Karachi is the most populous city of Pakistan. There are thousands of squatters that dot the city. The population of the city is around 11,600,000. Being the commercial hub of the country thousands of people from across the country arrive here in search of greener pastures and better job opportunities. The influx is more due to the reason that the pace of industrial growth has improved in the city.
This trend of migration from the rural areas to the urban city centre has created many problems as well. The population of the metropolis has multiplied rapidly and this has led to a parallel increase in civic problems. It is being said that if this trend of rapid population growth of the city continued than in that case a time is closing in when Hyderabad and Karachi will called as twin cities.
At the moment Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) is ruling the city that considers the city more like its own property. There are eighteen towns in the city. In fourteen of the towns MQM dominates whereas the other four are dominated by political parties belonging to the opposition. The City District Nazim Karachi, Syed Mustafa Kamal, also belongs from MQM. He was elected to the provincial assembly Sindh in the elections 2002 but later he assumed the office of Karachi city government nazim.
Syed Mustafa tried a lot to take credit of the schemes that were launched by the previous city district government. He came under bitter criticism for road construction and sanitation and sewerage lines related projects due poor management. The simultaneous start of many of the road construction projects lead to public criticism as for almost about six months the Karachiites had to face multiple problems commuting due to dug up roads. The city district government made towering claims but no mega project of public welfare was seen on the ground.
With the increasing number of inhabitants in the city the problem of their accommodation was also highlighted. Land mafia took hold of public property and plots. All this continued to happen in connivance with the city district government and the provincial ministers. These illegally occupied plots were distributed among party workers after they were tagged as welfare plots – reserved for public welfare.
City District Government Karachi (CDGK) recently made a plan of re-balloting of more than 1500 plots at the Orangi Cottage Industry. Sources at Department of Land Utilisation Sindh told Pulse that in 1992 in Orangi Town in a draw of the same 1500 plots the land was given to Small Cottage Industries at Rs600 per yard.
According to sources the plots were of 120, 200, 400 and 240 yards. Now the price of these plots has exceeded Rs1.5 million. In case re-balloting of these plots is conducted by the city district government it will affect those persons to whom the plots were previously allotted. It would be hard for them to pay the increased cost.
Sources further told that the city government has already planned to use the plots for ‘welfare purpose’ and to distribute majority of them to its party workers.
Besides this there are many other instances when the city district government has allowed the towns administrations to occupy plots in the name of carrying out welfare activities. Later on these plots are distributed to the party workers for the construction of their own houses or were used to built Unit and Sector offices of the party.
In the middle of North Nazimabad Town a piece of land allotted for park has been given to a private fast food company on long-term lease. The fast food company has started construction of a restaurant at brisk pace. Sources believe that this is for the first time that such a practice has been observed.
Sources further told that in the past four months the North Nazimabad Town administration distributed large number of welfare plots amongst the heirs of the dead party workers to honour their services for the party.
Sources told that in North Nazimabad Block I near Jamia Masjid Baqa’a, 80-120 yard plots were distributed. Whereas in the jurisdiction of the town, welfare plots were distributed among the party workers in Block I, Block J and Block F.
It is important to mention that the welfare plots can only be utilised for the purpose of construction of parks, hospitals, dispensaries and other such projects aimed at public welfare.
Similarly, the city district government opened up its party offices on plots meant for welfare purpose all across the city. Among the many examples one is the construction of party unit office on land meant for construction of a hospital in UC-4, Saddar Town.
The city government is acting on a carrot and stick policy. Where the carrot is for the areas of its majority and stick for the people of the areas where the opposition parties hold strength like the Pakhtun dominated areas. This principle has been followed as regards the evacuation notices issued to various Katchi Abadis (squatters) in areas like Railway Colony and Saddar Town. Due to this prejudiced attitude tension prevails in the UC-4 area in Saddar Town.
Another glaring example of the ill practice is the ongoing construction of a shopping plaza at the famous MA Jinnah Road on land meant for sports complex.
