Slum Demolition Sgd Pak

This report is compiled by: Jawad Mazhar (ROD)

District administration wipe out a slum without notice An illegal slum near Istaqlalabad Colony was demolished by the orders of local administration authorities on the night of June, 27th, 2007, without warning. Almost all the residents of this slum are very poor and a few have been residing there for several years. This piece of land is owned by the Provincial government of the Punjab. After interviewing the residents of this slum Rays of Development (ROD) learnt that in 1985 Punjab Government evacuated Khuda Bakhsh Colony residents and gave them plots of land in this slum. With the passage of time many other families also started to build their houses unlawfully in the same slum. Now the number of families residing here has reached to 40. The Local government had been planning from previous six (06) months to evict those illegal residents from this slum. Therefore District Revenue Officer Sargodha order to evacuate the land but local authorities failed to serve warning to the residents of this slum. Consequently, the inhabitants of this slum were totally ignorant of the governments plan. On June 27th, 2007 most of the people of this colony were sleeping when local government officials accompanied by police reached there with a crane and started to bulldoze the houses of these poor but illegal residents of the slum. The demolishing of the houses was a catastrophe for the residents of the slum. People were unable to get out of their houses in time; therefore police had to drag them out of the houses. In the meantime some officials and police started to misbehave and humiliate the young girls in the houses. Police also tore dresses of ladies and push them to get away. People were totally unable to save their household things like utensils and kitchen items and in some cases people also failed to escape of the way of crane or falling bricks and walls. Next day on June 28th, 2007, residents of this slum along with ROD team protested against government’s move of demolishing the accommodation of poor with out warning. During this protest Member of National Assembly Mr. Anwer Sultan Cheema charged at ROD Cameraman Mr. Jawad Mazhar and tried to snatch the camera. ROD activists interviewed inhabitants of the slum including Malik Owais, M Afzal (Retired Army Personal), M Ramzam, M Rafiq, Aslam, Mukhtaran Bibi, Suriya Bibi, Mussarat Bibi, Shakeela Bibi, Asmat Bibi, M Riaz, Hajan Rafiqan, Saba Riaz, Gulzar, Babar Ayaz, Anweri Bibi, Gulzari Bibi, Abdul Hameed, Nasim Bibi and Zakia Bibi. On the night of June 27th, 2007 while hoses were being demolished by the crane, Ali Haider a child of 10 was hit by the falling brick on his leg and got severe injuries. ROD Chairman reffered Ali Haider to the doctor for first aid. Dr Tahir dressed his wounds and reffered him to DHQ hospital Sargodha for detailed medical examination. Therefore ROD team took Ali Haider to the DHQ hospital for examination.

Ali Haider’s elder sister also got injured during this demolishing of housing. Doctors at DHQ hospital said that Ali Haider needs surgery now. After visiting the destructed slum Chairman ROD Ferhan Mazhar condemn the local officials step to not forewarn the residents of the slum. Chairman ROD was touched to see the deplorable scenes at the slum. Chairman ROD said “Nature also turned more violent and against these poor people, because it rained cat and dog through the night on June, 28th, 2007.” Report prepared by Jawad Mazhar, Imran Mazher, Nadeem Samuel, Ms. Rosey Dewan, Adil Naseem, Zimran Elias and Adnan Saeed. Report recommended by: Mr. Ferhan Mazher Chairman Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan. www.raysofdevelopment.com