KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to allot alternate accommodations to the affectees of the anti-encroachment drive along the drains in Karachi.
The government will appoint a commission, headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, for the purpose.
Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister Murtaza Wahab has finalised a draft for the formation of the commission and sent it to the Murad Ali Shah for approval.
The commission will allot 80-yard (2.6-marla) plots to people. It is also expected to compensate the residents of Nasla Tower — a 15-storey residential building in Karachi which the Supreme Court has ordered to demolish for encroaching on the land meant for a service road.
Earlier this month, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed its concern over the eviction of people living along Gujjar and Orangi drains.
“These actions were undertaken by city authorities without adequate consultation with the affected residents, no relocation plan, and disparate and insufficient compensation for the displaced,” he said in a statement.
According to the experts, 96,000 people are expected to be affected by the demolition of 12,000 houses along the drains. The experts further expressed concern over the top court’s dismissal of stay orders issued by the anti-encroachment tribunal which has saved some houses from demolition.
“In the wake of this decision, there are worrying reports that demolitions are underway again in Gujjar and Orangi drains, causing continuing stress and anxiety to residents,” they said.
