Repression in Gadap continues, locals resist eviction
Photo courtesy Hafeez Baloch
KARACHI: The Bahrain Town Karachi administration, along with armed men once again with heavy machinery stormed the old goths of Karachi on Friday.
An activist of Sindh Indigenous Rights Alliance and resident Abdul Hafeez said a resident of Gadap Town was shot at and wounded on Friday in firing allegedly carried out by private guards during Bahria Town Karachi’s move to bulldoze agricultural lands to pave the way for housing projects in the outskirts of Karachi city.
Locals offered resisted in Goth Kamal Khan Jokhio, they said the land was not allotted to the giant housing project and bid to occupy land is illegal. The presence of armed men any armed clash is feared in area.
The locals also made the video of BTK’s the bid to forcibly occupy the lands of the villages as situation is visible in the videos.
When reporters questioned the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto about Bahrain Town repression a few days ago, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he had taken notice.
On April 30, Bilawal Bhutto said at a press conference that he had told Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah: “I’ve taken notice of the issue and a report should be given to me. All work which is going on there should be immediately stopped until the report doesn’t arrive.”
A day earlier, social media stormed with reports that employees of Bahria Town, aided by Sindh Police personnel, were forcefully evicting residents from their lands.
On ground the PPP led Sindh government did not take any action against the acts of land grabbing. Locals complained.
MNAs and MPAs from Malir had also visited the area, but Bahrain Town’s repression continued. Kamal Khan Jokhio Goth is spot where the women came and stood against the bulldozers two weeks ago.
Last weeks a team of over one dozen journalists visited the village Noor Muhammad Gabol and Darya Khan Gabol where the housing project administration had tried to forcibly occupy the land.
Delegations of different political parties also visited the affected villages and assured their support to the villagers.
The local accused the real estate giant BTK Town for forcefully attempting to occupy land of goths making indigenous residents of the remote areas homeless.
