The much trumpeted anti-encroachment operation started in Karachi with the consensus of three coalition partners — the PPP, MQM and ANP — hit snags when serious reservations cropped up at a high-level meeting chaired by Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan at the Governor House on Wednesday.
Sindh Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman apprised the governor that the parties need to sort out their differences instead of blaming the government officials, adding only then specific orders to this effect could be implemented.
Controversy also erupted over the issuance of a notification for the committee to monitor the operation, as the CS said he could not notify a committee comprising political parties’ nominees.
The meeting participants also included Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh Minister for Local Bodies Agha Siraj Durrani, Senior Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, MQM’s federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq Sattar, federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Ghauri and ANP’s Shahi Syed and Amin Khattak.
Dr Farooq Sattar told the meeting that launching a massive anti-encroachment operation was a big challenge but the definition of encroachment and rehabilitation should be determined and the legal position of encroachment and land-grabbing should be clearly defined.
Political will and consensus have to be evolved and confidence has to be built to regain the confidence of the masses, he said, adding that each and every party should be prepared for collateral damage since land-grabbing has become a challenge for all the parties.
Farooq Sattar also mentioned that the Kachi Abadis regularised till 1985 were accepted by each and every party and this consensus was still being maintained.
He urged the PPP ministers to estimate as to how many Goths have cropped up since 1985, adding the relevant law had been misused and one should accept that land-grabbing was a crime and it has become a major issue in Karachi.
Farooq Sattar said that some law has to be made for shifting the people and providing them alternate land and added that the government should do away with providing alternate land to land grabbers.
Federal Minister Babar Ghauri said that the Board of Revenue needed to determine as to which Yousuf Goth was genuine, as Yousuf Goths have cropped up in many areas of the city.
He said that the MQM wanted this operation to be carried out at all costs despite the fact that the party’s name has been mentioned in the list of influential land grabbers.
Responding to Shahi Syed’s speech, Babar Ghauri asked him not to give ethnic colour to the anti-encroachment operation and warned that land mafia would no more be allowed to operate in Karachi.
Sindh Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmed demanded that alternate land be provided to the people living at both the sides of Gujajar Nullah.
Sindh Minister for Local Bodies Agha Siraj Durrani endorsed the views of Dr Sagheer Ahmed and put up this demand before Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.
The PPP and ANP expressed serious reservations over the manner of the operation carried out so far, while Sindh Revenue Minister Jam Mohammed Daher directly accused police and Revenue officials for land-grabbing.
He said he had been asking the Revenue Department to provide a list of encroachments for the last one-and-a-half months, but it was not provided which created doubts and reservations about the operation.
Before conducting operation, the police and revenue officials use to inform the encroachers and they use to stage demonstrations against the government, he added.
Agha Siraj Durrani asked EDO Revenue Roshan Ali Sheikh, who had made a four-month operation plan, to provide a complete list of areas where such operations would be carried out.
Durrani lashed out at the EDO Revenue for the use of his and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s name by various officials.
ANP President (Sindh) Shahi Syed had serious reservations over the Baldia Town operation as well as about the committee constituted earlier to monitor the whole operation.
On the occasion, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan constituted a committee of five members to monitor the whole operation. The committee is headed by Sindh Minister for Local Bodies Agha Siraj Durani, and it comprises PPP President (Karachi) Najmay Alam, MQM members Waseem Aftab and Raza Haroon, and ANP’s Bashir Jan.
Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah told the meeting that President Asif Ali Zadari wanted the operation to be successful.
