city.… Earlier too, over a dozen old settlements were demolished by KDA and district city government Karachi and demolition of Juma Kalmati Goth is seen in continuity of the same plan. Some months back when district city government demolished some villages in Karachi, as chief executive of the province the Sindh Chief Minister had held assurance that no such action would be taken in future. But the assurance of the Chief Minister proved hallow when once again the city government and KDA bulldozed 50 houses in Juma Kalmati Goth in violation of CM’s directives. … It appears that the KDA and City government enjoy backing of some influential hidden hands; hence they were violating the directives of the chief executive of the province. It is strange that there were hundreds of katchi abadis constructed illegally, but whenever, KDA and city government choose to demolish some settlement, it is always some Goth of indigenous people who had been living their since pre partition days or since centuries. This is discriminative attitude towards the locals and Sindh chief minister and other higher authorities should take notice of it and ensure that local people should not be disturbed in the name of development. -Mehran, October 5. ( Translated by Sohail Sangi)