Anti-encroachment operation that is going in full swing across the country is a good move. Government seems determined to vacate official property from land grabbers and rightly so, but extreme caution is needed in this regard. Karachi police’s crackdown to vacate Pakistan quarters on Supreme court’s order took an ugly turn when several protesters and policemen were injured in ensuing clashes. Dozens of protesters along with senior MQM leaders have been booked for resisting official orders to vacate the quarters.
Similarly, there have been countless reports of citizens protesting loss of their only housing without prior warning or alternatives by authorities. This has led to opposition claims that anti-encroachment operations are in fact an anti-poor operation. Politics aside, this demand does merit a serious consideration from Imran Khan led PTI government that poor and downtrodden are not swept away in the heat of moment.
There are two sides to illegal occupation of govt land with both requiring different policy discourse at higher levels. Most of the official land has been occupied by influential ‘Qabza’ mafia who do this with lower level official backing and earn millions from renting out these properties or using them commercially. They need stern action and forceful clearing of land is absolutely justified in this case.
Other group of occupants includes slum dwellers which comprise of extremely poor segments of society who reside in shantytowns built illegally on govt land. Authorities does have a right to vacate these lands, but it would be cruel to force them out of their homes without providing any alternative residences. Same goes with quarter dwellers and low wage workers who lose their only source of residence or income as a result of anti-encroachment operations. This demands empathetic action on govt’s part and evictions if necessary should be carried out with due regard of options available to occupants. After all, a good government should possess a kind heart as well as a heavy hand.
